Learning to Shoot a Handgun

[OrbitalEllipses]

Where does one find unbiased reviews of trainers advertising their wares here? Sorry, but I'm aware of a few too many shills on this forum...

 

[Pinecone]

Nope. why do you ask?
You don't mean to say that someone who takes a 2 day NRA basic pistol instructor course is certainly more certified than someone who has 20 years experience in a field that is centered around shooting a pistol, do you?

I mean that the NRA instructor course teaches you about teaching/instructing. They assume you know how to shoot.

And not having that training, even with LOTS of field experience, means you are likely a less effective instructor.

 

[trickg]

I mean that the NRA instructor course teaches you about teaching/instructing. They assume you know how to shoot.

And not having that training, even with LOTS of field experience, means you are likely a less effective instructor.

And even that doesn't always mean much. When you were still in school - doesn't matter if it was grade school, high school or college - did you ever have a teacher who was absolutely terrible? So did I. Guess what - these folks all got trained on how to teach, and it was a lot longer than a 1-2 day course.

 

[Blaster229]

I mean that the NRA instructor course teaches you about teaching/instructing. They assume you know how to shoot.

And not having that training, even with LOTS of field experience, means you are likely a less effective instructor.

They do not assume you know how to shoot. Where does it say that?
I'll make this a little personal now and say that the next time some "certified" instructors I know who ask me to help at their courses I will decline, because I'm not "certified". Not NRA courses, because they are of course the gold standard.
By your thought process, I'm not qualified to do my job. Which revolves around a pistol. I should quit now. Those who I have taught I guess need to go to remedial training.

 

[lx1x]

And even that doesn't always mean much. When you were still in school - doesn't matter if it was grade school, high school or college - did you ever have a teacher who was absolutely terrible? So did I. Guess what - these folks all got trained on how to teach, and it was a lot longer than a 1-2 day course.

lol

dont compare nra instructors to a school teachers... not the same by a mile.

do you want to learn basic shooting in 8 hours or 8 month? haa

 

[lx1x]

They do not assume you know how to shoot. Where does it say that?
I'll make this a little personal now and say that the next time some "certified" instructors I know who ask me to help at their courses I will decline, because I'm not "certified". Not NRA courses, because they are of course the gold standard.
By your thought process, I'm not qualified to do my job. Which revolves around a pistol. I should quit now. Those who I have taught I guess need to go to remedial training.

funny you mention that.. there are couple things an nra instructors cannot teach.. laws! (and other specialized courses)

we have to hire professional to teach those portion.

 

[Blaster229]

Hey pinecone, I live in Glen Burnie. Get down this way and I'll take you to a range. Show me your bad habits and I'll help you correct them. All on my dime.

 

[Tactics]

Hey pinecone, I live in Glen Burnie. Get down this way and I'll take you to a range. Show me your bad habits and I'll help you correct them. All on my dime.

So when can we go to the AGC?


Certifications are great, but in my opinion experience mixed with enthusiasm trumps all. OP as far as instructors go, train with as many as you can afford, than you can figure out what you like and who deserves your money.

 

[lx1x]

So when can we go to the AGC?


Certifications are great, but in my opinion experience mixed with enthusiasm trumps all. OP as far as instructors go, train with as many as you can afford, than you can figure out what you like and who deserves your money.

winner winner chicken dinner!

 

[Blaster229]

Taking appointments now.

 

[BradMacc82]

I'll tell her, after I dig out my vest and sapi plate.

 

[davsco]

Oh no!!!! Someone tell my 17 yo daughter that she didn't learn shit from her MP5 non certified Dad.
I mean, look at that shitty form.

any idiot can easily point out the bad form. she's not shooting it lefty!

 

[Blaster229]

any idiot can easily point out the bad form. she's not shooting it lefty!

We couldn't work on injured shooter drills at the indoor range

 

[Pinecone]

They do not assume you know how to shoot. Where does it say that?
I'll make this a little personal now and say that the next time some "certified" instructors I know who ask me to help at their courses I will decline, because I'm not "certified". Not NRA courses, because they are of course the gold standard.
By your thought process, I'm not qualified to do my job. Which revolves around a pistol. I should quit now. Those who I have taught I guess need to go to remedial training.

Never said you could not shoot. Never said you could not shoot well.

Only said you may not be a good instructor, as you have not had any instruction on instructing.

And yes, not all certified/trained instructors are equal. But I have MANY people messed up by people good at doing something, who DO NOT KNOW HOW TO TEACH.

And it is worse if you were a person who had no trouble learning to do the task. As you have no appreciation of the issues for a newby.

When I did my NSCA Level 1 instructor course, the first exercise was to shoot using your off hand. This was sporting clays shotgunning. It was comical watching each other try to do this. The purpose of the exercise was the remind each potential instructor of what it is like for a new person. How awkward it feels, how much recoil there is, how heavy the firearm feels, etc. VERY eye opening.

The other issue with teaching is, have you really looked at what you do and how you do it? EVERY step?

Are you familiar with how people learn? Is it by seeing, doing, reading, or hearing? How about Maslov's pyramid of needs and how it affects the students ability to learn? If you tell a student 3 things, which one will they mostly likely remember (and probably the only one), first, second or third? These are the type of things that you learn when you learn to instruct.

 

[Blaster229]

Never said you could not shoot. Never said you could not shoot well.

Only said you may not be a good instructor, as you have not had any instruction on instructing.

And yes, not all certified/trained instructors are equal. But I have MANY people messed up by people good at doing something, who DO NOT KNOW HOW TO TEACH.

And it is worse if you were a person who had no trouble learning to do the task. As you have no appreciation of the issues for a newby.

When I did my NSCA Level 1 instructor course, the first exercise was to shoot using your off hand. This was sporting clays shotgunning. It was comical watching each other try to do this. The purpose of the exercise was the remind each potential instructor of what it is like for a new person. How awkward it feels, how much recoil there is, how heavy the firearm feels, etc. VERY eye opening.

The other issue with teaching is, have you really looked at what you do and how you do it? EVERY step?

Really. You're over thinking this. People learn much easier when they are comfortable. SNI spent some time with me. I'm not teaching sporting clays. I'll get someone easily comfortable with their handgun and teach them the importance of having the confidence to take care of business.

 

[OrbitalEllipses]

Mkay, back on to the topic of learning to shoot and not this fake beef thing going on between a few posters please?

 

[Pinecone]

Really. You're over thinking this. People learn much easier when they are comfortable. SNI spent some time with me. I'm not teaching sporting clays. I'll get someone easily comfortable with their handgun and teach them the importance of having the confidence to take care of business.

Again, YOU may be fine, but in general, well meaning people offering to help, cause more harm than good.

Going to a certified instructor gives you a bit more likelihood of finding someone who knows how to teach.

All I have to do is look at the pictures posted by people taking their kids or significant others shooting to see how poorly many people do at teaching.

 

[TxAggie]

Again, YOU may be fine, but in general, well meaning people offering to help, cause more harm than good.



Going to a certified instructor gives you a bit more likelihood of finding someone who knows how to teach.



All I have to do is look at the pictures posted by people taking their kids or significant others shooting to see how poorly many people do at teaching.

By your standards, none of us should be helping our kids with homework.

Go to any school in the country and you'll see well credentialed "teachers" who can't teach kids to wipe their asses.

True, the best mix is credentialed backed by experience, but the fact is the student is the deciding factor in all of this. As others have mentioned, get as much training and advice from as many people as possible because as students even learning from "bad" instructors teaches you what not to do.

 

[traveller]

Mkay, back on to the topic of learning to shoot and not this fake beef thing going on between a few posters please?

This seems to happen every time someone asks about instruction. A couple of weeks ago, it degraded into a dick-length comparison on who has more letters behind his name.

 

[Pinecone]

because as students even learning from "bad" instructors teaches you what not to do.

Only once you have the basics down.