We all tend to focus on the technical aspects of shooting – gun fit, stance, swing and the rest. Top athletes in other sports are well aware of the importance of nutrition, but when we’re disappointed with our performance, we’re more likely to blame the chokes or the cartridges, rather than question the wisdom of starting the day with the Full English washed down with a strong coffee. With that in mind, I spoke to Daniel Davey, a leading figure in the field of sports nutrition who works with professional rugby players and other top athletes, and has himself played several sports at a high level. Daniel grew up on a working farm in his native Ireland, and his personal shooting has been limited to pest control. His close friend Sean O’Brien has encouraged an interest in clay shooting, however, and he is planning to give it a go once the Covid-19 pandemic subsides.
Daniel explains that the principles of nutrition hold good for clay shooting as much as any other sport. “In any sport you have specialised physical demands, and in shooting there are particular mental demands as well,” he says. “It’s important to understand how your body is challenged. With many of the team sports there is a large physical component – the athletes are using energy physically. In a sport like shooting you require a lot of mental energy. You need a stable energy level so you can maintain a high level of concentration and overall consistency.”