Sporting Practice

[adam-f]

Hello all.

I was looking for a few tips on the best way to improve my sporting practice.

I started clay shooting in March and steadily improved, I shot a pb of 72 /100 in the first registered sporting I entered but have entered 3 more since and the 72 is still a P.B.

When I practice I tend to shoot 100 sporting, 8 per stand in the order the stands suggest (eg on report or sim) practicing this way I can track my scores and have some competition against myself as I often shoot alone. 

I no longer feel like Im improving and am interested to hear how others go about it??

 

[Will Hewland]

Can't see your score on CPSA, but assuming a decent shoot, 72 is pretty good at this stage. Sporting just takes ages to learn. You will improve over the next 10 years! Just shooting plenty will help, but if you are self-taught, you may be locking in bad habits, so get a few decent lessons now and get your technique verified and you will have something to work on. Other than that, don't waste too many shots on stuff you can hit in practice. Push yourself to the harder stuff

 

[Maria_H]

I've shot sporting for many years self taught until I had help from a friend whose a really good shooter and a lesson with an instructor.I have been able to see where I need to improve 

slowly getting better but it's going to take a while!! 

 

[adam-f]

Can't see your score on CPSA, but assuming a decent shoot, 72 is pretty good at this stage. Sporting just takes ages to learn. You will improve over the next 10 years! Just shooting plenty will help, but if you are self-taught, you may be locking in bad habits, so get a few decent lessons now and get your technique verified and you will have something to work on. Other than that, don't waste too many shots on stuff you can hit in practice. Push yourself to the harder stuff

Thanks for the reply, All self-taught from a Peter Bentley book. I dont feel Im getting any better now though, worse if anything so maybe bad habits are sneaking in.

When I shoot it takes a couple of stands to remember how I shoot then it passes in a flash and I have to wait until the following week or two to have another go. I think I may need a more structured way to practice. My CPSA number is EE136638. 

I've shot sporting for many years self taught until I had help from a friend whose a really good shooter and a lesson with an instructor.I have been able to see where I need to improve 

slowly getting better but it's going to take a while!! 

Thanks for your reply Maria.

None of my friends shoot so maybe I need to arrange a lesson sometime. My wife is normally working when Im not so I often have two young boys to look after or take shooting with me making lessons difficult to arrange. 

 

[Doctor Lecter]

I'm no expert but a few lessons will instil good habits to build on ,  a round of skeet is a great teacher for sporting I find ,   enjoy !   :wink:  

 

[Maria_H]

Where abouts are you at? If you  arrange to get a lesson I would see if Ben Husthwaite is anywhere near you.

My friend DavidJ has had lessons from him and it works for him, I'm trying to follow the same methods white Davids help and hoping to get booked with Ben when I'm free...

Thanks for your reply Maria.

None of my friends shoot so maybe I need to arrange a lesson sometime. My wife is normally working when Im not so I often have two young boys to look after or take shooting with me making lessons difficult.

 

[Bebo]

Are there any particular targets you are struggling with more now than when you started?

 

[DavidJ]

As Maria is probably finding now, you will get more advice than you can process and your probably watching more YouTube clips that all say different things.

I done this for a good while with little improvement, consistency was awfull due to the overload of conficting info.

I came across Ben Husthwaites first DVD and for me it clicked. I didn't think there'd be any chance of a lesson but I was wrong and the price was supprising in a good way.

If I was starting again I'd try a few coaches and then stick with the one that works for you. Then work hard.

There's aso Ed Solomons on this forum. Both he and Ben have achieved at the top level and I'm sure both travel to different grounds coaching.

We'll worth getting in touch.

 

[Maria_H]

As Maria is probably finding now, you will get more advice than you can process and your probably watching more YouTube clips that all say different things.

I done this for a good while with little improvement, consistency was awfull due to the overload of conficting info.

I came across Ben Husthwaites first DVD and for me it clicked. I didn't think there'd be any chance of a lesson but I was wrong and the price was supprising in a good way.

If I was starting again I'd try a few coaches and then stick with the one that works for you. Then work hard.

There's aso Ed Solomons on this forum. Both he and Ben have achieved at the top level and I'm sure both travel to different grounds coaching.

We'll worth getting in touch.

Yes as David said you can get a lot of advice and then you become stuck with what to go with and what's right/wrong. I watched a video just the other day, it  as good, but confusing with the different techniques..

I had a lesson with an instructor and everything he said was different to what I had been learning including where to hit the clay. I've watched both of Bens DVDs which David lent me and I've decided to try and stick with that way and listen to only one person (David) as i seem to take it in better, he explains everything in a good way and I hope to continue to get better ??

theres also some good videos YouTube of different targets with Ben, which are well worth a watch..

 

[adam-f]

Are there any particular targets you are struggling with more now than when you started?

I dont think I'm struggling more with anything now than when I started but I am still struggling with the battue, non straight going away and also anything at long range even crossing targets which is probably what I am most competent with.

 

[Bebo]

It may just be that you started off shooting instinctively and are now thinking about it more, which can result in slowing / stopping the gun, hanging on to targets too long and lots of other problems.

I find it helps me a little to think what technique to apply to a particular target before I get into the stand.  For example, for quartering away targets I use a controlled swing through type approach.  Start on the line of the target with my hold point, allow the clay to come past the end of my gun and then gently push through the line of the target to generate a small amount of lead.  If I start with my hold point too far out I end up either shooting before the target gets to where it needs to be or with a static gun missing behind.

Next time you practice, pick a particular type of target, choose a technique to use and keep at it until it becomes comfortable.  Then see if they have other similar targets to try the same technique on (e.g quartering from the left rather than the right, at a more acute or obtuse angle etc).

 

[adam-f]

Thanks for the replies Maria_H and DavidJ. Im based in Cambridgeshire Ive just looked up Ben but am not sure where he is located, it said on his site he gives lessons at any ground anywhere in the world  .

Thanks Bebo ill give that a go next time I go. Unfortunately I have an enforced layoff from the clays for the next two weeks due to work  .

 

[DavidJ]

Both Ben and Ed are Leicestershire based. When I went to see Ben first, Ed was also coaching. I shot a round of sport trap with them both after 2 hours coaching and went in to meltdown!!!!

As I said above, Ben's methods have improved my shooting so rather than cluter my brain with conflicting advice, I'm sticking with it. I block out advice from people behind other than a few people I trust.

 

[Bebo]

I can confirm that Ed is great.  He works with your current shooting style rather than trying to force you into a particular way of shooting, but also shows you what alternatives are available.  He really helps you develop strategies for certain target presentations / combinations. My meltdowns on sim pairs have reduced substantially since I last saw him.

 

[Maria_H]

I've been shooting with DavidJ for months now and have improved using the method he learnt from Ben. It seemed to click for me apart from a few off days and sometimes lack of concentration!! 

I tend to only now shoot with David and take his advice ?.

I shot last Saturday and had 2 people telling me different things! I tried to blank them and remember what Davids taught me...

 

[ips]

nothing worse than unsolicited advise. I had someone the other day explaining how I should shoot a sim pair. I hadn't even got in the cage thing, I didn't know him he didn't know me I didn't ask him....ffs. I shrugged my shoulders and switched my ears off.

there should be a rule about giving advice or rather not giving it.

rant over

 

[MJJ]

I had someone the other day explaining how I should shoot a sim pair.

Thats really obvious - one after the other usually works 

 

[ips]

Thats really obvious - one after the other usually works 

well you would think so ?

but not according to this bloke, if I had bothered to listen I am sure there was much more to it as it took much longer to explain than a simple "you shoot that one and then that one" they get on my wick I mean I may not be the best shot in the world but one likes to think that one has a certain air of not being a total novice ?

 

[schmokinn]

nothing worse than unsolicited advise. I had someone the other day explaining how I should shoot a sim pair. I hadn't even got in the cage thing, I didn't know him he didn't know me I didn't ask him....ffs. I shrugged my shoulders and switched my ears off.

there should be a rule about giving advice or rather not giving it.

rant over

Maybe he had been watching you and thought you hadn't shot before  :blink:

Seriously though advice should really only be given when asked for though sometimes i see people looking so lost as to why they are not hitting the target i just can't help it no matter how hard i try  :angel: