# Six secrets for stronger survival training



## kwflatbed (Dec 29, 2004)

*10-8: Life on the Line*
*- Sponsored by Blauer*

with Charles Remsberg

What do a swimming pool, a dark room, and interrupted simulator scenarios have in common?

All can be instrumental parts of innovative training that can help officers win against armed assailants, according to Chris Ghannam, president of Sark Securities Inc., an independent advanced-training organization based in Tampa, Fla., that is making its mark with unique hands-on and classroom programs for law enforcement and the military throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Recently PoliceOne attended a three-day Sark workshop on Advanced Human Performance, featuring Ghannam as lead instructor, along with Dr. Mike Asken, a psychologist with the Pennsylvania State Police, and Dr. William Horton, a specialist in neurolinguistic programming.
Afterward, in an exclusive interview, Ghannam addressed a few of the ways he believes you can strengthen your own recruit and in-service training to better prepare officers to meet their moments of truth on the street.

*Take to the Water*

Consider having your trainees perform certain firearms drills in a swimming pool, Ghannam suggests. It's a good way to build much faster and more correct full-body shooting mechanics.
Start off with the officers in water that's about chest high, so that once they bend their knees for their shooting position, water will reach their necks.
"There's no better exercise for building speed than to practice against resistance," Ghannam explains. "But providing controlled resistance around an extended arm is difficult in most training environments. If you're drawing and punching out your weapon with your arms underwater, though, you have consistent 360-degree resistance around your gun arm. This builds muscle strength, and when you're shooting on land without the resistance, your movement will be much faster."
The water also helps polish form. "If you draw incorrectly, your gun will move through the water like a paddle, and you'll feel it," Ghannam says. "If you're punching out correctly, from the center of your body rather than in a sloppy arc, it's more like a blade piercing through the water. This allows you to self-correct and consciously develop perfect practice."
Use training guns and plastic holsters, and keep the water level such that you can plant your feet comfortably, without bobbing or treading. Start slowly and smoothly and gradually get faster with continued reps. Among other things, your students will quickly recognize the importance of having a solid base.
"Officers who are not physically fit will have a hard time staying in a correct stand for extended periods while on a traditional firing line," Ghannam says. "You'll generally see many allow their pelvic region to sway forward and their upper torso sag back to compensate. This is one of the first signs of lower back and body fatigue. Being in water tends to reduce this tendency, allowing for extended effective training time."
Another water drill Ghannam uses is to have trainees swim full-body, free-style sprints-intense 30-second bursts to get the heart rate about 160 bpm, a point where many officers start to lose their fine motor-skill functionality. "This saves training time because it's much quicker than taking a 30-minute run, with less risk of injury," he says. 
"Once a physical element of full-body stress has been developed, officers then take training weapons that are lined up at poolside with prearranged malfunctions, where they must clear stoppages and fire at paper targets from the water. With practice, you can recondition the point where you lose your fine-more skill functionality."

*Full Article: Six secrets for stronger survival training*


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## LGriffin (Apr 2, 2009)

Interesting.


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## Nuke_TRT (Feb 10, 2008)

kwflatbed said:


> *Take to the Water*
> 
> Consider having your trainees perform certain firearms drills in a swimming pool.


7, I don't want to see you practicing quick draws in the spent fuel pool.


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## SgtAndySipowicz (Mar 17, 2008)

1) hands kill/injure 2) never have back to anyone 3) someone looks down and to left they *are* lying to you 4) you'll find out which Cops you can trust to be attentive and alert and what Cops you can't. Some Cops are great people but you cringe at some of their tactics etc. Four big things I have observed over the years..........


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## Goose (Dec 1, 2004)

I'll have to take my blue gun and nylon duty belt down to the gym's swimming pool and get back to everyone on how great this training is...


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## LGriffin (Apr 2, 2009)

SgtAndySipowicz said:


> 1) hands kill/injure 2) never have back to anyone 3) someone looks down and to left they *are* lying to you 4) you'll find out which Cops you can trust to be attentive and alert and what Cops you can't. Some Cops are great people but you cringe at some of their tactics etc. Four big things I have observed over the years..........


There. Now you just saved many goof departments who would actually participate in these programs lots of cash.


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## Sark (May 7, 2009)

LGriffin,

Come on, there is no need to bash from an article when you have never been through any of our training. Everyone has their right to their own opinion. I am confident that if you ask around the "serious" instructor community you will find that we get right down to business in every class we teach. 

We are more expensive than most because we target the instructor community. I know many officers in Mass. train in LockUp which is a highly squared away program. Maybe you should ask Kevin or any other instructor that has actually seen us teach or participated in some of our training to give you an authentic assessment of our methods or levels of effectiveness. 

If you are looking for the same traditional training programs, you are right we are probably not for you. If you are serious and wish to be pushed to your limits in an effort to enhance your survivability on the street come on out. 

As long as your agency endorses that you are an instructor or seasoned officer our door is open. 

We don't promote testimonials from agencies or instructors because we are not that type of organization. The only way we wish to travel is via word of mouth. If you are in certain communities you will eventually hear about us. 

I wish you all the best. Stay safe!

Respectfully,

Chris Ghannam


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