You may not realize it, but there is a technique to defensive shooting. It's a lot more than just aiming a gun and firing at a threat. In this case, you'll learn the best tips to handle any situation like a pro!

Pay attention to the “two arm’s reach”
As a general rule of defensive shooting, nobody should be able to get their hands on you or your weapon. If that happens, they are much more dangerous for you and the overall scenario can end tragically. If you have a gun in your hand, the last thing you want is for someone to be able to get in contact with you or touch your gun. When defending yourself, you should keep the proper distance between you and your attacker.

In defensive shooting, this distance is called ‘two arm’s reach’ or TAR. Some instructors argue that the distance me be further based on the length of tools or reaction time. However, it is just a matter of details.

Lower your center of gravity
This is one of the first things I’ve learned when I started training for defensive shooting. I was quite surprised to see the number of people practicing defense drills in an upright position. Fighting while standing up straight is just silly and no one should do it. We have a natural instinct of lowering our center of gravity when we are in danger. We do it even for our athletic activities. You’ve probably seen people lowering down when they get startled.

Defensive shooting is nothing more than an athletic act. A proper training should rely on our natural tendency to bend forward at the waist and bend our knees. When you are in a defensive shooting situation, you most certainly won’t be in your most comfortable stance. People should figure out how good of a shooter they are in all sorts of positions. Start by training in a natural position and advance to positions that make you feel uncomfortable.

Learn one-handed ready positions
Sometimes, you will have to get within TAR or deal with an unknown situation. There could be a potential threat that catches you by surprise and you won’t be ready for it. When that happens, be sure to transition to a one handed ready position. This involves keeping your gun close to your body and using your other hand to delay the threat. You should use your free hand to shield yourself or fend off a gun grab attempt.

It is better to have your arm slashed by a knife and be able to shoot the attacker, than to have your gun taken from you. When you are on the range, practice shooting from one-handed retention positions. Defensive shooting requires for you to be able to quickly transition from a one-handed ready position to a two-handed extended shooting position.

You have to be fit to survive
No matter how you look at things, if you want to defend yourself and help others during a defensive shooting scenario, you should be fit. You should be able to make the transition from a resting position to a ready position without breaking a sweat. During one of my defense shooting classes I learned that you should get your gun from your secure spot in less than 30 seconds during a home invasion. This means that you should be able to quickly reach your gun safe spot from the place in your home where you spend most of your time.

Even more, every teen and adult should be able to carry or drag another person during a defensive shooting scenario. During a home invasion, you might need to move family members from one spot in the house to another. If dragging someone up the stairs is not doable for you, you should get in shape. Gun fighting, just like any other type of fighting is an athletic effort. Prepare your body to be able and fight.

These tips may seem pretty easy to do at first but they do require some practice and extensive training. Remember, when preparing for a collapse, it's all about practice. Take these tips into consideration and make sure you are properly defending yourself with a gun.

For more defense tips, check out Prepper's Will.