Finally was able to take this class!
Although I was late to class and developed a migraine, I was able to get through the day. I am not a great shooter and want to get better as I enjoy shooting USPSA matches and really want to move up in class.
The day was very structured building upon a key skill set. You would start with a skill then work on it adding more elements. Some examples included sight picture, prepping the trigger and drawing to name a few. All skills that could be practiced at home with dry firing.
There were several revelations but one that stands out in particular was the method of drawing and pushing out that Thomas taught me. By using this method I was able to get on target easier and my first shot was closer to target. Usually my first shot is a flyer. I felt myself getting better and better throughout the day. At one point I put four shots on steel in 4 seconds.
Fortunately we had out monthly match at the ENGC with a classifier. I was eager to try out my new skills! I should have stayed home! Too much information was crowding my mind and instead of fine motor skills and prepping the trigger gross motor skills and crunching the trigger led to a mike and 3 no-shoots on the classifier. I was frustrated but figured I had sucked it up at the match so I decided to slow down and really practice what Thomas tried to teach me. It paid off on stage 1 where accuracy was necessary placing shots on targets sprayed black with hard cover. There was little margin for error. It was a success as I felt myself draw the way I was supposed to, prepped the trigger and felt I knew where the shots were going. Not a fast time but was happy.
The other stages were hit and miss, felt I did pretty well on 5. Overall the classifier really killed my overall score and may have been my worst match to date. But this is the shooter, not the training. I really don't know if I would recommend going to a match right after taking an intensive 6-7 hours of training and shooting some 400-500 rounds. Your individual mileage may vary.
Thomas is an excellent instructor and took time to help students individually, especially dissecting the nuances that could be discovered. If you want to be a better shooter and competitor lay the $100 to take this class. Well worth every cent. I intend to take it once a year just to keep my fundamentals up.
