Shooting Styles

[dano140]

I watched "Masters of the Barebow, Vol 1" and "Hitting 'Em Like Howard Hill" this weekend. There are a lot of different shooting styles shown, but I was drawn to the Hill style more than any of others.

I have only been shooting for a few months, but what I have been taught and working on is more of the target archery style. Is there any downside to switching styles this early in the game?

Yesterday and today, I tried shooting the Hill style and didn't seem to be too much worse than I normally  am. {I did say I have only been shooting for a couple of months     }

Is Hill's style more suited to a longbow or will it work equally as well on a recurve?

Thank you all for the great post!
Dan

[Bowmania]

Start thinking positive.  The positive thing to say is, "...didn't seem to be too much 'better' than I normally..."  

If your on a 3D course where you have to shoot between two trees and you think, "better not hit that tree" just before you shoot, your gonna hit that tree.  Better to think (on every shot) my arrow is going to be in that spot after I shoot.

I've been at this 52 years and at this time of the year I tinker with my style.  Sometime around May or June I'm done tinkering and will shoot that way for the season.

One thing about the Hill style, at least the way John Schultz teaches it, doesn't make sense to me.  Upon reaching your anchor point your holding X pounds, you release X pounds and your hand isn't suspose to move???  I believe there should be a follow through.  Physics says for every action... hence your hand should meve back wards following the release.

My 2 cents.  Home it helps.

Bowmania

[Kingstaken]

Dan I also have used the Schultz tape. Masters of the bare bow was not for me. Too techno for traditional shooting style. I've lent it out a few times around the states and all say they enjoy this style better then others once they got it down.
But no matter what style you choice practice and enjoy.

[Jerry Wald]

I agree with most people when they say "see how others do things then adapt what you need to fit YOU". You are shooting your bow. Now if there is obvious stuff like torquing the string etc then maybe someone can point that out to you a few little details, which has happened to me, but after that you have to find what works for YOU.

Three fingers under , split finger, a release, whatever you decide should be good enough for YOU then just have fun and practice lots. I don't personally think there is right and wrong, just differences. People are trying to help all the time which is good, but they just aren't YOU. You are unique. Howard Hill had things that worked for him GREAT..did the same things work for Fred Bear..Not sure, but I bet they had differences. Could they shoot a bow...darn tootin, but they didn't shoot the same did they. Maybe some similarities, but not the same for sure. They are trying to help, but we are all different.

I have seen people pick up a bow with no background and no help and shoot pretty good. Then we fill there heads with all this stuff and they can hit the barn from the inside. Keep it simple pure and enjoy the journey is all I have to say.  :D  

I have had people tell me to raise my elbow, turn my head, breath, hold my bow hand steady, pu tmore heel in the bow hand etc...well I was a classical mess. I couldn't do anything because my mind was so full of things to remember I couldn't do any of it.    

Try to empty your mind and shoot your style the way you can do it and then there maybe the little  things you can work on to improve. Too much too soon I think will actually hurt you.

Have fun...try not to over think it..get help if you think you REALLY need it.

Just my 2 cents worth which is about 2.1 cents US right now...tee hee

Jer Bear

[Shakes.602]

Yeah, What Jerry Said!!  I have Shot with a  "Dead Release" where my Shootin' Hand Stays At or Close to My Anchor.
    I have Shot where "My Shooting Fingers Go Back to The Shoulder as  Follow Through ".
  I Have Kind of Come Up with a Happy Medium, and as was Said Before,  NOBODY  Releases the Same when Releasing with Fingers.  YOU  have to Find  Your   "Groove"  and Release That Way  EVERY  SHOT!!  "CONSISTENCY"  is the Name Of The Game!!         GOOD LUCK TO YOU!!  

[Dave Worden]

I'd say the only downside to switching styles is to be CONSTANTLY switching styles.  You'll find it awfully hard to be consistent if you're constantly changing.  That being said, however, you should never be afraid to try something new, nor be ashamed to go back you what you were doing before.  Give new ideas a fair try and if they work, you have a new style.  If they don't, go right back to what you were doing.  Don't expect however, that a change in style will correct for form errors.  You will always need to stand properly, draw and release smoothly, focus, no I mean FOCUS on your target and follow through.

[Three Arrows]

Changing shooting styles is a result of dissatisfaction in your current shooting style.  20+ years ago we did not have the use of internet and videos like we do now to aid us in shooting.  What we learned from shooting was to watch others shoot.  There were videos of Hill and Schultz.  We had the Asbel book.  Now, it seems the most notable 3-D shooters are target stance shooters.  I for one, changed my style from the canted fluid style to a more straight up target style because it made me a better shot.  Now I cannot seem to get myself to cant the bow and lean when I shoot.  The only way I can cant the bow is if I am sitting down or on a knee.  My point is, I was not satisfied with how I was shooting, so I sought to make a change and it worked wonders for me.  If your 'style' does not work for you then change.  If it does, why change?  Shooting involves the same exact mechanics in any form or style.  Some things one does because it is consistent and repeatable shot-for-shot.  Some things flat out don't work.  I will state this one truth though:  If you are accurate and consistent with your shot, you will never hear anyone try to correct your shot!  There will only be silence when you shoot!

[adirondack46r]

I'll add one thing to the excellent advice above. I find that for me, inconsistent accuracy originates in one of two places - alignment and bow arm. If I align my shoulders correctly, and keep a steady bow arm until the arrow hits the target, all else is secondary.

[adirondack46r]

Originally posted by adirondack46r:
I'll add one thing to the excellent advice above. I find that for me, inconsistent accuracy originates in one of two places - alignment and bow arm. If I align my shoulders correctly, and keep a steady bow arm until the arrow hits the target, all else is secondary.

Oh, one minior correction - all inconsistent accuracy originates in one place - between my ears.

[laddy]

When I was a target shooter the straight up stiff form worked for  that, but shooting down a river bluff I had problems.  I avoided tree stands because I was not very good at at that either.  that is why I got rid of the sight 35 years ago and went to Hill style shooting, the deer and pheasants wish i would have stayed a target shooter ever since i changed.  I will agree that some guys with recurves can shoot better than me at targets using that vertical form.

[cvarcher]

Thats why Hill told the Shultz brothers "boys make up your mind what you wanna do taget shoot or hunt because the two just dont mix" . Not that you cant hit an animal with the static straight target style but you can do it more easily ,faster and in more adaptable positions with the fluid style.As for accuracy its the first or second shot that counts in a hunting situation, not the 5-6 consecutive shots that group.So dont worry about keeping a tight large group of arrows together ,get the first and second instinctive one in. In time youll do everything so well that you will get better in groups naturally .But I dont believe youll be as good as the pure target shooter in consistency..unless your Howard Hill!    

[madness522]

I think you should experiment with as many styles as you can.  Take the best of each and build your own, the one that works for you.  No matter what your style becomes you will still need to hit anchor everytime without fail to be the best shooter you can be.

[longbowguy]

I switched from Hill to target style and competed well with it for a number of years........but I never enjoyed it as much.

This year I decided to switch back, mostly, and see how it went. I now use the swing draw with an erect stance, cock my head over the arrow and cant the bow a bit. I do retain the longish draw from my target style and shoot with a slower rhythm. I can speed it up if the situation calls for it.  I am more comfortable with this way of shooting and fatigue less in a long event. And I have been shooting personal bests in target events. It is a good way to shoot a bow. - lbg