Why do I get the terrible one bad flyer?

[Lund Tyee 1]

Hey guys,

I'm a newbie and I've hesitated asking this question in fear of...sounding like a newbie. but in hope that maybe someone says something that may help I'm going to give it a whirl. The bow is a Hummingbird Kingfisher.  I've been shooting app. 15-30 arrows 2-4 times a week from 10-15 yards. Concentrating on form and just plain learning to shoot traditional. My question is, what is the most common reason I'm usually getting one arrow out of 6 that's maybe 10" off target? Is it lack of concentration/mental? or getting lazy on form?

[Allegan Archer]

I am not an expert by any means... but is it the same arrow each time?

[reddogge]

If it isn't the one arrow check to make sure your shoulders are lined up with the target.  They have a tendency to drift open and causes inconsistent anchoring, string plucking, etc.

[Bruce Martin]

Probably a form issue especially if you find your flier happening into the shooting session (i.e., getting a bit tired). You might not feel real tired but just a little letoff lends to creeping which will throw your shot off. Or if you are overbowed somewhat you will likely creep or not achieve full draw before the release. I think it's great however that at this point you are shooting close to the target and working on form. If you can get the fundamentals down consistently you can become a very good archer.

[Ragnarok Forge]

I would say stop shooting 6 arrows at a time.  Humans really struggle with focus and trying to shoot well when shooting more than 3 arrows at a time.  I like to shoot one to three arrows at a time when working on my form.

If I am struggling with something in my form, I shoot one arrow at a time and really focus on the specific form issue I am struggling with.  I do this at a couple of steps from bale.

For me when I really throw a shot I find it is not holding the bow arm steady on where I am aiming, if I let it drift, drop, or swing I throw one out.

[Cable Guy]

This is why I began shooting 1 arrow...my focus was suffering....then I forced myself to focus.

BTW, dont be afraid to sound like a newb.......Its the internet, you're on the same level as the guy who says he is a archery instructor to feel important around perfect strangers...equal.
Dont hesitate to keep it real, its better to know less sometimes (keeps you humble).

...You did the right thing to ask help with your shooting.

[divecon10]

We shoot 15+ arrows at a time and even though they r all made to the same formula and approximate weight a similar off shot error occurs. so I take away those outside ones an look for any inconsistency of the feathers etc.later. Then go again and usually get better grouping with less arrows. Tho as pointed out above lapses of concentration seem to be the main cause. Tried one arrow but got put off by the time walking back and reestablishing form again which is not always correct if u have no one to give some finer pointers, comments as above have helped a lot. Some days tho u just don't seem to be holding my tongue right.

[Cable Guy]

Recently read a self help article on strengthening focus and concentration because I swear I have ADD....and found some stuff valuable to my shooting.
I have been getting better at focusing on one tiny spot on a table tennis ball 15yds just by closing my eyes in a quiet room while sitting, and imagining a white sheet of paper with a tiny dot in the middle, and listen to the sound of your breathing atleast a minute......burning that image in your head is very difficult, but you improve day after day.
I think my issue was concentration, and I have to say.....it helped my focus in the yard after about a week.
I dont do yoga though guys......lol

Anyway, hope that was entertaining and helpful.

[jacobsladder]

If its high and right..and your a right handshooter...you may just be plucking....im famous for it.

[Chuck Hoopes]

Iam with the school of thought that attributes this to Loss of focus.  -- my feeling is that there is a slight dimishement of "interest" after something has been repeated/accomplished.  Its like been there done that.  Body and mind become just slightly less interested in performing the task-- consequently slightly less focused.  Kind of a interest/focus fatigue. I found for me that after shooting more than 2 arrows from the same spot, I rapidly loose interest.  I suggest you move around more, and shoot less arrows in a round-  This will keep your interest peaked and thus your focus.  I think it's Rick Welch, (I may be wrong) who tells his students to "Admire" the target.  I have found this to be an effective mental technique.--ergo-if you Admire it, it will hold your focus/attention etc. Standing there just hammering away at the same spot from the same place is kinda like boring sex- in and out, in and out, in and out.  Try to make your practice a little sexier. LOL

[Cable Guy]

Hey Chuck, I think your on to something.....

I can appreciate the varying of range, it teaches.
.....but let me ask, if I had 2 or 3 targets,
wouldnt that be bordering on polygamy?

[Chuck Hoopes]

Cable guy--   More like " playing the field "--
     Man, this is really starting to degenerate into taboo untouched realms of the archers psychic.-- Freudian to be sure!

[Cable Guy]

You're outta control Chuck, love it.

I just hope my over focusing on the sexy targets dont lead to 'premature arrow release'.

Gotta love the Freudian drift.

[Lund Tyee 1]

All great points guys, and just the type of responses I was expecting to get...except for the premature arrow release...it's the next morning after I read it and it still makes me laugh.

Anyway, it's hard to admire the target because it's a single in the basement. (It's cold in Northern IL) but point well taken.  Jacobsladder: I never thought about it but most of the time the bad arrow is high and left?? I'm right handed any suggestions?

And no it's not the same arrow each time.

As I said, I'm just learning, but I feel like after the bad arrow, I say to my self... yeah why did I release then?!  But I'm trying to hit my anchor and release. I just think sometimes I'm not ready or not aiming and the next thing ya know I'm at my anchor and away it goes. I don't know...you guys may think It's strange but it's almost like I can tell just before I hit my anchor point it's going to be a bad shot. The more I talk and type, the more it sounds like concentration and focus huh?

[Cable Guy]

A friend told me my bad shooting might be 'the loose nut right behind the bow'.

You must have:

Consistent Form.
Consistent draw length.
Consistent anchor.
Consistent release.
Consistent arrow spine and weight....sure.
Consistent training.

Once you have all of those dialed in:
 
Accept human error as something which will not go away anytime soon....that should make you feel better.

[snag]

Cable Guy has it covered. One other thing that we all fall short of is total "commitment" to the shot. When you come to full draw but you don't feel aligned correctly, or that your anchor is solid, or whatever it is you are fully committed to the shot...let down without release the arrow. Start over, get committed to the shot and follow through to completion and hold it. By doing this you are not allowing the training of your muscles or your mind to accept less than as perfect as you can be....hope this helps.

[Lund Tyee 1]

Thanks guys.

Snag, that's exactly what i should be doing.  It may be the only way to break myself of shooting when I feel before the release it's not right.

[Encino Man]

A great diagnostic tool is a video camera. You may think your doing the same each time, but a camera will allow to to compare shot to shot.

[Lazy Ike]

I second the video camera. Lets you see what is really going on.Sometimes it helps to give a comment after your shots on camera. ex. "that one felt perfect" or more important ... " that was the flyer ". Then you can study what it looks like ( formwise ) when the flyer happens.

Good luck,
Ike

[sdpeb1]

One thing I was told was to get really familiar with my my riser. When you grab your bow their should be a familiar feel each time you grip it. Make sure it's consistantly in the same spot in your hand. If I have a bad release I try to diagnose it. I look at the location of my hand, it should go straight back and not away from your face. I also check my my bow hand and see if it's still in the same spot or close to where it was before I released. Hope this helps- Steve