shooting form

[kawika b]

Great video, commentary and attitude.    

[kawika b]

Originally posted by moebow:
xtrema,  current thinking is that it's OK for the ring finger to be engaged on the pad, that is not in the joint, and for it to point at the chin.  Try, though to keep the index and middle finger pointed back at the throat.  I think many of us are getting too carried away with % weight carried by each finger.  IF the hand/wrist/forearm are relaxed as much a possible, you will get a proper weight distribution on the fingers.

Pronation is a natural tendency of the forearm (me thinks) so I try to feel the pull of my drawhand start from my pinky... I actually don't pay much attention to the fingers on the string.. this is just me and I've been called weird, unorthodox and a bunch of other unrepeatable things.     :D

[LONGSTYKES]

Just saw your Video,  Very good and informative, I agree form is so important. If you have very good form, everything else falls in place. I am glad to see we elder shooters can do well. Thanks Don

[DTD]

Moebow,

Very nicely done. Lots of good meat and potatoes information. One question, I assume this form will work well in hunting situations?
Thanks for posting the videos!

Doug

[moebow]

Doug,  Short answer is YES!

Since you ask, I am obviously shooting in an indoor target range and using a target stance.  This is the best way to LEARN what your arms shoulders and back should feel like and their correct positions at full draw.  Once you have that FEEL, It will not matter how you get there. It will not matter what your footing is like or what you have to do to get the shot off as long as you get to that correct full draw position.

If you watch many if not all the "old masters", they may not look as though they shoot the same BUT if you really study their full draw position just before release, they are all, almost without exception, lined up correctly with their backs engaged.

Thank you for the compliment.

[coachA]

After reading this thread I have become a little confused. I am not familiar with the BEST System. Could anyone explain it to me. either on here or PM. thanks.

[moebow]

Coach,

The BEST system (Biomechanically Efficient Shooting Technique)  was developed by the US Olympic training center and is largely credited to the current US Head coach Kisic Lee.  Mr Lee has published two books on this as "Total Archery."  It is an organization of shooting techniques that have been known and used for years but put together into a tight package.  It is now also known as the NTS (National Training System).  It has been and is  an effective way to get archers to TOP levels of performance.

All the USA Archery instructors that are currently getting coaching qualifications or are renewing their qualification are getting a healthy dose of NTS style and techniques.

[coachA]

Thank you very much. I just havent heard of it. I always thought there was instinctive, gap and sights. I didnt realize there was a system to shooting.

[moebow]

Coach,  What you are referring to are aiming methods.  These can include but are not limited to the three you mention and Point of aim, String walking, face walking, and who knows what else.

As you put it, the "system to shooting" has to do with the mechanics of the shot.  The idea really is that until we get to good form, hitting the target is less important.  Note that I said LESS not NOT important.  One "sage" noted that hitting the bull's eye once is pretty easy but hitting it consistently over and over is hard.  The BEST/NTS helps archers develop a system in their form that more easily allows consistent repeatability.

[coachA]

The hardest part of archery is trying to acquire good from before thinking about hitting the target. I have found that the best archers that i have talk to are the most patient people i have ever met. I just started shooting traditional equipment, again, about 2 months ago. I have noticed that there really is no right or wrong way to shoot. The most important part of shooting is just the love to shoot. I am not dead eye yet but i am confident I will get there.

[TSP]

"It may be time to emphasize that these videos were meant to cause thought about how you shoot, not to try to imply that this is the way you have to do it. Hopefully, the videos will cause you to think about what you do and how you do it.'  Moebow

That just about hits the nail on the head.  

Great thought, and great thread.  If more folks would focus on developing a system for their shooting, whatever it might be, they'd likely be much better equipped to 1.) improve with time and 2.) know how to deal with problems when they arise.

This is one of the best threads I've seen here, one for the archives.  Nice job, MoeB.