Implementation of Turner's Mantra

[Hunterman57]

Hi Everyone,

I've been monitoring the Target Panic Reality Check thread started by Joel Turner and have been experimenting with my own mantra.  I finally found something that works really well for me and wanted to share it here to see if anyone else has had success with something similar.

Consistent with Turner's ideal of letting the subconscious mind control the aiming portion of the shot and concentrating fully on the form elements of the shot and the pycho-trigger, here is what I do:

My mantra is "Anchor... Balance at Anchor...Push..."

When I say "Anchor" to myself, I focus on coming completely back to my repeatable anchor (middle finger in the corner of my mouth using split finger).

When I say " Balance at Anchor" I concentrate on maintaining the push/pull of my draw and most importantly, focus on making sure the bow is perfectly balanced in my bow arm.  I try to impede as little influence on the bow as possible and imagine my drawing hand merely as a hook that holds back the bowstring while my bow arm balances the bow while pushing toward the target.

Here is where the breakthrough is:  In the past, after I was satisfied that I was aiming completely on the target, I started focusing on rotating my shoulder back towards an imaginary person behind me.  Similar to what is taught on Masters of the Bare Bow.  For the past few weeks however, I added thinking about "breaking the bow apart" by pushing toward the target AT THE SAME TIME AS ROTATING MY SHOULDER. I noticed that when I started to do this (thinking about the pushing and pulling at release) the bow jumped forward from my arm, straight toward the target at release, and my draw arm flew back to a repeatable spot on my shoulder.  My groups also improved dramatically.

I've given this some considerable thought.  Here is what I think is happening.  Im interested to hear everyone's opinion on it.

It seems reasonable to me that if a bow was pulled back by a machine, the same way, every time, perfectly balanced both while its being aimed and through release, the arrow will fly as true as the arrow construction allows it to.  That is, if our form allows us to not "interfere" with the natural physics associated with loosing an arrow and we will have perfect arrow flight; all things being equal.

I've heard people talk about "letting the bow shoot itself" and not messing up the shot by introducing torque and movement by doing things like grabbing the bow handle at release, plucking the string, collapsing and dropping the bow arm etc.

For me, if the bow is perfectly balanced at anchor and stays that way through release by maintaining that balance through adequate push and pull; in this case achieved by concentrating on "breaking the bow apart" via the push/pull concentration, I get alot more accurate.

I've been shooting a recurve since I was 6 and this is the first time I can confidently say that I feel completely in control of my shot.  Has anyone else experienced this or does anyone else employ a similar method?

As always, I value this forum and the feedback gathered from it.

Bill Hunter

[njloco]

well, I  don't  have  any  trouble  with  shooting,  but I'm still goona  try  what  you  stated,  one  can  never tell  when  something  might  work  better.

[xtrema312]

Very interesting.  I have recently started doing a very similar shot sequence.  

I have tried a bunch of stuff and saying keep pulling or thinking increased pulling doesn’t work for me.  I had a hard time not putting in hand and or arm muscle tension trying to pull more.  I found I pull all the way back and anchor.  It was more of a physiological thing in my shot sequence where when I said pull I had to move something, and that didn’t work for me.  A clicker was horrible most of the time.  I could do the pulling thing, but my shot control and accuracy was bad.   Static pulling didn’t work either because I would lose back tension.  
Now my shot sequence is “Anchor, burn a hole, push”. This is working much better for me so far.  I start off picking a  point and lining up on that point as I draw.  “Anchor” makes me lock in my anchor and my back at full draw while I line up on that spot. “Burn a Hole” helps me get back on the spot more intently after I anchor, and saying that helps me settle in for about a second and a half as I subconsciously line up the shot.  “Push” produces the push pull tension that moves the bow hand to the target,  and it triggers the shot.  This is producing a good back tension sting hand follow through with a more relaxed release than I was getting trying to tell myself to pull. It is letting my string hand and arm just do noting while my back holds at full draw.  I never stop pulling and  really pull more to offset the push, but I don’t think at all about pulling.  It is working for me.

[LongStick64]

I have to agree that by initiating a push I also start to pull. I've gone back to setting a Mantra and I begin by saying "Draw" and get at anchor, "Set" when I achieve my sight picture and "Push, Push, Push" to complete the shot. For me the concept of keep pulling never worked well enough. I could never get that sensation of pulling therefore I don't believe my mind was accepting it. It was just words repeating. But when I think of pushing, I do "feel" it.

[Lee Lobbestael]

Sounds like you are developing great form! How is this a non anticipatory psychotrigger tho? Isn't your conscious mind still triggering the release?

[xtrema312]

Originally posted by Lee Lobbestael:
Isn't your conscious mind still triggering the release?

Not for me. That is the problem.  If my conscious mind had control of things I would be all set. My release happens on the push or expansion.  I try to line up the shot fairly well and then push at the target for release.  I have yet to find the perfect trigger.