Mtn_Guy
NES Member
So another minor injury has me rethinking my training philosophy... When I suffered my knee injury last Fall (and surgery this winter) it caused me to rethink my plate carrier setup...
So the other day I lacerated my middle finger on my dominant hand requiring six stitches. Now everything is temporarily more of a chore... grabbing the milk from the refrigerator, bathroom habits. Everything.
In several training classes I’ve taken and at the range I’ve practiced off-hand in the event of an injury to my dominant hand. But here is the rub — it was all predicated on carrying strong side, even appendix carry drawing from my dominant hand. But what if the injury precludes that? What would you do?
In the short term I’ll heal up, and I will just shoot off-hand if I go to the range. But I carry daily and I’m not confident in drawing from the holster without a master grip. But now I’m thinking it’s an unintended training scar to assume I’ll always carry strong side.
So what do you do??? Any of you ever train to carry holstered non-dominant side and draw your pistol? How would you EDC your firearm with a temporary hand injury?
I’m seriously considering retaking pistol 101 with all the newbs and carrying non-dominant working from the holster. Just a bit of background, as a lefty I’m a little ambidextrous with routine daily tasks like operating a can opener and even playing guitar, but I’m super spastic/ uncoordinated with sports if I have to throw or bat as a righty.
Here’s the story:
After months of waiting, my Slickster PC finally arrived. This is my second setup to run ShopStop Duritium GT Gen2 (special threat) plates for a very lightweight concealable option. It’s also an option if things ever get super-super hairy and I think I would want a PC on my kiddo. My first setup is a “heavy” armor setup with an Esstac Daedon PC running AR500 Level IV (Gen 2) ceramic plates. Anyways, both rigs were purpose-built for what they are.
Well, here is the rub...
You may have seen on another thread I’ve recently suffered a knee injury training. I threw on the Slickster with the lite plates no problem. I can literally pick the thing up with my pinky. Then I threw on the other carrier for comparison. My knee almost buckled from under me with the added weight. @Queen Bee don’t yell at me, the knee is fine
Now I’m rethinking my rethinking. Two carriers are good. Light and a heavy setup is fine, but with an injury limiting mobility the heavier armor puts me at a greater disadvantage for mobility. Prior to the injury I’d go running in my PC to train. Now I can’t take but a few steps with the added weight. With the lite setup I’m fine, but the kiddo can’t carry the weight of a pair of ceramics yet if it came down to that.
We’ve all heard buy-once, cry-once. And ounces = pounds and pounds = pain. I subscribe to both philosophies. But I always accounted for me at full-strength. The injury (while temporary) is a game changer and has me rethinking my philosophy. Maybe my story will help you to re-think your load out too.
like I said, buy the absolute lightest gear you can afford.
So the other day I lacerated my middle finger on my dominant hand requiring six stitches. Now everything is temporarily more of a chore... grabbing the milk from the refrigerator, bathroom habits. Everything.
In several training classes I’ve taken and at the range I’ve practiced off-hand in the event of an injury to my dominant hand. But here is the rub — it was all predicated on carrying strong side, even appendix carry drawing from my dominant hand. But what if the injury precludes that? What would you do?
In the short term I’ll heal up, and I will just shoot off-hand if I go to the range. But I carry daily and I’m not confident in drawing from the holster without a master grip. But now I’m thinking it’s an unintended training scar to assume I’ll always carry strong side.
So what do you do??? Any of you ever train to carry holstered non-dominant side and draw your pistol? How would you EDC your firearm with a temporary hand injury?
I’m seriously considering retaking pistol 101 with all the newbs and carrying non-dominant working from the holster. Just a bit of background, as a lefty I’m a little ambidextrous with routine daily tasks like operating a can opener and even playing guitar, but I’m super spastic/ uncoordinated with sports if I have to throw or bat as a righty.