Sam Gordon

Sam has the heart of a teacher, passionate about teaching women how to defend themselves and very good at allaying fears about training. He helps students find their inner strength that tells them, “YOU CAN DO IT!” Whether it’s with empty hand, knife or gun, Sam is brilliant at breaking down the fundamentals, making learning easier and less stressful. Sam is a gentle and encouraging instructor guiding students through their training and helping them find the place where they are certain of their ability to defend themselves and their loved ones.

Sam joined the U.S. Air Force in 1986 and was trained and certified as an Air Traffic Controller. Sam served for eleven years at bases in Oklahoma and North Carolina. In 1998, we came to Indiana, where Sam continued to keep the flying public safe with the Federal Aviation Administration until 2019. 

Sam’s study of the Martial Arts began in 1991, while we were stationed at Altus AFB in Altus, Oklahoma. Sam earned a Brown Belt from Joan and Eddie Wilcoxon of Wilcoxon’s Academy of Martial Arts and their foundation guides our training today. In 2004, our entire family began to study with Jerry Smith at Self Defense Systems (SDS) and Indy Boxing Southwhere Sam earned a Black Belt and an Instructors Certification. 

Sam also began to shoot at a young age. Sam’s father, a combat decorated Marine Captain, taught him the fundamentals of firearm safety and marksmanship just as he had men of the U. S. Marines. Sam obtained a Carry Permit from the State of Indiana in 2000 and a few years later began his formal firearms training taking classes with John Viray of Adaptive Consulting and Training in Terre Haute, Indiana. In 2014, and again in 2015, Sam trained with Massad and Gail Ayoob of the Massad Ayoob Group, and Austin and Ashley Gibbons of The Sand Burr Gun Ranch in Rochester, Indiana. In addition to earning a Pistol Instructors Certification from the National Rifle Association, Sam has studied dozens of books, videos and countless articles on defensive firearms training, instructor development, with the focus on training women in all aspects of self-defense.