GENERAL COMMENTS
Sgt. Chuck Humes, writing in Law Officer Magazine, June 2009:
“Time is ruthless in its ability to crush the mediocre, while spotlighting those who deserve the “quality” moniker. Greg Ellifritz has earned such a quality reputation. The training officer for a Central Ohio police agency, Ellifritz is an accomplished martial artist and his reputation is growing rapidly as an independent trainer and writer. I would expect that he’ll be in the forefront of the next generation of “big gun” law enforcement trainers.”
Massad Ayoob in an interview about up and coming trainers in the industry:
“Greg Ellifritz is one of the finest across the board instructors at integrated gun, hand to hand, escaping restraints, and self defense skills.”
Ralph Mroz writing a review about Greg’s Extreme Close Quarters groundfighting class in Combat Handguns Magazine:
“Some eye opening and valuable lessons were learned about our equipment, and the limitations of our folding knives were revealed.”
Dave Spaulding writing in American Cop Magazine:
“I first saw this technique taught by Greg Ellifritz, a Columbus, Ohio area cop and one of the finest hand-to-hand and knife skills instructors I’ve worked with.”
Rory Miller in an article titled “Dripping Integrity“
“Living in a world of social media, where passion is considered on a par with information and where surrounding oneself with a coterie of sycophants passes for critical thinking and cherry picking sources is as close as most people get to being “well informed” I want to give Greg Ellifritz some kind of medal.”
Melody Lauer in an article titled “Thank You, Greg Ellifritz”
“…he was attentive, respectful, professional and helpful. The knowledge I gleaned was more than what I’d hoped for and and went a long way to dispelling that fear I had of the gun grab scenario.”
“I’ve now attended four classes with Greg as an instructor and have enjoyed them all. I’ve also learned a thing or two.”
With Melody Lauer after her padded suit fighting scenarios
Comments on Greg’s police training classes in The Columbus Dispatch newspaper
“I point out Officer Greg Ellifritz of the Upper Arlington Division of Police, probably the best instructor I ever had or will have. He has provided superior training at the local level tailored to the central Ohio area for urban and suburban officers at a reasonable cost.”
Massad Ayoob in his blog at Back Woods Home
“I’ve found his training to be absolutely top-notch, and it is internationally recognized as such. If you can’t train with him, you can learn from him at his excellent blog, www.activeresponsetraining.net. LOTS of good stuff there.”
Feedback from the owner of 3-To-5 Solutions
“An Ohio police officer, Greg is an aggregator, the best I’ve met. Most the hand to hand skills I’ve seen him teach are things I’ve encountered elsewhere, as are the knife, ground, emergency medical, and other sorts of classes of his I’ve attended. Greg, however, does the finest job of paring a given skill set down to its most essential elements and disseminating them in context and in a manner students are likely to retain. Though nowhere near the polymath Greg is, I do have a diverse set of skills and have struggled with how best to integrate and teach them to my students, at least until I met Greg. The only person I’ve stolen more shamelessly from is John Murphy; I’ve adopted a lot of Greg’s methodologies when conveying skills, particularly to new students. If you are only going to take one close quarters firearms, knife, ground, stick, emergency medical or other class, take one of Greg’s offerings.”
In Gun Nuts Media’s Beginner’s Guide to CCW:
“Greg doesn’t do Gawker-style clickbait crap like a lot of other blogs, and beyond that the man does incredible amounts of research before he opens his mouth on something. He’s like the exact opposite of what you expect from the internet and his site reflects that.”
Comments from the Tactical Anatomy Blog
“BTW, the article is written by a guy whose writings have been impressing me for a couple of years: Greg Ellifritz. I don’t know this man, we’ve never met. But we have apparently taken training from a lot of the same people, who also happen to be pretty switched-on thinking-about-shooting kinds of people, because so far I’ve found almost nothing in Greg’s writings that I disagree with. Now, that is what we in Pulp Fiction movie-quoting circles call, “a bold statement”. I typically disagree with parts of just about everybody’s writing, for what I think are good reasons. But two internet writers seem to keep coming back to haunt me with their consistent right-on-ness, and one of them’s Greg Ellifritz. The other, if you must know, is Kathy Jackson. But this is by the by… what’s important here is the content, and the implications of that content”
“The man is not only a goldmine of information but a patient and interactive individual who’s always promptly and thoroughly answered my questions.”
Comments from “A Girl and Her Gun” Website
“Everyone’s favorite tactical guru…”
Comments from John Farnam about Greg’s Stopping Power Study
“This is a respectable study, and I like the way Greg describes his own data. No sweeping conclusions, just good, general advice.”
Comments from the Breach Bang Clear Website
“If you’re smart enough to read Breach-Bang-Clear on a regular basis, then you’ll have heard us talk about Gorillafritz (Greg Ellifritz) before. Gorillafritz is like a swoll-up, retard-strong idiot savant when it comes to tactics, and he has a keenly analytical mind too.”
Comments from Massad Ayoob in his Backwoods Home blog
“Recently retired from a distinguished career in law enforcement Greg is now teaching full time, including – indeed, focusing on – law-abiding private citizens. I’ve known him for a decade, participated in his training, and can tell you he’s spot on with that, too.
If you can’t train with him, you would be wise to at least follow Greg’s blog. He’s one of the best in the self-defense field.”
And even more from Mas
“Recently retired from a distinguished career in law enforcement Greg is now teaching full time, including – indeed, focusing on – law-abiding private citizens. I’ve known him for a decade, participated in his training, and can tell you he’s spot on with that, too.
If you can’t train with him, you would be wise to at least follow Greg’s blog. He’s one of the best in the self-defense field.”
Commentary posted on Reddit about carrying concealed firearms
“Greg is probably the most prolific writer on the topic of self defense currently pushing content on Facebook. He’s very knowledgeable, articulate and very skilled. He pulls no punches and can back up everything he says with both research and real world experience.”
The best review a person could ask for from author S.A. Bailey
“Daily Friend Brag #9, is Beefcake Greg Ellifritz. Let me tell you about ol Beefy. This motherfucker has it figured out. If you do not follow him, then you simply do not care, and are not serious, about the study of violence. Easily one of the most intelligent, well read, and eclectic people I know. As a writer/ asshole on the Internet, this man is goals. He might just be the motherfucking GOAT when it comes to blogging/ putting out content. He is a phenomenal instructor.
I’ve only taken one shotgun class with him, but I’ve been trying to get to one of his knife classes for years. Years ago, when I was working at the range, he was one of the instructors I was trying hard to get them to let me schedule and bring in, but that range had no interest at that time in actually teaching. It was just a place for people to come and shoot and blow off steam. Sorry, started rambling. My bad.
Beefcake is fucking awesome. Since retiring from the police department of what I believe is a moderate sized city in Ohio, he has relocated to THE REPUBLIC OF BY GAWD TEXAS, but how much time he spends here, is debatable. If the Travel Channel were smart, they’d give him a show.
He diligently, consistently, puts out quality content for the masses, much of it free. His Weekend Knowledge Dump, where he just drops a massive number of links, every fucking week. His writerly / content creator/ whatever works ethic alone is itself enough to remind me to get the fuck over myself, and to spend less writing time being a whiny, navel gazing retard.
His book should absolutely be required reading for everyone, especially those interested in staying safe, while traveling abroad. One of those people I can’t wait to break bread and conversation with, once again. Remember, life is far too short to surround yourself with spiritual peasants. My man Beefy, is absolutely anything but. He is hippie barbarian AF. Motherfucker takes it to the next level.
Live with aggressive positivity, and mindful anarchism. And buy this motherfuckin’ book.”
Best Gunslingers & Firearms Trainers Past & Present
“Ask yourself this, what do you want to learn? Do you want to learn close-quarters combative with knives? How about a medical class? Maybe you want to run a gauge or a revolver? Well, he has you covered. He teaches a ton of classes on how to make holes in people and how to fix holes in people. The man has over 4,000 hours of formal training in various skills, weapons, and instruction.
If you want to know something, he can likely teach it.”
EXTREME CLOSE QUARTERS GUN FIGHTING CLASSES
Review of Extreme Close Quarters Gunfighting Class on Gun Nuts Media
“I was impressed by how much I took away from a single day of training, one of the most productive training days I’ve ever experienced.”
Review of Extreme Close Quarters Gunfighting on PistolForum.com
“My wife said several times, I can’t believe there are not more women here! This is the kind of stuff women need. I agree, and with that said, if anyone is considering this class or any offered by John/Greg in the future I would HIGHLY recommend you not only take it, but it would probably be just as, if not more important if your wife, girlfriend, daughter, mother, grand mother….. did as well.
This is not a high impact, physically demanding class, so no worries about getting hurt. Greg basically teaches techniques and options. You may just learn one technique that could save your life one day. “
Review of Extreme Close Quarters Gunfighting Class on the Civilian Gunfighter Blog
“This was one of the best classes I have taken. John and I had both taken a close range gunfighting class with another school/instructor, and it was amazing the difference in how little instruction we received in that other class regarding how to properly shoot from retention. Greg, on the other hand, though he prefers simple techniques that work very well, knows every subtle nuance that allows the techniques to be successful. At times, there is a fine line between doing things right and wrong (a slight cant to the hips here, shoulders not square to the threat there). He has a keen eye and made subtle corrections to my stance with practiced ease.”
“This course filled an important gap in my knowledge base. I have mentioned numerous times here on the blog about my lack of combatives skills. In fact, even a person who is involved in martial arts or other such skills may not get the chance to integrate such skills into a weapons-based environment unless they take a course like this. I had high hopes for this course and Greg definitely delivered.”
Review of Extreme Close Quarters Shooting class on The Liberal Gun Club Forum
“There was relatively little shooting and lots of fumbling for guns and supervised eye-gouging/pistol-whipping. Not as fun as some of the 500 round per day courses I’ve done but more practically useful. Anyone who hasn’t been in an all-out street brawl at 0-3 feet, while armed (a VERY common defensive gun use scenario), would benefit from this class. An especially good reality check for those who think that killing paper at the flat range is just like the real thing, as well as folks who firmly believe they’ll have plenty time to chamber a round, but I won’t go there”
Review of Extreme Close Quarters Gunfighting Class on ReflexHandgun.com
“The reason I so highly recommend Greg as a trainer is his versatility. Most good trainers tend to be very focused on a particular skill set: a shooter, a knife expert, a combatives guy, whatever. Greg does it all. Literally. He teaches shooting, knife, impact weapons, combatives, dealing with the threat of explosives, and medical. I can also attest to the fact that he is not just a “jack-of-all-trades.” Greg is very skilled in all of these fields. So, this gamut of skill and experience gives him a perspective on integrating these various elements into the “whole” of self-defense and self-preparedness that very few other trainers offer and this approach really comes through in his teaching.”
AAR of Extreme Close Range Gunfighting on PistolForum.com
“Greg Ellifritz is personable and has a relaxed attitude making him approachable. He has a very good speaking style with slow deliberate cadence and clear verbiage in his instructions. His style of discussion, questions, demonstration and then by the numbers practice by students is common enough but well done and one of the best ways to learn from what I have experienced. Safety was always a concern he addressed well with multi layered coverage of care, calling 911, and medical aid and responders.
Overall I would recommend the course and Greg Ellifritz.”
AAR of Extreme Close Range Gunfighting on Facebook
“Greg puts on a hell of a good class that’s tailored to vastly increasing the useful skillset of people who walk in off the street with zero knowledge. You can know absolutely nothing and walk away with a toolbox full of useful stuff…and if you do have some prior exposure to ECQC or medical training you’ll walk away with even more. I was amazed at how much good stuff I picked up in two days covering very different subjects.
If Greg is ever coming to your neighborhood, sign up. It’s worth every penny.”
AAR of Extreme Close Quarters Gunfighting class on the Mountain Guerrilla Patreon page
“The practical applications portions of the class were stellar. Without taking anything at all away from Paul and Cecil and others, this is honestly, probably the best ECQ gunfighting course, for the general gun owner, who is not interested in learning jiujitsu/MMA, that I’ve EVER taken, in 30+ years of training. It doesn’t have the intensity that Paul or Cecil’s classes do, nor the physical demands, but it is, in many ways, a lot more approachable for the layman, with no combat sports experience, than their work is. If you’re an experienced combat sports athlete, the physical portions will seem ridiculously simplistic, but if you’re NOT a combat sports athlete, it’ll teach you some effective, robust, resilient weapons to utilize if you find yourself in that situation, without a lot of regular practice.”
“Aside from the quality of the material and Greg’s pedagogical methods, one of my pet peeves in the training world is guys who take themselves too seriously. To be sure, the material should definitely be approached seriously, but the guy who puffs out his chest and insists on practicing his steely-eye dealer of death, “meat eater” war face, just annoys the shit out of me. As people who have trained with me can attest, I appreciate self-deprecating humor more than anything else. Greg is a friendly, approachable dude, who laughs a lot, and I don’t think I saw him, once during the entire day, without a smile on his face (and, to be honest, I don’t know that I’ve ever even seen a photograph of him without a smile on his face).”
Report on Extreme Close Quarters Shooting Class in a private Facebook group
“In the classroom, Greg is very physically impressive. I would not want to get into a verbal debate or a physical confrontation with Greg. His personality really shows his passion for teaching. His excitement when presenting the material is infectious. You will not be bored in his class. Although, he sometimes reminds me of the mad genius that is plotting to take over the world and his evil plan is about to be launched. Good thing he is on our side.”
“Greg is an amazing instructor who is truly passionate about making his students better defenders. His methods are sound and developed for the average person. This is not a class that is going to make you a skilled mixed martial arts master, but it could easily save your life in a close quarters armed threat encounter. I personally hope to take the two-day version of this class. I really enjoy Greg’s teaching style.”
Facebook AAR on Close Quarters Gunfighting Instructor Development Class
“Greg Ellifritz was one of the best instructors I’ve had ever. I’ve had some really good instructors but Greg managed to take things to a level that was high-level and simple all at the same time. When an instructor has a grasp of the material at such a high level that they can break down certain aspects of technique and build it back up for you to understand goes a long way.
Other instructors will tell you to do something and give you a why you should do it this way. Greg actually took the time to tell you where the technique was invented what instructor came up with it and how it was pressure tested. He spoke to us as instructors and helped us to help our students to not overwhelm and to not underwhelmed them with details. When someone like Greg who has dedicated his life to teaching firearms in every aspect from revolvers, shotguns, pistols, rifles and then goes on to hand to hand combat, grappling, who is also a power lifter and very formidable in several forms of martial arts you tend to take him very seriously when he breaks a technique down for you.
He was also extremely patient with my questions off to the side about wouldn’t this technique work better or why would you do this versus that in that situation and we built a kinship over our want to teach others to be able to defend themselves. The amount of knowledge that Greg possesses on these subjects is more than any other instructor I’ve ever seen. You hear about big-name instructors like Greg and you always hope you’ll get a chance to take their classes. But when you do do you understand why people read his books and articles and reference him in conversation. He’s available he’s not arrogant he’s always willing to help.
I will be adding some of this curriculum to my classes in the near future with Greg’s help.”
AAR of Close Quarter Gunfighting Class on Defensive Carry Forums
“Greg taught all this masterfully, each lesson was demonstrated by calling different students forward to take part in the experience. Something maybe not noticed by the casual course attendee, is the “different student” part. There wasn’t one high level performer or “favorite” Greg chose over and over to use as an example, he made sure everyone was engaged, (master instructor level stuff). It’s easy on the instructor’s part to choose someone with a high skillset who they know is going to give them the perfect demo. Greg didn’t go for easy; he went for engagement of his students, (Pro-Level). This also gives him a quick indication if a student was understanding the lesson or not, and the time for him to get that person back on track. It showed both that he would take the time to do this and cared enough about his student to do so.
Gun fights often take place at knife fight distances, if you are only training for shots with a gun fully extended on non-moving targets you are missing a huge piece to your competence. This is a course that would set you on the correct track. If you can draw from a holster safely, this class should be high on your list of must attend courses to develop your skillset properly. I can assure, you cannot go wrong with an Ellifritz class.”
“It was and is an excellent course. Greg is a master instructor.”
AAR of Close Quarters Gunfighting Course on the Hebrew Hammer website
“Describing Greg is a study in contrasts. He’s a huge, beefy dude who’s friendly, extremely intelligent, erudite, well-read, and frequently self-deprecating. He’s a retired career cop who does not glorify policing. He’s a cancer survivor with an amazing outlook on life. But, perhaps most importantly, he’s also a top-notch instructor with tons of experience, a crazy amount of training, and an amazing amount of patience. Greg is one of the best guys to learn from in the training industry, hands-down. I only wish he’d come out here more.
I’ve had ECQG on my “classes to take!” list for a long, long time, so I am very happy I was able to finally get it in. It easily met my (very high) expectations and then some. If you concealed carry a pistol, I think it’s almost a must-take if the opportunity arises.
Besides just the fantastic curriculum and knowledge transfer, the way the class was taught was amongst the best I’ve ever had. Concepts built on each other in a clear way, the demonstrations were simple and well-executed, and perhaps best of all, Greg was easily able to answer all questions, even some rather complex ones.”
Firearms instructor Mindy Ray reviews my Close Quarters Gunfighting Class on Facebook
“Jason and I spent all day Saturday & Sunday on the range under the excellent instruction of Greg Ellifritz.
perfectly and without misinterpretation.
I ain’t ashamed to admit it) and had often wondered what taking a class would be like. It surpassed any preconceived notions I had! I say this honestly because earlier this year I took a class from an individual who had the same impact on me and I left that persons class wishing I had spent those dollars elsewhere!
“
GST Training Solutions reviews two classes on Facebook
“It has been a week since I attended Greg Ellifritz’s classes on ECQ Gunfighting & Knife Skills for Concealed Carries. To say I had some “light bulb” moments would be an understatement. I went in with an open mind and ready to learn. The expression, “you don’t know what you don’t know until you need to know it” hit home a couple of times. The ECQ class was first. It is not a shooting class as much as it is teaching you “how to” skills for when someone has invaded your space and how to defend it. Hands on with partners in different defensive scenarios, playing both roles and figuring out what really works for you was the perfect way to learn these skills and have fun at the same time. I do apologize to my partner, Steve for more than once almost dislocating his shoulder. He was a great partner and cut me no slack.
Facebook review of Close Quarters Gunfighting and Tactical First Aid classes
“I’ve been a longtime follower of Greg’s work and have been trying to make it to these 2 classes specifically for several years. I have to say he did not disappoint! Both classes were very well structured. He was an excellent communicator through both classes. He was able to give us several options to try in different situations to work and find what works best for each person. He was able to effectively coach the more novice shooters in the class all the way up to the expert level shooters in the class through providing timely feedback as needed. I’m looking forward to more training with him in the future.
Do yourself a favor and check out his classes. You won’t be sorry. He also writes some awesome articles on all sorts of different topics. Stop over to his website and browse around. I’m sure you’ll find something interesting over there.”
TACTICAL FIRST AID AND “SYSTEMS COLLAPSE” MEDICINE CLASSES
Review of Tactical First Aid and System Collapse Medicine class on the Musings Over a Pint Blog
“Greg is an excellent and highly qualified instructor. The material is presented in an interesting and engaging manner. The class was never boring, despite the heavy subject matter. There were several students in our class who were taking the course for the second time, there’s so much information in the class, it’s hard to retain it all at once.”
Review of Tactical First Aid and System Collapse Medicine on the Civilian Gunfighter Blog
” I feel confident in lumping Greg with the best of the instructors I have experience with. As a teacher, I appreciate that Greg’s approach is simple, giving the student everything he or she needs with no frills. He provides MANY opportunities throughout the class to review what has so far been covered (I cannot tell you how many times he asked us: “Okay, what do we do for massive bleeding? And if that doesn’t work? Okay, and what if the bleed is higher up in a spot where you can’t apply a tourniquet?”, etc.). All instructors say they use a stair-stepped approach to delivering the material, but with Greg I always feel like I have an outline in front of me, so I know exactly what has been covered and where he is going next. There are teachers in my school who could probably learn a TON from Greg about how to deliver a lesson.”
Review of Tactical First Aid class on Gun Nuts Media
“The training you get in this course could be the thing that saves your life or the life of a loved one. If you’re able to get into this class with Greg or a similar class with another reputable instructor, do so with all speed.”
Review of Tactical First Aid and System Collapse Medicine class on Pistol-Forum.com
“Overall, Greg came off as very knowledgeable and a great teacher and presenter, so it made learning the material very easy even for a complete noobie like myself. I feel competent to be able to continue practicing on our own. In addition, Greg recommended lots of resources for us to follow up on for additional reading/learning. Finally, there were some aids that Greg created himself that will be useful in training and setting up our gear. One key takeaway for me was how useful the system collapse portion of the class was, even if one isn’t expecting a total societal collapse. If that’s what’s holding you back from this class, don’t let it. The knowledge is useful for natural disaster scenarios or even injuries that occur during normal life.”
Course AAR: Tactical First Aid and “System Collapse” Medicine from OP-FOR.com
“I give Greg Ellifritz and his Tactical First Aid and “System Collapse” Medicine course a strong thumbs-up. I like the format, I like the content, I like his delivery; I think he hit the right balance of lecture and prac-app; he gets his point across and has a deft touch with questions and explanations. As he is not a medical professional, he speaks to laymen in terms they (we!) can understand. I would and will take that class again, and I strongly recommend it to you”
Reviews of Tactical First Aid course on NYshenaniguns.com
“Overall I felt it was an amazing class and am glad I took the 3 hr drive to attend it. Highly recommended. “
“I thought it was an outstanding class and I learned a lot and was refreshed on a lot too. The one thing I really also liked about his class vs other ones is that he actually a lot of different gear for you to try out and decide which you like best….There was a lot more brought up as well and if any of you get the chance to take his course I would recommend it! “
AAR of Tactical First Aid Class from Black Flamingo Tactical
“This class by far was the best course I have ever taken.”
“The class was the best firearms related class I have ever taken. I would highly recommend everyone to take this class. I firmly believe that if you have the skills and knowledge to use a firearm to take a life; you need the skills and knowledge to save a life as well. After taking Tactical First Aid and “System Collapse” Medicine given by Greg Ellifritz of Active Response Training, I know now that I can save a life!
Who Should Take A First Aid Trauma Class? YOU!
“I recently attended a training seminar that was among the most useful…and thought-provoking…I’ve ever experienced.
The course was developed and taught by Greg Ellifritz, a friendly, outgoing brick wall of a guy who owns and operates a company called Active Response Training- when he’s not busy in his day job as a full-time suburban police officer. Greg’s classes, blogs and articles are well-respected in the self-defense and shooting communities. This background is likely why the class has the title that it does.
If you have a chance to take Greg’s “Tactical First Aid and System Collapse Medicine” course, do so.”
Med Class AAR from Chris Kelley.org
“Really glad I spend the $ and time to go through the tactical med class today that was expertly delivered by Greg Ellifritz of Active Response Training. My only regret is that I didn’t do it sooner. While I’m by no means a qualified medical professional, I know a lot more and at least have a chance to do some good if I’m ever in the situation where I need to.”
Confessions of Preparedness Junkies’ Review of the “System Collapse” Tactical Medicine Class
“… I’m pretty sure I said something to the effect of “I wish someone would teach a WROL medicine class”. This class was EXACTLY that class. I can’t say “EXACTLY” strongly enough.”
“Honestly, this put my EMT-B class to shame…..Freaking awesome!!”
“I would absolutely recommend this class to anyone.”
Review of Tactical First Aid Class on Buckeye Firearms Forum
“Greg is an excellent instructor. His class was easy to follow, covered a lot of material during the allotted time, but not so much that the material couldn’t be retained. He was very personable, kept the class fun without getting too far off topic, and was more than willing to stop for questions. I highly recommend him as an instructor, and I would love to train with him again”
Medical Class AAR on the Get Off The X Forum
“I would recommend this class to everyone. All of us who carry guns need medical training. If we’re practicing and being prepared for a gunfight that includes injured people. However medical skills translate to ALL emergencies. Not to mention that medical gear isn’t regulated and can be brought places that weapons cannot. If someone in your family can’t or won’t carry a weapon then they can at least be prepared to deal with the medical emergencies. “
“All in all, I thought the class was worth far more than the time and money spent. I learned a lot and I can “dry” practice a lot of the skills on my own. We also received a CD that has an outline of what was covered in the class, as well as an incredible amount of medical books and lists of helpful gear/drugs. If I had to buy all the books, it would cost more than what I paid for the class. Greg is an awesome instructor and I look forward to taking more classes from him!”
Review of “Systems Collapse Medicine” class on Facebook
“You’re not going to find a finer one day class for trauma than this one. I’d rate it 6 stars out of 5, and came away far more educated and prepared.”
Review of Tactical First Aid Class on William Brown Handgunnery
“Greg knows this material inside & out and it shows. Attending this class is like listening to a Ph.D. teach his/her discipline. I really couldn’t ask for anything else that would fit into a 1-day format. He uses real world events to drive home the reality that any of us could wind up in a situation where we have to apply these lifesaving skills.”
Review of Tactical First Aid Class on Facebook
“The class was intensive…9-10 hours long. The quantity *and* quality of instruction was outstanding. I took 10 pages of notes, not to mention the incredibly detailed CD of course info & bonus supplemental resources given to each student. That alone was worth registration fee. The curriculum, method & means of instructional delivery, practical application, and rapport with a wide variety of students was top notch. Probably some of the best return on investment of my training budget.”
Review of Tactical Medicine class on the Mid-Ohio IMB Blog
“To many, the word “tactical” may evoke images of steely-eyed commandos crashing through terrorist hideouts (or just video-game commandos crashing in Mom’s basement hideout)! And the “system collapse” reference suggests large-scale calamity. And to be sure, if one makes a living doing dangerous things amongst dangerous people there is plenty of worthwhile materiel here. But I think that it would be a disservice to the everyday citizen like you and me to simply say that this is nine hours of how to plug up gunshot wounds with the trauma kit affixed to your gun belt or body armor. The information presented is practical and accessible- and very relevant to individual and family safety in everyday situations.”
Review of Tactical Medicine Class on opensourcesurvival.com
“It has been my experience that there are instructors and teachers. An instructor can provide you with information, and show you the method, a teacher will insure you gain a skill and proficiency. Greg is a teacher, he is very at ease in front of the class, personable to approach with questions during class and after and really knows his material. He also realizes that many of us are concerned with disaster survival scenarios and brought that theorem into class, not only explaining each piece of gear we used and its shortfalls but also making us think of expedient substitutes for each item.”
Review of “System Collapse” Medical Skills Class on AK47.net
“I had a great time and took several things away from this class ranging from different methods to apply an Izzy to some plants that have medicinal qualities and long term medical care. It was amazing how much information Greg was able to pack into a single day. That said I would love to see Greg do a two or even three day course. I would also like to do a class based around wilderness survival as he is obviously a wealth of knowledge on the subject.I would highly recommend this class to anyone ranging from trigger pullers to outdoorsmen to folks just wanting to know how to deal with various wounds and illnesses.”
AAR of Range Injury Response Class on Facebook.
“Greg is a fantastic instructor and really knows how to work a room, bringing humor and personality to what could be a dry or disgusting subject depending on your point of view. He kept a very serious subject interesting while at the same time bringing some humor to keep the class engaged.
Greg has a gift for explaining complex subjects in a way that is easy for the layman to understand while working in just enough technicality to get the point across that he really knows what he’s talking about. This isn’t just someone parroting what he heard elsewhere, Greg has a deep understanding of the subjects that he teaches and it is readily evident.”
Medical Class Review Published on the Tough Times Training Facebook Page
“We learned so much yesterday at Greg Ellifritz’s “Tactical First Aid & System Collapse Medicine” course. Greg was the epitome of a professional instructor. He covered many topics including controlling blood loss, disinfecting wounds, suturing, and stockpiling medicines. I HIGHLY recommend this class. It was full of useful, practical information taught by a highly qualified instructor.”
Review of Tactical First Aid class on the Across the Peak Blog
“I can’t recommend Greg Ellifritz’ Tactical First Aid & Collapse Medicine highly enough. The class was totally accessible to beginners, while still be appropriate for those with formal medical training. Greg’s instructional style is entertaining, engaging, extremely effective. His knowledge obviously extends far deeper than the level to which he was teaching.”
Review of Tactical First Aid and Systems Collapse Medical class posted on Facebook
“All in all it was an excellent class I left feeling much better prepared to deal with serious bleeding, and some really good ideas for how to stock my trauma kits, definitely look forward to taking more training with Greg, and I would definitely take this class again if I had the chance!”
Review of Extreme Close Quarters Fighting and Tactical First Aid classes on The High Road forum
“I just finished a weekend of training with Greg Ellifritz for his Extreme Close Quarters Gunfighting and Tactical First Aid classes. I cannot say enough good about Greg and about both classes. I highly recommend you take advantage of his knowledge and expertise. Lots of fun “war stories” of his experience as a cop and cop trainer from Greg during the classroom portions, too.”
Comments about Tactical First Aid Class at Boondocks FTA posted on Facebook
“Today I attended the Tactical First Aid & System Collapse class at Boondocks FTA with 22 other students including 6 other BFTA Instructors. It was led by Greg Ellifritz with Active Response Training.This is an excellent class. Even as a Red Cross and Emergency First Aid Fundamentals Instructor it filled in A LOT of gaps in my first aid training and in my opinion this is a must take class!“
Review of Tactical First Aid Class posted on Facebook
“A few years ago, I read about Greg Ellifritz‘s Tactical First Aid/System Collapse class & knew I wanted to take it. I had taken other TCCC classes in the past, including an excellent class from Lone Star Medics taught by Caleb Causey, hosted by Florida Firearms Training. Greg’s class seemed like the logical next level step. In fact, in Caleb’s TCCC class, he highly recommended Greg’s course, so that sealed the deal. I was determined to take it. I was hoping he’d come to FL. However, I finally decided not to wait & wanted this training sooner than later, which meant going to Ohio.
Review of Tactical First Aid and System Collapse Medicine class on Facebook
“I have taken CPR, basic first aid, tactical oriented stop the bleed, and austere/wilderness medical/first aid; this course went far beyond anything I have studied previously. Steven, who is a registered nurse commented that the course went far beyond his medical background and was very enlightening. I pride myself on my fighting/self-defense skills, but it is unlikely I’ll ever use them to the extent of what I have obtained, the skills obtained in this course are much more likely to be useful in my every day travels. Caleb was correct and I am glad I took his advice.
YouTube review of Tactical First Aid and System Collapse Medicine Class
AAR of Systems Collapse Medicine Course on Pistol Forum
“Greg’s teaching chops are outstanding, he is approachable as an instructor, is open to answering difficult questions, makes the difficult material enjoyable/entertaining, and has a friendly, engaging teaching style. I highly recommend you seek him out, I know this won’t be my last course from Active Response I attend. “
KNIFE CLASSES
Review of Basic Knife Skills for Concealed carry by Gun Nuts Media
“The class was fantastic. Greg has effectively distilled years of training and teaching this topic into an easily digestible program that just about anyone can pick up in short order…and it’s stuff that has a very high likelihood of success if the need to apply it ever manifests. Greg is good at what I call filling in the “cracks”: providing useful instruction aimed at the gaps most citizens and police officers have in their defensive game. This class won’t make you the world’s leading knife fighter, but it does a damn good job of filling that “crack” and giving you an effective plan B for those occasions where you don’t have or can’t get to your firearm to defend your life.
I took this class with a buddy of mine who recently retired after 25 years as a police officer. He told me afterwards that in the whole of his career he had never encountered any defensive tactics training that was even close to the quality or effectiveness of Greg’s instruction. He further offered that he couldn’t think of a single criminal he ever arrested who would have been prepared for just how dangerous the students in this class would be with a knife.”
Review of Knife Skills for Concealed Carry class on the Defensive Solutions Facebook Group
“Just finished a GREAT one day Defensive Knife class taught by Greg Ellifritz from Active Response Training. Greg’s class was very informative, easy to follow, and well presented. It’s a great class for any skill level and added another dimension to our self-defense training.”
“Knives For CCW” Course Review on Gun Safety Blog
“I highly recommend that you take Greg’s Knife Class. This material is especially important if you are not able to carry a gun everywhere you go (*cough* DC work commuters! *cough*). Sign up for one (or ALL) of Greg’s classes. Seriously.
“This past weekend, I had the privilege of attending a Defensive Knife class with Greg Ellifritz of Active Response Training, hosted by Family Protection Group, LLC in Edon, Ohio. It was an awesome, full day of hands-on training in techniques and drills for both fixed blade and folding knives. Greg covered a host of topics, including knife deployment techniques, carry positions, laws, grip, knife strikes, weapon retention (in tandem with a firearm), ground fighting and a whole lot more, using partners and training knives. I highly recommend this class, and plans are in the works to host one in our area in the near future!”
AAR Review of “Basic Knife for the Concealed Carry Operator” on M4Carbine.net
“He is probably one of the most well rounded instructors I have ever trained with and brings a wealth of experience to the table.”
After Action Report on “Defensive Knife for Concealed Carry” Class on Charlie-Bravo-Six
“Ellifritz presented the material in a highly professional manner with attention to the needs of the student body….Please find the time/resources in your limited training schedules to take a course with Greg Ellifritz and Active Response Training. You will not be disappointed.”
Review of Defensive Knife for Concealed Carry at the Civilian Gunfighter Blog
“This class was fantastic and was exactly what I’d been looking for. Greg Ellifritz is, without a doubt, a subject-matter expert in this field, and his ability to impart his knowledge and provide useful drills and feedback is as good as any instructor with whom I have so far trained. He reiterated safety concerns repeatedly, solicited questions from the students constantly (and had great answers for them!), allowed the students to work at a comfortable pace, and was as approachable as can be with questions/concerns/clarifications. I would not hesitate to recommend this class to anyone, especially those who, like me, have traditionally been “gun guys” and don’t want to devote decades to studying a knife “system.” If there is any doubt about how I felt leaving Greg’s class, I plan to sign up for his Extreme Close-Quarters Gunfighting class as soon as I can ensure my calendar is clear.”
Knife Skills for Concealed Carry Class AAR at The Hebrew Hammer Blog
“I have to say that after a short while, I realized Greg was not who I expected. Given the subject matter, I expected a hard nosed cop who was all business and deadly serious. Greg is business enough, but he’s actually a funny, warm, and friendly instructor who I could genuinely listen to all day.”
“This class is just absolutely excellent, and really opened my eyes to a whole class of weapons that I had very little experience with. It is a bargain in terms of tuition costs and time spent, and there is just no substitute for doing the drills with another human being working against you. Greg is clearly a subject matter expert on self-defense use of knives. TAKE THIS CLASS. You will not regret it!”
Here’s What I Learned When I Took a Defensive Knife Course at The Organic Prepper Website
“Greg is the kind of instructor who makes learning enjoyable and safe. He creates a group dynamic of fun, while the lessons he provides are very serious. Every person in the course I attended left happy. I strongly recommend taking a course from him if you can at all.”
Review of Knives for Concealed Carry Course at Defensive Carry.com
“Greg immediately showed a mastery of the craft, not just physical skill, but high understanding on the intellectual side. It is very apparent he loves to teach and has a passion to see his students advance. He isn’t just regurgitating info, he has studied under many different teachers and styles for decades, coming up with a way to impart a lot of information in an 8 hour setting. I’m finding the professionals on the high end of training are just as skilled at understanding different types of people and how to teach to that individuality.”
Comments about Greg’s knife class on The Boondocks Firearm Training Academy Facebook Page
“Another great day of training at Boondocks FTA in Raymond. Today was Greg Ellifritz’s Defensive Knife for Concealed Carry class.
Comments posted on Facebook about Knife Skills for Concealed Carry class
“Very grateful for Greg Ellifritz class today on Concealed Knife Fighting. Am I “Rambo” now? No. No single class could turn me into this. Am I better able to defend myself? Absolutely. MUCH more so.
Knife Class Review in Shooting Illustrated Magazine
“The techniques I learned in this knife defense class were very relevant to people like me who carry a defensive pistol and a blade of some sort. I don’t see a knife as my primary defensive tool, but I have a better understanding of how it works in conjunction with my pistol, pepper spray or tactical flashlight. A knife may not be my “go to” tool of choice, but it might just be the tool I need to save a life, and knowing how to use it more effectively is a very good thing, a very good thing indeed.”
Defensive Knife for Concealed Carriers course review on Facebook
“Greg set the class up so that a student could learn useful techniques in one day, without having to train on it for months or years. He took a complex topic and broke out the most useful elements for a concealed carrier. He knew he was not teaching a martial arts class, where the subject could be practiced for months or longer, and pulled out and covered in one day, the essence of what a concealed carrier would need. He made it simple and useful enough that the students could take it home and practice it. There was no fluff or art in this class, yet it was all practical, useful skills.
As with any class, there was a few disruptive students (not me this time), but Greg quickly brought them back in line, and kept them from being a training distraction. It was not done in a demeaning way, but in a way that explained why he was teaching the class in the manner he did. He kept positive control on the class at all times, keeping the disruptions to a minimum. Why I note this, is because as an instructor, I watch how others teach, and try to learn methods from them to use in my own classes.
I highly recommend this class to anyone who wants to carry a blade with or without a firearm. As with carrying a firearm, carrying a blade has its own moral issues that person must review with themselves, and make the decision on whether they could use it if they had to. If carrying a knife for self-defense is for you, this is a class you want to attend.“
Author and disabled veteran Seth Bailey reviews Knife Skills for Concealed Carry on Facebook here and here.
“Getting set up for some motel writing tonight. Extreme Close Quarters Gunfighting and Knife Skills For Concealed Carry with Greg Ellifritz are done. I sat when I needed to, but probably did more than I’ve done at any class yet. I learned a lot, and more importantly, what my dumbass already thought I knew was given new depth and nuance.I recommend both classes highly, but especially for those newer to training and “the defensive lifestyle.” Highly recommend to those with physical deformities and issues. Going in I was afraid some of the knife combatives would be too much torque for my delicate little spine, and I did get a couple jolts, entirely my fault, but really the closest thing to an issue was getting a little woozy and chilling out in the shade for the very last bit of shooting. It’s the most mildly active and on my feet I’ve been in a long time. Maybe that’s a Little Victory, I don’t know.
Greg is Texas based now, and I’m going to do my best to bring him to East Texas next year.
“I’m one of those weirdos with something that can best be described as more knife training than normal people but less than most instructors or full on knife weirdos. I’m probably more of a knife guy than I want to admit. If you’re completely new to knife work/ living defensively, or whatever hokey bullshit hot shit industry marketing term is the current cool, his is the class I recommend. There’s a lot of good instructors out there. Most of them that are worth a shit know and recommend each other. Birds of a feather, what not. Greg has a masterful way of distilling typically unnecessarily complex material bordering on pretention down to raw bone. I’ve spent so much time in my life trying to master angles, and then I took his class, and just, like, fuck. All you can do is shake your head and feel fuckin’ dumb. Beefy has that effect. That so many people who take his class are or have been instructors should be telling.“
Facebook review of Knife Skills for Concealed Carry
“In summary, this is must class for anyone including your family members. Go to his website and sign up for the next one. Bring friends and family. Makes it much fun.”
GROUNDFIGHTING CLASSES
AAR of Tactical Groundfighting class on the Civilian Gunfighter Blog
“I am very glad that I was able to take this class, and I would definitely repeat it if the opportunity arose, just to reinforce the skills learned. Compared to only a few days ago, I now feel much more comfortable facing a violent encounter from the ground, even if there is more than one attacker or if the attacker is significantly larger than me (a distinct probability).”
Groundfighting Class Review on Concealed Nation
“Greg is known as a firearms instructor, of which there are quite a few good ones. But Greg is in a class by himself in terms of his overall skill set and the diversity of his capabilities. It is this broad set of skill that drew me to his teaching and his writing to begin with. He teaches firearms, medical, edged weapons, and unarmed skills. He is also an expert on dealing with the threat of explosives. This guy is the embodiment of the diverse capability that I have promoted in my writing before on numerous occasions. What is noteworthy about Greg, though, is that while he applies the Jack of all trades approach, he is way beyond “Jack” in all of these skills.”
“This class with Greg has definitely pointed me in the right direction and I can say that I have significantly more confidence in my ground fighting skillset after having attended the class. I plan to adopt the skills learned into my own combatives practice on a routine basis. I have a feeling that many of you reading this may be interested in enhancing your unarmed skills, and that may be particularly true regarding skills on the ground. Unless you do BJJ this skillset is typically absent from most systems. One thing I took away from this class is that you actually have more options than you may think when you do end up on the ground. Greg taught some techniques that I have never seen before which allow you to efficiently take down an opponent who is still standing, thus fostering an opportunity to get back to your feet.”
“Greg keeps the material realistic and focuses on things that traditional arts do not, like the very dangerous possibility of dealing with multiple attackers while grounded, as well as the very dangerous reality that weapons are almost always present. Overall, this was an excellent training experience and if you want to improve your ground game this course is a great way to do it.”
Post-Groundfighting Class Comments on Facebook
“The presentation was designed to give high percentage, high impact techniques useable by people with little or no ground fighting or grappling experience. All of this focused on the real world where weapons are almost always in play.
You won’t win any BJJ competitions after this one day class, but odds are you will be able to do something useful in your defense should you find yourself on the ground facing a criminal assailant and his accomplices.
The class is physical, but nobody left broken or bleeding. It’s a class everyone can get something out of.
Highly recommended. Do not let the physical stuff intimidate you…this is valuable training whatever physical condition you are in.”
Commentary on Ground Fighting class on Facebook
“Awesome Tactic Ground Fighting class today in Xenia. Greg took the standard teachings of various martial arts and modified them for real life situations including weapon (gun and knife) access and defense. I am sore and tired, but better prepared if I am ever on the ground in a life or death situation. If you have considered one of his classes, you won’t be disappointed (just tired afterward!)“
Comments about Greg’s Tactical Groundfighting Class on the Complete Combatant Facebook Page
“Ground fighting techniques course complete. Man, I was brought back 25 years to the wrestling days! What a great course and taught by great instructors! We got entangled, learned new concepts for control, access, and weapons deployment, and surviving attack techniques used by armed and stronger individuals. Greg at @active_response_training and Brian @thecompletecombatant did a stellar job making sure we had a safe but realistic attack environment and pushed us to work through problems as we progressed.“
Comments about Tactical Ground Fighting Class posted on Facebook
“Greg Ellifritz‘s Tactical Groundfighting class, hosted by The Complete Combatant, was 8+ hours of no-nonsense self-defense training delivered in the mentally and physically engaging, yet learner friendly style that is the trademark of all curricula associated with The Complete Combatant.
Distilled from Greg’s decades-long application of wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu experience in real physical altercations in a career of law enforcement, this course is designed to impart a basic skill set of weapon retention and access to the armed citizen. As the instruction progressed, I was able to identify the shortcomings in my groundfighting game and then gradually overcome them in real time with the gracious and patient assistance of the coaches.
As with all TCC classes, a pressure-tested final evolution was undertaken to assess and confirm my progress. Patrick Collins was my training partner through most of the day, and proved to be a tough and savvy opponent by virtue of his wrestling experience. Shelley Luehder Hill; Although you were not able to attend, your organizational acumen assuredly made things run smoothly throughout the day. If you haven’t trained, with The Complete Combatant, do yourself a favor and take advantage of the opportunity. You will be surprised at how much fun you have and the abilities that the quality of training will bring out in you.”
Comments about Tactical Groundfighting class posted on Facebook
“Excellent class! I’d definitely take again and again! I attended 4 weeks post total knee replacement and Greg was very accommodating … I was still able to do about 70% of the class. So if you have injury concerns, you’ll probably be fine!“
“Greg’s Groundfighting class is *very* good. I use what I got from his class as part of my own curriculum in my schools.“
“I took Greg’s Tactical Groundfighting class earlier this year and highly recommend it. As the description indicates there is a moderate amount of physical activity but you do not get beat up, just tired in a good way. This is a great class for folks who do not have a lot of ground fighting experience but want to learn and practice proven basic techniques that work.”
“I took Greg’s ground fighting class 7 or 8 years ago. You will enjoy it and want more. Prepare to have the wheels fall off of your “I’m ready for anything wagon.”“
“I HIGHLY recommend Greg’s ‘groundfighting’ class. If you’re not at least a purple belt in BJJ or a former D1 wrestler, you’ll get something useful from his class. Mostly it will expose you to how little you know about what to do when you’re on the ground getting punched in the face.“
SHOTGUN CLASSES
Review of Greg’s Defensive Shotgun class posted on Facebook.
“Greg took a class of 20 people which included experienced shotgun guys who probably could have taught a class on their own, all the way down to a married couple who had never fired a shotgun before, and was able to present good information to both teach and challenge all. His manners and methods of instruction are down to earth and easy to follow. He doesn’t come across as “Mister Expert and how dare you question me.” He makes everyone feel welcome and nobody is singled out for anything other than making sure that person is learning at a comfortable pace and keeping up with the rest.
Review of The Alamo collaboration class on Patreon
“With a deft touch, he took us thru several techniques, explaining the nuances of each, what he liked and didn’t, their strengths and drawbacks, and what we should be mindful of as we choose what to adopt and make our own. He also spent time with each student, spot correcting issues and decencies as needed.”
“They were understanding of my physical limitations. I sat when I needed to sit. Shot when it was my turn. The self consciousness and shame I carry for my weight and physical limitations factors only in my head.”
“Review of “Operation Alamo” by The Mountain Guerilla
“I have to admit, I was leery of what could be covered in a single 8-hour day of training. Despite that, Greg did a stellar job of covering the essentials, as well as providing enough dry-fire and live-fire activity to help students actually learn the skills he was teaching. I watched several shooters with limited shotgun experience, including a rather diminutive young lady with zero previous shotgun experience, demonstrate an enviable level of ability by the end of the day. It was well done.”
“Despite my solid grounding in both subjects, this was a really well-done course, and served as a great refresher training opportunity for me. For my guys, they were exposed (except our MARSOC veteran, of course, who was as familiar with the material as I am) to some new material that they hadn’t previously been exposed to, and expressed their appreciation for the learning opportunity, and the teaching methodologies utilized. I also know I witnessed a number of students around me learn a great deal during the course. I’d like to express my appreciation to my fellow students in the class for their observance of safety, their enthusiasm for learning the material, and their pointed, intelligent questions for the instructors.
Overall, this was an extremely well done collaboration between two really phenomenal teachers. I don’t know when they’ll be able to do another collaboration course like this, but I highly recommend, if you’re budgeting preparedness money for training courses (and you should be!), that you seriously consider training with either of them independently in the meantime.”
Review of “Operation Alamo” by The Firearms Blog
“Before this course, I’d only known Ellifritz and his offerings by reputation, and that reputation had been absolutely top-shelf. My experience as an ART student absolutely confirmed that this prestige is well-earned, and I will unquestionably seek additional opportunities to learn from Greg again in the future. I highly recommend both Lone Star Medics and Active Response Training to any of you out there.”
Comments about Greg’s Defensive Shotgun class posted on Facebook.
“I’ve gotten much more confident running shotguns and learned a lot and can run one quicker and efficiently.
Greg is probably one of the best and most cultured instructors in the industry and I’m glad I took the class. He’s not just a great source for gear and combatives but also streetcraft and navigating dangerous parts of the world.”
OTHER CLASSES
Shooting Gallery television program host Michael Bane’s comments on Greg’s “Unthinkable” class on Facebook.
“Just finished the Greg Ellifritz/William Aprill “Unthinkable” class. WOW! Everyone should take this class! We’re going to be talking about it on Wednesday’s podcast, but this is a MUST TAKE class.”
Demonstrating a technique for escaping criminal restraints in the “unthinkable” class.
Review of one of Greg’s Kettlebell Fitness classes (for firefighters) on ohiowrestling.net
“One of our Police Officers, Greg Ellifritz, put on a Kettlebell class for the Firefighters at my request. Greg is the resident badass cop, who is Department’s training officer. Greg knows strength training and Police work. The class was great and further stoked my fire.”
Review of The Unthinkable on Limatunes Range Diary
“I went away with twenty-eight pages of notes, a half-dozen book recommendations, some new learning experiences, a few more tools in my toolbox, a feeling of empowerment and a little humility, and new friends.
For two days I’ve been sitting here wondering to whom I would recommend this class. Finally, I gave up and thought, “Hell, EVERYONE!”
Review of “Unthinkable” at Pistol-Forum.com
“As serious as the class topics were, the students had fun. The class is very interactive, and students cheered each other on to succeed against new challenges.”
“Great class. It could’ve gone another day, as far as I was concerned. Ellifritz is excellent and practical–love his informative, relevant blog, too. Aprill is in a unique class of teachers, with a significant background and excellent communications skills. As has been said,….this class is highly effective and directly applicable to everyone carrying–or not carrying.”
Review of Empty Hand Skills for Gunfighters class at Short Barrel Shepherd
“I found Greg’s techniques to be easy to learn and remember, especially compared to some of the other techniques I’d learned before.
I also liked that his techniques were not dependent on strength or even a lot of dexterity. The class was made up of students of all ages and sizes. One of the attendees was The She-Shepherd’s size and I feel like the techniques Greg taught would be just as effective when employed by either of us.”
AAR: Greg Ellifritz’s Snubnose Revolvers
“The instruction was fantastic. I like Greg’s style. First, he knows his material thoroughly. Just when I would think, “I wonder if he’s going to mention…” he would mention it. He also has a strong ability to convey knowledge. It’s one thing to know a lot, and quite another to be able to convey it to others. The class was extremely professional. Exercises and drills were demonstrated before students were expected to perform. Questions were answered in-depth, and everything was conducted safely.”
“Greg’s class was absolutely outstanding. I spoke to Greg about future revolver classes; he is about to release his 2020 schedule and at least two (maybe three) revolver classes should be on it (maybe he’ll consider a two-day ‘advanced’ class in the future?). He has also indicated he’ll keep teaching them as long as demand is there. My advice: register early and get to one. Greg is extremely knowledgeable and even if you’re a seasoned RevolverGuy he probably has a thing or two to teach you.”
Some additional comments on the page from other students in the class:
“I think Justin pretty much summed up everyone who attending felt about the class. I learned a lot and was given some new techniques to work on. If you get the opportunity to attend one of Greg’s classes, do it!”
“As I said, I’ve discussed the idea of this course with Greg over several years… and all I can say is that Greg didn’t just knock the ball out of the park… he knocked it out of the state!
Greg is an excellent instructor… and this course made me think… and re-think… many things about carrying and using a snubby… and I say that as a former LEO back in the day who started with a six-shooter on his duty belt until the department eventually switched to the semi-autos…”
” Greg did a great job with the instruction and packed a lot of content into a one day class. Dann has a great facility and I really appreciate his hospitality. I really enjoyed this class!”
“It was an honor to attend Greg’s inaugural snubby class! This was the first snubby class I’ve attended and couldn’t have been happier with the class, the range & hospitality at G4 Personal Safety and the other attendees. I learned a lot about how to shoot and reload the snubby more effectively and got a better understanding of the why behind the use of the snubby. I also enjoyed the “pass around”. What a great opportunity to shoot so many high quality revolvers. I look forward to taking additional classes with Greg.”
Review of “Armed Citizen Response to Terrorist Bombings Incident on Growing Up Guns
“Greg’s block on Armed Citizen Response to the Terrorist Bombing was a real eye opener.”
Review of a business security class Greg taught to the employees of several rare coin shops
“Greg Ellifritz, of Active Response Training…did a training session for my employees yesterday, and I want you to know it was great. We are in a high-risk industry, and being fortunate all these years has made us complacent. The critical thinking we did during this class poured light on a few glaring holes in our security.
I am happy to say we’ve already begun implementing some changes that came directly from this training, and I have had a few people say they want to take the step and be trained and armed. ALL of them, though, now know what to look for, WHEN to look for it, and have real information to decide for themselves what to do if they face this situation, and what is likely to result from that decision. Thanks Greg! We’ll do it again!”
Massad Ayoob’s review in American Handgunner of “Responding to the Close Range Handgun Threat” class at the 2013 Rangemaster Tactical Conference
“Ohio cop and tactical trainer Greg Ellifritz did a splendid presentation on integrating hand to hand work with belly to belly death duels, including how to stall another man’s draw in time to get your gun into play, and how (and why) it’s sometimes best to flow from your blocking of his gun into a disarm instead of a draw and shoot tactic. The circumstances dictate the response.”
Comments on Greg’s Close Range Defensive Carbine class posted on Facebook
“This weekend was my 8th class with Greg Ellifritz. Not one minute wasted in any of them….I should make an effort to take better pictures. A nearly 4 hour drive didn’t deter me from taking this one, and I can’t wait for the next class with Active Response Training.”
AAR of “Mitigating Terror for the Concerned Citizen on Condition Red Response Facebook page
“Overall it was an interesting and fun weekend of training intermixed with appropriate anecdotes of when these skills were relevant in what Bryan calls IRL.
Highly recommend.”
“Tremendous class! It was great to once again train with a number of familiar faces and as always, Greg and Bryan were very attentive to student needs and knocked it out of the park.“
AAR of the Gunsite Revolver Roundup
“It would not be an understatement to say that Greg is very much a data driven guy. His penchant for research and his obviously well honed communication skills make a presentation he delivers rich in content, context and insight. “
Facebook Comments about “Structure Clearing for Armed Citizens” class
“What a fantastic class. My brain is still trying to process it all. If you haven’t trained with Greg or Bryan, you need to fix that shit…like, pronto/”
CLASSES AT THE TACTICAL DEFENSE INSTITUTE (TDI)
AAR: Tactical Defense Institute’s Extreme Close Quarters (ECQ) on “Guns, Guns, and More Gosh Darn Guns” Website
“Overall I really, really enjoyed the class. It really enforced the need for some empty hand skills, the off-side carry of a fixed blade and really knowing how to run your gun in a variety of environments.”
Student’s comments after taking TDI’s Field Emergency Medicine Class
“I wanted to personally thank you for taking the time and effort to put together one of the finest courses I have ever been a part of, the Field Emergency Medicine course. The scope of expertise and diversity of knowledge brought by the team of instructors was second to none. I feel like I’ve been to medical school. In fact a good description of the class may be: The most important combat and civilian emergency medicine condensed into three intensive days.”
Comments about TDI Knife Class hosted by Rick Hinderer on USN Forums
“We both took a lot away from your knowledge and ability to teach basic skills plus but in away that is easily understood and very retainable!”
“I took away a lot from the class and was very impressed with Greg’s knowledge and ability.”
“I was one who was a little nervous as I’d never taken any edged weapon training before and had no experience, but Greg is fantastic instructor and the class is very well suited for both inexperienced folk (like me) and those who’ve been around the block with this topic before. Well worth every penny…”
“ …this class is well suited for anyone, from complete novice (myself or a young female would fell comfortable with the instruction and techniques) to someone with some self-defense training that is looking to add knife defense to their repertoire.”
Review of Integrated Impact Weapons Class on Bladeforums.com
“More than worth the drive (4 hours) and the cost of the class. Greg is an excellent instructor …”
“The class covered way more material, all of which was well presented and students got plenty of instruction and insights….It was my first visit to TDI, won’t be my last.”
Review of TDI’s Field Medicine Course on Survivalistboards.com
“The instructors were tremendous and very approachable and knowledgeable.”
Review of Greg’s Police Defensive Knife Training class at TDI on Bladeforums.com
“I would recommend this class to everyone in LE and I plan on passing what I learned to my fiancé. It is really very simple and brutally effective. I had a lot of fun.”
“The class was a great confidence booster and I bit of a real wakeup call.”
“…top notch training. Realistic scenarios without all the romance of other knife fighting systems.”
Review of TDI’s Active Shooter/Killer Class on thrumylens.org
“Greg (President of Active Response Training) is a truly talented presenter, and the breadth and depth of his knowledge base never fails to impress.”
” I anticipated that Greg Ellifritz’s diabolical genius would create force on force training scenarios which were both challenging and instructive – I was not disappointed.”
Review of Greg’s TDI Knife Course at thrumylens.org
“I’ll say up front that I couldn’t have been more impressed with the instruction from Greg Ellifritz. Greg has trained with most of the leading firearms and edged weapons instructors in the country, and boils that training down to a course which teaches the most practical techniques for both using a knife (fixed or folding) to defend yourself, as well as techniques for defending against a knife-wielding attacker. “
Review of Greg’s TDI Knife class at defensivecarry.com
“Greg, a police instructor with thousands of hours of training in everything from knives, firearms, hand-to-hand combat and even field medicine, was knowledgeable and confident in his teaching without being cocky or overly opinionated. He was humble enough to give credit where credit was due and not pushy with his techniques. He had a likeable sense of humor but didn’t let us get too far off topic before he reeled us in again. He promised he would never try to take away anything that someone had adopted to work for them and he was true to his word even praising those who had adapted different ways to accomplish a goal. We all teased him that at times he got a manically gleeful smile while sparring that indicated he had far too much fun with his job.
As a woman it’s sometimes intimidating to go to a male-dominated class as sexism can be very alive and well but I felt very respected, not feared or undermined. Greg and John both listened and responded to me as an equal student to my male counterparts. While some of the other students were gentler in their sparring with me Greg gave me the training I was seeking by apply a more forceful approach that I would have to repel.”
AAR of TDI’s Active Shooter Class on Indiana Gun Owners’ Forum
“The second lecture was “Incident Response to Terrorist Bombings: Awareness Level Course” presented by Greg Ellifritz. I found this part of the class to be one of the most interesting. Greg went through various explosives and what they might look like. He described components, basic workings, and a general doctrine of what to do if you suspect, or are sure, there is an explosive present. He also discussed some interesting statistics and “critical distances” for various types of explosives. Basically, that is how far away you have to run to avoid getting your arse blown off.”
“After the range session we broke for dinner then returned to the classroom for a great medical lecture by Greg Ellifritz. This four-hour lecture covered the injuries most likely found in an active shooter or terrorist bombing situation. Greg had an excellent set of slides depicting photos of various wounds and provided a verbal description and/or demonstration of how each might be addressed in a field-expedient manner. Airway, breathing, and evacuation considerations were also discussed. A number of different bandages and medical devices were demonstrated or passed around for familiarity. This was another excellent part of the course. Obviously you cannot learn to be a doctor, nurse, or EMT in a four hour training session. However, it certainly illustrated the need for further medical training and gave students a basic knowledge of what to do for critical wounds in the field. “
Comments about Cane Fighting Class on SigForum
“Greg Ellifritz of Active Response training whether stand alone or at TDI does a great one day cane class. I’ve trained with Greg, he’s on the A list of trainers.”
