WHAT IS MY PHILOSOPHY?

At its core, sporting clays is often thought of as a purely physical skill—the ability to mount a gun, read a target, and execute a precise move. But David Radulovich sees shooting as something much deeper. His philosophy is built on the belief that there is a psychological and philosophical connection to the physical technique required for shooting. To truly master the sport, a shooter must understand not just how to move the gun, but how thought influences motion.

Reverse-Engineering the Learning Process
Many shooters struggle with the transition from practice to competition. What feels smooth and instinctive on the practice field often breaks down under pressure. David’s approach reverse-engineers the learning process to make that transition as seamless as possible. Instead of teaching a shooter how to move the gun, he teaches them how to change their conscious approach—allowing them to develop a pure, minimalistic move that emerges naturally rather than being forced.

At the highest level, shooting isn’t about big, deliberate movements—it’s about total control over micro-adjustments. The finesse required to compete at an elite level demands control over motion in such minuscule measurements of space that it cannot be achieved purely through mechanical repetition. Instead, it requires an awareness of how the brain processes movement, vision, and pressure.

A Neurological Approach to Shooting
David’s philosophy is deeply rooted in neurology and vision science, helping shooters develop a subconscious connection between what they see, how they interpret it, and how they move in response. By focusing on pre-planned execution instead of reactive shooting, he helps athletes bridge the gap between thought and motion, ensuring their technique holds up under tournament pressure.

For David, shooting isn’t about “aiming” in the traditional sense—it’s about programming the brain to process the target, predict its behavior, and execute a precise movement without excess tension or hesitation.

Coaching Beyond Mechanics
Every shooter has a unique way of processing information, reacting to stress, and interpreting targets. David’s coaching is never a one-size-fits-all approach. His goal is to identify what makes each shooter tick and tailor his instruction to enhance their natural abilities. By focusing on vision, psychology, and movement control, he teaches his students how to optimize their subconscious processing rather than trying to force mechanics that don’t suit them.

Beyond technique, David emphasizes the mental and emotional aspects of competition. Many shooters struggle not because they lack skill, but because they allow stress, doubt, or over-analysis to interfere with their execution. His coaching helps shooters develop emotional intelligence—learning how to regulate their thoughts, maintain composure, and execute with clarity under pressure.

A Legacy of Learning and Mastery
David’s philosophy is a direct reflection of his own journey as a competitor and coach. He has spent his career refining his understanding of shooting—not just through competition, but through in-depth study of neuroscience, psychology, and elite performance. His time training under some of the sport’s greatest minds, including Wendell Cherry, has reinforced his belief that true mastery comes not from learning a system, but from understanding how to think about the game.

For David, shooting is not simply about breaking targets. It’s about mastering yourself. By aligning thought with motion, controlling perception, and refining the smallest details of movement, shooters can unlock a level of precision that is not just repeatable—but instinctive.

The Physiological Blend

The highest level of shooting is achieved when the mind, body, and vision operate as one seamless system. Shooting isn’t just about seeing a target, moving the gun, and pulling the trigger—it’s about developing an instinctive connection between perception and motion. This is where psychology and physical technique blend into a single process. A shooter must first train their thought process to remove tension and hesitation, allowing their subconscious to take over. At the same time, they must refine their mechanics so that their movements are instinctively precise and require no excess correction. When these elements are aligned, shooting becomes almost effortless—a fluid, automatic reaction rather than a forced or conscious effort. This state of total connection is what separates great shooters from inconsistent ones. Those who master this physiological blend are able to replicate perfection not through force, but through an understanding of how thought influences motion and how motion is refined by thought.