Instructors Cross-Training with one another?

[CQC.45]

I've always lived by the motto "always a student". I feel it is best to gather training skills, experience and knowledge from variety of sources in order to diversify oneself and become a well rounded individual (both shooting-related and otherwise).

I would be interested to know of any well-known instructors who do this as well (i.e. taking courses from other instructors/schools).

Though there are certainly some exceptional instructors out there, I feel there is always room to learn, and cross-training seems like a great way to take things from other training institutions and bringing new concepts into their own.

[Shawn.L]

From Kyle Defoor
http://www.kyledefoor.com/2010/03/fi...ain-sayoc.html

[Backstop]

I've attended CSAT's Tactical Pistol Operator course twice, and both times there was one instructor from another school at the Tac Pistol Instr course.

Maybe there were more who preferred to not identify themselves.

[gringop]

I remember Greg Hamilton of Insights Training talking about this in a class over 8 years ago. He stressed the need to keep up with the newest advances and ideas. Even if you don't drink deep the Koolaid of that particular instructor, you can usually find something of value. I know that John Holschen of Insights has been to CSAT.

As a low level instructor, I try to attend Instructor classes, like CSAT's Tac Rifle Instructor or Tom Givens' Pistol Instructor. Not just skill development but deeper info on how to get concepts across to students. And higher standards to pass and certify.

I'm guessing that most instructors would not be interested in niche instruction like Center Axis Relock unless they want to teach that kind of technique. And the same goes for stuck in the 80's schools like Frontsight and Gunsight.

I'd like my next training to be Rodgers Shooting School. It may be a while.

Gringop

[TN-popo]

I've been in classes along-side "well known" instructors several times.
Most were humble and joked about the "industrial espionage" that was occuring.

I'm not well known (LE firearms instructor and owned my own training company for 3 years before I sold it). I always take 1-2 classes per year, out of pocket...in addition to whatever my Dept sends me to.
I didn't invent any of what I teach. I steal (but, I always try to give credit).

[Surf]

Well known? What defines well known? Locally, regionally, nationally? I do this professionally on a full time basis and teach much more than strictly firearms and I guess I am fairly well known within my own fishbowl so to speak. I will say that I try to take as many courses as a student that I possibly can manage in between my own full time job. Again any courses, not just firearms related. Granted most courses are instructor level but I am open to most things. I have been known to take courses and not mention anything about myself or my background. I very much have a passion for teaching, however I very much love to be on the shooting line as opposed to running it the majority of the time. Actually the younger staff is doing a great job and taking on more duties with the more experience they gain.

[rob_s]

I know that in recent years Pat Rogers has attended classes from Larry Vickers and Jeff Gonzales. Maybe more, but I know of those two occasions for sure.

I agree with you that it's good to see instructors getting out. Otherwise I think they tend to start to believe their own hype, fail to keep up with advances and (in the case of actual formalized schools) become self-licking ice cream cones as they all sit around and admire the emporer's new clothes.

While certainly different than "tactical" instructors, competition-centric instructors rarely suffer stagnation because they are constantly out there, shooting the matches, figuring out what works, watching others to see what works, etc. As the student it is then up to you to decide if what they do fits into what you do, but in terms of shooting fast and accurately (and I can't think of a time those two aren't important) they are typically on the cutting edge and always staying fresh. They don't have to necessarily attend another instructor's class because every match is a learning experience and a step in the evolution.

[zacbol]

Since Insights has already been mentioned, I know at least one of their instructors was at one of the course Magpul recently held here in Washington. And the thing that originally motivated me to start training with Insights was that I ran into one of their instructors in an Urban Escape and Evasion course held here in Seattle and hosted by On Point Tactical. He impressed me immensely in terms of being low-key, adding significant value to the course, and being a humble student even though in many ways his operational experience and knowledge superceded the instructors on many topics by my uneducated assessment.

Probably not quite the level of celebrity you're asking about, but a data point nonetheless.