FAQ Page

Q: Is there any prerequisite or prior experience required to take this course??
A: No, there is not a course prerequisite to taking the Intuitive Defensive Shooting course. We have trained students from all disciplines and skill levels. It is recommended that you know how to operate your firearm and holster before attending an IDS Course. For those completely unfamiliar with defensive firearms, we offer the Introduction to Defensive Handguns course.

Q: What kind of holster/gear should I bring?
A: We recommend that students bring a good, durable, high quality Kydex holster that is of sufficient quality to withstand rigorous training. For Law Enforcement and Military personnel, we recommend that you train with your duty gear. If you currently carry concealed for personal defense, it is recommended that you bring your actual carry gear. You will also need 3 magazines (5 if using a single stack firearm.)

Q: I have seen Rob Pincus on TV, watched his videos online, seen his DVDs and read his book. Why should I consider taking a course with another Active IDS Instructor?
A: While Rob Pincus would love to be able to conduct training for everyone who has followed his work, there isn’t enough time. Rob and his team of IDS Instructors have spent years developing the process for IDS Instructor Certification and maintaining Active Status. The program has the highest standards in the firearms industry for certifying outside instructors and, historically, has about a 50% certification rate at the IDSID Courses. To maintain Active Status, IDS Instructors must be actively teaching, participating in our monthly conference calls, monitoring the various forums and email updates as well as attend our Annual IDS Instructor Conference. If you see an instructor listed at the www.intuitivedefensiveshooting.com website, Rob stands behind their work. Many students choose to take IDS with another IDS Instructor and book an Advanced Course with Rob at a later date.

Q: Is this a course that civilians can take, or is it restricted to Law Enforcement and Military personnel only?
A: The Intuitive Defensive Shooting course can be taken by Civilians, Military, Law Enforcement and Private Security personnel who are interested in improving their ability to efficiently use their handgun in a defensive situation.

Q: How many rounds do we fire in the Intuitive Defensive Shooting course?
A: Students should plan on firing between 1000 – 1200 rounds for this course. Students are responsible for providing their own ammunition. If you are traveling to a course, please contact the host directly if you need assistance.

Q: I am over 50, is this a course that I will be able to take?
A: Yes. There is no upper limit as far as age. The physical demands of a CFS Course are relatively low, but you will be standing 90% of the day and the local weather conditions should be taken into consideration.

Q: Do I have to be in excellent physical condition to take the course?
A: You do not have to be a world-class athlete to take this course. We have had students with a variety of physical skill levels in our courses, including students with disabilities.

Q: How many women take the Intuitive Defensive Shooting course?
A: Specific numbers in classes vary, but the majority of IDS Courses have at least one female student.

Q: What kind of gun should I bring to the course?
A: The most important trait of a defensive firearm is reliability. After that, efficiency and fit are the most important things. If you currently carry a specific firearm and have found it be reliable, that is what you should bring.

Q: Can I bring a snub nosed revolver to the course?
A: If your primary defensive firearm is a snub nosed revolver, that is what you should train with. The concepts and principles of the IDS program apply to all defensive handguns.

Q: Will Intuitive Defensive Shooting help me in competitive shooting?
A: The concepts and principles are designed to help you be more efficient in the context of a defensive shooting situation, not achieve better scores in competition.

Q: I am a Law Enforcement/Military member, what can you teach me that I don’t already know?
A: The concepts contained within the IDS program are designed to help you understand some of what happens to you physically during times of critical stress and how to work with those responses to develop an efficient armed response to a threat. Empirical evidence shows overwhelmingly that, even though a person may be highly trained as a shooter, they do not necessarily use their traditional range techniques in their defensive shooting situation. IDS is designed to help develop skills that are more congruent with real fights. Many LE Agencies and Military Units have adopted or integrated IDS training approaches.

Q: How much classroom time is there, and should I bring note-takingg materials?
A: There is no classroom training involved in the IDS program as a rule, but if inclement weather dictates, we have done some lecture time indoors on concepts and principles. Feel free to bring materials, and if time allows, definitely take notes. Some students have carried a small recorders or brought video cameras to record on-range lectures.

Q: I would like to take the IDS Instructor Development course, but have not taken the IDS end user course. However, I am an NRA Instructor and have trained at a lot of schools, and have a law enforcement/military background. Can my requirement for IDS end-user training be waived?
A: Intuitive Defensive Shooting Instructor Development is an intense five-day program designed to help the student get a deeper understanding of the concepts and principles of the IDS program. Therefore, it is imperative that students have been exposed to the material beforehand. Our current requirement is that a student has taken a minimum of a one-day Fundamentals of IDS course, however, we strongly recommend that a student has taken the full two-day course to experience as much of the program as possible. It would be a disservice to the IDSID Attendees who are already invested in IDS Methodology to have to explain the most basic aspects of the program to people unfamiliar with it.

Q: What is the ammunition requirement for the Intuitive Defensive Instructor Development course?
A: Students should only expect to fire between 200 – 300 rounds at this course. 90% of the course time is conducted in the classroom. Students should bring the gear they used during the IDS end user course to Instructor Development.

Q: I am interested in hosting an IDS Course, how should I proceed?
A: We are always interested in speaking with potential hosts. The best thing to do is contact an Active Status IDS Instructor near you. If you don’t know of one, please email training@icetraining.us.


Q: What is the ammunition requirement for the Advanced Pistol Handling course?
A: Students should expect to fire between 1000-1200 rounds during the Advanced Pistol Handling course.

Q: Are there any additional gear requirements for the Advanced Pistol Handling course?
A: Elbow and knee pads are optional gear for the APH course, but long pants are required. Your clothing and gear should be of sufficient quality to withstand rigorous hard use.

Q: I want to take the Advanced Pistol Handling course and have not taken IDS, but I have trained at some very prominent training centers in the U.S., Can my IDS Course requirement be waived?
A: The Advanced Pistol Handling program expands the circumstances in which you can use the skills you learned in the Intuitive Defensive Shooting program. It is important for students to have a working knowledge of the concepts and principles of the IDS program in order to be able to SAFELY participate in the APH program, therefore, the requirement for IDS end-user training cannot be waived. The issue is not how WELL you handle your gun, but specifically HOW you handle your gun. Some schools teach methods that are dramatically different from those taught in IDS.


Q: What is the ammunition required for the Intuitive Defensive Carbine course?
A: Students should expect to fire between 600-800 rifle rounds during a one day course and around 1000-1200 rifle as well as 200 pistol rounds for a two-day course.

Q: What are the rifle requirements for the Intuitive Defensive Carbine course?
A: Any semi-automatic or lever-action rifle may be used in CFC. Fully automatic weapons must be used in semi-automatic mode only.

Q: What additional gear is required during the Intuitive Defensive Carbine course?
A: You will need to bring at least three magazines for your rifle and a sling is required. ALL Two Day CFC Courses, and several one day CFC Courses, will address transitions to pistol as well, to participate, you will need a pistol, holster, two magazines and 50 rnds of pistol ammunition. If you chose to wear ear muffs for hearing protection, ensure that they do not interfere with contact between your rifle stock and your head.