5 Tips for Learning and Improving with ShotKam
Exclusive tips from David Radulovich, World FITASC Champion
Introduction
In this guide, we will explore how to use your ShotKam videos to gain insights into your shooting technique. Whether you're into skeet, trap, sporting clays, FITASC, or hunting, the techniques we'll discuss can be applied across all shooting disciplines.
First and foremost, let's remember that the "where" you miss is a direct result of the "why" you miss. Correcting your point of impact is essential, but it won't fix the underlying issues causing your misses. To enhance your shooting performance, focus on improving your overall shooting technique, and ShotKam footage is your invaluable tool. Now, let's examine some common shooting mistakes you might find in your ShotKam videos below.
The Impact of a Late Start-Time
In the first video, you might notice a miss in front of the target. However, let's shift our focus away from where the miss occurred and delve into why it happened. This particular miss was caused by a late start-time, which made the eyes perceive the target as moving faster, resulting in a rushed shot that missed in front. The key takeaway here is to understand the underlying cause – the late start – and work on improving your shot initiation and hold-point to stay ahead of the clay.
Acceleration and Deceleration Before Shot
In the next video, we observe a choppy, non-synchronized movement. This particular mistake often stems from the eyes darting back and forth between the target and the bead of the gun. To resolve this, it's crucial to maintain an unwavering focus solely on the target. Instead of fixating on the barrel, practice developing a subconscious awareness of its position without direct visual attention to the gun. The key insight here is that as soon as you attempt to aim, the gun's movement slows down, compromising your move's fluidity. Keep your focus locked on the target, allowing you to keenly read its speed and trajectory while maintaining a harmonious shot.
Maintaining Target Focus for Improved Shooting
From the third ShotKam video, it's evident that keeping your focus on the target is essential. To avoid the mistake of shifting your gaze to the gun, maintain a disciplined approach. When you call pull, concentrate solely on tracking the bird, even as the gun enters your field of vision. Pull the trigger while consistently seeing the target under the gun, ensuring synchronized movement and improved shooting accuracy with practice.
Maintaining a Smooth Rotation
In the fourth ShotKam video, we're looking at a left-to-right crosser. You might notice a peculiar lag in momentum—almost like the bird repels the gun. It gets close, then the gun accelerates but slows down suddenly. This happened because instead of rotating the entire body when the bird moved right, the weight was shifted from the left to the right foot, upsetting balance. This shifts the gun without proper rotation. If you throw the gun too early, it stops prematurely, resulting in a miss behind. Throw it too late, and you'll accelerate through the target, missing in front when you pull the trigger.
Checking Bead Alignment During Your Setup
In our analysis of the final shot, a teal, there's a crucial lesson to grasp: preventing unwanted gun stock rotation. This issue often arises when you shoot with a low gun or from your shoulders, a common challenge for many shooters. The problem originates from a horizontal pivot in your gun mount caused by positioning the gun too far outside your body in relation to the stock.
So, how do we address this? The solution lies in perfecting the alignment of your gun's beads, specifically the front bead and mid bead. When viewed from your dominant eye, they should be neatly stacked, one atop the other, not off to the side. This simple visual check can effectively eliminate that troublesome horizontal pivot.
Now, why is this so important? Well, the ShotKam's unique feature shows us what our eyes can't – the infinite plane of the point of impact. It reveals that even the slightest deviations in gun alignment can lead to erratic horizontal movements during your shot.
So, here's the remedy: ensure your gun is brought forward, aligned with your dominant eye before calling for the target. By paying meticulous attention to your setup, confirming the alignment of those beads, and being deliberate and attentive to your stance and gun position, you can eliminate that unwanted gun swing.
Conclusion
In summary, ShotKam videos provide a unique perspective, revealing subtleties in your shooting technique that may otherwise go unnoticed. By analyzing your footage and understanding the "why" behind your misses, you can make targeted improvements to your shooting skills. Remember, it all starts with a solid setup and deliberate attention to your movement and points before you even call for the target. Once you've mastered the fundamentals, your shots will become more precise, leading to fewer misses. To learn more about ShotKam, Shop the camera here.
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