Worst shooting day ever....

[TradPaul]

Hey guy's,


   Well today i had the worst shooting day since the beginning when i first started. Somedays i shoot 3 arrows in a silver dollar@15-20 yards, and others like today it's feels like i cant hit anything.
   A little background, i shoot a Zbow longbow a 64" 52#@28", i have been shooting "instinctive" for about 3 months, well i guess i've been shooting for 3 months period. So i figuered i would call on the HUGE experience of everyone here. So thanks in advance.
 
   i know that sometimes my concentration lacks, like when i look at what i want to hit and draw,then i go into the thousand yard stare mode. but i am usually able to catch it with a few arrows.
  So the question remains what the heck?
it seems that my bow arm is not constant, it's like it doesnt want to go where i'm looking everytime, am i expecting too much too soon? is there a way to make sure that my bow arm will remain constant? it seems that my release is good, and my anchor is decent, i cant seems to perfect my grip...
  Let me also say that i have no desire to shoot gap or any other way other than instinctive, no offense. I guess i'm shooting the Asbell system with alittle fred eichler thrown in. It seems that i can shoot more comfortably when i get the bow up on target and then draw, but then when i straight arm it held low and then bring it up, i can do that OK too. HELP!!!! i need to be constant. Thanks again Everyone.

Paul.

[Leo L.]

I'm pretty sure the solution here is to just buy a new bow.

[TradPaul]

Leo,


  LOL, yeah already did that. Got a PLX Widow coming soon yeehaw....

[BLACK WOLF]

Paul,

You said - "...it seems that my bow arm is not constant, it's like it doesnt want to go where i'm looking everytime, am i expecting too much too soon?"

For only shooting for 3 mon. it sounds like you might be expecting a little to much without having a coach or a good friend guiding and correcting you as you practice.

The first thing I believe every archer should do is...develop good form FIRST before concerning themselves with aiming. The way people do this is to practice some form of blank bale shooting at close distance until their form is rock solid and consistant.

I read where one of the recent Olympic Gold medalist practiced shooting off a hill into the sky for a year before her coached started working on aiming with her...that's how important it is to develop a strong foundation with your form.

Terry has some great pics that show proper form. What you want to be most concerned about is shoulder and arm alignment while maintaining proper back tension to promote good follow through.

Ray  

[Str8Shooter]

I would venture a guess that if you've only been shooting for a few months that your form is still developing. It should definitely be your goal to achieve the best accuracy you can. But, without developing a solid, repeatable shot sequence your progress will stall out. This is completely irregardless of your aiming method. It doesn't matter if you shoot a sight on your bow. Inconsistant form will keep you from achieving the level of accuracy you strive to attain.

It sounds like you have already realized what you need to work on. A strong bow arm is one of the foundations of a good shot.

A couple of things I can think of to work on are...
1: Remember that shooting involves a constant push/pull. Push the bow towards the target, pull the string hand through. If you stop this motion the bow arm will usually drop.
2: Work on a strong follow through. After releasing try to keep the bow arm up, release hand back until the arrow strikes the target. Not following through with the shot usually leads to a stop in the push/ pull and causes a collapse right when you need to hold everything together.
3: Don't peek and watch the arrow on the way to the target. This ties into following through. If you try to watch it tends to interrupt the follow through. Normally trying to watch the arrow makes an archer drop the bow (and bow arm) out of the way to see.

I'm sure that you'll get plenty of other suggestions. These are just some things which have helped me while I was learning. Take what works and have fun.

[TradPaul]

Wow, thats great guy's. I believe that is right on. Sounds like i need some serious form dedicated work, unfortunatly i dont know any other archers to help, but hey thats why i'm here. I'm still listening if anyone has more advice, please keep these gems coming....

Paul.

[Str8Shooter]

One other thing you can do if you have a camera to record video is to tape yourself shooting. It will give you feedback on what you are actually doing vs. what you think you are doing. Its a great way to track your progress and improve your form at the same time.


If you can tape yourself shooting be sure to post a vid here. You will be able to have other archers critique you. Even if you don't have others in your area you have lots of peers on this site who are happy to help a new shooter.

Chris

[BLACK WOLF]

That's great advice, Chris!

Ray  

[TradPaul]

Thanks chris i'm planning on it. Probably next week, and then i'll post it here for some critique. Thanks again.


Paul.

[Gnat]

Sounds like you might need a lighter draw weight to work on form for a while...? Kinda like Leo said.  


Gnat

[overbo]

Paul,
Don't countout using gap shooting to start.IMO,gap shooting dose have benefits that make solid form for instictive shooting down the road.
I shot for 2 or more years before I could honestly say I can kill cleanly.In the last 4 years I've become a instinctive shooter.It's taken me 8 years of constantly shooting a bow (3 days or more a week) to become a instinctive shooter.12 years I've been doing this stuff.
Hopefully I'm out of the ordinary and your learning curve willbe much faster.

  good luck

[BLACK WOLF]

overbo,

That's pretty much what I have done also.

I started out learning Point of Aim and as I mastered that I paid more attention to the gap instead of my point of aim. My aiming techinique than evolved into using Split Vison and than into the Gap Method, which has almost become totally instinctive but is not quite there yet.

I have taught myself to aim instinctively in close quarters at stationary targets, flying or running when I need to...but I still prefer my Gap style to compete with and do the majority of my shooting with.

Ray  

[scriv]

The peaks and valleys can be great when you first start out.  If you have a great day shooting your expectation goes up for the next day.  Having great expectations usually places more pressure on performance which tends to go south.  You then return expecting the worst and do better than expected.  See a pattern here.  Instinctive archey is largely mental after good mechanics have been established.  It takes time to work on both.  Good luck, I wish you well.  

[Big_Jimmy]

Don't overlook things like, is the bow arm flinching a little bit or is the release being plucked. One thing that baffled me was when I started developing some eratic shots, I was sure that my form was as decent as ever but my shots just jumped all around. The Reason I found out was that I was pinching the arrow too tight and when I drew it lifted the arrow off the shelf.

I guess there are many variables that need to looked at for consistant shooting.

[Emilio]

Longbowpaul,

Wellcome to the instinctive shooting!!!
That is and that will be as long as you shoot instinctively. That is not the problem, you will have a problem if this happends 5 of 10 shooting days.....
Shooting, shooting, shooting, working your form, your release, taking care of your equipment, mental work, and so on, and someday you will find yourselve shooting almost well 8 of each 10 shooting days.

3 months is, at least for me, a very short period of time to be able to shoot instinctively with some confidence. If youre able today to shoot some days 3 arrows in a coin, the first three ones, for sure you are in the right path, but doing that always.... will take some time. Enjoy that time!!!!


Regards,

Emilio.

[swampbuck]

LBP,I've got some written material thats my last copy that I can send ya to check out if you'd like.I'd like it back at some point since I don't have another copy LOL but it explains proper skeletal alighnment and muscle use.It's actually the manual the comes with the formaster training devise,PM me if your interested.

One of the bigger things that helped me was to keep my shoulders low.It's easier to get the back into the shot earlier and maintain it thru the shot.Since your not shootin real far at this point  I'd also suggest aiming till your arrow stops moving...basically follow thru solidly

loose the target for form work as boring as it is it'll help
 good luck

[Terry Green]

Form Clock thread - Click Here

[Luckyned]

S! LongbowPaul

  I can easily and repeatibly..call myself "GREAT!" I've got nobody to compare myself to so I quit every practice ONLY remembering the best shot...the way the GODS of archery intended!

 Somedays..in the middle of night..I wake up..remembering that lost arrow at ultra-close range...but then I can always go back to sleep and dream!

[TradPaul]

Swampbuck, Terry, All you guys thanks so much for the tips and tricks and the good ole encouragement. I'm trying to just shoot black bales and stick to form work and "feel" of the shot. I think going to a lower bow weight will greatly help.


LBP.