If you are looking for ways to improve your shooting…improvement that lasts longer than a tour on Gilligan's Island SS Minnow…hang tight for a few minutes.

"I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career.

I've lost almost 300 games.

Twenty-six times, I've been trusted

to take the game-winning shot and missed.

I've failed over and over and over again in my life.

And that is why I succeed."

- Michael Jordan 

OK…we all want to improve our shooting. Amen to that. The question is, how? If we are serious about improving, it will help if we first learn what works and doesn’t. The emphasis here is on what does indeed work. Reliably. Consistently. Please see “Non-Negotiable Basics For Sporting Clays, Trap And Skeet.” It's a good start for setting up improvement in your shooting. Here are a few suggestions that actually work.

Let’s get past counting on our equipment to improve our shooting. Understandably, it’s a joy to own (I do) but…contrary to all those sexy magazine ads…it won’t improve our X count. Not consistently. That success is 100% on you and me.

Looking at that last sentence above, here’s the # 1, most important consideration for adding Xs to a scorecard on a regular basis. This applies to you, me and all the Big Dawgs. Exceptions? Nope, sorry, there aren’t any.

Regardless of the sports endeavor…

"The minute you get away from fundamentals–

whether it's proper technique, work ethic or mental preparation

–the bottom will fall out of your game.”

--Michael Jordan

You know those fundamentals? Seriously…good on you. Because the basics are non-negotiable. Knowing, however, is only the beginning. Now comes inserting each fundamental into your game…your pre-shot set-up and your swing. A swing that will be endlessly tested for precision and consistency. To achieve the former, you (each of us) must tend to the latter. Set-up and swing mistakes will be costly at the target…not to mention our disappointment.

The emphasis here is…shell after shell…target after target…we must get the fundamentals right. Executed correctly. Where do these improvements come from? Dedicated practice. Emphasis on the word dedicated. Because dedicated practice is not about Xs and Os. Dedicated practice is planned and executed with our focus on the details. Our attention is on the shooting “process” …the shooting technique and method…not X or O outcomes. To slowly, carefully, and patiently build a swing that can be depended on to deliver X after X…consistently. Each miss evaluated and promptly corrected. Each X reviewed and correctly evaluated so the correct/successful swing steps can be repeated. Each and every shell reinforces the required fundamentals. To build familiarity. The same familiarity that can soon be trusted to build Xs consistently. 

Dedicated practice first begins with knowing what to do…how to physically set up on the target presentation properly. To make our swing efficient and protect the finite time each target gives us.

We do this by first “marking” (establishing) where we want to break this target…a workable BreakPoint. Setting up a Foot Position and balance that will support (not hinder) the swing. A Muzzle Hold Point (MHP) will allow a punctual intercept of the target. Again, no time is wasted here in creating critically important swing “precision.” And finally, a visual Focal Point to promptly establish a visual “bird/barrel” relationship when that trap machine fires! All of this takes place before the target is launched!! To build critical (required) precision into the swing. Careless set-ups are inevitably costly.

The swing? Must be precise…to minimize random gun movements (RGM). Must use the shooting method that matches the target presentation. A method that is 100% dependable on that presentation. 100%. You must use target “flight time” wisely. RGM wastes time and compromises swing precision. There’s the reason for inconsistent performances and missing.

OK…absolutely none of the above is required if breaking targets for fun is your goal. To build long runs of X’s…consistently…that’s a completely different matter.

In my formal lessons…where measurable improvement is the stated goal…each and every one of my students goes home with a written, specific, detailed plan on a) what, and b) how to practice. To effectively meet his / her improvement goals.

Should you be stumbling and getting frustrated during a good practice session…remember:

“If your time in the shooting box is proving to be difficult,

it’s because you have a higher calling.”

It’s always tempting to believe a truly gifted athlete is just that…gifted. While there are indeed truly gifted people of all ages and skill levels, look closely behind the curtain. There, we’ll find the real history of dedicated work coupled with unmeasurable patience and tenacity.

Anyone who is seriously interested in improving…understanding and developing the basics must come first. Once in place, a serious and endlessly patient commitment to incremental, step-by-step improvements comes next.

If I’ve run a bit long here, it’s because of the truth in this statement: We can’t get stronger if we don’t lift the weights. In our game, practice is required. The endeavor doesn’t matter… the principle applies.

I hope to meet you on the practice range.

As we explore breaking more targets and shooting consistently, Dan Schindler's trilogy—Take Your Best Shot, To The Target and Beyond The Target—offer invaluable insights, serving as a roadmap for shooters of all levels. Available on the Paragon School of Sporting website, along with a wealth of blog posts, these 3 books greatly simplify and uncomplicate shooting, providing a foundation for consistently higher scores.

Thanks for visiting. Hope to see you again soon.

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About Dan Schindler

Tired of being frustrated over missing targets or birds?

Ready to move your shooting forward and shoot consistently higher scores?

Shoot better than you ever imagined.

Schedule a lesson with the esteemed Dan Schindler. As one of the exclusive 44 worldwide members of the Guild of Shooting Instructors (UK), Dan stands as a beacon of expertise in Sporting Clays Skeet, Trap and Wingshooting Instruction in the US.

Embark on a transformative journey with Dan, an NSCA Level III Instructor since 1995 and the visionary founder of the Paragon School of Sporting. His singular goal is to provide ultra simple, step-by-step, Premier  Instruction, Coaching, and Mental Training for enthusiasts of Sporting Clays, Skeet, Trap, and Wingshooting of all skill levels.

Dan Schindler is a maestro at alleviating the frustrations that haunt shooters. By unraveling the mysteries of breaking targets, enabling self-awareness in calling misses, and empowering individuals to make their corrections, Dan ensures that lessons are not only enlightening but also immensely enjoyable. Clients at Paragon School of Sporting witness significant improvements in their shooting skills within minutes.

Bid farewell to the vexation of missed targets and soar towards consistent excellence in shooting. Whether you're an advanced competitor or an entry-level enthusiast, Dan Schindler's wealth of experience spanning over three decades has empowered thousands of shooters to propel their game forward.

Having certified over 274 instructors, authored three exceptional books, and contributed to numerous articles and blog posts, Dan Schindler is a luminary in the field. In your very FIRST lesson with Dan, you will unlock the secrets of the Paragon System, ensuring that you break targets consistently, confidently call your misses, and adeptly make corrections, setting the stage for a remarkable journey of shooting mastery. Contact Dan Schindler now and witness the transformative power of his expertise in action.

In your very FIRST lesson with Dan Schindler, you'll learn the Paragon System so YOU can break targets consistently, call your misses & make corrections so your next target breaks!

"Folks fly from around the world to take lessons with Schindler at River Bend Sportsman’s Resort, his home course in Inman, South Carolina. Clients have included Bush staffers to NASCAR drivers to the U.S. Ambassador to Belgium. The approachable teacher has spent 25 years on “gentleman’s coaching” (with social and corporate shooters) and formal instruction (with individuals, groups, and competitors). Schindler has even certified more than 230 instructors using his handcrafted curriculum—a system that signaled his qualification as the first American admitted to the British Guild of Shooting Instructors... “Shooting, like golf, or anything like that, is a mental sport, and he has the mental game down so well.” To find out how he calibrated mind with metal, we head to Japan."

Dan Schindler's Books

"Recommended for shooters of all skill levels, Coaches, Instructors

and parents of youth shooters."

Take Your Best Shot (Book I), 3rd Edition is THE Gold Standard Primer It's all about the fundamentals, a requirement for good shooting. This book is used by high school and college shooting teams, recreational and competitive shooters from around the world. Solid, valuable, concise information that has helped thousands of shooters shoot more consistently with higher scores.

To The Target (Book II) Builds on the steps outlined in Book I. Emphasises Gun Management skills when the trap fires, creating a consistent, reliable, trustworthy swing.

Beyond the Target (Book III) is for shooters of all levels, filled with valuable information, clay target truths. Entertaining and a culmination of 3 decades of Dan's life's work as a teacher, competitor, published writer, and much more.

Here's what Shooters, Coaches and Clay Shooting USA saying...

Take Your Best Shot (Book I), 3rd Edition

THE TRUSTED PRIMER

To The Target (Book II)

Beyond The Target (Book III)