I thought I was prepared. I’ve taken CCW classes, sat through self-defense courses, and practiced “what-if” scenarios in my head. But when I stepped into WOFT—Where Our Families Train—I realized everything I thought I knew was just the warm-up.
WOFT isn’t a weekend warrior camp or another checkbox course. It’s elite-level, real-life survival training—for everyday people and professionals alike. And it’s where I began retraining my body, my instincts, and my mindset.
But what sets WOFT apart further is their philosophy of creation-based defense. Many tactics are informed by how the animal kingdom naturally survives. One striking example: most predators won’t attack if they see your eyes. That’s why animals like tigers have eye patterns on the backs of their ears—and why butterflies and caterpillars have markings that mimic eyes to disrupt their attackers’ instincts.
👥every day people, professionals, and experts oh my!
Police officers don’t get the training that they need and there were many there, even a judge, who openly admitted they were taught poor habits they had to unlearn. At WOFT, no one coasts on a title. Everyone gets better. They evaluate where you currently are, bad habits and all to help you grow organically. The crazy thing is, I was training with not just officers but with grandmas and grandpas in wheelchairs, kids, domestic violence survivors, ex-MMA fighters, competitive shooters, and child advocates.
The instructors? Exceptional. World class!
I worked with Philip, Kat, Jordan, Ben, Buck, Jeremy, Robert, and many more!—and every single one brought unmatched insight, discipline, and humility to the field. Their impact was just as powerful. This wasn’t ego-driven. It was mission-driven. The instructor to student ratio was like nothing I’ve ever seen. In other trainings I was with about 14 other students to 1 instructor. That was not the case here! In two of my stations, there were only 2 students with 2 instructors. A 1 to 1 ratio is absolutely unheard of!!
🎭 Scenario-Based Training: Individual & Small Group
Every session began with a briefing. They didn’t just throw me into a simulation—they assessed my current skills, mindset, and confidence. The goal wasn’t perfection. The goal was growth.
The scenarios were real: verbal conflicts, ambushes, unexpected threats. I had to make split-second decisions. De-escalate or engage? Retreat or respond?
Afterward, we debriefed—what I did well, what I missed, and how to respond better next time.
🔪 Hand-to-Hand Blade Defense
This wasn’t flashy. It was fundamental. Precise. Life-saving.
Under the direction of instructor Ben Zaharias and Kat Oramas, this training drilled into us how to engage in close-quarters combat when a blade is involved—and you’re already in the fight. No fantasy, no fluff—just practical, repeatable skills grounded in solid form and biomechanics so you don’t hurt yourself in the process of surviving.
This principle carries over into WOFT’s training across stations, including flashlight use and presence projection. In blade defense, it reminded me that our posture, positioning, and eye contact all play a role in deterrence—even before a strike is thrown.
What I learned:
- Maintaining control under pressure
- Redirecting force without absorbing injury
- Targeting weak points with precision, not panic
- Finishing the threat quickly and effectively
The form matters. The philosophy matters. And when it’s life or death, you want both on your side.
🎯 100-Yard Precision Rifle
This is where breathing, patience, and focus come together.
We drilled on:
- Scope calibration
- Shooting posture
- Reading environmental factors
- Making your first shot count
The confidence I gained here? Unmatched. Taught by Robert Brantley, I hit targets I never thought I could reach.
🔫 Handgun 101
You think you know how to shoot—until WOFT breaks down everything you’ve been doing wrong and builds you back up the right way.
I refined:
- Grip, stance, draw
- Trigger control and recoil management
- Accuracy under stress
- The extreme importance of FIREARMS LEGAL PROTECTION!!
Even seasoned shooters around me said the same: “This is what I’ve been missing.”
🔦 Low-Light Flashlight Training
Held inside a massive, multi-level garage simulating a parking lot/garage at night, this station pushed me into the kind of real-world threat we all face—walking to your car, hands full, light failing, and danger lurking.
I learned how to:
- Use a flashlight tactically—not like a spotlight
- Communicate under pressure
- Navigate and respond in low-visibility situations
- Keep my weapon ready and my surroundings controlled
It was intense—and unforgettable.
🚗 Low Light: When Darkness Closes In
Most people feel safe once they’re in their car. WOFT shatters that illusion—on purpose.
This station dropped us into a dim, disorienting environment, simulating the kind of ambush that happens when you least expect it—like walking to your vehicle at night in a parking garage, keys in hand, and tunnel vision activated.
Then… it happens.
You’re attacked as you’re entering. Or worse, once you’re already inside. And if you freeze, you lose.
The garage setting, combined with low-light tactics, made this station incredibly realistic and gut-wrenchingly tense. But it also taught me how to stay a step ahead of the threat.
What I learned:
- How to use a flashlight not just to see, but to disrupt and disorient—mimicking the survival tactics found in creation, like butterflies and tigers who “flash eyes” to confuse predators.
- OODA-
- Observe
- Orient
- Decide
- Act
- There was a repetitious pattern of a a need for Firearms Legal Protection (yes, again and again, I was reminded of my need of this protection. More to come on this!)
The scenario was intense. Your hands are full. You’re navigating car doors, seat belts, darkness, and a threat closing in fast. There’s no time to think—only time to act. And WOFT trains you for exactly that.
By the end of this station, I didn’t just walk away smarter—I walked away more situationally aware, tactically competent, and mentally locked in for the kind of attacks no one wants to think about… but everyone needs to be ready for.
🧠 The WOFT Difference
WOFT isn’t one-and-done. There are 13 training stations, and each has multiple levels. I’ve completed four beginner levels. I wanted them to break me down and build me back up from the ground floor—and I’m coming back for more.
Before every station, they assess your capabilities. Afterward, they debrief and refine. This isn’t “military cosplay.” It’s real skills for real people—moms, dads, grandparents, kids, even law enforcement.
It’s where families get equipped, not entertained.
⚔️ Always Be Training.
You don’t rise to the occasion. You fall to your level of training.
WOFT is where that level gets raised.
If you’re serious about protecting what matters most, stop scrolling and start training.
👉 woft.com — Use my code BEBOLD to get started with a 10% discount on your first training!
Predators count on the element of surprise—
WOFT makes sure you’re the surprise they never saw coming.
One response to ““I Thought I Was Prepared… Until I Trained at WOFT””
You said it all!!!! Well done!!