Rising Outgoing Targets   I have trouble with rising going-away targets with a bit of an angle to them. They look so easy, but I am very inconsistent with this type of target. What's wrong?   Here’s the thing about rising quartering targets. Our bodies naturally want to move either vertically (between 6 o’clock and 12 o’clock) or horizontally (between 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock). Our bodies don’t move as “obediently” on targets with a complex angle. Let’s take a target presentation in which the machine is about 10 yards to our right and in line with the front of the … [Read more...]

Switching Shoulders   If I am left eye dominant but do everything from the right side, should I switch to left-handed shooting?   Well, it depends. The first thing I suggest is to spend some time with an instructor experienced in diagnosing and solving eye dominance challenges. I see many shooters who have been told that their dominance was one thing only to discover that it’s something different. I often see a shooter who thinks they are dominant in one eye and they are actually center ocular. If this shooter switched shoulders, he or she would likely have the same issue on the … [Read more...]

Level 1 Course   What are the benefits of taking the Level 1 Instructor Course?   There are many reasons why shooters are motivated to sign up for the NSCA Level I Instructor Course, and the benefits are typically related to the reason each candidate enrolls. Obviously, most want to learn how to effectively teach others how to shoot a shotgun. Some who already have coaching experience enroll because they want to improve their effectiveness as a shotgun instructor. The candidates we see at Level I are an incredibly diverse group, from the young experienced shot who wants to start … [Read more...]

Puzzling Pair   How do I decide which target to take first on a true pair?   For most true pairs, the question of which target to engage first is fairly straightforward. For others, the choice can be perplexing. When faced with a puzzling pair, I encourage my students to ask themselves these five questions during the pre-shot planning phase: 1.) Which sequence allows me to go from a lower break point to a higher break point? In going from a low break point to a higher break point, your eyes can go directly up to the second target after breaking the first target. If you have … [Read more...]

Pre-Shot Routine   What is the best pre-shot routine?   Some shooters confuse pre-shot planning and pre-shot routines, so let’s untangle this first. In sporting clays, a shooter’s pre-shot process should be divided into two very distinct phases: pre-shot planning and pre-shot routine. Pre-shot planning is the process you use to observe, plan and test your plan prior to stepping into the station. This is a very analytical process whereby you observe the flight path and behavior of the target, choose your break points, and determine where you are going to hold, where you are … [Read more...]