Good book on shooting form

[s_mcflurry]

Originally posted by McDave:
If anyone I know asks my opinion of what they're doing wrong with their shooting, I can now tell them that their third toe on their left foot is out of position, and how to correct it.

   

When I think of "Inside the Archer", this hypothetical conversation always comes to mind...

Son:  Dad, can you show me how to drive a car?
Dad:  Sure, son, here you go.
Son:  ...what's this?
Dad:  It's an alternator.  You said you wanted to learn how to drive a car, didn't you?

Don't get me wrong, I have the book and I think it's a great reference but for most it's overkill.  At the same time, Asbell's "Instinctive Shooting" isn't enough.  I haven't read Ferguson's "Become the Arrow", but I've heard good things.

[J-KID]

Originally posted by pickaspot:
My favorite book is "Instinctive Archery Insights" by Jay Kidwell. . . .

I'm pleased my book helped you guys, however, I wouldn't recommend my book as strong on form which is what he is looking for.

McDave and McFlurry - you guys are are a hoot!

[McDave]

I think anyone who has accomplished much in his chosen field deserves to be heard.  I think you would enjoy reading "Become the Arrow."

OTOH, I do think there is a difference between great teachers and great doers.  Einstein was a remarkable physicist, but I don't think he would have been very good at teaching a 10th grade high school physics class, other than the fact that the students might have enjoyed meeting the greatest physicist who ever lived.

Which goes back to Moebow's comment above: "As to finding "some 'coach' who may or may not know a whole lot about archery," if they are certified by NADA as a level 2 - intermediate instructor, level 3 - community coach, level 4 - regional coach, or higher; I respectfully submit that they MOST likely know something about archery."

I would rather have a coach who is not a champion archer, but who understands how difficult it is for the average person to master a skill, and who has the ability to teach the average person how to get to the next level.  The problem with a champion archer is that they have a natural ability that most of us don't have and won't ever get.  They don't make the mistakes we make on a regular basis, and never have.  So it is difficult for them to teach us how to avoid them.  Whereas a person who has had to struggle to attain a proficiency level that is higher than the students they are teaching, but lower than the champions, is better able to understand the difficulties the students are facing and help them to overcome them.

[moebow]

AMEN!!!!  Dave has said it!!  The most outstanding coaches in many (most) fields are not necessarily the great competitors. Look at golf for example, the coaches that the tour Pros go to are not the Tigers and Phils of golf, they are established coaches that if you are not a fan of golf, you've never heard of.

The "champions" are great shots and competitors but as McDave said, they have that extra knack to shoot well and win but may not have the best instructional technique since they have a more natural talent the the majority of us have to struggle with and develop.

[BobCo 1965]

Originally posted by McDave:

I would rather have a coach who is not a champion archer, but who understands how difficult it is for the average person to master a skill, and who has the ability to teach the average person how to get to the next level.  The problem with a champion archer is that they have a natural ability that most of us don't have and won't ever get.  They don't make the mistakes we make on a regular basis, and never have.  So it is difficult for them to teach us how to avoid them.  Whereas a person who has had to struggle to attain a proficiency level that is higher than the students they are teaching, but lower than the champions, is better able to understand the difficulties the students are facing and help them to overcome them.

Good stuff, I like it.

FWIW, when a person gets into the higher levels of NADA certified archery coaching their certifying coach usually makes them take a strict coaching course (rarely has anything to do with archery specifically). Currently, I have taken an ASEP coaching course which my personal coach requested  me to take in order to consider moving me up a level. It involved an awful lot more then I had ever thought of previously. I also coach students as he coaches my coaching      . I've been working on moving up a level for over 3 months now.

All of this still does not mean that a student and coach will mesh though.

I agree that a coach does not need to be a champion; however, the champion with proper coaching training can be a great combination.

IMO a coach does need the ability to demonstrate flawlessly.

[Bobaru]

I'm not sure how far I'd have to travel to get with a certified coach.  The only thing I'm certified to coach is skydiving.  And, believe me, there's tons of differences between certified skydiving coaches.  So, if I were to transfer that knowledge over from a coaching field I'm familiar with to one in which I'm not familiar, I'd be weary of spending much money to be coached in archery.  

Not really sure how Einstein fits in, but I'm sure he fits in somewhere.

In the meantime, I continue to respectfully diagree.  

Have a nice day gentlemen.

[chopx2]

Browndown...you won't regret taking a class, I took Rod's clinic 3 weeks ago and learned more that weekend than in the years before; HOWEVER, all the stuff I read combined with an open mind allowed me to absorb the instruction better and understand it faster.

That's what worked for me...

[browndown]

Thanks for all the feedback, always looking forward to learning.

[Terry Green]

There's a books worth of info right here on this site....and its more devoted to the HUNTING archer if that is what you are after.  I would also seek advise from a HUNTING archer.  Lots of folk can teach you the same old back yard shot, but not a lot can teach you how to pull off shots in the woods.

I agree...if I was going to BOWHUNT...I would not want to learn a method that made me not be able to pull off a shot if my right heel was on a pine cone.  I prefer a method that doesn't even consciously recognize the pine cone.

Nothing worse that paralysis by analysis.  I think over thinking so much stuff is what leads to the biggest problem in shooting trad bows.....target panic.