Bow form changes fears

[Sologuy]

Hey guys... I have been shooting quite a few years and after watching  Some of Arnes videos as well as others I'm contemplating some changes, the main thing I have in my head is after watching arnis videos and thinking about skeletal positioning I thought he was right when it came to anchor point as I have always anchored in the corner of my mouth, But if I go into a full skeletal hold my anchor point changes, my fear is ....i'm 54 years old, changing things makes me think I'm going to go through a very long cycle of trials to change my form when I did this with compound shooting years ago I developed the worst case of target panic to the point I pretty much couldn't shoot a compound so I'd like to hear what some people have to say about this getting my bow drawn to the point where I have the so called' letdown spot' will increase my draw length enough I won't be able to use my anchor point that I have used since I started shooting<corner of mouth>
Help.   

[McDave]

Changing your anchor point to better reflect your actual draw length is probably the best thing you could do to improve your shooting right now.  Heck, I’m 74, and I did it a few years ago.  I’m sure you could too.  The secret is to just work on that one thing until you are satisfied with the result.  Don’t try to do too many things at once.

[moebow]

A GOOD question Sologuy and one worth talking about!

ANY change to form, execution, technique or equipment will MOST likely cause your shooting to deteriorate for a while and you need to be willing to accept that and build back up.  How long it takes really depends on your resources.  Can you get to a coach (shorter "recovery" time);  are you going it alone? (longer recovery and probably more frustrating!!) I'm here to help if I can but an in person coach is best.

I will say, that in my opinion, IF you are making those changes and trying to grade your progress on how well you are hitting a target that that is the self imposed short cut to TP!!  Changes must be done (again IMO!!!!) by working the learning of the change on the blank bale and WITHOUT A TARGET!!!!!!!!!!  Many are unwilling to do this and then impose on themselves the "demon." (demon = TP)

In order to improve, a person must be willing to back up a couple steps from where they are, take a couple steps sideways ( make the change)  in order to clear their current barrier and move forward.

When you change something in your shot, DO NOT shoot at a target, just work on the change while letting the bale catch the arrows (5 to 6 FEET so you can't miss).  I stand strongly on the theory that the arrow in the target is NOT a measure of the success of the change or of mastery of the change.  As soon as you combine a change AND shoot at a target your mind starts to stress over the target and not the change. And generally you destroy any progress you made to the point where you decided to see if you were improving by shooting at a bull's eye.

Changes are not generally easy, you must dedicate to them and most importantly give changes enough time to settle in.  Changes are NEVER "I tried that last night and it just didn't work."  More like " I tried that for the last 3 months and think I'm getting it."

Are YOU willing to give up what you are to become what you could be?????

Arne

[David Mitchell]

Sologuy, I am 75 years old and been shooting since Hector was a pup.  I have dealt with target panic for years and tried lots of things to address it, but none ever came close to giving me the help and confidence that Jim Casto's program has given me.  I am at day 56 and now the program has me working out to 30 yards and shooting with no TP.  I have been aiming at a spot on the target from the beginning and I believe that has been a good thing in that I did not have to introduce a new aspect to the routines.  I began by working with Jim in person one day on a trip to his house since he only lives less than an hour away.  Jim took one look at my draw and anchor and told me that I was no way close to what should be my draw length.  I worked on getting my draw back to the rotational point, I think they call it, when my back muscles took over and were doing the holding and not my arms.  That put everything in proper alignment and also increased my draw length from about 27" to 30 1/2.  I love the new draw length and the much more solid anchor.  I was drawing to an eye tooth and now all the way back until my index finger is buried solidly in the hinge of my jaw.  At that point, my thumb tucks neatly under my jaw and the cock feather touches my upper lip--three definite anchor references.  It has not taken me any time at all to get used to the longer draw.  I love it, and the only problem it has created is that I now have a bunch of arrows that are too short and some bows that are too heavy.   

[Sologuy]

Arne, this is a lot to ponder... the answer is yes,I want to be better... so how to stsrt this adventure...oh boy...

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[Sologuy]

Arne- question if I may ask. But first thank you for your response, I am glad you did, and respect yourunderstanding of the problem as well.

To get started on this by myself ( I do not have a coach) can you make a suggestion ?
No targets, Bale shooting...yes  BUT, what is the best first step- ?

[Jim Casto Jr]

Sologuy,

Don't be afraid to change.  Things will come along much quicker than you think, as long as you stick with it, of course.

I'm of the opinion that blank bale work is very beneficial, perhaps even required to work on form and form changes.

[moebow]

If I was "rebuilding" a person's shot, we'd start with a rubber band (like I show in one video) and teach the person the correct movements and position with LIGHT resistance (draw weight). Once the movement and body position was understood, then we progress to a LIGHT bow (I carry 16# bows for just this reason) and start shooting at the blank bale to reinforce the movement and position while releasing an arrow.  Again, bale up CLOSE (5-6 feet) to catch arrows. The goal is to learn to make the shot while maintaining focus on MOVEMENT to full draw, setting the bones into alignment and FEELING the shot.  You measure yourself by how you feel you executed the shot, NOT by where the arrow lands!!!

As you progress, you can move that bale back a little at a time.  And, as you progress, you will find that your arrows are grouping.  BUT!!! That grouping is NOT a result of aiming, it IS a result of executing the shot with your movement of execution.  IF you can learn to execute the shot the same way each time, the arrows will go to the same place (group). All the while, focusing on the archer's "T", bone on bone and a solid facial reference for the string hand.

You should build this up a step at a time.  Don't bounce around from one item to the next.  Don't try to gauge your progress by trying to hit a bull's eye, that comes MUCH later. 

Build a shot sequence, what do you do first, second, third, etc.  Make that sequence your path for every shot, never deviate or shortcut it.  Adjust it, improve it, of course, but stick to YOUR sequence as you build it.

This can sound complicated but is really just the first one hour lesson with a coach.  I'd BET that in Florida, you can find one relatively nearby. 
https://www.teamusa.org/usa-archery/judges-and-coaches/coaches/usa-archery-coach-locator

Arne

[David Mitchell]

Excellent advice Moebow.  Wish I would have had it many, many years ago.