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Main Boards => The Shooters FORM Board => Topic started by: longbowman on December 28, 2010, 10:58:00 AM
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Anybody who has paid any attention to Tiger and his golfing exploits, (not the other junk), probably remembers he had the greates 2 year stretch of wins on all time and then changed his swing completely. After doing this for 45 yrs. and taking game all around the country I'm doing the same thing with my shooting method.
I started my shooting watching Fred Bear and adopted his style of "snap shooting" right from the start. It's always worked for me but after years of watching others whom I respect I've decided that I now want to slow my realease down and assure my full draw longer before shooting. So far I've been able to get the relaxed full draw thing down pat and now it's time to begin working on my accuracy again.
I had no idea that this would be as hard as it has been! My goal is to be ready for spring birds and shooting the way I want to shoot. Wish me luck!
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Good luck partner. Being from the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" school of stubborn bowhunters, I couldn't do it so readily. Results make the difference. Best to you.
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good luck man! im a snap shooter too, to an extent. i can hold it when hunting and do well, but if i try at targets it just gets in my head.
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Extreme good luck! I'm 8 months ahead of you. Last June I made this exact same decision, and embarked on a journey to redefine how I shoot my bows. I came up with my own system, and I stuck with it every single time I shot. I used to employ every excuse in the book about why my snap shooting was good enough...why I didn't need absolute full draw...why drawing and holding full draw was a lousy way for me to shoot. I have been amazed at how much I've learned, and how much more comfortable/confident I am. I feel like a new bowhunter!
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Well, good luck with the wife, lover and SUV.
If snap shooting works for you, why change? I pause just a heartbeat to make sure my anchor is solid and then it's away. It's when I hold too long I start to think . . . and for my shooting that is fatal.
The danger is that I have seen guys snap off inches short of their full draw - though they'll deny it. Premature arrowjaculation. For me, locking that anchor prevents this. Though the current "rolling anchor" seems to work for many. My hand mostly stays put after the string leaves.
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I shot that way for years myself, last year I went to a Rod Jenkins seminar, best money I have spent in awhile. It's a great place to start, I did not go 100% with what he taught, but use quite a bit of his method, consistent shooting has really improved. If he comes near you this year, I would suggest you go, you will not be disappointed. RW
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Good luck. Keep at the practice and you will be ready. I think the act of changing has the possibility of really helping your overall shooting, as you will have to focus on all aspects of your form, which can only make you better.
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I switched to a static anchor and three under this summer. I will never go back to "snap' shooting now.
Huge jump in accuracy. I can hold at full draw on a deer for a very long time now and still make a very good shot.
Good luck.
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I also snap shot for a long time and I think it still has it's place (fast moving targets....like bird hunting). Coming to full draw is important when building form. I haven't snap shot in a long time but I think I'll give it a whirl next time I go shooting.
JL
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Wish ya the best my friend. I, over the last year, have focused on spending more time at "Full Draw" before release and have not only become a better shot, but increased my draw just over an inch. For years I, like many, just let my middle finger barely touch the corner of my mouth and let fly. Sometimes even moving my head toward the string to "cheat" my draw. Now I anchor with my index finger just a little behind the corner of my mouth and fletch to the corner of the mouth. Works for me anyway...
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It's my opinion that I should try to make any and all changes that will improve my accuracy, but that's just me.
I will never(hopefully) try something and give up after just one or two tries simply because it feels strange or different to me.
I can always go back to what I was doing before.
God bless,Mudd
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I am a "Snapper" myself. Comes from too much bowfishing I think. Anyway have always wanted to become more rigid or proper in my shooting form, just haven't taken the time.
What I really worry about is losing my instinctive way of shooting all together and begin aiming. I think a lot of the time shooting instinctively is better on critters and aiming is better on stationary targets. I may give it a go though after this season and see what happens.
Keep us informed on your progress us "Flingers" are interested.
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I am doing the same Frank. And while I have not been to a Rod Jenkins clinic, I am planning on it and have spoken with Rod on the telephone which was helpful. Rod suggested I get Masters of the Barebow Vol 3 in which he explains his shot sequence in good detail and I have that and it has been very helpful. I wish you the best - changing ingrained habits accumulated over years is tough. Even if I have it down when on the range I am afraid what will happen in the "live" situation.
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Here is a link to an essay that I wrote on a very similar topic (http://www.protegelongbows.com/apps/forums/topics/show/3949740-why-i-am-no-longer-an-instinctive-shooter-?next=) , as I too changed a bit of my shooting style (for the better). We have to find what works best for us as individuals. My essay though is a bit long winded perhaps, but that is my nature some times. LOL. Anyway, maybe it will help someone here so I thought I would post it.
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If I hold more than a second or so I start to get Target panic.....another whole bucket of problems.......
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Lee, that was a very good essay. You basically hit the problem I'm needing to fix. After nearly a half century, (wow I'm old), of shooting quickly, but accurately, the past couple of years has found me freezing up inches from my anchor. Now I'm hitting anchore and beginning to "slowly" pick my spot and fight the reactive urge to release just because I'm at full draw. I feel good that I'll make the switch soon and it will all be for the better.
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Thanks. Glad you enjoyed it.
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Yes, Lee, I think you have spoken for many of us in what you wrote. I, too, have been in the process for the last year or two of trying to establish a more deliberate shot sequence. For me it is a matter of feeling as though I am in control of the shot. Sometimes I shoot extremely well shooting quickly and just pulling through the shot without ever hesitating at anchor. However, I am inconsistent using that system all the time. So, in the interest of consistency and control, I have worked very hard coming to a solid anchor and taking a little longer for the shot.
However, it is extremely difficult to undo years of mind and muscle memory. With every shooting session I still find myself rushing shots and then "double clutching" as you call it in an effort to regain control.
Last summer I spent about 5 weeks doing nothing but close up blank bale shooting. I felt that I was making good progress, but I had no feedback to tell me if I was really gaining what I wanted. When I went back to targets I still found myself rushing the shot and falling back into the old habits, so I decided I had to conquer the problem at that level since most of it was mental.
What finally has helped me the most is to shoot at my 20 yard target, but to consciously make the decision that whether I hit it or not does not matter as much as keeping my form consistent. That way, I still have the mental element of having to focus on a target, but I'm not attaching a desired outcome to my shot other than executing it the way I want. By practicing this way, I get the feedback I need to know when I do make a correct shot, but I also take the time to analyze what I did wrong if it does not fly right, all the while knowing that even if I miss the target I am aiming at it is OK if my shot has been executed with correct form.
How something as simple as shooting a bow can be that complicated is a question I ask myself on a regular basis. It's like I have to trick my conscious (or maybe my subconscious) mind into not caring whether I hit the target or not, and yet know that in the end my objective is to hit it consistently. This rambling may not make much sense, but if you have ever had trouble with control of your shot, some of what I say may ring true.
At any rate, for all those of you who are in the mode of changing to a more deliberate style of shooting, I wish you well and believe your effort will be worthwhile in the long run.
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Greg, if I may make one suggestion...try shooting just one arrow. Then go back inside. Make the first one count. I believe that will help you. Of course, we are ALL different, so if it doesn't help, by all means I wish you the best with your efforts. I got an "easy" way out of the problem. I switched to shooting left handed. After all, I was left eye dominant anyway. So now, I have the fortunate experience of truly getting to start over, but this time I know what I am doing. Very seldom does a coach have a student that does EVERYTHING the coach tells them to do...but I am pleased to say, I am now in that boat, as I am now my own student and I didn't have any bad habits on the left side. Again, good luck and keep us posted.
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I never really thought about this until Mr. Jenkins pointed this out to me: in the "truely instinctive" shooting style when your eyes lock onto the target - when you reach the point in time when you are fully concentrated on "the spot" your brain is triggering saying "release!, release!" regardless of where you are in the rest of your shot sequence. Therefore, inconsistancy in anchor, bow arm position, etc. That's what convinced me I needed to make a change. It seems logical to me.
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Since I posted this I've been shooting daily. For the past three sessions in the stump woods I've been able to completely relax, draw to full draw, pick my spot and tighten my back muscles until release. I'm even surprised at how quick my accuracy came back once I started doing this. The old brain has quit screaming "release" and right now I'm able to control that part.
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Goodluck longbowman !
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Goodluck wish the best
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Longbowman, I am in the process of doing basically the same thing. It has been a struggle for me to say the least. AS I am at the point where the changes aren't ingrained and I fight them, I am shooting worse thenever. Hopefully this will change too. Everyone who has made changes did you find the accuracy suffering for awhile?