Pistol Training by Olympic Coach Daniel Goberville

[Ramon OP]

Hi all,

I've shared the training that I got from Olympic coach Daniel Goberville: https://www.olympicpistol.com/pistol-st ... rvile.html

This is the outcome of the training session I had with him a few weeks ago (you can find the notes here https://www.olympicpistol.com/pistol-tr ... notes.html).

The training program is based on my weaknesses, so it focuses on balance, arm, and trigger release.

If you have similar programs from trainers that you have received, can you please share them in the comments ?

Cheers!

[BobGee]

Thanks for that Ramon, and Daniel of course. Very instructive and useful training drills.

Bob

[thirdwheel]

Thank you for sharing with the World (now a village) this insight, what will also be interesting is how this work rate translates to improvement for you over a period of time and what challenges to have to overcome on your journey.

The importance of a coach cannot be overstated and you have one of the top chaps there, my coach has saved me from myself and over complication of the process, through "tuff luv", something I would not have done left to my own devices

[Ramon OP]

Thanks @thirdwheel. Would it be possible for you to share some of the training programs you got from your coach? I think we should build a directory with the most we can get so shooters could use it to get ideas to training. Finding a coach in your area is not a choice for most people.

[thirdwheel]

My coach came to my aid via the internet but I have met him a couple of times at our National Shooting Centre where he was watching over some of his 10m rifle shooters at Championships, his main focus is rife but in his younger days as a top class pistol competitor.

From the words of my mentor:-
Pistol shooting is simple don't over complicate it
Get your eyes tested and get the proper correction for pistol or you are wasting your time
Use whatever stance that suits you and is comfortable
Focus on the front sight in a relaxed way and let the black become a fuzzy blob
Sight alignment must be as far as humanly possible perfect front sight to back sight
Ignore the target and area aim
Fire at a blank target to work on sight alignment and trigger release
Dry fire a lot then do some more
Do not think about what the target looks like, concentrate on getting the sight picture and trigger release smooth the scores will come in time
He advised an aim area way off the black so you are really looking at those sights and not distracted by the black
Your work rate / training needs to be high to break through into the top band of competition
Train every day, shooting live rounds are not that important for air pistol
Belly breath
If the sights or anything else does not look or feel right lower the pistol and start again
In competition stick to your set process and rely on it as it will save you from a lot of nerves
Don't waste time in the aim zone if it ok start pulling the trigger
Follow through is very, very important
Adjust your stance so you get a natural point of aim just where you want it and don't accept anything else and no compromise
Do not analyse targets at a competition or worry about the score (either way) just note if you are going left, right, up or down
Do not be afraid to move the sights in a competition
Try and get the shots off before 8 seconds from the start of the lift
Be confident in your point of aim

But did I follow all of this all of the time - NO, and I hit a wall, as I had read so much and added so much I totally over complicated just about everything, and three months ago ever so politely he pointed out the error of may ways to me. He stripped away all of the drills I was going through to get to the aim zone and took about 5 seconds off the time and that cleared a lot of head space and it has worked. At the last open meeting I bettered my last personal best at a competition by 26 points - I'm on the verge of being able to shoot a pistol now.

I would add my own findings that the trigger is king get that right with a slow steady pull and it should all be ok - Just like Daniel is training you to do. I've worked out the angle across the black back at the firing point is 0.34 degrees so sight alignment is critical too, if they are aligned but off the centre a bit that is not so bad as it will usually hit the 9 ring.

Hope this is of some use, not much different to what Daniel is saying either.

[Ramon OP]

Awesome @thirdwheel, thanks a lot :)

[Silvershooter]

Thanks Ramon for posting this, very helpful.

I 'm not sure I've understood this para, could you explain a little more. What is staged release ?

Two types of trigger to train (out of three, my level is not good enough for staged release). What matters is the principle, not the exact numbers:
Decreasing pressure trigger release: 40gr, 40gr, 40gr, 20gr, 20gr, 10gr, 5gr, 5gr each second.
Steady pressure trigger release: 20gr, 20gr, 20gr, 20gr…

[Ramon OP]

A release in stages that I have not been introduced to. Can't help here, maybe somebody from the forum can.