CITIZEN 

Men

 

A ‘10’. Excellent skills, excellent training, excellent trainers. CQD has the whole package to enable trainees to excel to their maximum capability. – [Forging] Fabulous – would love to do more. Great individual and team confidence and skills building experience. ‘Invaluable.’ – I also admire and appreciate the constant emphasis on values, morals, and righteousness. It is important to hear these values as part of a course like this and life 

 

generally. Thank you guys. – R.P.

 

I really appreciate what CQD has done and will continue to do for our country. So many people have no idea. Thank you again and it was a real honor for me to meet you! – J.Z.

 

What can I say, unbelievable. One of the most fun things I’ve ever done. – C.M.

 

Excellent. We are incredibly honored to be included and allowed to participate. – We are much more confident in our own defensive positions and feel more capable to deal with “come what may.” I also believe that much healing took place within me as far as PTSD is concerned and am very grateful for that. – V.B.

 

Totally different than anything I’ve experienced in a 10 plus years of martial arts training. Very quick results that are effective. Great team of Instructors. – The “high risk” parts of the day were the most illuminating. – [Unarmed Hooded Box] Very intense but simple the best way to test new (and old) skills. – [Unarmed Open Box] Having to fight from a variety of positions (lying down, etc) was very helpful. – I was shocked to see how smoothly the unarmed parts of the training transferred into the armed parts. – Had the time of my life! Can’t wait to come back and train again. – D.K.

 

Very informative, useful, and surprising. Definitely helped me see how to defend different but usefully. It was awesome! – I benefitted from the one on one contact with the trainer. He really taught me step by step slowly. – [Hooded Box] Awesome! It seemed very real. The guys attacking did great. – One of a kind program. I loved it! – M.I.

 

It was awesome! Very informative. It was very fun. I feel more confidence if I were in a situation. – It is a very good way to simulate real situations. – J.P.

 

Excellent intensity/excellent instruction/great positive mindset/great TRPs. – Great exercise for decision making, situational awareness. – [Open Hood] Good training on fight vs. flight’ analyzing hostile behavior. – [Hood with Knife] Nice simulation of real-life knife consequences for armed and unarmed people. – Top-notch constructive criticism, the formula of instilling fundamentals rather than many complex tactics is very effective. – D.K.

 

Excellent instructors – knowledgeable – competent – clear – concise – know when to push and when to dial down. – [Benefit the most] Proper instruction stepped up and brought together systematically into precise application at a high level – quickly. – Everything taught was very clear – could benefit from more training in the future. – [DDS Hood] Took everything up a notch – (well – more than a notch.) Most effective – eye-opening training I have ever had for high-risk situations. Very valuable. – Both open/closed [were] very demanding. Open really forced me into seeing [the] importance life/death of my decisions. High risk situations. – very valuable. – I am very humbled and grateful for the opportunities to train here – very good experience. Thanks. Would like to do more. – J.S.

 

This was excellent. I had no fighting or martial arts experience at all, and I found the concepts to be intuitive and exceptionally well taught. – The TRP scenarios raised my situational awareness significantly, walking into rooms, or down the street, even sitting at the Hyatt restaurant all took on a different feel after those drills – who is there, where is an exit, how do I hold my hands, etc. – I can’t say enough about how much I got out of this program. Learning by doing, confidence to deal with any situation, and understanding that avoiding a fight makes the most sense but being mentally prepared if I need to fight to the death if necessary is a skill set I want to continue to build. Final comment – the instructors were excellent! – R.C.

 

Duane – you made a great comment to me at the end of the event last night that was spot on. This course provides an opportunity to take someone like me out of my comfort zone and learn something completely foreign in a safe environment. Typically, we never leave our comfort zones and go through life with the same routines. Thanks for challenging me to expand my mind and body in many ways. – D.N.

 

Excellent! A very well thought out approach to an amazing, useful topic. Redefined a lot of what I thought I knew about personal defense. Huge confidence builder. – Invaluable lesson. Nothing I have trained before comes a close to recreating the realism of actual fighting. Also forced mental control. – Almost too real! Heart pounding realism that I will not forget when it comes to home protection, I will rethink a lot of assumptions. – Thank you very much for this opportunity! I learned an incredible amount in such a short time thanks to your systematic approach, excellent material, and especially your passion. With sincere gratitude… – M.T.

 

An incredible experience. Such fundamental skills that I know I will be able to apply forever. Thank you. – D.A.

 

Amazing instructors, amazing program, what an experience… – S.J.

 

The whole thing was amazing. Want to send my wife through training and come back for level 2. – A.G.

 

Feel more empowered to feel more confident and safe in everyday life. – J.K.

 

Fantastic. Great job setting in a lot of information. – Every instructor [was] really helpful and supportive. – [Forging] This was incredible – would have done it again if I could. – Duane and all the instructors were awesome. – S.S.

 

Outstanding. – [Forging] Proves personal capabilities faster than what I have experienced. – Outstanding as always. – J.K.

 

It was some of the best training I have ever received. – The element of surprise is the best. – J.K.

 

Outstanding! Very valuable. I’d love to come back and do more. – Fantastic! I loved the reaction created by the element of surprise from the hood. – Excellent Course. I would highly recommend it to anyone and I hope to come back for more. Thank you! – R.G.

 

Amazing. – For the overall time, great information on perfect level. – [Hooded Box] Intense stuff, amazing to watch again on video. – [Forging] It was an experience for life, very good, great organization. – F.F.

 

Excellent. Incredible the speed of achieving concepts. – Effective at integrating concepts quickly. – I was particularly impressed with the introduction of a concept without dwelling, and the idea that the concept becomes so quickly engrained. – N.S.

 

Very good. The training was easy to understand. – [Forging] Very intense! Learned a lot about myself. – This was better than I had hoped for. The information and the way it is presented is remarkable. Thank you! The stuff was the best! – M.M.

 

Invaluable and unique. Definitely an important training session to have. – [Forging] Very useful, scary at first but helped us get out of our comfort element and fight for our lives. – This was an amazing weekend and the training I got I will never forget. Thank you all. – H.S.

 

Exceptional training. The amount of information we received in a short period of time was very good. – Duane is very good at explaining the meat and bones of his course. – [Forging] Exhausting, exhilarating, exceptional! – Thanks Duane and all your training team. – S.W.

 

A “10”! The common sense approach immediately clicked and enabled me to give in to the teaching, the speed and energy of the teaching. – The drills all melded nicely with the progressive learning. – [Forging] Much more than expected. Took my brains and body to new places. – The required speed of decision making was awesome! – [Great focus to gain skills. – I want more! The quality and methodology overall far exceeded expectations. I know I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to train with your team! Thank you for all you are doing. Inspiring! – C.F.

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Phenomenal! 10 out of 10. Take-home value is incredible for such a short period of time. – I learn by doing and it was great to learn fundamentals and to begin immediately employing them. The hood drill was great to build/test instincts. – I just want to do more! – [Unarmed Hooded Box] Was a great test of what we learned and is the best way to engrain these skills. – [Forging] Was great. Confusion and uncertainty were palpable, but we learned much that became instinct in a short time. – 10 out of 10. – Thank you to Duane and the staff! All great guys and great warriors! – B.K.

 

The best! Instruction with [Instructor] and Duane and the quality of TRP-Outstanding. – [Unarmed Hooded Box] Thrilling and unforgettable. – Can’t wait until next time. Positive energy with the whole system approach works best for me. – C.F.

 

It was great, easy to learn very fun but intense. – [Unarmed Hooded Box] Scary but fun and exciting. – [Armed Hooded Box] One of the best things I’ve done in my life, would really like to do it again!! – Great program really good energy all around good place. – J.G.

 

Excellent – fast paced, comprehensive, NEVER BORING. – GREAT STUFF!! I would recommend this to everyone! (Except the bad guys). – G.A.

 

Wonderfully practical and focused – conducted by top class practitioners with great communication and empathy! – Would love more! Thanks for a job well done! – D.K.

 

Excellent. – [Hooded Box] An excellent stress inducer. Never been put in a situation like that before and learned a great deal from it. – Instructors were very professional, will recommend highly. – D.R.

 

Outstanding- content, delivery, style, message- all were well beyond expectations. – One of the most demonstrative things I’ve ever experienced. – T.V.

 

Outstanding as always. – [Hooded Box] The best test of learned skills with pressure and fatigue. – [W&Z Hood] Validates your skill(s) in short time. Excellent. –…Will be back for more. – W.P.

 

It was for me a good exercise for being prepared for many kinds of surprises of the moments in the world taking place. – All the training is useful in the situations you can present in any moment. – The skills [taught] here help yourself to be more [conscious] of your own ability to defend yourself. – F.A.

 

I thought it was great. The instruction was very clear and effective. – The real attack situations were very beneficial to ensure the skills we learned were used accordingly. – [Hooded Box Drill] I thought it was awesome. It put reality into an attack situation and was a critical part of the training. – The instruction was excellent and I would highly recommend this course to others. – M.B.

 

Really good, easy and practical to use. – I can really use the passive, but ready to strike position. This is something that I can use in my day to day life. – For a good basic overview, this was perfect. – [Hooded Box Drill] OMG comes to mind. What a great experience to put into practice what we learned and to see what we can really do. – B.A.

 

Excellent – great instructors – very useful material – focus on surviving putting ego aside. – [Hooded Box Drill] I loved it – got your adrenaline rushing. – Great instructors – very nice individuals. Thought they really cared about teaching the skills to help protect ourselves. – L.L.

 

Excellent training. Very practical and realistic. The exercises were totally exhilarating. – [Hooded Box Drill] Loved the method of training because it brings out the adrenaline like nothing else. – J.T.

 

The training was fantastic. Very professional, especially the instructors, they corrected any error did by a participant and I value that a lot. – For the few days we had I think we covered the most useful techniques. – The training was perfect, I would like to do it again, all security advice was very useful. Thanks! – M.R.

 

Very practical and applicable to everyday situations. – The situational training was most beneficial to help understand the chaos of a dangerous confrontation. – The hooded box drill definitely added a lot of realism to the situations. It also substantially raised the anxiety level and anticipation of the exercise. –Thanks for the realism. – C.W.

 

Excellent – very well presented – showed us how – gave us the standard let us do the hands on and practice. – Tailored to our need – I would never have thought of some of these scenarios and feel I am now aware of some of the possibilities. – Please come back. – D.T.

 

Fantastic course. Very useful which provided confidence. – [Hooded Box] Fantastic – great practical application of learning. – Instructors were very knowledgeable and made class comfortable. – M.K.

 

Very good and appropriate. – [Hooded Box] Excellent drill and very beneficial. – All of the instructors were very knowledgeable. It is obvious that they know what they are doing and the training was applicable. – W.C.

 

[Hooded Box] Fantastic. – Do hope the session for the wives will happen soonest. Would like to take again. – E.C.

 

Excellent. – [Hooded Box] Adrenaline rush, total reaction. Was all I thought about. – Great job, thank you. – D.K.

 

Practical info and techniques. Well presented with good direction and drills. – Instructors were enthusiastic and provided good clear information. – G.A.

 

Excellent. Built confidence to deal with a threatening situation. – [Benefit the most] Type of defense/offense position that offered best chance of survival. – As best could to simulate mind’s response to instant threat. – Well done and good to think I have at least some chance to defend family. – A.C.

 

Very good. Opened my eyes to an alternative to being a victim. – [Hooded Box] Good exercise, realistic. – The team of trainers were great. – B.S.

 

Very good training. I think it is useful for a personal defense situation, how to act and react. – [Hooded Box] Great! It provides a real attack experience. – Very good trainers, they provide us with clear explanations. – A.G.

 

I really liked it. Was intense and very useful. – [Hooded Box] Was amazing, graphic and very necessary. – Where can I find more…about this course. – A.L.

 

Very effective at giving myself confidence in a remote area of *****. – P.L.

 

I loved it! – I hope ****** makes this a yearly training exercise! – C.T.

 

Excellent. It gave me some good basic skills for self defense and how to handle various situations endangering my safety and also how to protect myself and family. – [Hooded Box] Excellent. Well presented. Instructors were very competent, and explained/demonstrated all movements and actions very well. – R.H.

 

Excellent, fun, would do it again. – I would like further training. Instructors were excellent in explaining physics of all stances and moves. – J.S.

 

Very good intense, hands on training. – Really liked it, was very intense and had you working off your instant reactions which the course guided you through. –…Instructors were very good. Thanks. – A.W.

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Excellent, completely new to me. – [Hooded Box] Excellent multiple scenarios testing all of course training. – K.C.

 

Excellent explanation of drills! Overall great! – [Hooded Box] Great, a lot of fun and exciting. Sure puts it all in perspective. – Would be great if the next shift of guys could receive the training. – A.B.

 

Excellent. Most practical and efficient training ever received. – Awesome! Demonstrated the ability to me of being able to use weapons in a less then optimal environment. Broke range mentality. – Awesome! Excellent team and objective based drill. Forcing a combination of all techniques taught. – Look forward to more. Thanks! – J.L.

 

Great training, very informative, awesome instructors. – [DDS Closed Hood] Very surprising but felt prepared from instruction. – Instructors were very patient and easy to follow. I look forward to coming back again. – M.F.

 

Very informative, great instructors, learned a lot in a small amount of time. – [DDS Closed Box] Great way to learn by doing and while under stress. – J.P.

 

Excellent! I learned a lot of knowledgeable/useful assets. – It taught me how to react to real situations better. – I reacted and fought better. I am more likely to survive a high risk incident. – Enjoyed the training and I feel I will use this in the future. – A.P.

 

Most impressive – thank you. Most professionally delivered. – It was a very unique and valued opportunity to gain practical self-defense skills. – Thanks very much! – D.K.

 

I liked it. Made me aware of options I have for protection or attack. – R.R.

 

Excellent. This is the first self defense class I have taken. I finally feel like I now know enough to be able to protect myself and my family. – Very useful as it helped me determine fight or flight. In the past, I would not have felt comfortable fighting and probably would have tried to run away even when not possible or appropriate. – I want to do this again. I am not a big fan of violence, but this course has shown me how to use it quickly and effectively if it ever becomes necessary. – T.C.

 

Great experience all the way through! …Builds your confidence. – [Hooded Box] Close to real life situations. Puts you under pressure; adrenaline pumping up! Glad it was part of the course. – Highly recommend to everyone. Would love to do this again. – M.D.

 

I thought it was great! I learned good techniques and how to respond in several difficult situations. – [Benefit the most] The black hood training. It was the closest to a realistic situation, and I got to find out how I would react and with what speed and reaction. – They taught me many defensive measures I never previously would have known or considered. – All of the instructors are great. Great course! – J.L.

 

I thought that it was great and I will most definitely feel more confidence. Also the Hooded exercises really opened my eyes about what a real attack might be like. – J.A.

 

[Benefit the most] Verbal instructions with explanation, not just “do this.” And the Hood exercises bring it all together providing the greatest benefit. – This provides confidence that cannot be achieved any other way. When “attacked” from front and back I would not have expected to be able to deal with it, but did and now I have confidence to fight. – S.H.

 

Great practical training. Instructors did a great job developing individual skills and [pulling them together]. – Loved the Hooded drills when instinct takes over. – C.H.

 

This training is first class and very applicable to *****. The instructors are safety conscious and extremely competent. – [Hooded Box] Extremely effective in creating the training environment – surprise attack. – L.L.

 

Loved it. Very intuitive and instructors were awesome. Teaching a bunch of ******* and ******** is probably not as cool as teaching some SEALs but never would have guessed that given the instructors enthusiasm. – I’ve spent 30 years doing martial arts; this gets you ready to defend yourself much more quickly and much more effectively than any of the styles I have trained in. It is also, I think more adaptable than those other art forms because it allows smaller people to actually react in a manner most likely to result in success. – D.B.

 

Great training that can be used anywhere at anytime. – [Hooded Box] Had a great time, was great so we could see how quick the attacks actually came and kept coming in real close quarters battle. – M.B.

 

Excellent! Everyone should receive this training to protect themselves in any scenario. – [Hooded Box] Very intense and really made you react as if you would in the real world. – C.C.

 

[Benefit the most] Proper defensive techniques, how to properly apply offensive force if needed. The scenarios were very useful. – [Hooded Box] Very beneficial and closely simulated real life reactions. – S.C.

 

Very professional. Impressed overall and certainly would be interested in the full-scale training at HQ. Much better than other self defense classes I’ve participated in. Great team of instructors. – A.F.

 

Very enlightening. Made me realize the various situations I could be in and how to avoid or handle them. – [Hooded Box] … Served to give me confidence that I could respond to a threat. – I was much more comfortable with my ability to react to threats after the training. – T.G.

 

[Hooded Box] Very useful. I can see how this method of being put under stress may trigger a good reaction in real life. – This system, the training and the entire group of instructors was not only professional and well paced, but also very real-world and I expect will be used at some point in my life. – D.G.

 

Outstanding! Great instruction and concept. Would love to go through it again. – Understanding the components of the attack and also when to flee. – [Hooded Box] In one word, thrilling! If nothing else, I have learned how vulnerable one can be in an unexpected attack. – D.H.

 

All the instructors were awesome and very knowledgeable. The fact they can take a class that is normally much longer and condense it into less than 3 days and still give students the basic skills to defend themselves is noteworthy. Thanks, I really hope I have a chance to further my training in CQD in the future. – J.T.

 

Good progressive training cycle, teaching some of the most useful tactics I have learned. – Real-life scenarios. I have never experienced this in any course (20 years in the M.C. didn’t do this). It was great. – K.V.

 

Well organized and presented very professionally. A lot of information and participants were pushed as in real life situations. – Holy cow! Very intense. Great training for a real-real life situation. Learned so much, excellent, excellent training. – Thank you for training those who protect our country. – B.R.

 

Excellent, top notch. – I’ve always known I would fight like hell if I needed to protect myself or family. Now I feel I can be an effective weapon as needed and protect what is most important. – I felt more confident about my abilities and the experience is fantastic. – K.T.

 

Very useful practical information. Knowledgeable trainers and good attention to details (in drills.) – Good training team, interesting material, practical info. Enjoyable and useful (hope I never have to use it) but feel more prepared than I was before at least. – G.B.

 

Excellent, hope to never need it but I can see how it will help. – [Hooded Box] Intense and effective. – [Open Hood] It put the whole course in to perspective and pulled it all together . – Very good course, it exceeded expectations. Instructors were great with good positive feedback and suggestions. – J.R.

 

Good. The technical part was great but it would be nice to have more time to practice. It would be great if the course was a couple weeks long… – Great instructors. Good job guys and I hope to see you again soon. – C.S.

 

Good personal defense techniques, easy to remember. Glad we did the hooded training as it reinforced learning. – [Hooded Box] Very scary, but appropriate. – Good workout of personal defense techniques. – S.A.

 

The training was much more interactive, with real life situations, than expected. It was excellent and exceeded all my expectations. – Awesome to say the least. – I think the scenarios were excellent, since it provided situations that offer alternatives to striking someone. – Instructors [did an] excellent job explaining concept very succinctly. Pleasant, easy to talk to, interested in seeing that individuals learn. Demonstrated all skills to allow understanding. – M.B.

 

Outstanding course. Right level of training with discussion and exercises. Reality stories but did not focus on the excessive paranoia and fear. – [Benefit the most] Efficiency of being productive when required to defend. Dispelled many myths about defensive techniques and strategies. – I thought [it was] very well done and did not feel gaps in the training and scenarios. – [Hooded Box] Great – really pushes the training to reality. Hood elevates the experience. – Really a very outstanding course. Something I would like my spouse and daughter to attend in the near future. – T.D.

 

Fantastic. This course provided the techniques and training needed for me to be better equipped to defend myself and my family. – [Hooded Box] Great intro to the following live drills. – I was surprised how incredibly intense the experience was. Think I am a fit person but was exhausted by the end. Seemed to really build my confidence. – Really enjoyed the experience. I have a daughter going into the Peace Corps in August. She really needs this course. – D.F.

 

Very well organized, explained, resourced and presented. – [Hooded Box] Very life like and a useful tool to be able to give the participant the opportunity to implement the techniques. – Great choice of scenarios to practice these techniques. – Great training course to provide the opportunity to learn these potentially life-saving skills. – M.H.

 

Very professional. Excellent. Well worth the time and effort. – [Benefit the most] The basics, obviously, and the intrinsic lessons. Don’t get yourself into a situation, reinforces the importance of safety and paying attention on the street. – [Hooded Box] The hooded box drill was super. Training under pressure could not be better simulated. – All bases covered and no room for improvement. – The total course is extremely impressive and very worthwhile. The positive, professional manner that the entire staff exhibited made the course. – G.L.

 

Excellent. I’ve been traveling/living overseas for 21 years. I commend ****** for actually providing something useful. I wish I had this training sooner. – Really helped provide self confidence and solidified what we learned. – Great group of guys. – M.L.

 

Very good, very focused and practical. – The real life scenarios “under the hood.” – Makes the whole session more realistic, and highlights the weaknesses. – Overall very good. – M.L.

 

The class is excellent and provides the awareness for the need to be able to protect myself in different situations. – All the parts are equally relevant and provided benefit. I think all portions are complimentary. – A.O.

 

High quality and useful. Would highly recommend it. Much more intense than I expected. – [Closed Hood] Scary and intense. Very effective at reinforcing the learning and building confidence. – I thought this helped reinforce very real world situations, especially ability to “dial down” with an aggressor. Overall quite good. – Very well done. – D.F.

 

Great information! On day one I knew that I was receiving skills that could be used daily. – [Hood] Great… – This tied all the skills together and allowed students to put all they’ve learned into practice. – Overall, I felt the course was well designed and all ******* would benefit rather international travel is planned or not. – D.J.

 

Excellent training, changed view of many situations, corrected many bad habits, concentrated relatively simple but aggressively efficient moves. – Really useful, as close to facing a problem as training can get. – Really made me think about being more aware. – [Iso-Tacs] Seemed very real world, what to do in a horrible situation. Made some bad choices but also able to think through what I did wrong/would do differently. – [Instructor and assistant]were great. Patient and effective teachers. Whole group was great. Left me wanting to learn and practice more. Very interested in becoming more proficient. Many thanks! – D.N.

 

 

 

Great, learned a lot. – Great way to teach quick response. – Teaches to be aware of things around you. – Really opens up your mind to weighing your options. – J.P.

 

Excellent – operationally focused. – [Hood] Excellent – no time to choreograph, just react! Very realistic. – Good to have instructors with real life experience and can relate training and training scenarios to actual situations. Thanks. – A.K.

 

A great training. Something that everyone should know. – [Hood] A practical approach to possible real life situation. Gives one insight into possibility and your action. – … This course would be something that everyone would be interested in… great instructors and team. Would love to have more training with these guys. Great job! – S.A.

 

Very enjoyable. Real life situations. I would advise anyone leaving their home to complete this training. – Look forward to seeing you all back. – D.M.

 

Excellent. – Pleasantly surprised how quickly it became instinctual. – [Hood] This one was particularly realistic – especially with 3 people. – [Instructor and assistant] were superb – comfortable that I have a much better idea of what to do. – Already un-learned some bad perceptions. – E.J.

 

10+ – Exceeded expectations in all ways… – [Benefit the most] Controlling my ‘weapons system,’ refinement of prior skills, all elements of family participation. – [Unarmed Closed Hood] I was much more confident due to experience. Love the lessons it teaches, powerful. – Felt closest to “real” in terms of real time decision making. – Already looking forward to the next time! Could not have more respect for every member of the CQD team. Influenced my life in significant and positive ways! Now you have my family hooked! – C.F.

 

Very helpful, detailed, would highly recommend to someone wanting to learn to defend themselves. – The hood helped the most because it put me in a real life high stress situation. – [DDS Closed Hood] Awesome experience, cannot teach a real world situation any better. – C.T

 

Very hard to believe something so simple works so well. Needs to be a large part of the police academy. – [DDS Hood] Best thing I have ever seen. No way to prepare for something like that. – Every police officer should be made to take this course. I believe it will create much more discipline. – D.M. 

 

As usual, excellent training. – [DDS Closed/Open Hood] Always great to practice what we learned in a realistic training scenario. – Always love the opportunity to train here. – J.F. 

 

Real world scenarios were very beneficial with multiple attackers and environmental distractions. – [DDS Closed/Open Hood] Fast paced and challenges critical thinking. – R.B. 

 

It was a good experience. I learned a lot of my flaws. – [DDS Closed/Open Hood] It was a good real world experience. – It was fun. – M.Y. 

 

It was extremely informative and taught in a very effective manner. – [DDS Closed/Open Hood] It was a fun and effective way of teaching hand to hand combat. – Everyone here is mad chill. – J.J. 

 

Great – simple and effective. – [DDS Closed/Open Hood] Fun and realistic. – [Instructor] is the man – D.S. 

 

The training was detail oriented, well thought out, and explained well. – [DDS Closed/Open Hood] The hood drills were exciting and very realistic. – Keep up the good work gentlemen! – C.R. 

 

It was great! Will help in law enforcement. – [DDS Closed/Open Hood] It was perfect, you never know where or what you are going to get. – A.S. 

 

Women

 

Every SEAL wife should go through this training. Active Duty Operators could totally focus on their job knowing their wife knows how to take care of themselves and their families. – Excellent! Incredible! Totally worthwhile, I hope I’ll have the opportunity to do this again. Wish we could come back monthly or once a quarter just for drills. – K.C.

 

All the instructors were helpful and encouraging and I would recommend this course to anyone! Duane – thank you for all you do for all of us, from the mentoring, training and constant motivation. Today was amazing! – The demonstration and practice of each drill enforced the skills that we learned, and the final execution phase brought home the reality of what the course is all about. One word – INTENSE!!! – M.A.

 

While I really enjoyed the physical training the most important thing I learned is that I should be teaching my daughters right now to be more aware of potential dangers. – Duane you should write a book about how you teach children. – Awesome!! I would love to take the full course and bring my daughters too. – K.W.

 

It was invaluable (and actually an honor) to participate in such a well organized and thoughtful training. – The willingness of the instructors to thoughtfully answer questions and address concerns was excellent. – [Hooded Box] This was stressful but absolutely necessary to mentally prepare for a violent situation. – Duane has provided an invaluable service. Must also commend him on his choice of staff and their obvious knowledge, attitude and dedication. – J.G.

 

Love the wonderful, energetic, positive attitude of the trainers- they make me feel like I could do it. – N.W.

 

The hooded box drill was very “real-life” situation, I wasn’t expecting how powerful I was until then. – S.L.

 

Exceptional! And very empowering. Combining mental and physical skills, reminding us of our natural abilities as women and teaching us to use them together is the best training a woman can have. – It proved to me that the techniques learned really do work and that I CAN do them. – I look forward to participating in more training. – C.C.

 

I felt it was great. There was nothing in my opinion that could of improved. It was over all the most beneficial training/instruction I have had. – It gave you real life situations and showed you what to improve on or fix. Which was all explained completely before by the trainers. – D.D.

 

Excellent course, all women should take it. It was very intense (and a bit frightening at times) but definitely worth it. – A bit intimidating, but the drills helped bring in the element of surprise so I could find out how I might (and should) react in similar situations. – C.J.

 

Wonderful – great very empowering. – Thinking about what to do in different situations. Scary (in a good way) what a surprise. There was no time to think – only react. Excellent drill to bring out the skills (hopefully) that I learned. – S.W.

 

The actual final experience was so valuable. Although you must experience fear, the knowledge of what your REAL reaction will be is priceless. Excellent! Valuable! Well worth any price! – The lecture portion was excellent. Your “support staff” was very professional. Wonderful, meaningful class. I recommend this training to anyone who talks to me about it. – M.L.

 

It was excellent! The combination of “lecture”, the physical warm-ups and skills training; and then the practical application gave me the best training. – The confidence build of learning self awareness how to evaluate situations and what to do in them. – B.G.

 

I thought it was very professional yet made personal and comprehensive. – Both the information and the training were equally beneficial. – C.J.

 

I just can’t say enough about the whole thing. The preparation, relevance and the genuine passion for helping people protect themselves. – The actual participation in simulated attacks is invaluable! It’s one thing to do a drill but the experience really builds confidence. – D.O.

 

Excellent! The instruction was clear, powerful, thorough, helpful, and so important. Everything was appropriate and equips us to do more than we would have… – S.L.

 

I thought the training was excellent. I’ve never experienced anything like this. I couldn’t believe how my adrenaline was pumping after I was finished. – The physical scenarios were great. It was nothing like I expected. I’ve never actually hit someone and it was a strange feeling. – I loved it! – R.M.

 

Great job guys! …Thank you so much for the opportunity! Element of surprise. The experience of being able to really clock someone! – A.D.

 

I really feel like I can and will use these skills in a real life situation. The simulation was very realistic and got my adrenaline pumping. – I never really thought about an attack by multiple people, that was a great scenario (and made me think of the possibility) – Thank you [Instructor]. I so appreciate your energy and passion for this. – K.F.

 

I appreciate this program and what it is doing for women. – Excellent!… – B.B.

 

I benefited the most from the real life situation type thing and the discussion portion. – I thought it was very beneficial for me because I felt like I now know what a real situation would feel like if I was put into a similar situation. I liked the discussion part because I feel like now I know what to look for and to be alert. – B.F.

 

I thought this was an amazing training. I feel so much more confident with defending myself in everyday life. – The discussion part was very beneficial my favorite part was acting out the real live situational events. – [Instructor] did a FANTASTIC job. – J.F.

 

The actual scenarios gave me a glimpse of what it would be like under actual attack conditions that really made me think about my ability to protect myself and others. – Very informative, fun and possibly a literal life-saver. – I would like to receive more training based on this experience. – G.S.

 

Thanks so much – I feel better prepared but hope I never have to face that situation. – I think this was a very thorough excellent hands on training. – The hands on how to stand for balance how to protect my head and to remember to scream. – S.L.

 

Very well executed, I feel that a lot of valuable information was delivered clearly, effectively. I feel much more confident in myself with my ability to protect myself. [Instructor] is an excellent instructor. – Using my voice. The scenarios were very beneficial. The lecture and discussion about what to do in different situations was helpful while we were going through drills. – K.L.

 

All of it was definitely great but I most appreciated the hands on combat with the attackers. This makes me feel most prepared. – Outstanding I feel more prepared and empowered to ward off an attacker(s). This is info and training that is all new to me so I ate it up. I’m very thankful to have been a part of the training. – J.C.

 

I thought it was very helpful and I feel empowered now to defend myself. – Great! I am sooo happy I did this class. – D.H.

 

Amazing!… – The “real life” scenarios were amazing. – Super! – M.R.

 

It was great. I learned so much. All that I thought I knew is not what I should do at all. [Instructor] is a great trainer. – …I do feel more empowered . – N.F.

 

Thank you so much for everything! You’ve saved my life!! – Very inspiring and excellent! I feel more confident with myself. I feel like I won’t have to be as scared about getting abducted, like I’m just way more confident. – F.M.

 

Very informative, a bit intimidating, but also something I will keep with me the rest of my life. I am extremely appreciative for the experience… – From learning about securing my home better, to being more aware, to knowing a few simple important skills can make a difference between life and death. – It far exceeded my expectations and I wish every female I know could be fortunate enough to experience it! I had no idea how important self defense is in a woman’s life until listening about (and learning) everything [Instructor] had to say last night. Thank you, Thank you! – D.M.

 

Great!! I loved it and would like my teenage daughter to take the class. – All of it together was perfect. – Perfect! Loved it!! Thanks! – T.C.

 

I really enjoyed learning the physical aspects, how to hit and how to stand, etc. – Fantastic! So useful for everyday situations. – Thank you so much, would love to suggest the course to friends… – C.B.

 

It was so eye opening and the awareness of how powerful 1st response is. – It’s easy to imagine how to defend myself but actually doing it will hopefully never need to be used… but I’ll be ready. [Instructor], thank you this is invaluable!!! I would do it again and recommend it to any and everyone! – M.M.

 

The training was delivered clearly and practically. [Instructor] delivered everything tactfully and sensitively. Thank you for doing that. Discussion of being aware of your environment… – S.H.

 

This training is very empowering, I’m so glad I signed up Thank you!! – Its all beneficial. –The simulations were awesome An “E” ticket from Disneyland of old. – Thanks again for putting this together – for being encouraging to all women. – L.M.

 

The whole thing was really fun and I learned a lot. I loved it and I know that if I ever have to use it that I will definitely know what to do. – AWESOME JOB… – S.F.

Coaching, encouragement, your patience bringing awareness – acceptance and the action of following through, I need this. – Thank you so very much for bringing this to us… – R.P.

 

Thank you again [Instructor]! I will always remember this evening and I now have a new sense of empowerment, thank you for opening my eyes to what I already had! – Thank you [Instructor] for believing in me and telling me “I could.” – A.M.

 

Excellent! Wished it could be an all day class. – [Benefit the most] Sticking with it – going through things you can do at your house. – [Instructor] you are the best, and the boys and you have blessed and grown these women. Thank you! – N.H.

 

The way to hit, I think that is a much better technique than what I would have done. – This was so helpful I’m glad I did it. – I think it was great! I really had no idea what to do and now I know exactly what I want. – M.F.

 

The validation portion, it puts into perspective how quickly something bad can happen. – Good. For the time allowed I feel the training will better help me to protect myself if needed and get away. – S.B.

 

It is very informative. The break down is easy to understand and to put into action. – [Benefit the most] The actual attacks at the end! Not just all talk. – C.W.

 

[Benefit the most] All portions. I was oblivious to everything before. Now I can quickly get my position ready and react immediately. – The training was extensive, comprehensive, and thorough. Very good/excellent! – K.M.

 

I’m appreciative. To be able to learn these skills – life saving skills – is priceless. It was very empowering. I hope I am never in a situation that calls for these self defense skills, but should I be – I am ready! – Excellent. Thank you so much. – Enhanced the training by making it very realistic. – M.F.

 

Thank you and everyone who helped with this kick ass training – I thought it was awesome that we learned as much and had a great time doing it in the short period we had to learn. Definitely would do it again. – It made me be more aware of all the scenarios lurking out there. – T.M.

 

Anxious about the hood and I feel the aspect of not knowing what is coming at you is needed. Thank you for this experience. – For such a short amount of time that was allotted for this class I feel I will bring a hope of getting out of a bad situation – sense of confidence – knowing the correct way to fight off an attacker if needed. – K.G.

 

Realistic. Incorporated all training received today. Good briefing on what to expect. Appreciate critiques. – Awesome – Outstanding. Excellent explanations on self–defense with rationales – Empowering! Hooah! – W.C.

 

This is such a wonderful course – thank you for giving me more confidence and also awareness of what it would feel like to actually be in a threatening situation. Priceless! Thank you all so much! – I learned a lot about myself and my capabilities in this situation. This course was very real life training! Awesome! – W.A.

 

GREAT! I feel so good about myself if I were put into a bad situation. Wish it could have been longer! – It really was great to have the pressure put on you. It felt real. – S.M.

 

Totally awesome – I learned so much in such a short time. Duane is an excellent instructor and I truly appreciate what he has done for all of us. – Wasn’t sure if I could react the way I should, but after going in the room – it was like the real thing. – M.B.

 

Awesome! We are very fortunate to have had this privilege. – [Hooded Box] Gave a more real situation, to use the techniques taught. – J.E.

 

Wish I would have had this training earlier. After becoming a surviving spouse or before when my husband was always deployed, I felt invincible. After [my husband] was killed [I] did some dumb stuff that put me in bad situations Thank God I was never hurt. Thanks. – Super Job – good explanations. I feel I can walk away from this and have a “fighting” chance – C.O.

 

It was unbelievable. I really feel that you have helped fulfill what my husband can’t be here to help me with – thank you. – Unbelievable. Great scenarios very realistic. – …I have to and can protect my own self. Thank you so much. – E.M.

 

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You have given us an amazing gift, and we are honored, and so very grateful. May God bless you. – Fantastic! It was a bit scary, but it was a wonderful and unique learning experience. – V.B.

 

Very physical and intense. I would recommend to any woman. – S.H.

 

I truly appreciate all the time and patience of the instructors and your ‘bad guys.’ – Lastly – Thank you for your understanding and empathy. I hope to keep in touch. – S.H.

 

Duane and his group were excellent, providing possible life saving skills with enough humor to provide a relaxed and trusting atmosphere. – A.H.

 

Wow! Informative and realistic – this training would benefit any woman, regardless of age or condition. – A.H.

 

Very realistic, necessary, vital, very, very good. – [Benefit the most] Knowing that all the techniques I would have used are ineffective and equipping me with the right ones. – I really appreciate you taking the time to teach me. I admit being a small girl leaves me vulnerable and have been put in situations where I needed this THANK YOU!!! – K.M.

 

Amazing. The training could not have been more informative or complete. In a short period of time I understood and then was able to demonstrate the skills needed to protect myself. – A must. I would highly recommend this drill to anyone before buying a weapon. – I am extremely impressed and would recommend to anyone concerned about home safety. This program/ training should be a gun safety requirement. – K.L.

 

It was perfect for what I needed. There was the right amount of introductory information while still being interesting and a lot of fun! – The progression of work on the range was very good. It gave me enough time to practice while still keeping it fun. – I had a great time and learned a lot. Thanks! – A.N.

 

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! This was so helpful. I really didn’t know how I’d feel afterwards, but I really do feel empowered. God bless this organization! – A.R.

 

Wonderful! So helpful – both learning what to do and also just helping me be more aware to look for potentially dangerous situations and staying away! – This was amazing! Thank you Duane and all the guys for giving up your time like this. I am so grateful! – A.B.

 

Excellent! Practical, empathetic, and very challenging – in a good way. – Duane – God bless you for your heart and help and the skills you teach. This training has been an eye opener and one I will recommend to all my female friends. – S.R.

 

So glad I attended. I feel this was an awesome training, wish more women could learn the steps to feel empowered and be more aware. – Great! Would love to take additional training. – T.C.

 

I felt the training was very informative, instruction was fun, and I’m leaving feeling empowered. – The biggest benefit for me was learning to use my hands with confidence. – Amazing! – I’m looking forward to coming back for more training! – L.F.

 

Fantastic. – Loved it. – I will definitely be an advocate for your course. I want my 15 year old and 13 year old to take the course next time. –T.A.

 

Excellent – real confidence builder. All instructors were encouraging- even when I wanted to run, they gave helpful critique in a professional manner. – Have “talked up” your course to all ladies here – encouraged all to take it; invaluable training, hope to return. – K.F.

 

It was very good. It helped us not only to learn techniques how to defend ourselves but also to be aware of dangerous situations. Excellent job! – Every part of the training was important for me. – [Hooded Box Drill] It was an extraordinary experience. It put us in a situation where we had to concentrate in what we were doing. – I just want to congratulate everybody for the great job you all did. Thanks. I hope I don’t have to use all this but if I have to,I’ll know what to do. Thanks. – S.A.

 

Very empowering. Lots of good strategies and info. – [Hooded Box Drill] Super scary. Hated it while it was happening, but was glad I had the experience. I’ve always been concerned that I might freeze up, etc if ever really attacked. But this has boosted confidence. – I’m just sad that my kids couldn’t be here, esp. my daughter. – A.L.

 

It was really good and I’m glad I took it. I would like more because it went fast. I feel like you taught me a lot. – [Benefit the most] I really liked the training and how you made me aware that I don’t have to feel helpless and scared if something happened to me. – Thank you for teaching us these skills. It has taught me that I need to be aware and fight when needed to keep alive. – C.B.

 

I thought it was absolutely amazing! I was scared day one but was so excited to come back for the second part. – [Hooded Box] I was very nervous about it, but think it really was able to make me feel the “rush” I would get in an actual situation. – Thank you so much for that! You guys were great teachers! – K.J.

 

I thought it was great. Most of what I thought I knew about self-defense was wrong. – B.K.

 

Very helpful – Think I would be much better prepared to deal with an attack. – [Hooded Box] Scary, but I can see the value of having to make the immediate decision in crisis. – I think it would help me in an attack situation… [Instructor] explained well and he and [assistant] were both patient and helpful. – J.W.

 

Excellent, Skills were taught in a logical progression and in a manner that emphasizes basics rather than overly complicated maneuvers. – [Hooded Box] Frighteningly awesome. Very realistic and highlighted both strengths and weaknesses. – [Instructor] was a fabulous instructor and made sure I understood and could implement concepts/techniques before moving on to the next level. – L.T.

 

Very, very good. The best I have ever had. – [Hooded Box] Love, love, love it. The second night I was off, but it was more real feeling because of it. – L.L.

 

Though I am shy and I hated PE in school, the guys made it fun and as light as possible. They gave me confidence that I can do it. – [Hooded Box] It’s completely terrifying! It got my adrenaline going! But I understand why it is necessary. – K.O.

 

The training was really exciting and I think it will make me feel more prepared and safe. – I think I benefited most from the Hooded Box Drill because I could see how I would react in a real-life situation under pressure. – I liked the fear and surprise factor because it made the situation more realistic. It helped me know how I will react if something bad really does happen. – T.A.

 

I think it will help if I was ever in a situation that I need to defend myself. I had a good time. – It was good to see the different levels of aggression there can be in different situations to show how you should react. – The instructors were willing to work with all different levels of ability. – E.B.

 

I think that the training I received will be very helpful if I am actually confronted by a bad guy. I feel more confident that I will be able to defend myself. – I thought that it prepared me for confrontations with bad guys more than anything else could. – M.H.

 

I feel like now, because of the training I will know what to do if I’m attacked. Before If I were attacked, I wouldn’t have known what to do! –M.H.

 

Very helpful and insightful because what you do in the box is what you would do in real life since there is so much pressure. – Loved it! Helped me understand what will happen in real life situations and how to handle them in the best way. – I wish we had more time so we could learn more. – B.L.

 

I learned a lot of great skills in such a short amount of time. When I walked in the door I thought I knew things but everything that I have learned in these two days were things that I would never have thought of. – I think that I benefited the most from the Hooded Box Drills because they put me on the spot in a stressful situation which allowed me to panic similarly to the way I would in the actual situation. – I felt that this was very helpful because I was 

 

able to have actual physical contact with a bad guy in close quarters. – In reality the person could be anywhere and move at any speed, so this helped me prepare for that. – The trainers were very friendly and never made you feel bad for doing something incorrectly… – P.O.

 

Amazing! I never stopped to realize how I would actually defend myself. The training was very helpful. I wish all women had the opportunity to have this kind of training. – It felt like the real thing. – A.L.

 

The training was excellent, practical, which was what I was looking for. – [Hooded Box] This was the most stressful part of the training but it was the most important. Practical application of the skills you’ve learned in a “bad-guy” situation. – M.G.

 

Very informative. Increased awareness of true dangers. – I have never experienced that feeling before. – Unlike any other defense classes- this felt real. At no time did I say to myself, this is practice. It felt real and now I have the confidence to know how I would approach a bad situation. –K.S.

 

Very helpful and empowering! I feel like if I were ever put into a dangerous situation I would handle it. – The hood exercises were by far the most effective because you can practice all you want but without the adrenaline and actual experience it’s almost useless. – I loved the personal anecdotes and experience because it really enforces the fact that anyone can be targeted and that it is a real danger and not abstract. During all of it I felt very safe and well prepared for all of the Hooded exercises. – K.C.

 

Excellent! [Instructor] is very clear, convincing and motivational. – [Hooded Box] Excellent opportunity to experience potential threats- great simulation. – Very professional. [Instructor and assistant] were attentive, helpful, and knowledgeable. I loved [Instructor’s] stories. Excellent utilization of time. – D.M.

 

Excellent. I would recommend this course to every woman. I have room to grow in being as prepared for the uncertainty. – My adrenaline is pumping. I also enjoyed the group sessions and the interactive conversation. – I would love to take additional training. I feel more aware of my surroundings. – P.C.

 

Excellent, a must for all females. – Especially loved the different scenarios of attack. – A.F.

 

Very well done- good balance of instruction, drills and exercises. – [Benefit the most] The drills- adrenalin rush/stressful environment good to practice. – [Hooded Box] Very intense! Good to practice physical contact in close proximity. – Helpful to have scenario set up each time- very realistic exercises. – Stressful and intense course but very rewarding. – A.B.

 

[Benefit the most] Analysis of the situations and understanding of real physical personal abilities. – [Hooded Box] It allows to understand your own body abilities. – Thank you. Hope we’ll never have to do it… – E.C.

 

Intense! Very helpful to know how to protect myself and pray if I have to use that I will. – Very scary. Adrenaline is up! – I did feel calm and felt I could (hope that I will) react calmly to the situation. – You have taught me to be more aware of people in different scenarios… – I.P.

 

Very good and educational. – [Hooded Box] Scary but after felt empowered. – I feel very good after this course. I would like to have all my family take it. – H.R.

 

I think the training overall was great. – The scenario training was great. This training was closer to real life situations that might happen. – Overall I think this was a great course. – R.R.

 

100% satisfaction, it was awesome and the guys are professional. Very nice. Everyone needs to attend this class at least once! – I really believe that I benefited from the overall experience especially the scenario training. I feel great! – Everything was explained to us and we were able to share stories about things that had happened to us and our families. – [Hooded Box] I was afraid at first but then instinct kicked in and the instructors let me go and I felt so empowered! Great exercise too! – I would love to take this class again! Very informative. – S.V.

 

Fantastic! Very professional instructors; knew what he was doing – great experience. – [Benefit the most] Day 1 hood scenarios: anticipation, anxiety; helps to know how to defend on surprise and put it to use. – [Hood] Best training ever! Very effective tool. – The element of surprise; great! Scary; hands on learning’ very effective technique. – J.F.

 

Helps an individual to be prepared for a possible attack since you are able to practice skills taught. – Great opportunity to practice skills taught in class. – Gives students an idea how they would respond should that scenario really occur. – R.R.

 

Informative and techniques were useful. – Scary but very helpful. – It was stressful but very helpful in a real scenario way. – Training was very helpful. Makes me more aware of my surroundings. Taught great techniques I never knew I had. – R.T.

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