“Our game has an uncanny way of endearing itself to us
while at the same time revealing every weakness of mind,
no matter how well hidden.”
― Timothy Gallwey (Paraphrased)
Think of the pressure we put on ourselves playing clay target games. We don’t just want that target to break…we need that target to break. When it doesn’t, our pride takes a hit. After all, folks are watching. At least in our mind, we just failed. This creates even more pressure to break the next target. To do well. To stop the embarrassment. Unfortunately, as the craving to succeed intensifies, more targets escape untouched, the inappropriate mental input is spoiling what we want to happen.
The clay target games are just that…games. While important to us and we enjoy them tremendously, they’re not the source of the pressure we place on ourselves. Yours truly has been in the competition trenches for decades. Standing in the shooting box with friends and/or a scorekeeper behind us, I know how you feel. X’s do matter, and pressure does come standard with our wanting to shoot well. However, the pressure we feel is something we create, not the tournament or the outcome of the next shot. Folks, we own how we think about hits and misses.
My students find this epiphany of identifying and productively managing their own pressure origins highly productive, both in and out of the shooting box. The storm and stress fades away, the joy (the reason why we took up our sport) returns. With renewed confidence behind the trigger, right on schedule, scores go up.
“We build your clays game like we build a wall
one brick at a time.”
Every one of us has the potential to reach his/her shooting goals. Just between you and me now…here’s the secret. All that stands in the way of reaching your goal is what you don’t know. That’s it. Step-by-step…my students learn tools to mentally improving their physical performance and score…before, during and after the trigger pull.
Those who understand where the pressure they feel really comes from and learn to manage it to their benefit find peace in the shooting box. Well before a round goes into the chamber…happily, mind you…my students already have their minds in that good place when they drive onto the Club parking lot.
If you’d like to discuss our tested and proven brick-by-brick approach to marking more X’s on your scorecard, I’d welcome your call.
Successfully dealing with pressure is one of the most essential skills a shooter can develop. If you'd like to know more about how to deal with pressure in the shooting box, feel free to reach out (Paragon School of Sporting). We’ll look forward to talking with you!
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Dan Schindler is one of only 40 worldwide members of the Guild of Shooting Instructors (UK) and is one of the most highly respected Sporting Clays and Wingshooting Instructors in the US. Dan is an NSCA Level III Instructor (since 1995) and founded the Paragon School of Sporting with one goal in mind. Whether it be for the advanced competitor or providing the basics to the entry-level shooter, Paragon provides the simplest, most practical and most effective Instruction, Coaching and Mental Training for the Sporting Clays & Wingshooting enthusiast. Dan Schindler helps shooters alleviate a lot of their frustration by taking the mystery out of breaking targets, calling their own misses, and make their own corrections. Lessons are fun, enlightening and our clients learn to shoot better in minutes!
"Recommended for shooters of all skill levels, Coaches, Instructors
and parents of youth shooters."
Schindler's books are written for shooters like you!
Take the mystery out of missing targets and feathers with Dan Schindler's simple, easy-to-understand books. They're your road map for consistently and dependably shooting higher scores.
Warning: Shooters from around the world tell us ...if you lend these 3 excellent books to your shooting buddies, you may never see the books again! Some say they'd give up their spouse before they give up these books.
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. It is filled with valuable information and clay target truths. It is entertaining and a culmination of three 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...
THE TRUSTED PRIMER
A Quarter of a Century and Counting
"Take Your Best Shot is the best clay and wingshooting shooting primer on the market that I have ever seen. The brilliance of its simplicity aids in getting across the correct messages for successful shooting for ANY clay/wingshooting shooter, let alone a new shooter."
Jacksonville University Sporting, Skeet & Trap Team
(Founding & Head Coach)
SCTP & ACUI Event and Divisional National Champions
"Take Your Best Shot is the greatest publication ever written on how to increase X’s on a scorecard and put more game birds in a hunting vest. In plain language, Take Your Best Shot teaches the essential, non-negotiable basics for building shooting excellence. It should be a required text for every clay target shooter, Wingshooter, Coach, Instructor and parent of a youth shooter who is looking for a step-by-step shooting “system” that is easy to understand, repeatable and utterly dependable. Take Your Best Shot is not only the best but the only book that provides this knowledge. Seriously – Take Your Best Shot is a must-have for every shotgunner."
Jeff Allen, Head Coach Carolina Clays
Paragon School of Sporting Professional Instructor
NSCA Level II Instructor
NSSA Skeet Instructor
NC State Scholastic Clay Target Program Advisor & Coach
NC Scholastic Clay Target Program Trap Director
“Few authors have tried to take the shooter on from the novice stage to serious competitor. “To The Target” does just that and it is one of the most innovative and important books yet published on the art of shooting clay targets.”
Clay Shooting USA
"This third volume in the Paragon school trilogy is the second best thing to booking a lesson with Schindler himself. Dan writes the way he coaches in person: respectfully, provocatively, humorously, and, most of all, effectively. His new book informs the Sporting Clays arts not only with a clear and proven blueprint for breaking (many) more targets, but with great heart as well."
Contributor Shotgunsportsmagazine.com
Blogger at Longhuntersrest.com/longhunters-rest
Wingshooting Editor: Sporting Clays Magazine