Instructor Certification

You know how to shoot.

It’s time to learn how to TEACH.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the course tuition fee?

Tuition: $2499
Registration fee: $600 to be applied toward tuition upon acceptance to Cohort.
- Registration fee will only be refunded if an applicant completes the application and is not offered a spot in the cohort.
- Registration fees will not be refunded to applicants who fail to complete the application.

What will I learn from ASP Instructor Certification?

This course is designed by firearm professionals for the sake of other firearm professionals. This course is a deep dive into adult learning principles, curriculum design, assessment, and effective classroom/range management. You’ll be challenged with information on how adults learn, how great educators teach, and how to implement this into your self-protection courses. To our knowledge, there is truly nothing like this being offered anywhere in the self-protection industry.

STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

The ability to independently design and build effective curriculum.
The ability to assess students and foster student improvement, while implementing these concepts into a course curriculum.
The ability to effectively communicate utilizing multiple methods including written, visual, and verbal.
The ability to effectively manage classroom and range environments to maximize student learning and engagement.
Demonstrate a firm grasp of adult learning theory.
Demonstrate a strong aptitude for integrity, ethics, and care as they apply to defense-related training.

Who is ASPIC for?

ASPIC is designed for instructors who are already certified and teaching in the firearms and self-protection space. This is not an introductory certification. This course is designed to allow the participants access to a higher level of understanding in teaching. With that said, there are prerequisites that must be met to be considered for admission into the program. As an already practicing professional instructor we expect a certain level of professional prowess. The provided link below describes our course requirements in detail.

Student Requirements

How does ASPIC work?

Each cohort lasts six months, and is limited to 12 students. The vast majority of the course will be at distance on your schedule. There will be a reading list provided with several books you’ll need to purchase. You’ll be invited to participate in weekly online video meetings with other students in which best practices among other important topics will be discussed at length. It will require approximately 5 hours of work each week to maintain course standards as well as a weekend of in person training with ASP instructor cadre and other cohort participants which will require travel.

When does the next ASPIC Cohort begin?

ASPIC is run in class groups known as Cohorts.

Cohort 8 will begin June 25, 2024. Applications will be accepted January 29th through March 30th. The required three day in-person training will be held near Sioux Falls, SD on Aug. 16-18. All cohort members are required to attend. Weekly meets will be on Tuesdays from 8:00-9:30 PM EST.

What if I have more questions?

Please email our Instructor Cadre at [email protected] and we will be happy to help you navigate the application process.

I‘m a student. How can I verify an instructor’s ASPIC certification?

To verify your instructor’s graduation and/or current good standing within the Active Self Protection Instructor Certification program, email our ASPIC program administrator at [email protected]. Please include the full name of the instructor as well as the brand / business they are instructing with.

Important Dates

Application Window
Jan 29 – March 30, 2024

Notification of Acceptance
On or Before April 30, 2024

Cohort 8 Start Date
June 25, 2024

Cohort 8 In Person Dates
Aug 16-18, 2024

Cohort 8 Final Projects
Dec 1-13, 2024

Weekly Meetings
Tuesdays from 8:00-9:30 PM EST

Increase Student Confidence
Maximize your ability to create competent, confident students.
Enhance Your Curriculum
Develop skills to provide rigorous, comprehensive curriculum and increase student retention.
Connect Across The Aisle
Develop skills to work around student limitations and foster an inclusive, helpful environment.

Apply Now

This course went beyond what I had hoped for. I learned a ton about knowledge transfer to students. I made friends in the best community that I will forever be a part of.

Dave LairdOwner, Dynamic Combative Solutions

This program is unlike any other instructor training you will ever take. You will learn how people learn and how to tailor your teaching to achieve actual learning. The support you will get is second to none and does not end when the program ends. You will develop colleagues that will become lifetime friends.

Jesse JohnsonSoteria Training Solutions

Although I have taken a lot of classes over the past few years, there are some that were more challenging and special to me than others. The programs that I tend to value the most are the ones that made me work for them in some way whether that be through proving myself in shooting skills or in academics. This one was truly worth the time and effort. While we did read books and write papers, this was so much more than learning things to regurgitate on a test. Over the course of six months, I was challenged, mentored and encouraged to become a better instructor, but I think it also helped me become a better person.

Karen WhitlockTrigger Time Range

When my mentor Chris Bean advised me to sign up for this program, I really didn’t have a clue what I was getting into. A 6 month program instructor certification program operated by an Internet personality? I was skeptical to say the least.

I’m here to tell you I’m happy that I was wrong.

In 6 short months I found out more about who I am, built a new family with the entire cohort, made quite literally one of the best memories of my life, and became the best version of myself on and off the range, thus far.

The amount of growth I’ve experienced from the program is almost beyond words. No matter where you are along your own personal journey, you would be vastly improved from the ASPIC.

Tyler Tharp

How many gun schools teach you how to be a better husband? A better father?

Yeah, you gotta shoot, and teach shooting. Ok. But the ethics, the empathy, the emotional intelligence that you learn is something you can use on and off the range.

I’ve been to more than 500 hours of gun school and this was the only one that made me a better human being. It was worth every penny.

Mekkos Beech

Becoming a firearms instructor is more complicated than it might appear on the surface. As an instructor your ability to create, evaluate and modify written curriculum is paramount to a successful firearms course. You need to decipher the needs/goals of your students and use both presentation and shooting skills to help your students succeed. With the ASPIC program you will spend time with several of the industry’s finest subject matter experts who will help you on the way to becoming the ‘best’ instructor, not a ‘better’ instructor. That coupled with real time feedback from your peer group makes this program above and beyond what you will find in many other instructor courses. Invest in yourself and your future students by becoming an ASPIC graduate.

Jamie Green

I knew from the original announcement of the ASPIC program that I wanted to do this, but I was overwhelmed at the workload and the reading, and quite honestly didn’t feel that I was ready yet. But I felt this nudging that it was time. I’m not sure you can ever be ready for this program, but if you are even considering it, follow your heart and do not let the thought of the coursework keep you back from it. This program taught me so much more than to be a great instructor, it taught me more about myself and how to relate and communicate better with my students, my husband and beyond. The time, care and feedback given by Christopher, Kaery, Neil, Stephannie and John truly pushed me and helped me to be a more confident instructor and to not hold myself back. I am constantly now assessing my curriculum against what I learned, and when I was tasked with building a new class, I knew exactly what tools to use to help determine and write the curriculum, which I quite honestly had never done before. I have learned through the experience that being an instructor is not cookie cutter and each instructor brings a different style and flavor of instructing to the cohort, giving me such a diverse network that I can lean on. Proud to stand by my fellow Cohort 5 members and call them my family!

Cara Conry

I would tell anyone who is serious about taking their coaching career to the next level to get in this program. It will be well worth your investment.

Robb Elliott

Instructor Certification

It’s time to learn how to TEACH.

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