Lethal
Force Institute - LFI 1
I had the opportunity
to sit in on one day (8 hours) of the 40 hour LFI-1
course taught by Massad Ayoob at the Phoenix
Rod
& Gun Club in south west Phoenix, Arizona in
April of 2009. Massad is a prolific writer and
internationally known instructor. While the
course material is serious and details can be important,
Massads in depth knowledge of the subjects and mastery
of the skills involved, makes the information easy
to absorb and interesting. Mas is also a quick wit
and keeps the class interesting and the students
listening with humor and a comfortable teaching style
The LFI-1 is the entry
level course at Lethal Force Institute however it
covers topics beyond most state CCW requirements
along with more hours of range time than most 2 day
shooting schools.
The time I spent
with this class impressed me. I hope the following
review and photos help illustrate the quality of
the instruction offered by Lethal Force Institute
in the LFI-1 course. If you carry a firearm this
class is about the best training you could take for
successfull CCW
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The
most famous LFI course, 40 hours of immersion training
that (Lawyers and cops who've taken it agree) goes
well beyond law school and the police academy in
this critical decision-making area. Prevention,
intervention and aftermath management are all thoroughly
considered. The course includes: when the citizen
can and cannot use a gun in self defense...tactics
for home defense...street gunfighting tactics...how
to take a criminal suspect at gunpoint...selection
of guns, ammo, and holsters... psychological preparation
for violent encounters...justifying your actions
in court. Intensive combat shooting comprises 40%
of the course, the remainder being lecture, video
and student interaction. 40 hrs. |
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The class was held at the
Phoenix
Rod and Gun Club Shooting Range. LFI
has been holding their Arizona classes here
for many years. The classroom was comfortable
and large enough for the 14 students, guests
and assistants.
 
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The first day covered introductions, range rules,
schedule for the 5 days of the class and of course
safety. I was impressed with the range assistants.
The range assistants had all worked
with Massad in the past (many times) and were
graduates of various shooting schools at advanced
level instruction.most of them were also national
level competitors in the shooting
sports
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The lecture portion of the day (4 hours) went
by quickly with lots of ground covered. Massad
explained some of the elements that made up the
'Stress Fire' technique, along with a few simple
exercises that illustrate why the techniques
were developed as they were
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Some of the lecture portion was delivered on
video which provides consistency and offers great
illustration of some practice drills and shooting
techniques.
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Notes are a key portion of the LFI-1 course.
The facility offered plenty of tables for easy
note taking. I used the new Surefire II pen which
we have been reviewing. It worked well and wrote
no matter if I was writing on the table or on
the range
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There were breaks every hour or so, but no lunch
hour. The class room lecture continued through
lunchtime, and the class ate during one of the
video segments. In my opinion, this adds value
since lunch breaks typically last an hour or
more when no instruction takes place.
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The class moves to the range in the afternoon
for evaluation, practice drills, and some hands
on learning of the techniques touched on earlier
in the day
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The Phoenix Rod and Gun Club
Shooting Range offers a perfect setting
for the shooting portion of the LFI-1 course.
There was plenty of room for the entire class
on the line at once which kept the class moving
at a steady pace
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Massad stresses the importance of practicing
the skills learned at the class and the history
and reasons the suggested techniques have evolved
the way they have
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Range safety and one on one instruction were
both effortlessly delivered by the expert assistants
and Massad's instruction
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While CCW instruction is typically not considered
marksmanship training, the LFI-1 course does
include accurate shooting requirements
 
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This coverage would sometimes conclude a review
of a tactical shooting class, however this article
covers just one day of the 40 hour, five day
LFI-1 course. Homework was assigned to the students
as well as some dry fire practice. At the conclusion
of the course, passing a written and shooting
test are required to graduate.
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Every
Lethal Force Institute student I have talked to has
spoken very highly of the level of instruction, quality
of material and value of the LFI classes. The time
I spent at the LFI-1 classroom and range proves to
me they were correct.
The Lethal
Force Institute LFI-1 course offers the best
overall course for the average upstanding citizen with
a CCW. You will learn both practical and tactical skills
and gain the knowledge and confidence to better defend
yourself on the street and in a courtroom
Lethal Force Institute - LFI 1
2009 Schedule
May 7 - 10, 2009 |
Rochester, IN |
June 4 - 7, 2009 |
Enfield, NH |
June 11 - 14, 2009 |
Chehalis, WA |
June 25 - 28, 2009 |
Harrisburg, PA |
August 22 - 25, 2009 |
Kalamazoo/Battle Creek, MI |
September 10 - 13, 2009 |
Wallingford, CT |
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Lethal
Force Institute - LFI 1 |
