Aiming Techniques

[leewillis92]

Hey everyone, I'm new to trad archery and recently got a bow.  The first day I shot it, I probably shot about 30 arrows through it and thought that I was doing pretty dang good for the first day.  I have had the bow coming up on two weeks and I have been practicing at every chance I get, and it doesn't seem that I am getting any better.  I'm fighting not to get sloppy with my form and I feel like I am doing the same thing all the time (form wise) but I just can't get the patterns to improve.  Today was especially bad, when I could barely hit the 2' by 2' target from about 18 yds.  

I just want to know what I can practice and any tips you might have for getting a tighter pattern.  Thanks a ton and shoot straight! -Lee

[Hoffman]

Concentrate on 1 spot and draw, anchor and release. In a few shots your brain will know how much up or down you need to hold it. It sounds to me like you are trying to gap shoot. Just try what i said and see what happens. I don't even look down the arrow when i shoot. And i can hit an apple at 20yds and cover 6 arrows with a little bigger circle then a softball. Hope that helps ya a little. Just keep trying and don't give up.

Chad

[DANNERMAN]

Lee consistacy is the key.If you are having problems at 18 yards dont sweat it. I shot my bow everyday for months when I started shooting at 8-10 yards.Once you feel comfotable with that then shoot at 12 yards etc. IMO 18 yards is too far to be shooting this early in the game. GOOD LUCK IT WILL COME TO YOU!!!

[toddster]

Lee- like you I struggled with this for long time.  The most important thing is proper form, then bow set up, goes hand in hand.  I went to get help by going to Bob Weley shooting school.  Taught me and alot on here know about proper practice!  Take five best arrows, stand at set range, Bob said 10 yards is good to start.  Shoot the five arrows into a 8" bull, pie plate.  Add up the arrows in, 5 points each.  Pull the arrows, go back and shoot again.  This will be four ends, with possible total of 100.  When you get to 90-100 points,   step back two yards and do the same perfect practice.  Once there, step back another couple yards.  Take your time, no rush,relax and shoot each arrow the same.  Like I am sure you have heard or read about a secondary spot.  Take a balloon, and/or a sticker tab.  Stand again at 10 yards, shoot three good arrow's, into the target concentrating on the spot to hit.  With these three arrows that grouped within and 1" of one another, measure from where they are up and down, left and right of where you was trying to hit.  Now, put the balloon or sticker tab opposite of your measurements.  Example, you tried like all of us to hit center of bull or heart shot.  your arrows grouped (showing good form) 4" high and 6" left of where you was trying to hit.  Now measure down 4" and right 6" and place balloon or sticker.  This is your secondary aiming spot.  Go back and shoot again.  Now the trick, focus as you did on what you want to hit, in your peripheral vision see where the piont of arrow is and put it on secondary spot, shoot, should be real close to what you want to hit.  This takes time to get used to, for we have seen in one plane most of our lives, but before long you will pick it up.  Then shortly after that, you will not even need the secondary aiming device, will be programmed in.  this takes few week's, don't get discoraged, all good things take time.  once you have it, will never go away, just need brushed up.  Any question's feel free to PM me.

[horatio1226]

Focus on a small spot Lee.
Brian

[BLACK WOLF]

When learning to develop accuracy...work on aiming and form seperately.

Get close to a blank target and strictly work on your form with no regards to aiming day in and day out until you develop consistantcy that can be repeated without having to think about it. It can take anywhere from a 1000 to 2000 shots to thoroughly engrain it into your muscle memory.

After you have done that...work on just your aiming.

If you are trying to do both at the same time...it makes it hard for your brain to concentrate on one or the other....and then you will have to figure out if the miss was due to your aiming or your form.

If your form is solid...you know it's got to be your aiming.

It just makes the learning process a little easier.

And when learning to aim...it makes it easier if you learn at close distance and move further back as you get better.

Ray  

[longbowguy]

What Black Wolf said. In the long run aiming is the easy part; really good consistant form is the hard part.

My standard advice is to not worry about aiming techniques for some considerable time. First learn to shoot; then learn to aim. Do the blank bale work for a while and then do what I sometimes call natural aiming, just look at the point you intend to hit, and note where you actually hit. Don't even try to correct your aim, let that come naturally, from your subconscious mind. This works very well for most folks out to about 20 yards and then a bit further.

Once you are good at that and ready to tackle longer shots, get back to us and start investigating the various aiming methods if you feel the need. Some never do feel the need for more than natural, subconscious or 'instinctive' aiming or whatever you care to call it

[scriv]

Get close (5-7 yards) Put a small spot (thumb tack size or so) on your target.  Burn a hole through that spot with your eyes.  Draw, anchor, release.  

Keep doing that, you will be amazed at the groups you shoot with practice.  When you are confident, you can move back.  If you get a little ragged. move back in again.  

If I put an arrow exactly where I want it, the nock of that arrow becomes my focal point.  Did that the other day confirming my tune and then shot the nock off with a bare shaft.  

[UCBerzerkeley]

I am by no means an expert, in fact, I shoot worse than Lee I am sure as I am also learning. However, I have gone the form route with a blank bale. I have a hard time feeling the same on every shot, let alone noting where the arrow goes

[McDave]

Couple of points I would note from reading through these comments.  Keep in mind that I am far from being an expert, but also have probably made most of the mistakes it's possible to make -most of them more than once.

You say you've shot the bow two weeks.  How good do you think you would be at golf after playing for two weeks?  That's about how good you can expect to be at archery after two weeks.  Like golf, we tend to get better and worse and then better again as we practice; it's not a steady progression upwards.

I know that way better archers than I am swear by the blind bale.  I will have to commit heresy here and say that the only good I think a blind bale will do you if you haven't already learned good form is to possibly develop your arm and shoulder muscles (which ain't all bad: helps you hold the bow steady).  How could you possibly improve, shooting shot after shot into a blind bale, if you don't know why you're holding the bow the way you're holding it, and aren't able to recognize problems with your form when they occur?  To me, it would be the same thing as hitting bucket after bucket of balls before you've had a golf lesson.  Until you develop good form, through instruction or osmosis, I think you're better off just shooting arrows and enjoying yourself, and trying to repeat the things that seem to work and eliminate the things that don't.  At least when you're shooting at a target, you have some feedback on what's working and what's not.

OTOH, after you have mastered the basics of good form, blind bale practice can help you to develop the consistency you need so you're not shooting a good shot one time and a bad shot the next.

[metsastaja]

I am a beginner 4 months off my wheels

 I started at about 5yds shooting at a single black dot on a blank bale slowly working my way further back.  I got stuck at 12-15 yards for a long time and was not able to back up further with confidence. It was at this point I got out my video camera and started taping myself while I shot. It was and still is a eye opener on form and consistency. Here are some things I learned.
Draw length was not consistent some times 1/2" overhang other times 2".
I had developed 2 anchor points about 1" inch apart. I now anchor in on corner of mouth and check bone.
I was dropping bow arm after the shot.

By watching the video I was able to identify and correct most of the problems early on.

[zetabow]

For many years I’ve had the pleasure of shooting with many top international shooters the thing they all have in common is that they have excellent shooting form and most know and use several aiming techniques (Instinct, Gap, point of aim etc), they’re comfortable shooting many different kinds of rounds (Field, 300 indoor and 3D), they practice varied distances and no matter how good they get, they still have to continuously work on the basics of shooting form. Meaning the more flexible you can make your shooting technique the better you’re able coupe with difficult shooting situations whatever the scenario, hunting or competitive.

They say 90% of shooting is mental and if you haven’t practiced to a level where you have complete belief in your form and aiming method, it may not necessarily show up in practice but when under pressure your form will certainly break down at some point during the shot process.

Good advice on here, don’t be tempted just to stay in your comfort shooting zone, keep pushing yourself for better form and expand your distances beyond the norm, not saying you have to take these longer shots, just that you can shoot the shorter distances with a lot more confidence.

Good luck and remember like the Stock market your form can go down as well as up, don’t despair during these slumps, just keep working on the basics and you will be fine.

[GroundHunter]

And another thing - relax

I find that when my shooting (which was super one day) seems to fall apart, and I'm not getting "better" - meaning more consistent..

Well, it's from trying too hard, going too rigid and tense trying to control and perfectly execute the form variables as one thing, or one of the several things. Shooting the bow well is a smooth, relaxed thing.

Relax. All the best shooting is from proper form that lets you draw and release that arrow on its line to the spot. Muscle tension makes for all kinds of twitchy-torque errata. Casting the bowarm left, right, up down. Torqueing the bow with the bowhand. Plucking the string from tension in the drawing hand (more torque).

Relax the bowarm, pull with the back muscles and a relaxed drawing arm. Relax that drawing hand. Other than the deep hook, it outght to be like a loose rope.Relax your mind.

Now, relaxed, with even back tension making the draw, and the arrow lined up on your spot, still pulling with that drawing arm (really the back tension), relax the stirng fingers once you're readty to shoot. The arrow will jump along its line to where it's pointed.

Keep that relaxed bowhand out there on target 'till the arrow hits.

Relaxed shooting is accurate, and far more consistent that trying too hard.

I found this works wonders even shooting my 85# Wesley Special.

[Bradd]

Lee and UCBerzerkeley:  Before going out, think of ONE thing you want to work on for that seesion.  Don't let your mind wander into other problems or adjustments...keep focused on ONE thing to improve.  

When using the blank bale to ingrain your form, work with ONE arrow, work very close, close your eyes, and let your mind 'feel' the shot. Keep your bow arm up and mentally go through what you just did...no peeking to see where the arrow hit!  

Then, on the next shot, work on ONE thing with ONE arrow...keeping the bow arm up until you mentally review everything you did.

If you are the least bit tired STOP>>>STOP>>>STOP...because you will only be ingraining more problems!!!

Another way is to record 3 shot sequences on a walkman or MP3 player and use it.  Make the recording slow and easy.  It could go something like:  Take a clearing breath and relax your shoulders.  Nock your arrow...deep hook your fingers around the string...feel your grip in the right position.  Take another deep clearing breath and Look up to the smallest point you can on the target...got it aquired?   Take another breath and draw back to anchor, using your back muscles to pull.  Let out the breath at anchor and take another slow easy breath and begin to let out it out slowly...feel the relaxation go down your shoulders, into your forearm and wrist and as you steady on your spot, squeeze the shoulder blades together and relax the fingers.  Keep your bow arm up and hold...and hold...and hold....and let down.  

Then you start another sequence!

[BLACK WOLF]

Great advice Ground Hunter and Bradd!    

Ray  

[Encino Man]

Also keep in mind that there are very specific "archery" muscles involved.  It takes a while to build up those muscles to where they are not straining while your shooting. It will definitely affect your accuracy.

[Terry Green]

Originally posted by Encino Man:
Also keep in mind that there are very specific "archery" muscles involved.  It takes a while to build up those muscles to where they are not straining while your shooting. It will definitely affect your accuracy.

[Lt. Dan]

Lee, sounds like my shooting when I started 3 years ago.  The best advice I could give you is to have patience and enjoy!  15 yards was tough for me for quite a while.  Then one day at full draw I saw the line, the trajectory of the arrow all the way into the bullseye.  Well on that shot I "stuck it".  Now I'm really good out to 25 yards and good at 30 yards.  

It's easy to shoot too much.  Stop when your results aren't as good as they should be.

Work on form half of the time and the other half just try to "stick it".