When a student asks a question (related to the technical, physical or mental aspects of 10 Meter Air Pistol Shooting) to a coach, the coach should provide a correct answer, based on the skill level of the student asking the question.

For example, “Sir, when I am about to shoot, I find that my pistol moves to the left of the target. Why does this happen and what should I do to correct this?

In case the student is a complete stranger, then the coach must first and foremost find out, how many months or years the student has been shooting.

If the answer is less than a year then the coach, based on his experience should address the following points;

The shooters position and stance.
Whether the student knows what the natural Point of Aim (NPA) is.
Whether the shooter has warmed up correctly before the training session.

The above points – Stance & Position, NPA and Warming up Drills are aspects related to 10 Meter Air Pistol Basic Techniques.

However, if the shooter has been shooting for say two to three years and is say shooting above 560/600 then the inferences drawn by the coach may be as follows;

Mental Focus on Trigger Follow through is missing.

If the coach, without finding out the skill level of the student, tells the shooter who has been training for less than a year – “You must mentally focus on trigger follow through”.

The reply will leave the student more bewildered and confused.

Therefore, a good 10 Meter Air Pistol coach must first and foremost, assess the skill level and maturity of the shooter before replying.

And it goes without saying that the coach himself should know the following;

How to take a correct stance and position.
How to get the correct NPA
What warming up drills are.
What mental focus on trigger follow through is.

10 Meter Air Pistol Coaching Knowledge Timeline.

A good coach must have a mental timeline in his mind. On this timeline, from the left to right, he must have all the knowledge necessary to take the student from a fresher, novice category to the end of the timeline (to the right) which is an Olympic Medallist or World Record holder.

For a club level coach, the extreme right end of the timeline may be the knowledge for taking the student up to the National level.

Next, he must have the ability to communicate this knowledge to the student in such a way (Training methodology) which enables the student to correct the faults.

Patience is the next most important quality a good coach must possess because no two students are the same; each student has a different learning curve. Some learn quicker than others, so the coach has to be patient with the slower learners and not make the mistake of comparing the two.

Since no two students are alike, the coach must be flexible and creative in providing the correct training methodology so that the interest of the students is brimming to the full.

A system for daily monitoring the progress of the student is absolutely essential so also is a system of measurement of the students’ inputs. Therefore, the coach must not only monitor each and every session of his students but he must also develop a system for measuring the progress or lack of it.

At Foresight Shooting 10 Meter Air Pistol Academy, the entire spectrum of knowledge which takes a member from the ‘beginner’ level to the Olympian heights is provided through graded 10 Meter Air Pistol Training Modules.

The progress of our members is measured and monitored on a daily basis via our Elite Members Group on whatsapp. Students post their daily session by session inputs. Corrections, encouragements and clarification of doubts are dealt with on a daily basis.

Further, face to face communication through video calling provides closer ties between coach and students.

Additionally, shooters from all over, train under my personal supervision through One to One training sessions in the academy’s shooting range.

Module 1: Basic Skills (Free)

Module 2: Technique for shooting a ’10’

Module 3: Training Methodology

Module 4: Advanced Training Methodology

Module 5: Mental Skill

Module 6: Mental Shot Program