Form Critique Please

[Curtis Roberts]

Think I'm getting it figured out just a few kinks to work on    
 

[moebow]

Curtis,

That looks pretty good!  Important questions would be, how does that feel?  Is it comfortable?  How is your shooting?  Where do you feel the bow's pressure?  At the base of your neck or lower toward the bottom of your shoulder blades?

Nice steady bow hand, pretty good follow through.  You've done well!

[Curtis Roberts]

Thank you! Draw and follow through feel good.  Just working on a consistent repeatable anchor.  It feels like Im "over drawing" then settling in to my anchor point.  At the begginning of the draw I feel the pressure in the top of my shoulder joint, then about mid draw and anchor I feel it in the middle of my shoulder blade.  When I do it all right it feels great.  Then there are those inconsistencies I feel immediately.  Shooting has been varying from group to group and day to day.  I believe it to be peeking and target panic.  I can get about 20 yards in my backyard and on a good day have a 2" to 3" group.

[moebow]

That is about what I thought.  Here is a suggestion to try.  When you draw, start with your bow hand, arrow and string hand higher -- about nose level.  If you start there (it will feel strange at first) you will be able to draw with a little more downward motion which will put you a little lower into your back. If you watch your video, see how your string elbow is moving slightly up in relation to your shoulder line?  Try to get the elbow moving slightly down instead.  Then once you get to your full draw, simply lift to your anchor. DO NOT let your string hand move forward, just up.

This is just a suggestion to try, if this works for you, once you feel the bow weight lower in your back, you will be able to achieve it from any draw.  This is just a way that I have found for folks to really learn the process of going directly to the lower back tension without the "transfer" you mention that you have now.

Also, another suggestion would be to NOT try to aim AT ALL until you are at anchor.  That may help with the TP you think you have.  Might be worth a try.

[Curtis Roberts]

Thank you very much!  I did notice my elbow moving up.  I will try all of your suggestions on the blank bale  

[Guru]

I don't know Curtis, it looks pretty good to me and not a hint of TP that you mention.

There is some wasted movement kinda searching for anchor, and your elbow does start a bit low, but your follow thru and push-pull looks real good bud.

In my opinion, as bowhunter, eliminating any extra movement and unneeded hesitation getting an accurate arrow away is paramount.

So if I would change anything it would be to get your slightly low elbow up "in line" and draw straight back.

And, even though your "search for anchor" is slight, it would be best to just get it there and dig it in. Get there and keep pulling it back ever so slightly.

But I tell ya, even though you go by it, then come forward to find it, you still pull thru your shot very well!

Overall, even if you didn't change a thing, your form looks pretty darn good!    

[Terry Green]

How long have you been shooting trad?

[Ruff Hewn]

Hey Curtis, I'm jealous of your follow through!

[Curtis Roberts]

Ya totally agree on the searching for anchor.  I called it "settling in" earlier.  Been working on coming straight to it.  I will be working on form mostly then will repost another form vid.  Terry, I bought the bow about two years ago as my introduction into trad and shot it for a month before other things in my life took over.  Just picked it back up about 2 months ago and been shooting it everday since.

[Terry Green]

I think in time, you will come to anchor without searching for it.  You will learn where your head needs to be, and put it there before you reach anchor.

I don't know much about target panic, but hope that is not the case.  I've seen folks aim AFTER finding anchor that were TERRIFIED to release the bow.  So, I don't think it makes a difference when you aim.

I think that if you put target panic out of your mind, it wont be a problem....at just two months, you are probably just lacking confidence in a few areas and are concerned more with missing your mark than hitting it at times.(read that again) That is NOT target panic, but target DOUBT.  That will go away with time, along with your fliers.

Think positive.    

[Curtis Roberts]

Never thought of it like that before.  I think maybe your right about target doubt.  Going to mull all suggestions over and get back to you.  Thanks to all!

[BobCo 1965]

Good advice given. IMO I am not seeing TP from the clips given.

One thing I will mention is the tensing of the draw shoulder just before the draw. Look closely and see how it raises (and tenses) just before the draw. Try to relax the bow shoulders and keep them down and even.