For more information, please check out Daniel Schindler's Blog:Why Should You Take a Sporting Clays Lesson or a WIngshooting Lesson?
Trust in the Shooting BoxLike yourselves, I too have climbed that long hill to improvement, consistency and higher clay target (sporting clays, skeet, trap) scores. While that journey is one I’d gladly do again for the sweet victories and accomplishments, it’s sure had its rough moments as well. No doubt, you can relate to both. Here are 2 very important considerations that revealed themselves to me many years ago during my journey, which, thankfully, is still ongoing. First, the shooting/scoring skills we seek and aspire to have to be built. While some do progress faster than others, that sometimes-obstinate learning curve applies to everyone, no exceptions. ...
Regardless of clay target discipline (sporting clays, skeet, trap), gun control skills built on the non-negotiable basics must come first. The current level of shooting success will always depend on that very foundation. Construction of gun skills underway – with consistency as the chief cornerstone of that improvement – the importance of a working PSR rises exponentially and quickly becomes a requisite in maintaining the process of incremental, measurable progress. Once understood, a working PSR is actually quite simple to assemble and implement. The power of its usefulness must be experienced to be truly appreciated. The PSR is a key component of the Paragon Mental Training ...
As I work with students of all skill levels, I’m frequently asked if I prefer gun up or gun down? My answer will depend on my student’s skill level and what types of shooting he participates in. Wingshooting, of course, we’ll start with gun down. Sporting Clays, I prefer gun up with certain caveats. If my student spends a lot of time in F.I.T.A.S.C. events, we’ll likely be working from the gun down position. From the starting position, gun up or down, what must remain constant is “muzzle control.” By that I mean, during the gun mount, the trigger hand must not disrupt what the fore-end hand is doing, which is guiding the gun. To best ...
Last month we briefly talked about tournament pressure and our role in that pressure. As a sporting clays instructor, it's my job to find a solution to this pressure, so let's take a closer look at the problem. It's natural to point our finger at the distractions around us and say, "there's the problem, right there." I believe – and countless studies have proven – the pressure and stress we feel in the tournament box is self-generated. Truth is, tournament stress comes more from what we're thinking and feeling and not from what we believe is distracting us. The reality is, the distraction isn't the noisy crowd behind us; the complaining shooter in front of us; the rain; the ...