Clicker help again

[Mitch-In-NJ]

My 2 cents...

I used to shoot FITA and was coached by MaryAnne Schumm, a Klann Award coach (she was good)   [link]   .

She taught me that you draw almost to full, float the pin (this was FITA) and then give a little squeeze of the back muscles to click.

When looking at another shooter from the side the clicker is set up so that at near draw it about 1/4" from the tip of the point.  The back "clench" draws the arrow back the last 1/4" or so.

She also taught me that if the clicker causes you to snap, remove it.  There should be just the slightest hesitation after the click.

When I first started using one I would occasionally release before full draw because I heard the click of the shooter next to me.  That was an awful experience.  Not only is the shot horrible, but the clicker would sometimes rip the fletching off.  Made for a few red faces.

[2Blade]

I don't know if this is good or not but I discovered this just before dark as I was finishing up my pratice session. If I tell myself to hold after the first click and I plan to release on the second. My clicker clicks once as you reach full draw and clicks again if you let down.

So I have it set where my bow arm is fully extended then as I anchor after the first click im aiming then I relax my bow arm slightly which drops my draw length a 1/4in which triggers the second click and I release. I only got to shoot this at 20 yards in very low light but I was grouping but shooting low. My release was very smooth and my bow arm was like a rock.

Im gonna give it a real try tomorrow but I wanted to hear your guys take on it. This feels much more better and I think I can actually do this in a hunting situation because its not difficult. To me it sounds like im on the right path. I did feel in control and I feel this would cure my TP because im drawing anchoring and holding. What do you think?

[Mitch-In-NJ]

What do you have?  A Crick-It?

Please keep in mind that I only ever used a clicker in competition, not for hunting, so my POV on this is that of a target shooter.

If you wait for the second click, you may wind up with a short draw due to creeping.  I would try holding at full draw (after 1st click) for just a beat, then releasing.

The idea is to draw to almost full and when you are centered on the target, give a squeeze and release.  Holding it a beat is ok.  And when I say a beat I mean just long enough so that your release isn't a reaction to the click.  I used to say "shoot" in my head before I released.  Just enough of a pause to prevent snap shooting.  The whole idea is to control the draw.

You might want to look at some of the TP threads here.

I'd suggest getting rid of the clicker and working on your TP first.  Then add the clicker back into the equation.

[2Blade]

Originally posted by Mitch-In-NJ:
What do you have?  A Crick-It?

Please keep in mind that I only ever used a clicker in competition, not for hunting, so my POV on this is that of a target shooter.

If you wait for the second click, you may wind up with a short draw due to creeping.  I would try holding at full draw (after 1st click) for just a beat, then releasing.

The idea is to draw to almost full and when you are centered on the target, give a squeeze and release.  Holding it a beat is ok.  And when I say a beat I mean just long enough so that your release isn't a reaction to the click.  I used to say "shoot" in my head before I released.  Just enough of a pause to prevent snap shooting.  The whole idea is to control the draw.

You might want to look at some of the TP threads here.

I'd suggest getting rid of the clicker and working on your TP first.  Then add the clicker back into the equation.

That is why I have to the clicker to cure TP. Its helped me more these last few months then anything else has. Im also reading Jay Kidwells book to use both his drills and clicker to help me. I plan to hunt with the clicker this year.

[strcpy]

While they are still online you can watch some of the Olympics - see  http://www.nbcolympics.com/archery/  and click on "rewind" to watch it. They ask a few questions before they let you, but as long as you give the obvious answer they let you on.  http://www.casttv.com/olympics/archery  has direct links to the video and that may be an easier option. They have some really nice closeup shots of the clicker while in use.

Of course, as with all things, do what works for you. You can find top end coaches and competitors that do pretty much anything you want to do. It is more focus on the target and letting your body execute the shot that makes the arrow hit the spot.

Most release immediately upon click, it is obvious that a few of them released when off target from the click (you really shouldn't do that, you should control the shot not the clicker - you should let down and start over again if off the target. However even at that level it is a really hard skill to learn). For most it is too hard to have a completely consistent draw length if you pause, for those of us that shoot 80+ yards (and I do with both my Olympic bow and traditional bow - though outside of practice no clicker on the traditional) it *does* make a difference. As far as TP goes you also have to be careful that your Target Panic doesn't just turn into Clicker Panic, both an immediate release and a pause can easily turn into that.

As far as how much to pull, most have the clicker set so that once you come to full draw you need about 2-3mm (an inch is roughly 25mm) to pull through the click, again you will notice that most of the ones in the videos only have the very very end of the point to pull through. You reach full draw and then (for the standard T form - I don't think anywhere here is asking about using the BEST system)use a push/pull similar to when you stretch your arms. It should be a construction of your back muscles and you should feel your chest expand and your chest muscles stretch. All pull or all push usually results in inconsistencies.

And, lastly, 45lbs is *heavy* for a clicker - I mean *really* heavy. For an amateur Olympic archer 40lbs is usually the max one shoots. Those Olympic archers you see are normally only pulling 50 lbs and they shoot in the neighborhood of 35000 to 45000 arrows a year along with daily weight training. An adult male that regularly shoots should be looking at no more than 36lbs for learning and no more than 42 for actual shooting (and then only to reach longer yardages with an acceptable hold point - either barebow or with sights).

I would also suggest looking at  http://sagittarius.student.utwente.nl/bb/  and doing a search for "clicker" or "clicker control" and you will find all you ever wanted to know about them (and then some). I hesitate to list this as some things there can cause more problems than they help, but  http://www.kslinternationalarchery.com/  has a great deal of information on the topic also. Just be careful on reading form topics as BEST is an entirely different beast than what you are most likely shooting, however the mental end of the game and quite a bit of the things like shot cycle, breathing, etc work no matter the style.