Couldn't hold it together today, panic reared its ugly head.....( updated question )

[RedShaft]

Shot first 3-d shoot I have shot in years since beating target panic. I have avoided them for a reason. I have been shooting very well with nice solid anchor and hold. At the shoot it was backed up. Guys watching. I fell apart and went right to having trouble reaching anchor let alone holding. Man I hate that feeling.  Looks like I will be back to close bale work for a bit to regain my control. I can't figure how to hold it together when shooting like that. I'm afraid when I get a shot a game that's what is going to happen to me...

[moebow]

Yes, that can do it!  Try this thought process.  Convince yourself that you want to execute the shot.  Impress the "onlookers" with your form, not the outcome.  You want them to say, " wish I had that form!"   That's just another way to say, that you have to focus on the process and NOT the outcome.  Easier said than done but convince yourself that you are impressing them with your fluid, effortless form and not where your arrow hits.  Keep going to those events, only exposure to that pressure and your confidence in your form will ease your "fear."

Arne

[RedShaft]

Thanks Arne. I will try that. It is tough to do.  I love 3-d shoots. I just have to get it through my head

[McDave]

You can only have target panic if you have cognitive or conceptual thoughts.  Those thoughts create doubt or anxiety in your mind, resulting in the symptoms you describe.

Try not thinking about an elephant. Pretty much impossible, once someone puts the thought of an elephant in your mind.

Now imagine yourself feeling the most sensuous thing you could imagine you could feel, which would probably violate the forum's rules to even discuss here.  Imagine being in that situation and trying to think about an elephant.  Equally impossible, once your mind is filled with awareness of a physical sensation.

It is difficult to not think about something, but it is possible to substitute awareness for thoughts. If you fill your mind with awareness of the physical shot process, there will be no room for destructive thoughts. Plus, being more aware of what your body is doing during the shot will in itself improve your shooting.  

Example:  Can you feel your drawing forearm line up behind the arrow at full draw, or are you just guessing at it?  Can you feel the muscles in your drawing hand and forearm relax?  Can you feel whether your head is moving or not?  These are fairly elementary things you should be aware of.  There are hundreds of other things you might be able to become aware of.  By the time you get to about 10 of them, you won't have time to worry about your shot or what might happen or what you hope happens, because your mind will be too busy being aware of what IS happening.

[RedShaft]

Thanks mcdave! I appreciate he advice given.

I wouldn't wish the stuff on my worse enemy.  I feel for you.

I've fought the stuff for over 25 years.  Encouraging, huh?  I FINALLY gained control, but it took several different approaches.

1) A lot of bale/bridge work to ingrain a shot sequence.  This... after attending a Rod Jenkins clinic.

2) Using a mantra, ala Joel Turner's thread here, and his input in MBB IV.

Once I learned a proper shot sequence, and then, use the mantra to continue pulling to conclusion, concentrating on the rhomboid, I can now shoot without the demon's.

I don't even have to use the mantra now.  When I come to full draw, I just concentrate on the rhomboid.  I can aim till the cows come home.  

Good luck to you.

[Green]

I echo what Jim said above.....my sentiments, path, and cure exactly.  Good luck beating this.  Once you take aiming down off the top of the priority list by focusing on something more important, you'll be on the road to the cure.

[RedShaft]

here;s the thing i went out in the yard this evening and shot good. it took me about 15 shots to regain control and i was back holding at anchor and shooting fantastic at 20 yards. i could feel myself not wanting to get a solid anchor but i was getting it, just had to work through it. its crazy how u put pressure on yourself and fall apart like that. thats what worries me when i get a shot at deer..
i do truly believe once you break the panic it is never truly gone.. just hiding in the darkness waiting its chance to once again devour our shot!

[McDave]

If you haven't already, I recommend you get Joel's new DVD and perhaps give him a call.  While I believe that becoming increasingly aware of what your body is doing during the shot and pushing out cognitive thoughts in the process is the answer to most mental distractions, this may not be possible for someone with active target panic to do.  Joel's method involves using a mantra to block cognitive thoughts while at the same time focusing concentration on the most important aspect of the shot, and using a non-anticipatory psychotrigger to take the "shoot" command away from the subconscious.  

I think Joel's feeling about the mantra is that it should be used when necessary, which would be pretty much all the time when someone has active target panic.  He personally doesn't use the mantra unless the stress of the shot warrants it.  I should probably do the same thing, because there are certainly times in tournaments when I feel like my brain gets disconnected from my body, and I lose my sense of awareness.   The problem with using the mantra is that it focuses your concentration on one aspect of the shot, and I think it is desirable to become aware of many other aspects of what your body is doing during the shot.  However, if a person feels like their body/brain connection has been cut, and so has lost their awareness of their body anyway, being able to concentrate on the most important aspect of the shot is certainly a vast improvement over not being able to concentrate on anything at all.

[LB_hntr]

This is what worked for me and my target panic. It may be something you would be interested in. I fought short draw target panic for 3 years in my early days. How I broke it was to come to full draw and anchor as if I was going to shoot at the ground 10 feet in front of the target. Then after reaching full draw and anchor aiming at the ground I brought the bow up to target. I locked for a 2 second count the when everything felt right released. After a couple practice sessions like that I never had target panic again and that was 20 years ago.
 I know there are many great videos and writings on the subject now. And probably better ways. But this is what worked for me at the time.

[reddogge]

Perhpas a golf analogy will help the mental side of it. When the first tee gets backed up and there are two or three foursomes waiting to hit their first shot it can be very unnerving and create what we call "The first tee jitters."

Some kind sole told me once don't get nervous or think about what others are thinking about your performance because every last one of them is thinking about HIS shot, not yours. Most don't even look at you. So just relax and hit YOUR shot and don't worry about the others.

I bring the same mentality to 3-D.

[Rob W.]

I fought it for many years and tried all the processes and tricks. A phone call to Joel and his Dvd have me in control of my shot no matter what is going on around me. Best I have ever shot.

[RedShaft]

thanks for the help guys. im going to get that dvd. ive been doing okay again in back yard but i can still feel it back there wanting to take hold and i have to fight it off.

[RedShaft]

IM fortunate in that i can anchor no problem. i can get nice draw and hit a solid anchor but i cant pause and hold it. years ago i fought with short drawing. and overcame that and had worked into holding at anchor for a few seconds, it felt so good. ever since that 3-d shoot i have been struggling to keep hold at full draw. i can shoot very well just drawing to anchor and shooting but i dont feel i have control because i cant stop and hold if i want to.

bad thing is, the season i right around the corner and i almost dont want to devote to it. i need to be working on my accuracy and keeping in the grove and not getting myself screwed up to bad. i dont know if i should worry and try? being the opener is 3 weeks away. dont get me wrong im not complaining to bad cause i know i cant hit my anchor easy.