Being a competitive shooter doesn’t mean casually showing up at the range and firing off a few rounds. Rather, this is a disciplined sport that requires training, practice and determination if you hope to be successful. There’s nobody who knows that better than legendary professional shooter Rob Leatham of Springfield Armory. Known as “TGO” (The Great One), Leatham is a 24-time USPSA National Champion and 6-time International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) World Champion. Simply put, Leatham knows what it takes to be successful in this sport, and he’s written a blog post for Springfield Armory entitled “5 Tips for Competitive Shooters” to help you on your journey.

The easiest way to get started as a competitive shooter is to simply do it. “You don’t have to be a sharpshooter to begin,” the blog post reads. “Regardless of skill level, as long as you are safe and follow the rules, you should have little trouble finding competitions, as many cater to beginners. There are a number of different classes of shooters, so you won’t be alone. By entering multiple competitions with varying levels of skill, you will be able to soak up knowledge and gain valuable experience.”

When you’re competing, your nerves will undoubtedly creep up on you. How you react to this is vital if you hope to find success as a competitive shooter. “Managing pressure is very important in live competitions,” Leatham writes. “You need to learn how your body reacts to high pressure situations and discover ways to remain mentally tough and physically strong. As they always say, practice makes perfect.”

Click here to read Rob Leatham’s blog post, “5 Tips for Competitive Shooters.”