Who has beaten Target panic?

[sendero25]

Greg,
My target panic started because when I switched from a compound to a trad bow, I was over bowed, but I didn't want to admit it.
I began to short draw and I wanted a consistent group SO bad that I released when it felt right.
My groups weren't too bad, just very inconsistent due to my unreliable anchor point.
Someone here, (I can't remember who but many thanks) told me "you don't HAVE to release!
It was great advice. When I shoot, every couple of arrows or so, I come to a complete full draw, pause, and let down. It may be 3 in a row, every other arrow, I don't know and just let it happen, sometimes I shoot, sometimes I just come to a good solid anchor, hold, hold a little more and slowly let down.
Then I may shoot an arrow or two.
I also only practice with one arrow.
I shoot, pull it, walk back to my shooting range, and shoot that one arrow again.
I also started all over again by shooting very close, with no target and thinking about FORM!
Another advantage of shooting only one arrow at a time at no target is you have no target!
When I shot more than one arrow into a blind bale, I had the habit of trying to shoot the nock of the first arrow! In other words, my first arrow became my target, or concentration point, and my form became secondary and the short draw and panic came back because I wanted to group arrows and hit that nock so bad!
Hope this helps a little, and good luck!
I'm sure you'll beat it!
John

[cvarcher]

Sendero25, you dont have to do one arrow at a time. Put blunts on them and cover your target with a doubled up old rug or carpet in a solid color -no patterns. Now stand 10 yds away and go thru your sequence aiming at the middle section in no particular spot.When the arrow hits (hopefully from a solid proper form) it will bounce off harmlessly and you can load another blunt and shoot because theres nothing but the rug or carpet. By the way I am the opposite of most of you guys. I fire arrows like a machine gun as smooth and as pefect as I can in a very casual non stressful manner touch and go.When I shoot at a plastic bottle out to 75yds thats when I mix it up with slow hold at anchor shots along with the snap shots. Both are darn accurate there too.

[JRH]

I just had to brake down and go to the PVC bow that was introduced to me on this site.  It's about 15lbs draw and once I made some light arrows for it, I was amazed at how fun it was to shoot.  I reset my form and am hitting a milk jug with it from anywhere in my yard.  It has taken three years to get over all the damage I did in my younger years...  My shoulder feels good and I am going to hunt some pigs this year with my HH Red Man 63@28!

Thanks Trad Gang!

[khardrunner]

Greg, I struggled for a while with it and pretty much gave up shooting all together. I had shot ever since I was something like 5 years old. I thought I would never beat it, so I moved on. My dad actually emailed Jay Kidwell, who took the time to email me. He worked through it with me, and now, after a 6-7 year layoff, I am able to shoot with a good draw 90% of the time....and it's getting better! Email Jay and see if he can help.

Now, if only I hadn't broken my wrist a few weeks ago!

[The Gopher]

i had a terrible time with target panic a while back. i picked up the book "instinctive archery insights" by kidwell. the part of the book that really helped me was to make a super light bow out of a 6 foot piece of 1/2" PVC pipe. we're talking like 5 to 10 lbs at the most. the point is to hold at full draw and approach the target from all directions, figure eights etc. then come on target and release. do this for a few minutes each day. this helped me a lot. i'd pick up the book, its a good read.

[BLACK WOLF]

I have found for me...and MANY other archers...that TP can be beaten by engraining our form over a long period of time by blank bale practice.

I also use a dry fire bow made out of PVC pipe to also try and accomplish the same thing.

We need to re-program our muscles and our brains to feel what it's like to execute a good shot...over and over and over again...until it is burned into our subconscious and into our muscle memory.

The key factor I have found that has helped me...is actually dedicating all my practice to just that with very little to no regard to aiming over days if not weeks at a time.

Ray  

[JRH]

Black Wolf is totally correct. In my case I shot my PVC bow every night for months. Then I added some lite arrows into a bale (still no aiming) for several months. Then I started shooting at a scoccer ball with blunts at close range. It worked for me. No more jerking, plucking or dropping my arm etc...  :D   It just takes time,  relax...

[Onestringer]

Where can I purchase Jay Kidwells book?

[zetabow]

I had it for about 5-6 months in 2001 and I’m a tourney Longbow shooter, I would come up to full draw and freeze, I had to force the release and would jerk my bowhand, it was horrible and seriously thought about giving up Archery. I was a pretty good shot winning a number of National titles which made the fall from grace even harder to endure. I have read Jay kidwells book but unfortunately for me only after I had already solved the problem but it would be my first recommendation to everybody not only as a cure but to prevent the problem in the first place.

I started off having a break from competitive shooting for 3 months and stopped shooting for 3-4 weeks altogether. When I came back I started off just drawing up, aiming and coming back down, I did this for about 10 days and then started to release the shot at random and slowly my confidence and control returned. I also decided I was a little obsessed with scores and winning and changed my philosophy from scores and end result of winning\\losing to just how well I executed the shot, it didn’t matter if I missed just as long as the shot was executed with good solid form, I knew in the back of my mind if I could do this simple task the arrow would pretty much take care of itself and at least hit the target somewhere, this simple change in outlook took a huge amount of self-pressure from me and things improved rapidly.

At the time the experience had to be just about my worst nightmare but looking back, I now realize the experience taught me so much about myself, it’s helped make me a better shot and person.

[fleetus]

Had it bad.  Beat it completely.  Here's how I got it and how I beat it.  I got it by shooting too heavy a bow and not practicing enough for that weight bow. Can you pull your bow back and hold it comfortably, for 30 seconds?  Instinctive shooting requires that your shooting form be automatic so that your brain is concentrating on the target spot.  Imagine throwing a baseball while thinking about the tension in your fingers!  Probably wouldn't be too accurate with a distraction like that. If your overbowed you start to snap shoot.  Once you start to snap shoot, your form is on the way out the window.  Target Panic is the next.  You've lost your anchor point and form. Trying to shoot instinctive but you don't really have an anchor point anymore, so when do you release the arrow?  The answer is, whenever it feels good.  Which is basically any old time and often without warning.  You'll shoot an accurate arrow once in a while and spend the rest of the day trying to repeat that accident.  All you've done is reinforce more bad habits.  At this point, you need to stop shooting.  I stopped for months before tackling the problem and I think the time off helped.  You need to reestablish your form.  Strength training helps you have better form also.   Start strength training by pulling the bow back and holding it for as long as you can.  Until you get above 30 seconds without major trembling, you are overbowed in my opinion.

I bought a heavier 70+ lbs bow and started just pulling and holding.  Did this for over a month before I shot another arrow.  Now I shoot bows in the 45-55# range and if I take a break for a few weeks I always start back by training with that 70# bow.  I haven't had any problems since then.  You can email me any time, [email protected] if you have any questions.

[The Gopher]

like others said i would draw and hold as long as i could, i even grabbed a lighter weight bow so i could hold longer. i also would repetedly draw, take aim, hold and let down without shooting. this seemed to help me. good luck, Dan.

[cvarcher]

Boys, make up your mind.Do you want to hunt or shoot target because the two just dont mix.If you shoot Hill style and use a proper weight bow you will keep your form close to true and theres no reason to hold for anything because its already sighted in along the way.We arent lookin for target scores here and groups that target archers achieve. Very very simple

[zetabow]

cvarcher I know some world class tourney shooters that also hunt, as you mentioned Howard hill wasn't he also both a great tourney shooter and hunter.

It doesn't matter if you shoot target or hunt, is it not the goal of all Archers to be as accurate as possible. The question was about TP and dont really understand where you're comming from.

[SteveMcD]

I had TP really awful a few years ago. I read Jay Kidwell's book. As well as several others. But, I moved from "Instinctive" to GAP / Split Vision. This allowed me to slow things down a bit, settle in, and be more mindful of any form issues. Also eliminated snapshooting. I don't claim to be a GAP or Instinctive shooter one way or the other. The reality is I am probably using components of both. Form and accuracy are two diffferent things though, and both need to be practiced regularly and separately.

[Curtiss Cardinal]

I got over it by "talking" myself through each step of nocking, drawing, releasing and following through on a shot. Concentrating an performing each task with perfect form. I did that until I could do it with my eyes closed and then I did just that. I kept my eyes closed until I was at full draw then I opened them and focused on the smallest spot and ignored the "target" as a whole.

[BLACK WOLF]

Originally posted by SteveMcD:
Form and accuracy are two diffferent things though, and both need to be practiced regularly and separately.

Ooooo...couldn't agree with that more!  

An archer is better off practicing on one or the other and not both at the same time.

Form issues should be worked out at the Blank Bale or some form of that practice until your form is embedded within your muscle memory and subconscious...so when you do go to try and hit a target...you not distracted by wondering or trying to feel if your form is correct.

Ray  

[Greene-mann]

I've been suffering from the same sort of TP for 4 years on and off now, Trying to draw on target and the moment the base of my thumb makes contact with my face then thats it, sometimes i can't even lose it from there (at some points i actually can't draw the bow more than about 3 inches) i've pretty much everything that i've read i've tried, physically im a stocky guy, i could physically shoot 70lb without breaking a sweat, but i've tried a clicker, using a compound, i've even totally dropped my poundage from 60 down to 35 over time...
Still...im not one for giving up, the day i stop tryings the day i stop breathing...
Anyone think Hypnotheropy could work??? haha

[plumbocop]

This sounds like an AA meeting.  Helo My name is Dave and I have TP.  I had surgery on my left shoulder last March.  The Dr. cut away some bone the was causing impingement.  Since comming back I have had no problem with TP.  I think its because for some reason I draw where I am looking now instead of above the intended target.  Maybe we all need surgery.  Some of us may need it more on our brains than shoulder.

[LJOHNS]

Well I think I have it pretty bad right now!  I have been switching back and forth from my compound to my BW recurve and now I can't shoot either one very well.  I used to be a pretty consistent shot - no more.  I think I need to start completely over.  I have decided that I really don't like the grip on my Widow.  It is too small and I don't think I grip it the same each time.  I am going to order the book mentioned above and maybe a new bow too!  Wish me luck.

[PAPA BEAR]

one method i have used is to set up some type of large target(plywood in my case)get some sticky back dots of various sizes and put them on the target. draw your bow and stare at a dot....let down...repeat this without making the same pattern over and over..do this every day without shooting an arrow for a week...next you take down big target and stand in front of some bales and draw and anchor while eyes are closed..shoot arrow then repeat 10 to 20 shots per day.3 days of this and you should be ready to start normal shooting again