Magazine Review CLAYTARGET-NATION – 2021 August I’ve always been a proponent of the wholebody swing from the ankles up. This keeps the shoulder, head, and arms as a stationary unit moving to the target by moving the body as a whole. Paul Giambrone III agrees. He also believes in letting the shot develop without measuring the lead. Sharp focus on the target is next. For some targets that’s as soon as the targets appears for others it may only happen as they approach the break zone. Trust your shot and don’t check or measure leads. Focus on the target and let the shot happen. Trust the process and yourself.
right leg behind me. This was the advice I remember reading about for rabbits under my feet. Put all your weight on your lead leg, leave your trailing leg stretched out behind you, to the point you are on your toes of the trailing leg, and lean forward into the
Gil and Vicki Ash have a contrasting view of body movement when clay target shooting this month. I’ve always believed and taught students to move from the ankles up regardless of the clay target discipline. This is a more athletic move in the same way you hit a golf or tennis ball. I’m going to comment on what I agree with and leave out the rest. The Ash’s like a forward lean with weight on the lead foot. Also, elbows at 45o angle to the gun. Hands closer together on the gun for tower shots is also recommended. Nothing I disagree with. Interestingly they agree with Don Currie about targets below your feet. They all agree, feet close together as well as the hands, butt out, and lean forward. The first article I ever read on shooting said the exact opposite. Don talks about reaching down to pick something up using your normal shooting stance and how uncomfortable it is. When I reach for something on the ground, I put all my weight on my left leg and I thrust out my
target. Finally, Gil and Vicki advise against a full body swing from shooters over 65, since we are not ballerinas anymore and can’t handle 14 such an active sport as clay target shooting.