Interview: John Correia of Lively Self Safety (ASP)

Editor’s Notice: The next interview with John Correia of Lively Self Safety (ASP) was just lately printed in Concern 63 of our sister publication Recoil journal. We’ve got adopted John’s YouTube channel for a few years, and have witnessed the significance of preparedness exemplified numerous occasions by way of the CCTV movies he analyzes. Learn on for a few of his insights on self-defense, the gun neighborhood, and sustaining an internet presence on this age of selective censorship.

In case you’ve wandered into the “gun facet” of YouTube in the previous few years or any gun-centric social media, likelihood is excessive that you simply’ve encountered the self-defense neighborhood there. From drills to enhance your gun dealing with to discussions about mindset and equipment, there are innumerable movies obtainable on-line to handle points regarding armed self-defense. Regardless of most tech platforms’ seemingly fixed makes an attempt to surreptitiously squelch dialogue of firearms, gun rights, or actually something surrounding weapons in any respect, the neighborhood continues to thrive, whether or not YouTube decides it may be monetized or not.

Anybody who has been awake for greater than 20 minutes to date this decade has an thought of what kinds of threats stroll round outdoors their door, because of the countless media protection of energetic taking pictures occasions, armed protests/riots spanning small cities to Portland or the U.S. Capitol and past. It needs to be no shock, then, that content material pushed by the subjects of self-defense and hid carry is high of the heap on this phase of the market. There’s a humiliation of riches in relation to hid carry content material, and the toughest half is deciding what’s value watching.

Subscribe In the present day and Save!

Above: With thousands and thousands of subscribers on YouTube and a whole lot of 1000’s extra on social media, John spends loads of time interacting along with his neighborhood.

Driving close to the highest of “Gun-Tube” channels is one which’s quickly approaching double digits in age, known as Lively Self Safety (ASP). Utilizing a format that was comparatively remarkable when it started, channel proprietor John Correia narrates and discusses movies of real-life violent encounters from the world over. Badge cams, surveillance movies, or cellphone captures play out on display screen, as John highlights key occasions, choices, and turning factors that dictate the eventual end result.

Regardless of not technically being “coaching” content material, it’s value contemplating that fascinated about the types of eventualities that play out in actual life and analyzing what works and what doesn’t is simply as invaluable as constructing hands-on expertise on the vary or in a martial arts/grappling class. It doesn’t matter how good your draw-to-headshot time, or side-control, is in case you’re caught flat-footed attempting to determine what to do in a scenario you’ve by no means even contemplated. Exercising your psychological health is a key, and infrequently uncared for, part of profitable the gunfight you really encounter, somewhat than the one which lives in your head.

We took a while to speak with John — about his life, his journey to self-defense teacher, and what it’s like being a gun man with over 2.5-million subscribers on a platform not well-known for being pleasant to weapons. We predict you’ll discover him as attention-grabbing as we did.

Above: John retains his studio setup easy, with a GoPro on a tripod and two softbox lights.

John Correia Interview

RECOIL: What was your skilled background previous to beginning the ASP channel?

John Correia: I labored as a young person in development, principally as a masonry assistant (which is a flowery strategy to say hod service) and apprentice bricklayer. My first “grownup” job was within the U.S. Navy, however I wasn’t a door kicker or something like that. I used to be a nuclear reactor operator (3383 for Navy nerds) and obtained out as an E-6, Electronics Technician First Class.

The Navy taught me quite a bit in some ways, primarily that I may very well be extremely competent at an vital job at a younger age and to personal my put up. I began as a coach whereas within the Navy, main obligatory in-service coaching at my final command.

After I left army service, I labored in retail administration whereas going to graduate college after which labored as a vocational pastor and adjunct professor. I spent 14 years in vocational pastoral ministry in complete and 9 years as a part-time professor doing full-time work — any adjunct can relate to that. I used to be interim division chair in my division for a time, and realized a lot about educating, main, talking in public, evaluation, curriculum design, grownup studying, and so on.

Fairly the breadth of profession there, from nukes to nativity. What motivated you to start out your channel?

JC: I obtained into self-defense in 2006 whereas working in retail administration due to robberies to shops much like mine in my space. I began carrying a firearm and empty-handed expertise coaching, and it obtained costly. I based ASP in 2011 as only a very part-time handgun coaching firm after getting licensed as an NRA teacher. In 2013, I began ASP’s Fb web page to assist individuals across the nation, and, in 2014, somebody despatched me a video of an actual knife assault.

I took that video to my martial arts instructor, Professor Lawrence Robinson of Perspective First Martial Arts Academy, and requested him the way to shield myself in opposition to the form of assault that was within the video. We workshopped that downside at school that night, and that taught me that the idea of utilizing real-life encounters to make our in-person coaching extra evidence-based was helpful.

I began posting movies to the FB web page then, and somebody despatched me a video with a really lengthy, boring lead and all of the motion on the very finish. I watched a tutorial on-line of the way to use a video enhancing software program that I owned to edit the boring out, and in that video, they confirmed the way to file audio within the software program. That was my eureka second, as I believed, “Heck, I may try this in these movies and be the John Madden of on-camera violence!” They have been profitable on FB, and, in 2016, YouTube mentioned that I may monetize my channel as a result of I had a couple of movies of vary stuff on my channel and it had grown somewhat. I began posting the video analyses on YT in April 2016, and it actually blew up from there, so in August 2016 I began focusing extra on YT than FB.

It’s been change. We began the Lively Self Safety Additional YouTube channel in September 2017 to be a channel to construct expertise like the massive channel is constructing mindset.

The motivation in all of that is to assist individuals. Our mission is to assist individuals in all walks of life to guard themselves and their households from prison violence.

We wish to assist individuals be good, sane, sober, ethical, prudent self-defenders, and the channels are the first car by way of which we try this. Our first duty and day by day focus is the individuals who use our movies to be higher self-defenders, and that features personal residents and regulation enforcement officers across the nation and around the globe.

Above: To save lots of time on setup, a number of episodes are sometimes filmed back-to-back.

What do you do in addition to ASP, for enjoyable?

JC: I like flying (for enjoyable, not cash), and I’m additionally a self-defense coaching junkie. I like to go to gun college, particularly with my buddies, and all the time have good time. I ought to add that I’m a brown liquor aficionado, with bourbon high of the checklist. I like discovering new advantageous bourbons to take pleasure in and share with my buddies. Scuba diving is one other one, and I’m open-water dive licensed.

Sea, air, and land? There’s a joke right here someplace. What different platforms are your movies or any podcasts obtainable on in addition to YouTube?

JC: We just lately began a podcast that’s obtainable on all the foremost podcasting platforms, which focuses on individuals telling their real-life tales of getting to defend themselves and their family members from prison violence. It’s a long-form, first-person model of what we’ve turn into identified for, and I’m pleased with the work Mike, the podcast host, is doing.

Since every social media outlet is exclusive, we stick with posting the day by day evaluation movies to YouTube. Our Fb web page shares high-quality defensive content material from all types of sources and all types of certified voices every single day, and our Instagram is generally behind the scenes and me dwelling the lifetime of self-defense.

What, if any, censorship have you ever skilled from YouTube or different platforms?

JC: It’ll seemingly harm some emotions, however I don’t suppose that YouTube actually hates gun content material or is on a jihad in opposition to us. They exist to please their prospects, who’re advertisers. So, they’re all the time tweaking what is taken into account “advertiser pleasant,” and whereas I want they’d be extra clear and extra constant in that, I get what they’re doing. About half the primary ASP channel movies are “yellow bubble,” which means restricted monetization, for violence. I feel that’s not nice, however once more I get it. We’re PG-13 to R rated in actuality, so some firms don’t wish to promote in that demographic.

Fb is not going to allow us to promote although we’re not promoting firearms or any restricted product and received’t enable us to monetize on their platform in any respect, which I discover objectionable in that they permit an terrible lot of violence from the massive gamers.

However them’s the breaks, and any enterprise proprietor who makes it on this world will let you know that you simply both determine the way to market what you are promoting and run it within the surroundings you end up, otherwise you exit of enterprise. I select the previous.

Because you’re continuously watching recordings of violent encounters, what patterns are you seeing these days when it comes to violent crime varieties and motives?

JC: Clearly, the pandemic has shifted the world, and that features violent crime. 2020 was such a bizarre yr, and 2021 considerably regressed towards the imply.

With the pandemic changing into an endemic, issues are returning to what we’re used to in actuality. I additionally suppose that the most important change I’ve seen within the final couple of years is that persons are so drained emotionally; psychological well being has declined all around the world, and meaning extra anger, extra edginess, extra street rage, and private beefs. It means extra individuals having psychological breaks that contain regulation enforcement, and extra officer-involved shootings in that vein. Highway rage is up with individuals driving extra miles once more, and I feel all of us have to take a deep breath and get again to dwelling pretty much as good, sane, sober, ethical, prudent individuals.

Has there been an escalation in crime? If that’s the case, what would you attribute that to?

JC: Violent crime is at historic lows within the U.S., and if we have a look at violent crime charge as in comparison with any period in American historical past that checks out.

Our homicide charge is half what it was in 1980, as an example. Our violent crime victimization charge is manner down, too. Now, 2021 was increased than 2020 for positive, however that’s two issues in my view:

(1) we spent half of 2020 locked in our houses, so crime went down; (2) statistics regress to the imply, and we’ll have to attend 5 or 10 years to see if it’s a pattern or an anomaly. I’d guess the latter.

Thanks for the nuanced perception. Because you spend loads of time practising for self-defense conditions, what’s your favourite half about coaching/gun tradition?

JC: Principally that, in case you scratch the floor, how various and distinctive every particular person is. Gun house owners are seen monolithically, particularly by these outdoors of it, but when you will get previous that and truly work together with them, it’s full of individuals from completely different locations with a wide range of tales and views.

It’s a way more various crowd than many individuals would suppose. My favourite a part of coaching is the neighborhood. Gun and empty-hand expertise are vital, but it surely’s the friendships and neighborhood you construct, belief, and develop with that maintain me coming again.

Above: Stress-free on the again patio along with his spouse. After being married greater than 26 years, the couple has a robust bond.

That’s so true. Your common anti-gun particular person could be shocked by what the gun neighborhood really seems to be like. In order that was the good things, what’s your least favourite facet?

JC: The two p.c of people who find themselves raging assholes. Web opinions are taken as equally legitimate when that’s not all the time the case. There are opinions deserving of weight, and those who aren’t, and figuring out which is which is vital. I additionally get pissed off when gun tradition will get very tribal, insular, and balkanized. We have to do a greater job of combating that and being extra “large tent” than targeted on ideological purity.

It’s tough to argue with that. Talking of huge tent, what, if any, involvement have you ever had in affecting laws?

JC: I’m a member of my state Second Modification rights organizations and encourage everybody to be energetic on the state and native degree.

I converse yearly at our 2A assist rallies and have spoken with my representatives on the state and nationwide degree about points involving firearms, self-defense, psychological healthcare, and safety of due course of. I’m concerned with organizations just like the Firearms Coverage Coalition, Second Modification Basis, and Gun House owners of America to foyer and write amicus briefs and become involved in litigation.

Switching from legislative to judicial, have you ever ever given skilled witness testimony, and in that case, are there any notable circumstances you may talk about?

JC: I’ve accomplished some skilled witness work, however these sorts of circumstances virtually by no means go to trial in actuality. We just lately had two high-profile circumstances publicly tried, specifically the Rittenhouse and the McMichaels and Bryan trials. These are exceedingly uncommon, as one thing like 98 p.c of prison circumstances are settled by plea somewhat than in court docket.

I’ve been concerned in a few circumstances involving use of drive and a few involving technical problems with firearms use, although the non-disclosure agreements in every case stop me from giving particulars for any of them.

As an skilled witness, my job is to provide the attorneys good training on subjects that they aren’t consultants in in order that they’ll construct their case, and to teach the finder of reality on those self same technical points. I don’t make arguments for the finder of reality — I educate. That mentioned, it may be very time consuming, and court docket entails loads of time flexibility (particularly in the course of the pandemic), so I solely tackle a few circumstances a yr.

Above: John’s H&Okay MR556A1 is emblazoned with the ASP emblem on its handguard. It is geared up with a Cloud Defensive OWL and Schmidt & Bender scope in a 1.9-inch Spuhr mount.

What would you say the general public is essentially the most misinformed about in relation to violent assaults?

JC: I feel most individuals get their information about violence from leisure, primarily films and tv/streaming. These scenes are made for emotional impact, not for realism, and so most individuals are woefully misinformed about precise prison violence. We’ve additionally fought abroad for 20 years, and I see lots of people mistakenly suppose that army engagements and police encounters are what they’re prone to face as a personal citizen. In actuality, every form of encounter is exclusive and has its personal set of typical parameters.

With these information gaps in thoughts, what do you search to perform with ASP, and what are your plans for the long run?

JC: We search to teach good individuals in all walks of life to provide them information and evidence-based methods to raised shield themselves and their households from prison violence. We plan on that persevering with. We additionally train instructors to raised serve their college students in our teacher certification, which we hope to proceed to develop, in addition to train lessons all around the nation and internationally to construct expertise.

We launched a podcast in 2021 and are making strides to make it develop as effectively and have a number of concepts for brand new avenues to proceed to assist extra individuals shield their households. We’ve come near doing one thing on a streaming service earlier than the pandemic, and I hope to pursue that avenue once more quickly.

Training is certainly the important thing. What kinds of lessons do you provide?

JC: Our signature in-person class we name Proof-Primarily based Pistol Expertise is a two-day class specializing in essentially the most crucial expertise wanted to prevail in a personal citizen defensive gunfight. We additionally provide Proof-Primarily based Shotgun For Homestead Protection and Proof-Primarily based Rifle For Homestead Protection in comparable codecs. I train classroom lessons on Classes Realized From Analyzing 35,000 Gunfights, Surviving An Armed Theft, Ladies’s Self-Protection Ideas, and extra.

We’re very pleased with our ASP Teacher Certification, which is a cohort-style program that teaches instructors the way to train from my background in training; it’s a singular program within the business, and I’m extremely pleased with how we assist instructors who graduate.

That program will seemingly increase into new arenas in 2022. I’m an Arizona POST Specialist Teacher and train a wide range of lessons to LE, specializing in practical de-escalation methods, off-duty carry and employment, and Proof-Primarily based Pistol Expertise for Legislation Enforcement Officers. We provide month-to-month on-line seminars on a wide range of subjects associated to self-defense as effectively, from constructing a house protection plan, to de-escalation methods, to authorized and ethical rules of self-defense.

So with all that instruction, information, and evaluation in your hat, do you propose to write down a gun-related guide?

JC: I’ve really written two books, neither of that are gun-related. I suppose I’d by no means say by no means, however my present schedule and focus actually don’t enable the form of time and a spotlight writing a high quality guide requires.

Lastly, are you conversant in David Yamane’s Gun Tradition 1.0/2.0 idea, and what do you see as the following evolution, and the way can individuals discover out extra about ASP?

JC: I’m, and I positively hope that seeing firearms as a common civil proper somewhat than us/them tactical mentality is the following stage. I don’t consider will probably be as closely targeted on LEO/army experiences as a result of we at the moment are lastly out of a struggle, however the subsequent era of gun tradition is hopefully going to return from personal residents, somewhat than imported army/LEO concepts.

I sincerely consider that ought to embrace understanding of the 2A as a civil proper for all, handled as if it have been as vital because the First Modification.

The best manner to take a look at ASP is by way of Fb and YouTube, hyperlinks for which can be found at activeselfprotection.com or discovered in your search engine of selection.

About John Correia

Age: 46

Hometown: Newark, California, however 20-year resident of Phoenix, Arizona

Household standing: Married for over 26 years to essentially the most wonderful girl on Earth. 4 youngsters ages 16 to 24.

Beneficial Studying Record:

• I learn the Bible day by day.
• How To Win Pals and Affect Folks by Dale Carnegie
• Verbal Judo: The Light Artwork of Persuasion by George J. Thompson PhD
• Select Journey by Greg Ellifritz
• Mansions of the Coronary heart by Tom Ashbrook
• Straight Speak on Armed Protection: What the Specialists Need You to Know by Massad Ayoob
• Boundaries by Henry Cloud and John Townsend

Favourite Quotes:

“Be smart as serpents, and harmless as doves.” — Jesus (Matthew 10:16 … it’s the idea for the ASP emblem and model)

“It’s not the critic who counts; not the person who factors out how the robust man stumbles, or the place the doer of deeds may have accomplished them higher. The credit score belongs to the person who is definitely within the enviornment, whose face is marred by mud and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes quick time and again, as a result of there isn’t a effort with out error and shortcoming; however who does really attempt to do the deeds; who is aware of nice enthusiasms, the good devotions; who spends himself in a worthy trigger; who at the perfect is aware of in the long run the triumph of excessive achievement, and who on the worst, if he fails, not less than fails whereas daring significantly, in order that his place shall by no means be with these chilly and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” — Theodore Roosevelt

“Individuals who say it can’t be accomplished mustn’t interrupt those that are doing it.” Variously attributed, however widespread knowledge.

John’s EDC Gear

• HK P30 LEM personalized by ROBAR (final customized gun they made earlier than going out of enterprise) with full NP3 internals and grip texture, threaded barrel, and Lazy Wolf Weapons short-reset LEM set off.
• Holosun 507C optic. At the moment has round 36,000 rounds by way of its lifetime.
• Apple Watch Sequence 7
• POM pepper spray
• Modlite 18650 physique with OKW head and a Raven Concealment Clip that’s now not produced (unhappy panda)
• Darkish Star Gear Orion holster, arrange for my left-handedness
• ASP ankle equipment with shears swapped for Leatherman Raptor
• Wilderness Tactical ankle medical cuff crammed with the products
• Tuff Author pen

Written by Lars Smith