Why technical shooting classes?

[GJM]

I used to take a lot of technical shooting classes. I still think they are very valuable for new shooters.

Lately, I rarely take a technical shooting class. The reason I don't, is what stands between me, and being a better shooter, can only come through intensive live fire, dry fire, studying things on the internet, and discussions with my wife and friends. I wish classes moved the needle for me, but unfortunately there is no short cut for me, besides putting in the work.

Is this unique to me, or are others experiencing the same?

[Kanye Wyoming]

I can't speak to the value of formal training/coaching for someone at your level except by analogy. Novak Djokovic has a coach. At his level the coaching team probably focuses more on strategy and tactics against a particular opponent, and providing structure. But even a player at that level is going to develop the occasional technical hiccup or bad habit that only a high level coach can diagnose and address. Or be able to take a leap forward by changing this or that little thing that will unleash higher performance.

[YVK]

I can't speak to the value of formal training/coaching for someone at your level except by analogy. Novak Djokovic has a coach. At his level the coaching team probably focuses more on strategy and tactics against a particular opponent, and providing structure. But even a player at that level is going to develop the occasional technical hiccup or bad habit that only a high level coach can diagnose and address.

I think you're right on strategy, tactics, or general approach. Technically maybe Goran can tell him something about the serve or overhead but I doubt that Nole needs any advice on every other aspect, including when he hiccups. I think that accurate self diagnosis is a mark of a well developed athlete, regardless of a sport. Coach is usually a validation tool in these instances.

[JohnK]

I'm not on an extremely high level of shooting but my impression is that sometimes, even chasing incremental improvement, technical instructors outside of your typical group can see things that you, your partners, friends don't see because they have a fresh set of eyes. But if there is anything I am absorbing lately from this forum it's that an instructor must be able to properly articulate the "what" and the "why" to get to the improvement.

[PNWTO]

I think the technical side of instruction, for shooting, is definitely valuable for new shooters and those who are pursuing achievement out of passion for the shooting sport(s). Looking back, I found value in attending every "technical" course within a reasonable distance because doing so helped me find a cruising altitude for my own needs. I've mentioned before that with a toddler, another one inbound, and other passions/necessities I have really put shooting on the backburner. That said, every so often I can grab the G19 or a LCR and go to a cozy spot on the property and have a 90% chance of passing one of Kyle Defoor's pistol tests (for example).

My example is probably full of holes and sighs but all the technical shooting instruction I have been through has allowed that baseline to exist and remain about the same. Could I be better? Most assuredly and I know what I offered shouldn't impress anyone on this forum.

I'm much more interested in the soft skills and practices that reinforce and enhance my family's safety.

[jetfire]

I used to take a lot of technical shooting classes. I still think they are very valuable for new shooters.

Lately, I rarely take a technical shooting class. The reason I don't, is what stands between me, and being a better shooter, can only come through intensive live fire, dry fire, studying things on the internet, and discussions with my wife and friends. I wish classes moved the needle for me, but unfortunately there is no short cut for me, besides putting in the work.

Is this unique to me, or are others experiencing the same?

There's a point on the shooting skill matrix where the benefit from a technical shooting class will be very small because you're looking for very small performance gains, right? The last technical class I went to I learned exactly 1 new thing that I found beneficial to my shooting goals. The rest of the benefit was engaging in what was essentially a structured coaching session. Which isn't a bad thing.

I do find that it's valuable before the season starts in earnest to take what amounts to a "tune up" class where I can run the gun at speed and check to see where I've fallen off during the off-season.

[45dotACP]

I used to take a lot of technical shooting classes. I still think they are very valuable for new shooters.

Lately, I rarely take a technical shooting class. The reason I don't, is what stands between me, and being a better shooter, can only come through intensive live fire, dry fire, studying things on the internet, and discussions with my wife and friends. I wish classes moved the needle for me, but unfortunately there is no short cut for me, besides putting in the work.

Is this unique to me, or are others experiencing the same?

What is the definition of a better shooter to you?

Sent from my SM-A326U using Tapatalk

[JohnO]

I used to take a lot of technical shooting classes. I still think they are very valuable for new shooters.

Lately, I rarely take a technical shooting class. The reason I don't, is what stands between me, and being a better shooter, can only come through intensive live fire, dry fire, studying things on the internet, and discussions with my wife and friends. I wish classes moved the needle for me, but unfortunately there is no short cut for me, besides putting in the work.

Is this unique to me, or are others experiencing the same?

Agree 100%.

I've given my opinion to many of my friends I train with. These guys and myself have over the course of 15+ years have been in countless classes with numerous big name instructors and some less widely known but very good instructors.

What I'm seeing locally is a number of individuals who show up because that's what everyone else is doing. I think a driving factor in attendance is rubbing shoulders with Mr. Cool High Speed Guy. Hey I trained with Delta Dan, Ranger Rick, IDPA Ivan, ... you name the trainer. Some of the guys just don't want to be the odd man out when they know their friends are going.

I've been in many of these classes where I went head to head with the trainer and beat them. But I'm not kidding myself. Just because I beat Mr. X multiple times in a walkback or Mr. Y in his signature drills doesn't mean I'm better than them when the feces hits the fan in combat. Yeah I admit it, I had some motivation to show up and do my thing for the attention I received.

I get the not wanting to miss it. I felt it myself when I backed away from going to every trainer that rolled into town. I realized it had become more of a social event with like minded individuals than an opportunity to increase my skill level. A few years before I decided I didn't need to attend everything I was in one way or another justifying it by saying it's worth it if I pick up just one or two golden nuggets.

For 15+ years I trained with a local guy in a monthly clinic he ran April - November. I never missed a date. (Then cancer got him.) That's what made me what I am.

When you see guys in class asking Mr. High Speed, "what pants are those" you can question their motivation. Or like I've seen, a group of guys who all have to change to the latest blaster Mr. High Speed is getting paid to promote. You get the idea their motivation isn't pure skill development.

As a new guy there is a lot of Dunning - Kruger in play. You don't know what you don't know. Absolutely when a shooter has a good grasp of the fundamentals and is 100% safe in a hot range open enrollment class they can benefit greatly from a class. Over time the amount of benefit one can derive really trails off.

The key in all this is to stay sharp. Learn what to practice and practice it. Take notes in class. Work on what you are not good at. Everyone likes to shoot/do what they are good at. Then going for a tuneup periodically would be beneficial.

[Noah]

I was mostly self taught from (good) sources on YouTube, a shot timer and paper drills, structured shooting every week with timed and scored drills, and some crucial instruction/coaching in a one hour class that helped me drastically fix my technique before the serious self learning began. That was in the Spring of 2019, with the practice and YouTube being from then to now.

When I finally attended 2 "real" classes in summer and fall 2021, I had the same experience. I didn't really learn anything groundbreaking. It was more of a coached shooting session like others have said. I also badly wished I'd taken at least the first class YEARS prior, as that would have been cheaper and faster than the self learning and structured practice.

However, if technical shooting classes are just the venue in which you try to shoot under pressure, I finally shot my first real IDPA match in Sept 2022 and USPSA match in Nov 2022.

Boy howdy. Between the 2, the matches do drastically more to pressure test skills, expose weaknesses, and drive improvement, once you've reached some baseline of competency, at least in my limited experience.

For me now, with my time/cost/ammo budget, competition and individual practice are the clear winner over technical classes. If I took a class now, it would be force on force, a tactics or MUC lecture, or something like ECQC.

[luckyman]

Drawing info from other physical skills (I’m not good enough to comment directly on shooting)…

Even for high performing individuals, a coach can significantly help by spotting details were the performer could be better, or is sliding back into bad habits. Plus the coach can make sure the performer isn’t focusing on fun stuff to the detriment of boring stuff they are week at.

As applies to shooting, I would think the questions are do you routinely video yourself, can you see the details of your performance in the video close to as well as a coach could see, do you have knowledge of effective corrective drills and cues, and do you have the judgement and discipline to work on what you need to work on?

Having said that, all the above comments about a coach assumes the coach has time to focus on you as an individual. Other than enforced practice and competition aspects, I’m not sure group classes do any high level individual performer much good. Of course any activity involving a team is a whole other ball of wax.