ChrisNicholls Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 I'm a bit disappointed with my lack of consistency at sporting, I realise that more practice would obviously help and perhaps seeing that I have had a (very) long lay off from shooting clays I might be expecting to run before I can walk - but I am wondering if having a lesson or two from a qualified coach would really help. Anybody here noticed a real improvement after having some tuition from somebody properly qualified? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulos Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 I haven't had any real "coaching" but have attended a couple of half-day, group workshops for skeet and sporting. You won't notice a huge improvement after one or two lessons, but a good coach will pick up on any bad habits that you may have picked up without realising. The sporting workshop I went to taught the CPSA "Method" which I cannot get away with so was not all that useful. The skeet one picked up on a few minor faults that I had set in, and once I had picked up on them my scores shot up. I would recommend seeing one, but make sure you pick a good one :yp: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter De La Mare Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 Yes, it'll help. As Paulos says, pick a good 'un. :yp: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatcatsplat Posted February 23, 2009 Report Share Posted February 23, 2009 I have had 2 lessons in the past - The first one helped a lot and i picked up loads of tips - The 2nd lesson was just a repeat of the first and could have saved meself 50 quid. It's very handy having someone actually telling you where you are going wrong (or right) and then helping to correct it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pavman Posted February 23, 2009 Report Share Posted February 23, 2009 it helps but to my mind on the ground you are at you learn to hit certain shots, they move ground or take it to the field and miss again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted February 23, 2009 Report Share Posted February 23, 2009 it helps but to my mind on the ground you are at you learn to hit certain shots, they move ground or take it to the field and miss again Very true Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yellow Bear Posted February 23, 2009 Report Share Posted February 23, 2009 I'm a bit disappointed with my lack of consistency at sporting, I realise that more practice would obviously help and perhaps seeing that I have had a (very) long lay off from shooting clays I might be expecting to run before I can walk - but I am wondering if having a lesson or two from a qualified coach would really help. Anybody here noticed a real improvement after having some tuition from somebody properly qualified? The oposite - my scores had reached a steady point at around the top of B class and did not seem to be improving - had a coached round and the whole thing turned to ****. Scores dropped by around 20 and apart from flashes of improvement have stayed there. DEon't know if another sesion would work or if it would make it worse again. :o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdc124 Posted February 23, 2009 Report Share Posted February 23, 2009 I suppose it depends on whether you have a good technique naturally or have nothing to learn. Tuition in any sport must help, surely, otherwise anyone could win wimbledon after a knockabout down the park? It's ok practicing on your own, or in freindly groups, but having an proper analysis of how you shoot can highlight bad habits or inconsistencies. Obviously the better you get the smaller the gains will be from further tuition (and longer between them) Just my 10p, I'm still 'under tuition' and probably will be for a while Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warlock Posted February 23, 2009 Report Share Posted February 23, 2009 Yes & No would be the answer, yes it helps because you are taught gun fit, aiming, mounting and the basics like that, & No in that shooting to a degree is a comfort thing, if you have an instructor trying to push on you a technique that feels awkward to you then you will hit a wall, if you have an instructor that nurtures your way of shooting and improves you that way then that is the way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted February 23, 2009 Report Share Posted February 23, 2009 (edited) In my case , No, NO No. I had lessons years ago when I changed from a side by side to an over and under. It took me a year to get back to my former accuracy. Edited February 23, 2009 by anser2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter De La Mare Posted February 23, 2009 Report Share Posted February 23, 2009 Well, if you can accurately describe exactly where your hold point, pickup point and kill points are, and why they are where they are, and where your feet need to be and exactly why and where you missed the bird and what you need to change to consistently hit them, then you don't need tuition, you're just **** at shooting. If you can't accurately describe any of the above, then you need tuition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter De La Mare Posted February 23, 2009 Report Share Posted February 23, 2009 (edited) BTW, you won't walk into the coaching session a 65% shot, and walk out a 80% shot, you need to work on what's changed, and work on it properly and that doesn't mean going out the next Sunday and messing around with your mates at the straw bale shoot and only giving lip service to the change. Concentrate hard on the changes and focus closely on what you are doing in the stand before you even load the shells. Above all you need a rock solid mount and gun fit and making sure your gun is pointing where you look, without you having to check it. Yup, you might have to do that gay thing of dry mounting your gun in your bedroom until it's as 2nd nature as breathing and masterbation. Edited February 23, 2009 by Peter De La Mare Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libs Posted February 23, 2009 Report Share Posted February 23, 2009 It all depends on how good you want to be I guess. Any fool can put 2 and 2 together and realise you need to be in front of something moving to hit it. But to be able to pull off tricky and awkward shots you either need a good instructor, or lots of experience. I'm sure its different for everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted February 23, 2009 Report Share Posted February 23, 2009 The oposite - my scores had reached a steady point at around the top of B class and did not seem to be improving - had a coached round and the whole thing turned to ****.Scores dropped by around 20 and apart from flashes of improvement have stayed there. DEon't know if another sesion would work or if it would make it worse again. This all coincided with when you started shooting with me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisNicholls Posted February 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2009 Thanks for the replies I think what I really need is a session with a coach to double check my gun fit and a session on the pattern plate to check to make sure the gun is shooting to where I'm aiming - which really goes hand in hand with gun fit. I am not a novice, I have been shooting game for over 25 years so gun mounting is second nature to me now. I have asked the question because I have just bought a 30'' sporter to do a few clays and I reckon I am missing too many that I personally consider to be not difficult - this is most likely the cause because for the last 20 odd years have used a 28'' side by side with great success and obviously the new gun is very different. I think I'll possibly see about a session with a good coach just to double check fit etc first. I want to get this ironed out as my long term intention is to use one gun for everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yellow Bear Posted February 24, 2009 Report Share Posted February 24, 2009 This all coincided with when you started shooting with me :( But got worse when you wern't there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev 1 Posted February 24, 2009 Report Share Posted February 24, 2009 It will do more good than harm i would of thought Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter-peter Posted February 24, 2009 Report Share Posted February 24, 2009 coaching does work well provided you listen and take notice of the coach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiganut Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 Had a day with Carl Bloxham yesterday,great day & given me lots to work on. http://www.carlbloxham.co.uk/Tuition.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 I had a couple of lessons years ago, 1 before I started shotgun shooting and got fitted at the same time, and another after I had my first gun which was adjusted to those dimensions. Something to consider, if you are inconsistent and you happen to be having a good day the day you book your lesson you won't get much out of it, on my second lesson I told him I couldn't get my head round fast crossers and on the day hit just about all they could throw - his conclusion was 'just do that' under the circumstances is all he could say. I was getting massively inconsistent a year or so ago, so thought I would have a lesson and have the gun fit checked at same time. My gun still fitted perfectly (which in a way was disappointing) so we went and shot some clays. The only real conclusion was I pick them up too soon and when I get lazy my head comes off the stock - that was £95 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T.C. Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 (edited) It is difficult to see how much you could get from one single lesson even with a good coach . Think about how most of us learnt to drive . We usually needed several lessons over several months with lots of practice in between plus learning the theory of the Highway Code . As previous contributors to the thread have said , if you want to be a good consistent shot over many years you need to learn the basics of shooting and practise them . If you were not taught well to begin with you may have picked up several bad habits and misunderstood many of the basics along the way .The acid test is to ask yourself this: when I miss a clay can I identify my mistake , correct it and hit the next clay (assuming it is a shot you know how to hit). With only a single lesson and a client who wants to see an instant improvement the coach will be pressurised into making a quick fix solution rather than retraining the shooter to shoot their own style correctly . Edited February 25, 2009 by T.C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 I only had 3 driving lessons, I just practiced in between with mates who had just passed (in the days when you could do that) Strange thing with clays is it is quite often obvious to me where others are missing, and if they ask tell them what I think, but putting that into practice is the hard part. I used to do the classic missing rabbits in front thinking it had magically rolled though a hole in the pattern, it still makes me laugh when I hear people saying they need tighter chokes or bigger cartridges as that pesky wabbit is indestructable. I am happy that I will only ever be average at clays, it isn't an all consuming activity for me, it is something I shoot a few times a year and then ends up being a bit of a social. If you are deadly serious I would say get the best coach you can afford and book a series of lessons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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