What did you learn from a Coach?

[Orange Dust]

This should be an interesting thread. Good coaches charge around $150/hr or more for private lessons. I learned quite some time ago they are one of the true bargains left in this world if you want to improve your shooting. I am also sure that many who will be reading this have never taken a professional lesson so I will start.
The most important thing I have learned was from a shotgun coach. It was the first thing that came out of his mouth and is equally important to shooting anything with any weapon. He said most shots are missed before you ever call for the bird. Translation is setting up for the shot. With a shotgun it is foot position, form, amount of pressure on every touch point of the gun, hold point, and look point. Has to be the same with EVERY shot. This advise with slight alterations holds true with a rifle, handgun, and archery. What about you guys?

 

[milo-2]

This should be an interesting thread. Good coaches charge around $150/hr or more for private lessons. I learned quite some time ago they are one of the true bargains left in this world if you want to improve your shooting. I am also sure that many who will be reading this have never taken a professional lesson so I will start.
The most important thing I have learned was from a shotgun coach. It was the first thing that came out of his mouth and is equally important to shooting anything with any weapon. He said most shots are missed before you ever call for the bird. Translation is setting up for the shot. With a shotgun it is foot position, form, amount of pressure on every touch point of the gun, hold point, and look point. Has to be the same with EVERY shot. This advise with slight alterations holds true with a rifle, handgun, and archery. What about you guys?

May I ask what your ultimate goal was that you felt the need to pay for a coach? Did it return dividends?

 

[Orange Dust]

May I ask what your ultimate goal was that you felt the need to pay for a coach? Did it return dividends?

The goal is to become a better shooter. This was many years ago. Since I have had lessons from several different coaches in different disciplines. Without a coach you will reach a plateau that no amount of practice will overcome. This is why the good ones are cheap. I will take a lesson from a shotgun coach, Long range rifle coach, or pistol coach whenever given the opportunity. I have never walked away from a lesson that I didn't feel I learned something important. Another thing a good coach will teach you is how to practice. Meaningful practice instead of just burning ammo.

 

[milo-2]

The goal is to become a better shooter. This was many years ago. Since I have had lessons from several different coaches in different disciplines. Without a coach you will reach a plateau that no amount of practice will overcome. This is why the good ones are cheap. I will take a lesson from a shotgun coach, Long range rifle coach, or pistol coach whenever given the opportunity. I have never walked away from a lesson that I didn't feel I learned something important. Another thing a good coach will teach you is how to practice. Meaningful practice instead of just burning ammo.

Gotcha, I had to ask. The comment on meaningful practice is a mouthful, knowing when to shut it down is big.
In all honesty, I have the exact opposite views on paying for instruction, not getting into why. Right now I am mentoring my brother in law who has just entered the world of LR shooting. I am far from a coach, that is evident with me teaching the 4 yr old neighbor boy how to ride a bike and play T ball.
What I am good at is shutting down misconceptions and ridiculously lofty beginner goals. My main advice is to quit reading and go shoot, paying attention to what is transpiring down range.
My pay has been some excellent dinners, but my travel costs far outweigh even the best steak.

 

[Orange Dust]

Gotcha, I had to ask. The comment on meaningful practice is a mouthful, knowing when to shut it down is big.
In all honesty, I have the exact opposite views on paying for instruction, not getting into why. Right now I am mentoring my brother in law who has just entered the world of LR shooting. I am far from a coach, that is evident with me teaching the 4 yr old neighbor boy how to ride a bike and play T ball.
What I am good at is shutting down misconceptions and ridiculously lofty beginner goals. My main advice is to quit reading and go shoot, paying attention to what is transpiring down range.
My pay has been some excellent dinners, but my travel costs far outweigh even the best steak.

Coaches are like women, choose wisely for good results. A couple of good ones took me from a "B" class shooter to AAA and winning Championships. If you had a bad experience, I must say you either didn't listen and apply or you need a better coach. Coaches range in abilities as wide as shooters do. The better you are, they more important it is to choose the right one.

 

[milo-2]

Coaches are like women, choose wisely for good results. A couple of good ones took me from a "B" class shooter to AAA and winning Championships.

If you had a bad experience, I must say you either didn't listen and apply or you need a better coach.

No experience whatsoever.
Good deal it worked in your favor!

 

[yobuck]

The most important thing is (define your own goals).
And not let the goals of (others) define yours.
And above all, ( dont ever hesitate to cheat ).

 

[Rich Coyle]

What did you learn from a Coach?

Call your hits and misses.

 

[wasskeet]

Many things I would not have learned on my own. I was extremely fortunate enough to have learned from what I consider one of the very best - at the mere price of shooting at his range. Everyone that shoots there gets the same deal. If they will listen.

 

[memtb]

I'm not referring to shooting coaches...only those that your children are likely to encounter in life!

I knew a couple of pretty good coaches.....but, the vast majority of those I had experience with, taught me......I want to be a much better human being than they were! memtb

 

[Frank in the Laurels]

..don't pee into the wind !! Great advice, DAD

 

[del2les]

Never paid for a formal coach, unless my time in mil service was payment enough. I have always loved to learn and was a good student of anything I tried, but I did have a couple of very accomplished mil comp shooters and snipers I loved to learn from. When I was a preteen and 20's, I read everything I could get my poor hands on concerning shooting, precision shooting and reloading, and soon discovered I had a talent and love for hitting ever smaller targets at longer and longer ranges.

When I became involved in BR, Nat'l Match, Small Bore Prone, IHMSA then Palma and 1,000yd Prone, I gravitated toward the end of the line that always held the champions, and I absorbed everything they said and did. Then, I made it my own.

If there is "one" thing I believe that stands out more than other advice is, "You are you toughest competitor".

 

[KSB209]

For a newbie what do you look for in a coach or mentor? I've been at it for a while and comfortable at 300 yards. I know I need help to become proficient much further then that based on my skill level. I have read about dialing or "dope" but every time I mess with the scope I am off. At 300 yards I aim a few inches over and I know I can hit where I want to.

I have been thinking about a LR school but time is a scarcity right now and I cannot commit a week. Would like to commit to a few weekend but were to begin on a coach and what questions to ask so I know I'm not getting taken for a ride ??

 

[Orange Dust]

For a newbie what do you look for in a coach or mentor? I've been at it for a while and comfortable at 300 yards. I know I need help to become proficient much further then that based on my skill level. I have read about dialing or "dope" but every time I mess with the scope I am off. At 300 yards I aim a few inches over and I know I can hit where I want to.

I have been thinking about a LR school but time is a scarcity right now and I cannot commit a week. Would like to commit to a few weekend but were to begin on a coach and what questions to ask so I know I'm not getting taken for a ride ??

There are schools for all disciplines. There are also individual coaches that make their living in the competitive shooting world. These are both somewhat different. Shooting schools are a great way for a beginner to learn a lot in a short period of time. Individual coaches are more one on one and work more to satisfy your individual goals and needs. All of them focus on fundamentals, getting that right before going further. Each individual lesson will start here, with the coach looking for flaws to correct. When shooting competitively with a coach, most folks will take a lesson, and then practice what they have learned until they reach a peak and then take another. Could be a month or a year depending on how much you practice. Most of the top competitive shooters use a coach. They don't need a lesson on shooting, they need someone to look for flaws that have creeped into their fundamentals and to help with their mental game. I would say at the upper levels winning and losing is at least 95% mental. Most folks have no interest in this whatsoever, competitive shooting is expensive, nerve wracking, and frustrating. However, it will make you a VERY good shot. If you want to just take a lesson to become a better hunter, I think this is the best way to find a good coach. Go to a large F class or PRS match and ask the good shooters who the best coaches are. You can learn a lot in a day, and it would be somewhat cheaper than a week long school. Going to a week long school would get you where you want to be much faster though, and use less ammo in the long run. If I wanted to compete, and was a newbe, knowing what I know now, I would go to a school, practice, and attend some local matches for a year or so, and then find a coach.

As for being taken for a ride, I never have. I have learned more from some than others, but I have learned something that I felt was important to my game from every coach I have used. That might not be quite fair though, being a competitive shooter, I know what each of the coaches in my current discipline are best at. I am currently in the process of taking up a new one. Getting a little bored, so I am playing around with USPSA just for a break. Right now I am just practicing when I am feeling bored with the shotgun. I have a lesson scheduled after the World Championships so we will see how it goes. I do have my doubts I have the mental capacity to be competitive at two sports at once, but it will be a nice break and totally different. I have learned I do not have the mental control to compete in F class or PRS, but I can still kill enough to eat!!!