Introduktion: At mestre kunsten at coache

As shooting coaches, we spend countless hours thinking about, designing, and refining lesson plans that can enhance the shooting experience for every student, whether it's for beginners or seasoned competitors. However, there are a few fundamental understandings that really tip the scale when teaching youth teams and any newcomers to the world of shooting sports. David Stewart, Level 1 instructor and inventor of ShotKam, shares his insights on valuable coaching principles and how the ShotKam plays a pivotal role in the teaching process for 4H teams, Scholastic Clay Target Programs, and more.

Opmuntring: Lægger grunden til succes

I mit årtier lange engagement i skydesportens verden er jeg taknemmelig for mine utallige muligheder for at træne nye skytter og lægge et stærkt fundament for deres succes. Når det drejer sig om at træne især ungdomsskytter, er det første centrale princip, man skal anvende, opmuntringens magt. Når dine elever er trygge ved at skyde med et våben, de forstår vigtigheden af våbensikkerhed og har sluppet enhver frygt, vil du opbygge tillid til deres egne evner. Vær sikker på din egen vurdering af dine elevers evner som lærer, og sæt dem i stand til at få succes. Hold øje med dem og identificer deres styrker, og sæt dem så op med mål, de kan nå oftere. Prøv at undgå kun at fokusere på mål, som de kæmper med, hvilket kan gøre enhver frustreret. Når dine elever når 50 % af deres mål, er det en vigtig milepæl, som vil give dem blod på tanden og opmuntre dem til at fortsætte.

Inkorporering af ShotKam-teknologi i skydelektioner

While they are mastering those basics, you’ll also want to make sure your students are understanding the theory behind a moving target and correcting any critical mistakes. I frequently refer to the analogy that shooting a moving target is like merging onto an interstate highway. If you’re merging onto a highway, you wouldn’t stop and accelerate quickly, and the same applies to when you’re shooting. This is where a tool like the ShotKam becomes incredibly useful. With the ShotKam, your students can watch videos of the targets they shoot and easily see when they are merging seamlessly with a target, or when they are not. I also recommend using the Constant Record feature on the ShotKam to help them study their setup, which allows you to record manually without recoil. By using constant record, they can eliminate the subliminal fears of recoil and practice a smooth move. To start a constant recording, click the control button on the ShotKam twice. With the ShotKam mounted on your student’s barrel, have them approach a target fully, from mounting and start time to pulling the trigger. Click the control button once when you are ready to end the recording. Tip: Let your students shoot (dry fire) with the gun unloaded in Constant Record Mode to check for any trigger flinching.

Når du har gennemgået optagelserne, kan din elev sammenligne sin egen opfattelse af, hvad han eller hun gjorde, med, hvordan han eller hun faktisk stillede sig op og bevægede sig i forhold til målet. Det er typisk to meget forskellige ting, og selv de mest erfarne skytter er ikke altid klar over, hvornår deres opfattelse ikke stemmer overens med det, de virkelig gør. Det er også det, der gør ShotKam-optagelserne så unikke og uvurderlige; man kan ikke argumentere med videobevis. Når dine elever lærer at korrigere den bevidsthed, vil deres færdigheder blive meget bedre.

Identificering og overvindelse af fælles udfordringer

One of the biggest challenges we may face as coaches is gun fit, especially with youth shooters (and even adult female shooters). The ShotKam will quickly reveal if there are any gun fit issues, and if you see the gun flipping downward in any videos, it’s likely due to incorrect pitch. If the gun doesn’t fit correctly, it’s going to be a lot easier for a new shooter to get tired more quickly. Once their arm muscles are fatigued, the whole session can feel much more stressful and it can even result in poor form. The importance of gun fit cannot be overstated; it can be the difference between a shooter who enjoys shooting and someone who feels utterly overwhelmed by it.

Another common challenge with coaching youth teams is eye dominance issues. This issue is so prevalent, mostly because people are rarely 100% right eye dominant. As coaches, we tend to want to correct this by shutting the “off” eye or patching the lens covering the “off” eye in some way. My personal input is to not try and fix eye dominance issues with new students. The reason I say this is because having both eyes open and working together is critical to understanding how to analyze a moving target. Covering the “off” eye can unnecessarily overcomplicate this understanding.

Prøv i stedet at arbejde med dine elever og lær dem at skyde, så snart de ser målet tydeligt. For mange elever vil det betyde, at de skal trykke på aftrækkeren, så snart de får pistolen i ansigtet. Understreg, at de skal forsøge at skyde inden for 1 sekund efter, at de er blevet ramt af en pistol i ansigtet. Deres fokus skal være på at smelte sammen med målet uden problemer og perfektionere en proprioceptiv bevidsthed eller det ubevidste forhold mellem en skyttes kropsbevægelser og målet. Du kan bruge ShotKam-optagelserne som hjælp til at foretage eventuelle justeringer. Almindelige fejl, der ses i ShotKam-videoer, omfatter kollapsende bly, som sker, når nogen bliver opmærksomme på løbet, og du ser kollapsende eller aftagende bly, hvilket betyder, at de stoppede pistolen. En anden fejl er, at løbet bevæger sig op og ned. Hvis ShotKams trådkors (videokors) bevæger sig op og ned, kan det tyde på, at skytten ikke ser målet godt. Endelig, hvis ShotKams trådkors bevæger sig, før leret er affyret, betyder det, at skytten forudser målet og flytter sit udkigspunkt. Vis skytten, at han skal bruge sit perifere syn til at fange målet og lade det bremse op, når det kommer ind i sigtepunktet.

Gennemgå ShotKam-optagelserne som et hold, og udfordr dine elever til at identificere eventuelle fejl i deres holdkammeraters videoer såvel som i deres egne. Vær tålmodig, lav blide rettelser, og lad dem være trygge ved at lave fejl. See our Help Center article here for tips on analyzing your ShotKam videos. 

Tips til brug af ShotKam med flere studerende

You can easily use the ShotKam with multiple different students (see our Help Center article here) if you are coaching a larger team and really want to optimize their training. We recommend bringing a portable laptop to the range and assigning each student with a memory card (SD card or thumb drive). Each student can save their own videos onto their memory cards and rewatch videos at home. It has been proven that rewatching ShotKam videos has the same benefit as practicing with live fire, and students who rewatched their footage saw a 15% increase in their scores within the first few months. Let your students review the footage after as a team. Quiz them on any techniques they might observe and ask them if they can relate to any common mistakes.

Fremme af holdånd og professionalisme blandt unge skytter

Når du har identificeret deres styrker og hjulpet dem med at få tillid til at rette eventuelle fejl, kan du arbejde på at indgyde den professionalisme og høje moralske standard, der er karakteristisk for skydesporten. Når jeg arbejder med ungdomshold, kan jeg godt lide at fokusere på at sætte klare mål, som er opnåelige, men stadig udfordrende. Sæt f.eks. et scoremål, som dine elever kan nå som hold inden for en realistisk tidsramme. Lad dem se hinanden skyde så meget som muligt, og gør eventuelle fejl eller succeser til lærerige øjeblikke. De skal konkurrere som et samlet hold og ikke mod hinanden, så de kan dyrke en følelse af kammeratskab, mens de stadig tager deres mål alvorligt. Det handler om at skabe et miljø, hvor hele holdet opmuntrer hinanden, og om at skabe en konkurrencepræget, men støttende atmosfære i det hele taget.

Konklusion: Den givende rejse med coaching

In conclusion, the journey of coaching in the shooting sports is both rewarding and complex, involving a deep understanding of each student's needs and challenges. Through innovative use of tools like ShotKam, we coaches have the ability to transform the shooting experience for our students and push them forward on the path to experienced shooting. Keep your emphasis on encouragement, understanding the dynamics of moving targets, and addressing common issues to help your students stay confident. By setting clear, attainable goals and promoting a supportive team environment, coaches can instill professionalism and high morale among their students. As we continue to innovate and adapt our coaching strategies, the true success lies in witnessing our students achieve their full potential, making every effort and every lesson plan truly worthwhile.

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