Taking a Phil Strader class this weekend...

[jeffsoward]

I'm taking a competition class taught by Phil Strader this weekend in Mcloud, OK.

I'm excited but very nervous. The guys say it will be a lot of fun and very informative, but I've gotten a feeling that I may be in over my head. I've only shot a couple of USPSA matches and I'm hooked on it, but I worry about movement and transitions in the class.

I know I'll learn a ton of great stuff, and hopefully get rid of a bunch of bad habits, but getting up in front of guys like Phil, Jesse Tischauser, Chris Andersen, etc. and hobbling around makes me a little self-conscious.

Still, it's a chance to learn from a great instructor.

[Bigpops]

No need to worry Phil is a great instructor. We attended a class of his earlier this year. You will start with the basics and move up.

Let me know how many mags you give up!? (you'll understand soon)

[jeffsoward]

...

Let me know how many mags you give up!? (you'll understand soon)

uh oh. now you gotta tell me. I don't want to be losing my tripp mags.

[BigTinVA]

...

Let me know how many mags you give up!? (you'll understand soon)

uh oh. now you gotta tell me. I don't want to be losing my tripp mags.

Those Tripp mags are cheap compared to the 140mm SVI's that I had to give up

[jeffsoward]

...

Let me know how many mags you give up!? (you'll understand soon)

uh oh. now you gotta tell me. I don't want to be losing my tripp mags.

Those Tripp mags are cheap compared to the 140mm SVI's that I had to give up

so, maybe the tripp mags will stay home and the cheap mags will go with me.

[BigTinVA]

so, maybe the tripp mags will stay home and the cheap mags will go with me.

Shoot straight and don't worry about it

[benos]

I'm taking a competition class taught by Phil Strader this weekend in Mcloud, OK.

I'm excited but very nervous. The guys say it will be a lot of fun and very informative, but I've gotten a feeling that I may be in over my head. I've only shot a couple of USPSA matches and I'm hooked on it, but I worry about movement and transitions in the class.

I know I'll learn a ton of great stuff, and hopefully get rid of a bunch of bad habits, but getting up in front of guys like Phil, Jesse Tischauser, Chris Andersen, etc. and hobbling around makes me a little self-conscious.

Still, it's a chance to learn from a great instructor.

Phil is chill - the Rodney Dangerfield of the IPSC world - will have you learning and happy.

Have fun!

be

[jeffsoward]

Phil is chill - the Rodney Dangerfield of the IPSC world - will have you learning and happy.

Have fun!

be

Like bug-eyed tie adjusting or gets no respect?

I know it will be fun and I need all the help I can get.

I got everything ready, ammo and gear and everything. I'm just nervous cause I know I'm going to be "that guy", the one that has no experience and everybody else has to wait on to figure it out.

[Bigpops]

Phil is chill - the Rodney Dangerfield of the IPSC world - will have you learning and happy.

Have fun!

be

Like bug-eyed tie adjusting or gets no respect?

I know it will be fun and I need all the help I can get.

I got everything ready, ammo and gear and everything. I'm just nervous cause I know I'm going to be "that guy", the one that has no experience and everybody else has to wait on to figure it out.

Nope...no need to worry about that. The only person(s) that will really know how your doing is you and Phil. His course does not really put a spotlight on anyone in particular. Don't worry about everyone else just learn his techniques and practice them.

Relax and enjoy. The only difficult thing was that whole handstand while singing La Viva Loca and clucking like a chicken thing...but BigTin mastered that in no time!

[Sarge]

Let us know how it goes and what kind of targets you shoot.

[jeffsoward]

...

Relax and enjoy. The only difficult thing was that whole handstand while singing La Viva Loca and clucking like a chicken thing...but BigTin mastered that in no time!

They're gonna need a forklift to help me do a handstand. I can sing like nobody's business though.

Let us know how it goes and what kind of targets you shoot.

Will do. I'll give a pitiful-excuse-of-a daily report.

Edited July 22, 2010 by jeffsoward

[dcarter]

I've never taken his class but I have been on his squad before. Like most of the "Big" name shooters he is a great guy. This IS the tiem to take classes. BEFORE you learn any bad habbits. Enjoy yourself and learn what you can learn.

[jeffsoward]

Well,

It looks like I'm not going to take the class this weekend.

I got some advice from an advanced shooter telling me that the class was for advanced shooters wanting to get to the next level.

I emailed Phil and explained my situation to him and asked his advice; he thinks that I should wait as well. He wants me to get some matches under my belt before jumping in with both feet.

So, dammit, I'm out.

[Bigpops]

Sorry to hear that.

How many matches to you have? What class are you?

[jeffsoward]

Sorry to hear that.

How many matches to you have? What class are you?

I'm still a newb. I've only shot a couple of USPSA matches and a couple of steel challenge. Still a 'U'.

My shooting isn't too horrible, but my times are killing me. I'm slow (I have MS) so I don't transition well.

To give you an idea; shot a stage last Sunday, they called it Good guys/Bad guys, and I had 124pts on the stage (second highest of the stage) but my time was 80.05 (by far the slowest). Top guy on the stage shot a 120 in 18.96 (M class), so I came in 20th out of 22.

On the two stationary stages, I came in 10th and 13th overall. I'm not fast and I need to work on reloads (single stack=many reloads) but I was hoping that the class would help me with some of the things I'm doing wrong and help speed up others.

It can't fix my legs, but it might help with planning, target re-acquisition, reloads, etc.

I'll just keep going to matches and work it out. I'm going to try to go to the USPSA match at USSA Saturday instead.

[Bigpops]

Sorry to hear that.

How many matches to you have? What class are you?

I'm still a newb. I've only shot a couple of USPSA matches and a couple of steel challenge. Still a 'U'.

My shooting isn't too horrible, but my times are killing me. I'm slow (I have MS) so I don't transition well.

To give you an idea; shot a stage last Sunday, they called it Good guys/Bad guys, and I had 124pts on the stage (second highest of the stage) but my time was 80.05 (by far the slowest). Top guy on the stage shot a 120 in 18.96 (M class), so I came in 20th out of 22.

On the two stationary stages, I came in 10th and 13th overall. I'm not fast and I need to work on reloads (single stack=many reloads) but I was hoping that the class would help me with some of the things I'm doing wrong and help speed up others.

It can't fix my legs, but it might help with planning, target re-acquisition, reloads, etc.

I'll just keep going to matches and work it out. I'm going to try to go to the USPSA match at USSA Saturday instead.

Hmmm....the class I took from Phil started very basic. I am not sure what he had planned for your class.

Have you watched any good videos/DVD's? You can learn some very good basics from them. To name a few - Ron Avery, TJ's Blackhawk Pro Shooting Tips, Saul Kirsch 3GM series, and of course Matt Burkett's series.

They are all very good but I first watched the Ron Avery series when I started all of this pistol stuff. Matter of fact I still refer back to it when I need to refine my shooting. Ron's series has a very easy to understand and simple way of teaching. It's repetitive and good, especially for a shooter wanting to learn the proper way first and to build confidence. Plus...a biggie for me....Ron Avery could smoke my doors off shooting, but from his DVD's you would never know. For him it's about teaching, not showing off.

Another great source of info are the online coach/video reviewers. I personnaly use Jake DiVita and I cannot begin to tell you how much he has helped me. He has a knack for shooting detail. You mentioned your MS...I'm sure Jake would be more than happy to discuss limted movement with you. Look at it this way, the top guys seperate themselves by getting from point A to point B the quickest (with good hits of course). You can do the same thing, MS or not. Just find the key, or the thing that works for you.

All that said.....the classes and video mean zilch if we don't practice what we learn.

Let me know if your interested in DVD's. I would be willing to loan some to you if it would help. You scratch them though and I will hunt you down!

[jeffsoward]

Hmmm....the class I took from Phil started very basic. I am not sure what he had planned for your class.

Have you watched any good videos/DVD's? You can learn some very good basics from them. To name a few - Ron Avery, TJ's Blackhawk Pro Shooting Tips, Saul Kirsch 3GM series, and of course Matt Burkett's series.

They are all very good but I first watched the Ron Avery series when I started all of this pistol stuff. Matter of fact I still refer back to it when I need to refine my shooting. Ron's series has a very easy to understand and simple way of teaching. It's repetitive and good, especially for a shooter wanting to learn the proper way first and to build confidence. Plus...a biggie for me....Ron Avery could smoke my doors off shooting, but from his DVD's you would never know. For him it's about teaching, not showing off.

Another great source of info are the online coach/video reviewers. I personnaly use Jake DiVita and I cannot begin to tell you how much he has helped me. He has a knack for shooting detail. You mentioned your MS...I'm sure Jake would be more than happy to discuss limted movement with you. Look at it this way, the top guys seperate themselves by getting from point A to point B the quickest (with good hits of course). You can do the same thing, MS or not. Just find the key, or the thing that works for you.

All that said.....the classes and video mean zilch if we don't practice what we learn.

Let me know if your interested in DVD's. I would be willing to loan some to you if it would help. You scratch them though and I will hunt you down!

I would love to check out the DVD's. I haven't watched any. I've seen a couple of online videos, but most of my routine comes from friends that are B, A, and M shooters

They corrected my grip, form and how to practice at home. But I want to keep going and try to get as good as I can while making sure that I'm not creating or using any more bad habits. I've already got a few that I'm trying to overcome.

Too many years shooting rifles and recreational shooting instilled some very bad habits in my pistol shooting. I try to practice every night drawing, dry-firing and reloading. I shoot three or four times a week, typically about 500-600 rounds a week. And now the matches on the weekends to try to apply what I'm practicing. It doesn't always work, but I keep practicing.

I promise I won't scratch them.

[Bigpops]

Hmmm....the class I took from Phil started very basic. I am not sure what he had planned for your class.

Have you watched any good videos/DVD's? You can learn some very good basics from them. To name a few - Ron Avery, TJ's Blackhawk Pro Shooting Tips, Saul Kirsch 3GM series, and of course Matt Burkett's series.

They are all very good but I first watched the Ron Avery series when I started all of this pistol stuff. Matter of fact I still refer back to it when I need to refine my shooting. Ron's series has a very easy to understand and simple way of teaching. It's repetitive and good, especially for a shooter wanting to learn the proper way first and to build confidence. Plus...a biggie for me....Ron Avery could smoke my doors off shooting, but from his DVD's you would never know. For him it's about teaching, not showing off.

Another great source of info are the online coach/video reviewers. I personnaly use Jake DiVita and I cannot begin to tell you how much he has helped me. He has a knack for shooting detail. You mentioned your MS...I'm sure Jake would be more than happy to discuss limted movement with you. Look at it this way, the top guys seperate themselves by getting from point A to point B the quickest (with good hits of course). You can do the same thing, MS or not. Just find the key, or the thing that works for you.

All that said.....the classes and video mean zilch if we don't practice what we learn.

Let me know if your interested in DVD's. I would be willing to loan some to you if it would help. You scratch them though and I will hunt you down!

I would love to check out the DVD's. I haven't watched any. I've seen a couple of online videos, but most of my routine comes from friends that are B, A, and M shooters

They corrected my grip, form and how to practice at home. But I want to keep going and try to get as good as I can while making sure that I'm not creating or using any more bad habits. I've already got a few that I'm trying to overcome.

Too many years shooting rifles and recreational shooting instilled some very bad habits in my pistol shooting. I try to practice every night drawing, dry-firing and reloading. I shoot three or four times a week, typically about 500-600 rounds a week. And now the matches on the weekends to try to apply what I'm practicing. It doesn't always work, but I keep practicing.

I promise I won't scratch them.

Shoot me a pm with your address. I will mail some out tomorrow or Monday.

Steve

[tangoforcash]

Phill is a great guy instructor and a even better man. Be a sponge. Hope you have fun.