OSP Sponsored and Endorsed by:

Gun Movement "Any movement given the gun prior to Focus on the target is wasted and increases the risk by the cube." ...OSP Would it be fair to say if you began to make your move to the target prior to seeing it that you would be anticipating or guessing where and how fast to move the gun? Would it be fair to say that moving your gun before you saw the target would create inconsistency in your move? Would it be fair to say that moving your gun prior to Focusing on the target would make it harder to shoot 10 of 10? Would it be fair to say that moving your gun prior to Focusing on the target would increase tension and make you more susceptible to nervousness and flinching? Would it be fair to say moving your gun prior to Focusing on the target would create an inconsistent insertion point on the bird? Would it be fair to say that if you waited to Focus on the Front of the target to move your gun, you would know the speed and line of the bird and be able to react in a consistent way regardless of distance, direction or speed of the bird? Would it be fair to say that if you reacted to every bird in the same way that you would establish a consistent approach to every target and your scores would improve? Be fair to yourself------- FOCUS, REACT AND TRUST! Back to Article Directory What Should I Expect from a Shooting Lesson In traveling around the country Gil & I see people who are afraid to take a lesson, but they want to get better. When asked why they won't take a lesson their comment is, "I'm afraid you will screw me up!." They are right. The last thing anyone should expect is to leave a shooting lesson shooting better! Sounds crazy doesn't it? I don't know about you, but where I live, technical expertise is always preceded by experience---. We find that people who are afraid to change BELIEVE that if they just keep doing the same thing that they will get better. Sounds like the definition of Insanity to me. You should leave a lesson with the understanding of what's wrong and HOW to fix it. Then it is up to you to practice what you have learned enough to build confidence and trust in your new move so that it can become part of your game. THEN YOU GET BETTER! n experienced instructor understands that rarely is a shooters problem with a target incorrect lead. Lead however, is the first place everyone goes--kind of like a shade tree mechanic that changes the spark plugs on a car that needs a transmission overhaul. It is more often than not one of 3 things that is the problem--They are in order of frequency and importance--- 1. Focus on the front of the target 2. Tempo - moving the gun with the speed of the target. 3. Gun mount - mounting the gun correctly to the face. It is more important to know why you missed than where. We even tell our students it is irrelevant where you miss. The only way you get more consistent is to understand WHY. In studying and teaching the mental part of this game it has become clear to both of us that successful people regardless of skill all have one thing in common----- they all have a greater tolerance for failure and setback. They embrace change and learn from failure. If you want to get better, take a lesson from an experienced instructor who deals with WHY you missed, not only where, and that can communicate with you the things you need to change to shoot better. Back to Article Directory Why do the Women Shooters Always Score 10-20 Fewer Birds Than the Men? (Phyllis Lundquist, Seattle, WA) A great question, since this is not a game of strength. It's not like golf where the ladies need to be yards ahead of the guys to get their ball down the fairway. Shooting is more a game of finesse - not of strength. Gil and I have been trying to figure this out for years. Here are a few thoughts we have had. The biggest difference between men and women, and therefore in their scores, is that women have more trouble staying FOCUSED on the goal of hitting the target. Women are used to doing 6-8 things all at the same time. I can see all the ladies heads saying yes. Men do one thing at one time. Therefore, they are very focused. Their only thought while they are in the shooting cage is hitting that target and making it break. Ladies, what we need to learn and it is a learned art, is to have all our focus on hitting the target while in the shooting cage. Talk all you want before you get in the shooting cage, but once in there, you need to be all business and very focused. Your goal must be only of hitting the target, not what others are saying or who has walked up to the station or where you are having dinner tonight. Women need to think of the target as the enemy and get a little more assertive about hitting it. When you call for the bird your whole concentration must be on hitting the target. How to do this? When do women become the most focused?--When they are angry. A women gets very focused when she is mad. There is a reason for that old saying that nothing is worse than a women's scorn. So let's use it to be the best shotgunner in the world. The goal for each women, as she is shooting, is to find something within herself that triggers that assertiveness for her to become so completely focused on hitting that target that you keep loading your gun until someone tells you to stop. Don't get mad--get even by becoming Focused on nothing else, but the target. If the ladies can become that focused it can only help their scores to rise. Back to Article Directory Have other questions on other issues? Visit our Clinic FAQs section or submit your own question. How We Teach • Teaching Schedule • Tips & Articles Our Services • Clinic FAQs • Products & Programs • Meet Gil & Vicki Client Comments • More Info/Sign-up • E-mail Us • Home OPTIMUM SHOTGUN PERFORMANCE SHOOTING SCHOOL Toll Free 800-838-7533 P.O. Box 826 • 29354 McKinnon Rd., Suite A • Fulshear, TX 77441 Voice: 281-346-0888 • Fax: 281-346-1500 Copyright © 2000-2006 Optimum Shotgun Performance Shooting School