WHAT IS YOUR PRACTICE ROUTINE ?

[Grizzzly]

I'm new at this game & was wondering your practice routine. Once I got my form down, I started shooting 1 arrow at different targets with a decent pause in between each shot trying to visualize a hunting scenario in my head. Always trying to make that first shot count,just like a hunt. It seems to work really well for me. I seem to throw my arrows a little if I shoot the same target over & over. Must be a concentration thing. Thanks, John

                                 

[frankwright]

I do about the same thing, I can safely shoot about 25 yards and only in one direction.

I have a deer and a pig set up and I shoot from the deck, I walk through the yard, I kneel behind the rosebush, anything I can do to keep from standing in one spot and shooting arrow after arrow.

I will sometimes stand about ten yards and drive several arrows into one spot to just work on my form.

[Big'n]

I use the "1 arrow" approach also. Learned this from Fred Asbell. It makes alot of sense for a hunter as well as a instinctive shot. I'm like you Grizz, if I stand in one spot and fling arrow after arrow, my concentration suffers. I generally don't aim while I'm working on form though (up close to the target). It allows me to focus more on the fine points of my form.  DAVE

[McDave]

My archery is less important to me as a means to an end, i.e. hitting a bullseye or bagging a deer, than as an end in itself.  Meaning that flinging a few arrows at the end of the day relieves stress from work and makes me feel more centered, or just happier.  I also like hitting the bullseye or bagging a deer, but I'm not going to do anything that would make archery seem more like work than play to get there.  Learning new things is fun for me, so I read a lot of archery books and look at videos, and try different things out to see if they improve my shooting.  I don't drill in front of blind bales very much, although I would probably improve more if I did.  I never really know before hand which bow I'll pick that day, or how many arrows I'll shoot.  I'm sure I'll never be a champion archer, but it does keep me interested, and I end up shooting some arrows just about every day.

[laddy]

I have found that a good way to create target panic is to mindlessly fire hundreds of arrows a day at the same target at the same range.  the only time I shoot multiple  arrows is when I am very close to the target and then I only practice the parts of form one aspect of that form at a time.  when I get to the release i begin to back up and then reduce the number of arrows depending on how well I am doing that day.  when i am stump shooting I usually only need to shoot one arrow, because it is accurate.  if I plan on emptying my quiver I tend to be less accurate when I am roving.

[SHOOTO8S]

Originally posted by laddy:
I have found that a good way to create target panic is to mindlessly fire hundreds of arrows a day at the same target at the same range.  

laddy...I agree with you in part...but is there any reason that you have to mindlessly fire those arrows?

My practice routine often consists of shooting hundreds of arrows(often at the same distance, at the same target)BUT with a plan and purpose for each shot taken and with a commitment to shoot my last practice arrow of the day, with the same effort as my first.

[laddy]

Byron Ferguson says that he is good for three arrows a trip.  If you  have the where with all to shoot a quiver full on every trip from the the target, you are practicing a wonderful ability make each shot an individual and isolated event.  I needed to admit to myself that I tended dwell too much on the quiver full as a singular effort.I once shot a thousand and 20 arrows in one day with an 85lb. bow. John Schulz says it impossible, sorry John it is, A quiver full of arrows, a large target, and repetitive stubbornness is required.  The day starts out shooting pretty fast with a few breaks the tempo naturally slows down through the session.  A great way to develop and practice shooting flaws, 14 hours i will never get back.  Don't waste your time trying it.

[Diamond Paul]

I use only one arrow.  I usually start with 10-15 shots at point blank range just to work on the feel of the shot, specifically proper back tension.  Once I feel good about my execution, I walk around and shoot from 10 to 40 yards, sometimes at my bag and sometimes at a tiny piece of white fabric stuck on my deer target's behind!  The deer's front section has long gone the way of all flesh!  If, at any time, I feel that I am not executing shots well, I go back to point blank range.  I usually shoot about 50 to a hundred arrows a day.  Paul.

[AllenR]

Originally posted by SHOOTO8S:

My practice routine often consists of shooting hundreds of arrows(often at the same distance, at the same target)BUT with a plan and purpose for each shot taken and with a commitment to shoot my last practice arrow of the day, with the same effort as my first. [/b]

Rod,

What is a typical plan and purpose for your practice shots?

Are you focusing on a particular aspect of your shot or just the general overall feel of the shot?

Thanks,
Allen

[JRY309]

I like to vary my practice with different yardages and number of shots,I guess that is why I liked 3D shoots alot.

[DGEsposito]

Its a wonderful day if at the end of the day I still can get to shoot50 or so arrows or better yet go into the woods. I just love to shoot!some days 100-200 arrows. some days I am not so fortunate a day without bow&arrows.They are always on my mind the form the release the flight
the hit, differant yardages differant arrows differant bows same fealing. Joy

[scriv]

I shoot for form in the basement at short range and typically shoot one to three arrows at different spots on the bag so I don't mash them up.  When I get to shoot at longer ranges I like to shoot one arrow at 10 yards, and then back up and attempt to "best" that 10 yard arrow.  If I am sucessful I back up some more and repeat the process. I don't shoot more than 6 arrows per end and have been known to shoot my sixth at nearly 30 yards.  The added pressure makes me concentrate, focus, and shoot every arrow like it was the only one I would shoot all day.

[Hattrick]

I herd a olynbic archer coach say ,be more of the same with every shot. U should practice more like a boxer does in his work outs one part at a time on each aspect of the shot.If a boxer went right in to ring for practice he would only get beat up an would defeat the learning progress. The most time should be spent on grip,draw,anchor,release,then go to the range. MORE OF THE SAME WITH EVERY SHOT.  I will try this routine this year i have kinda bought in to what he said it seems to make a lot cents

[Terry Green]

I agree with Rod...as usual.

You can mindlessly shoot 5 arrows just as you can 100.

And you can shoot 100 well shot arrows just as you can 5.....IF you have a mind to.

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

This time of year, most of my shooting is done indoors, and thankfully, I can shoot up to 42 yards inside our local archery club.

One of my favorite practice games, when I have the range to myself, requires an NFAA bunny target (the smallest circle target for a field course). I pin it to the wall, then take one shot each at 5-yard increments from 10 to 40, then back from 40 to 10. 14 shots total, standard X, 5, 4, 3 scoring.

Total up the score and do it all over again.

Honestly, standing on a shooting line at 20 yards all day bores me to death. But by doing this, not only am I working on shooting at various distances, but I put in a lot of practice without feeling like it's work.

[Joe M]

This past weekend I developed a new practice routine, one which I feel will make me a better archer with my longbow, or any bow for that matter.

I have a 25 yard outdoor range next to my house, (to be extended to 35 yards this year)...  I flagged 6 shooting points within this 25 yards;
(12, 15, 17.5, 20, 22.5, and 25 yards)...

I go through a practice routine of shooting one arrow from each point.  For example;

12 yards - shot from a kneeling position (next time around it'll be a standing shot)

15 yards - shot from a standing position (next time around it'll be a kneeling shot)

17.5 yds - shot from a kneeling position (next
time around it'll be a standing shot)

I think you see where this is going.  I will not only mix up the shooting positions each time, I will also ramdomly select different points to shoot from using these shooting positions in a rotation.  Sometimes I'll start from 25 yards kneeling, and so on.

My target is a 3D Delta Buck, and so far I don't feel I've done half bad keeping the arrows in the kill zone.

Hope this is of some value.  

[SoNevada Archer]

I practice 4-5 days a week shooting arrows in my back-yard. I can shoot from 50yrds & also have a treestand setup (had the power company bring me in an old telephone pole) I tend to shoot close to a hundred arrows at a shooting in groups of 3-6 arrows.
 I try to work on my concentration with each shot. But after reading all the fine ideas from all of you. I think I'm going to rethink my routine. I DO get target panic and I think I'm going to try the 1 arrow at a time thing and see if that helps...thanks guys.