Self Destruction

[Dozer]

Just wondering if anyone else has this same problem and what they do about it.

I practice at least every other day for an hour or so but the problem I have is that I love shooting my bow so much I go way beyond what I should. If I'm left alone I have been known to sling arrows for four hours straight. My muscles get tired after about an hour and a half and my shots start to really come apart. Despite this my stubborn brain tells me to keep shooting and I can fix the problem causing me to get even more tired. Don't even ask how I feel the next day. There have been times I've shoot for so long the day before that I couldn't get my bow back the next day. I guess its because I love watching arrows fly into the little dot on my target. One day I learn to stop but until then I should develop great muscle stamina... or destroy my shoulder.  

[wingnut]

Dozer,

Establish a practice schedule that includes how many arrows and how far.  Vary it daily and one day a week shoot only one arrow at one target at an unknown range.  I also find that if I shoot no more then three arrows then you don't get as tired and get better practice.

Mike

[jhansen]

I'd bet on injuring the shoulder.  Even if you don't, you are probably learning some bad shooting habits.  Don't feel like the Lone Ranger, we all tend to shoot more than we should but it sounds like you may be overdoing it.  What I do, when I have enough time, is shoot until my muscles tire and then go do something else.  I'll putter in my shop refletching arrows or making a new string.  Then I'll go back out and shoot a little more.  If you shoot far beyond where your accuracy gets bad you are causing yourself big problems with form.  I'd take it easy.

John

[John3]

when I get tired and my form/shots go bad I put the bow away. Rest an hour and try again. Bad habits are easy to learn and hard to stop.


John III

[bbassi]

try going out with ONE arrow and practice. It works for me and I get lots of walking in.  

[Don Stokes]

I shoot the target repeatedly, up to 60 times or so to work on my form and muscle tone, but my best hunting practice is one judo arrow. Roving and shooting at unknown distances is much more effective at honing the hand/eye coordination that is so necessary in the field. I mix up the shots from 10 yards to 50, and learn my bow's cast under more realistic conditions.

My hundred-shot days are over, because I overdid it one too many times.

[jimmerc]

I'm with Don, roving or stump thumping is the best pratice you can get! I also love to shoot,and can't seem to get enough,you can spend hours stumping.shooting only one arrow,concentrate only that one shot at that stump,twig,leaf,end of log or what ever,make that shot then pick another target,repeat! you'll burn up time,shoot less,and have fun!!

[frassettor]

I usually roam anywhere from 8-21 yards. I shoot about 45 min, and if its one of those days, I try to stop and go in the house to take a break

[Peter Arthur]

Same here..
I like shooting so much that it's hard to put it down when things go wrong. However, as others have said, it's easy to learn bad habits and tough to overcome them, so it's probably best to put the bow down once the shot starts coming apart.