Becoming the best Archer that you can be.

[52Mag]

The sun is shining its 61 degrees and its time to start shooting. Not once last summer did I keep up with Chris Hill or Lon Scott on the range and I would like to see that change this year. As I go through my practice sessions I will keep trad gang members posted on what I discover helps me put my arrows  in the center. The first thing I found out is that my fingers are weak. To correct this problem I will squeeze a ball on the way to work for the next month. 20 minutes a day works wonders for finger strength. Please post what you have found helps you get in tune for the spring bear hunt or 3-D shoots.

[rastaman]

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[**DONOTDELETE**]

I'll pull my bow back, Normal then switch hands and pull it back again… I'll do this about 20 times then switch, repeat the 20 times with the other hand. This helps me with Back tension.

[52Mag]

This I found to be very helpful. When I begin shooting in spring I keep a log and write in it on the days that I was really shooting well. How did I feel as my arrows were going in the center. Was it a great bow arm today? Was it my solid anchor? What I find is that after two months I have 12 or more entries about how I felt on the days that I shot my best. This log will help everyone who tries it.

[Chuck Hoopes]

Have you tried taking a deeper hook? --relieves alot of the pressure, as opposed to a shallow hook.

[Big Sneaky]

I just never quit shooting.  I shoot almost everyday, sometimes every other.  I don't shoot too many arrows maybe 30.  If the weather is nice I shoot outside, if not I can shoot 14 yds max in the basement.  I also have big machine shed that is 30 yds max so that helps too.  The key for me is to never let my shooting become unfamiliar to me.  10 yrs ago I used to take long breaks from shooting.  Took me lots of shooting to get back to a point where I felt I was shooting good.  Therefore, I never quit shooting.

[McDave]

For me, it's like peeling an onion.  I learn what there is on one level, and then that opens up a whole new level to learn.  My current layer of the onion is learning to relax all the parts of my body that aren't actually needed to make the shot: my drawing forearm, my drawing hand and fingers except for the tips used to hold the string, keeping my shoulders relaxed and down, my bow arm other than the muscles needed to hold the bow, my bow hand except for a finger and thumb needed to keep the bow from falling.  Then there is an overall effort to keep tension out of my body through breathing.

[52Mag]

Chuck
     The deep hook is very important,the only way to grip the string as far as I am concerned. You know that all the Olympic archers use the deep hook. It also helps when you are shooting a bow of 60# or more.( The deep hook that we are talking about is when you place the string behind the first joint of fingers of your drawing hand.) In the mid 50 t's Rube Powell shot with the string in the second joint and he was World Champion and unbeatable for five years. I shot with Rube at the Nationals in Watkins Glenn NY. in 1962 he was a joy to watch. Fred Anderson shot with him ever summer in California.
Steve

[Earthdog]

Heck,I just started using the "McDave" breathing method over the last three days.

Made more difference to my shooting "in a very good way" than anything else I've tried in the last few years.

Three days ago I had this ocassional flinch at full draw,,havn't seen it since I started this "breathing" stuff.

ED.

[zetabow]

One thing that helped me is I kept detailed notes of all the tourneys I did.

Info like, how I was feeling on the day, weather and terrain conditions, scores related to top score or division shooting above me.

Made notes about what went right or if wrong how I fixed the problem, I was amazed how I saw patterns in my perfomance and identified weak areas of my shooting, I was able to work more on these areas to improve my game. I also noticed sometimes the same problem would come back 6-8 months later and instead of trying a load of diffrent things to fix the problem I just checked my notes and got back on track very quickly without messing around with my form too much.

[Blackhawk]

Steve, your posts are scaring me.  Are you trying to return to those 290 scores you posted a few years ago?

I like to keep notes and scores of my shooting sessions, but I have this terrible habit of switching bows almost every day.  It's not that I'm unhappy with my performance (which could be lots better), I just enjoy shooting them all.

Also, wish you were here...Brent Okita has challenged me to another 300 round this afternoon...buck a point.

[zetabow]

I dont have to keep scores anymore some Archer records scores from every archer\\target and posts them on association website, when I kept notes myself a few years back I found it a great way to develop my shooting.

shoot straight

[52Mag]

To score and compete with another archer can have a positive effect when a pressure filled shot comes along. Brent and Lon are in a higher stakes game than I care to shoot in. A dollar a point in the 300 round. $ 25.00 could change hands very easy. Several years when I shot in Vegas the scoring was inside out. This meant that your arrow had to be totally inside the three inch white spot. All arrows that touched the lower scoring line were counted as the lower score. My advice to both of you is to not drop your bow until the arrow has hit the target, also keep looking at the spot through your sight window until after the arrow hits. In addition to creating a better follow through, you will  be better able to under stand what went well on the shot and what phase of the shot could have been executed  better if any.

[cashhere]

I guess reading all the stuff here is a great start, I have decided to really step it up a level this year, I will stay tuned. Thanks

[cch]

The one thing that I would like to change about my shooting is snap shooting. The problem is that I shoot pretty good this way and am scared to change as it might mess me up. I wish I could hold the way 52Mag does. If I could do that I don't think I would ever miss. Some day I will have to commit and change my shooting style. I will also be able to gain an inch or two in draw length if I do it.

[Blackhawk]

cch,

Papa Bear, greatest bowhunter ever    

I agree...don't fix it if it ain't broke.

p.s.  I chickened out on the buck a point event, but we still had a friendly wager.  Oh, I already forgot who won.  :rolleyes:

[Bowmania]

I'm amazed by the number of people that don't shoot with a sequence or countdown.  If you don't use one, I guarantee there's nothing that could help you more.

If you don't have a coach and it's late summer your better off shooting with the exact same poor form every shot, than shooting with perfect form 50% of the time.  And a countdown will help you do that.  Whether your form is good or bad.

Bowmania

[Bob L.]

May you explain the countdown more?
Thanks
Bob

[cch]

I would like to hear more about the countdown also. I think the best way to shoot is with a clicker of some sort so you don't anticipate your shot.

[52Mag]

Snap shooters: There really is nothing wrong with snap shooting. The fact is for hunting what could be better a archer who takes one second to shoot,or one who takes three. Most archers take 2 1/2 seconds from the start of there draw to release. That said; It is easier for a archer to go from holding there anchor for a 1/2 second  to snap shooting then to go the other direction. The issue is time what do you do with extra second. ( this is were some archers say the longer I hold the arrow the more time I have to goof up the shot.) I believe that a snap shooter who wants to change there style and hold longer can begin by getting a bow 10 or 15 pounds lighter then the weight they are shooting. Then put a sight on the bow and shoot a bunch of arrows at 10 or fifteen yards. I would shoot at a 4 to 5 inch spot.
after a week or so switch to  bare bow using the same thought pattern  that you used with the sight to place your arrows in the center. What you will discover is that your arrow groups are tighter when you shoot bare bow than with the sight. Shooting with a sight is a lot more work.( To all of you Trad Ganger's  who do not know Chris Hill he is well known as one of the best bare bow archers in the state of Washington.)