Urban Defense Academy 141 Jonathan Drive, Liberty Hill, TX 78642

"I just went through Phase 1 of Urban Defense Academy’s firearms training, and I am EXCITED to recommend this! For me, it was a journey. If you don’t want to share my journey/read the below rant, just exit here and go sign up for classes, it is 100% worth your money and commitment! I grew up in a country that doesn't have guns. Cops don't carry guns ("Stop or I'll say stop again!"). My exposure to guns came from toy guns, movies and the news. At age 25, I witnessed my first gun "in the wild”. It was in the most mundane setting. I was in line for Chinese food. Next to me stood a hungry sheriff with a gun on his belt. I remember finding it surreal how everyone carried on like normal with that gun hanging out in the open. Also, that gun was right next to my hand - wouldn't someone be able to just reach out and grab it? (Of course, even I knew better!) Since then, I've been taught how to shoot and I qualified for an LTC, but I always knew that I was in no way prepared to defend myself with a gun if I needed to. There had never been much structure to my “training”. People gave me pointers now and again - "stand like this, load like this, use a speed loader (which I chucked after my first class here) etc. And I never knew enough about why my shots landed where they did so I had no way to correct myself and improve. And I picked up a lot of bad habits too! Due to my upbringing, there was also a very firm psychological barrier between me and my gun. I always had a feeling that I was doing something I wasn't supposed to be doing. The concept of owning and shooting a gun was very foreign and it made me feel awkward. I wasn't scared of guns, it was more like a star struck feeling, but these confidence issues prevented me from ever being truly comfortable with firearms. Urban Defense Academy has made me a very happy and far more confident (!) gun-totin' alien! Both Gigi and Brian are fantastic trainers and so VERY patient! This class went ALLL the way back to basics, very detailed, it filled a lot of knowledge gaps, not just regarding the technical aspects on how to shoot but about firearms in general. Guns and ammo - how do they work, why do they work, why do they STOP working, WTH am I doing wrong now.... what do they dream about when we put them to bed at night? I also loved learning in a group setting, because since everyone had different levels of gun experience, there were questions asked that I would never have thought to ask myself. Of course, 6 weeks can only do so much to override several years of non-exposure or wrong teachings and psychological barriers, but it is SO MUCH improved and well on its way to be fixed. Looking back, I can't believe how much has improved and changed between the first class and the 6th. After just 6 classes, if it came down to it right this minute, I do believe that I can actually handle myself with my firearm. (But I have more to learn!) I have also unwittingly confirmed that the safety instructions that were programmed into our brains during these last few weeks will rise to the surface when needed! I experienced a distracting circumstance at the range, and despite said distraction, I heard Brian’s voice in my head, telling me that the bad guy is still there, so I finished my task and focused on safely handling my gun prior to taking care of the distraction. I shared this long rant because I think that in this melting pot of ours, I’m probably not alone in having these issues with guns. It TRULY takes the RIGHT training and introduction (or in my case, REintroduction) to firearms. That training needs to come from someone like Brian and Gigi @ Urban Defense Academy. Everyone who gave me pointers in the past have been around guns all their lives. The idea of not being comfortable with a gun may not have been something they ever experienced, so the very basic teachings get lost. They drop you into the deep end with your gun and leave you flailing. So don’t get left flailing. Go sign up for classes. No matter what you think you know, you will benefit from this training!"

"Brian and Gigi are very nice people with a lot of knowlege to share. If you have never had any formal pistol/defense training it's good knowlege to have. And it's a lot of fun!"

"I highly recommend this training with Urban Defense Academy and Its staff. They were accommodating, friendly and professional, all while providing a very important training in a new and very clean facility. I will certainly return in the future."

"I have come a long way since I first walked into Urban Defense Academy. Coming in as a novice about firearms and self-defense, Sensei has taught me the discipline of self defense. With passion, decades of knowledge, the attention to details making sure I do things correctly and safely. Responsible ownership is not just about hardware but also mental and emotional. And I learned that in every single training. Sensei taught each class with patience and humility. And with my endless questions with Gigi, she answered every single one with grace and in detail. The confidence I gained and the the extensive knowledge I learned so far has been priceless. Thank you."

"We attended a multi-troop teen girl self defense class for our American Heritage Girls PiPas at Urban Defense Academy a few weeks ago. I and the other parents attending were impressed with all that was covered in the class. Different scenarios were covered and acted out. The girls learned how to avoid situations, assess situations, get out of certain situations, as well as what to do to defend themselves. This was a 3 hour class. The girls enjoyed themselves as well as learned about how they will react in certain situations. The instructor was great while answering their questions. I truly think this class should be required for all teen girls to attend. We will be back!"