DEEP WOODS RANCH

Like a Gym ... With Guns

- Tom Marshall

There are things only the jungle can teach. Stressors like humidity, sand, rain, and an aggressively vibrant insect population are all lessons largely lost on those of us who live outside this environment. Whether military forces deployed to high desert or urbanite concealed carriers, most of us aren’t required to get up close and personal with swamp conditions.

This is one of the unique, and highly effective, learning points provided by Deep Woods Ranch. We had the opportunity to spend several days at this hidden gem of a training ground located in central Florida. Deep Woods Ranch is a privately owned training site that isn’t open to the public for general use but does host a number of open-enrollment classes and events throughout the year — or may be booked for private group training. The 55-acre facility is owned and operated by Rich Graham, serving as home base for both his training company, Full Spectrum Warrior, and his veteran-focused charity, Homefront K9.

Graham served in SEAL Team 10 and is a graduate of NSW’s sniper program.He’s also an avid martial artist and conditioning coach, with instructor certification or competitive experience in multiple disciplines, such as Thai boxing, Israeli KAPAP, and Serbian Nauka. He has provided performance coaching to athletes at all levels, including professional and Olympic-level competitors. Graham’s background in athletic coaching is a pillar of his combative and firearms training, as evidenced by some of the unique facilities available at Deep Woods Ranch.