Training Day with 3x World Champion JJ Racaza

When it comes to success- it takes a great team. One thing that I love about the hunting and shooting sports industry is the willingness of others to help and encourage the success and growth of each other. Teaming up with two of my best girlfriends, Melinda Sonju and Rei Hoang, we sought out some instruction from highly accomplished trainer and world class competitive shooter JJ Racaza.

JJ’s resume is nothing short of world class; a 3 time speed shooting world champion, having broken and held multiple world speed shooting records. A 3 time US Gold Team Member for the World Shooting Championships, JJ led the team in 2011 and 2014. He is also a double grand master in the USPSA and was also a high ranking competitor on the History Channel’s Top Shot television program.

To say that we were thrilled to train with JJ is an understatement. With only one day to train, we had to move through our drills rapidly diagnosing our fundamental errors and getting instruction to correct those in an expedient manner.

For me, my biggest error was trigger control. It was perfect if I were driving a bolt gun on the long range. Target acquisition, press, hold straight and the rear, recoil, back on target, trigger reset and press. Great fundamental but not for speed. Not for pistol shooting.

JJ taught me that I am always in a race to be faster than my pistol can cycle- which is impossible but the method behind the madness is that as soon as I press off my shot, my finger goes off and immediately back on the trigger, prepping it for when my sight picture returns from the recoil process. This process will make you a faster, more efficient shooter. After one short day of training with JJ my level of speed and accuracy both greatly improved.

I am already looking forward to training with JJ again and cannot thank him enough for taking the time, effort and energy to help and support us ladies in our training program.