Rod Jenkins clinic

[McDave]

There are some posts on this on PowWow, but I thought I'd post one here too.

Just returned from Rod Jenkins clinic in Hood River, Oregon.

There were about a dozen guys there (and one very attractive assistant gal).  As far as I could tell, from talking to everyone and watching people shoot, everyone except for one person had considerable previous shooting experience.  I don't know how many people were draw and hold shooters before the class, and how many practiced the pull-through release without holding before the class, but let's say 50/50.

The thing that really surprised me, and the reason I put this post in the Shooters Forum, is that I don't think anyone in the group was using good back tension, and expanding through the shot.  Maybe they were when they were shooting using a pull-through release, but they weren't when they switched to a draw and hold release, and neither were any of the ones who had already been using a draw and hold release before the class.  There wasn't one person where Rod looked at their shot and said, "you have great expansion and conclusion, so sit down and let's have the next person shoot."

So what this tells me is that whoever is reading this, if you're not in Rod Jenkins class of shooters, you probably need some work on your expansion and conclusion.

The next thing that surprised me relates mainly to me, although some others in class might have had the same experience.  Rod gave me basically two things to work on.  I was shooting at a target later on during a break, and Rod mentioned to me that I wasn't doing either of the two things he told me to work on, although I thought I was.  He said we all do it, we shoot with perfect form in front of a blank bale, and then we revert to our old style without knowing it when we shoot at a target.

This is why he developed the bridge program, to go between the bale and the target, which is described in MBB III.

I think the message is that most of us will look at the video, and say "great video" and maybe shoot a few arrows into a blank bale and then get on with our life of shooting at targets in preparation for shooting at game.  But actually being in class, and having him identify things that you thought you were doing correctly, and  things he taught you 30 minutes ago that you think you're doing but you're not, was a real eye opener, and one of the reasons it's valuable to attend a class.  So I'm going to do the bridge program he describes in MBB III, even though it doesn't sound like much fun.

For those unable to attend the class, the Formaster is a lot like having Rod there pointing out things to you that you can't see for yourself.  I think we all agreed that you can't lie to the Formaster.

It was a great class, and I would recommend it to any of you that have the opportunity to attend.

[kurtbel5]

Nicely said Dave.

[Blackhawk]

Great post.

How do you think the clinic compares with Welch's?

Anyway, I made a Formaster yesterday and was hitting the bales for a couple sessions.  Using that tells me I am NOT ready for the "Bridge".

[snag]

Yep, I told Emily that I was shooting with back tension...until I put the truth revealer on-the Formaster! Then the real truth came out!! Not as much back tension as I had thought!
You are so right Dave...all archers need this instruction...accept for a few like Larry Lien and those who know it.

So how's the blind bale sessions going guys? I have seen a more consistant shot sequence in my shooting already. I am out to 5yds!  

[McDave]

I think Rod's clinic was totally complimentary to Rick's clinic.  I'm glad I attended both.  I still don't shoot like someone should who attended both (except at a blank bale), but hopefully Rod's bridge program will help me to bring my good blank bale form out to the field.

Rick teaches a dead release, which works well for him and no doubt works well for some of his students.  The problem is that the first thing Rod said about my form was that I was creeping forward after I reached anchor, which I wasn't aware of, and is not good form under anybody's method.  This problem is eliminated when you expand through your release, and you also get the advantage of a little more arrow speed, which can't hurt.  So I plan to use everything I learned in Rod's clinic in the future.  And I plan to use everything I learned in Rick's clinic in the future, except for the dead release.

Rod spent most of his time in the clinic working on expansion and conclusion, which Rick didn't spend any time on.  Rick spent time on sight picture, his unique double anchor, bent bow arm, switching to three under (for those who want to do that), holding at full draw for 2 full seconds while focusing on the target, and a couple of other things that are unique to his style.  Most interestingly to me, where their styles overlapped, they totally agree.  Both would agree on what is good alignment, and both absolutely believe in a subconscious surprise release.  Rod encourages a little more personal variation in styles than Rick does.

I wonder how Rick can be as good as he is and shoot with a dead release and not focus on back tension.  But the facts are the facts, and he is that good.  I think most of us who attend Rick's class go away shooting with a dead release, but I also think that if I had been shooting with good back tension and expansion in Rick's class, it would have been fine with him.  I don't think Rick actually tells anyone to use a dead release, and is as much against creep as anyone else, but since he doesn't stress it, people tend to copy his style.

[snag]

What impressed me, and still does, is that with pulling through to conclusion a lot more unimpeded energy going from string into arrow and out off the bow. That is a great thing. It makes for more accuracy, a quieter bow, and less handshock. You are letting the bow do the job it was built to do...not putting obstacles in it's way. But the biggest thing I brought away from this was that this is MY shot sequence. I am making it mine. It will be repeatable in all situations. Each time I blind bale practice I am engraining this in my mind and my muscles. I am training myself to repeat this shot sequence to the point that it will some day, hopefully,  become second nature...automatic. But even then when I have a problem with my sequence I know how check things out or have someone watch or video tape me to observe myself. When I started trying to put this clinic together I made the statement that we will learn things that we can take with us for the rest of our lifes...how true that has become.