Prepare, Shoot & Repeat
Read how Blaser Academy shooting coach Jesper Lindgaard makes every shooter better.
Jesper Lindgaard is an instructor par excellence. Not only because of his many years of experience. During his time in the military, the Dane trained future rifle instructors for more than 20 years. What sets him apart is that he still enjoys what he does. His protégés notice this immediately. “When someone comes to me, they trust me, and I want to give them exactly what they need to improve.” It has been that way from the beginning. “I didn't just want to apply my own knowledge, I wanted to pass it on,” says Jesper. It doesn't matter whether someone is shooting for the first time or has been hunting for decades.
Practical, from the shooting range to hunting in the field
So it was only natural that the 58-year-old began offering courses for hunters after his active military service. For him, who has been hunting for decades, training is never an end in itself. Every exercise is geared toward hunting in the field. Whether lying down, sitting at the shooting table, or with individually adjusted supports, he always ensures that each position is as stable, repeatable, and close to hunting as possible, because “after all, many people want to improve their hunting success through training at the shooting range.”
At the beginning of each training session, Jesper asks his participants a fundamental question: “What do you want to achieve?” Whether it's perfecting the 100-meter shot group, safe handling of the shooting stick, long-range shooting, or understanding ballistic towers. Jesper tailors each training session precisely to the needs of the shooters. His strength: he quickly recognizes where there is potential and where fundamental mistakes need to be corrected.
The problems he encounters most frequently are: closed eyes when shooting, improper trigger action, and immediately lifting the head after the shot instead of staying in the scope. The latter is particularly crucial for hunting: "I teach my clients to watch the shot and the behavior of the game afterwards. This is often more important than the moment of pulling the trigger,“ explains Jesper.
Once the problem has been identified, the next step is to find a solution. An important component here is the silencer. Jesper: ”For me, the silencer is one of the best inventions ever. Less recoil, less noise, and the shooters remain much more relaxed. This increases precision enormously." This is because it is often the fear of recoil or the noise of the shot that causes shooters to automatically close their eyes, for example.
Empower, don't evaluateWhat makes a good shooter? “Someone who can successfully apply what they have learned when hunting,” says Jesper. To help them do this, he reinforces certain procedures until the shooter has mastered them intuitively and can recall them at any time. He always breaks down the instructions for individual aspects into three steps, “because men can only remember three things anyway,” Jesper smiles. He has noticed time and again that women are the “better beginners,” i.e., they listen carefully and then usually implement his tips perfectly. Jesper: “For a coach, the best thing is when the knowledge is accepted and leads to moments of success for the participant.”
Contact: jesperlindgaard@hotmail.dk
Blaser Academy: Simply shoot better
Whether you are applying for a hunting license, preparing for hunting abroad, or seeking further training for experienced shooters, the trainers at the Blaser Academy are the right people to contact for every level. They help shooters and hunters worldwide to achieve their personal best. After all, no one is born with the ability to shoot a shotgun or rifle with precision. Rather, almost all good shooters have one thing in common: they had a good teacher.
As part of the Blaser Academy, shooting coaches offer individual courses that can be used to correct mistakes or avoid them from the outset. This increases self-confidence and usually leads to better shooting. Success at the shooting range and ethical hunting are thus decisively supported.
If you are interested, please contact the instructors directly.
Text: Alexandra Berton; Photos: Alexander Reese
Read how Blaser Academy shooting coach Jesper Lindgaard makes every shooter better.
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