Crushed by Target panic

[the longbowkid]

I have been shooting for several years now and have had target panic from the get go.  whenever I reach full draw I lock up and cant move to reach my aim point. I have learned to shoot pretty wel by compensating, but it doesnt solve the problem.  When im drawing on a target that I'm not going to  realease on, the panic disappears and I can move freely.  any advice?

[Flingblade]

Get the book Instinctive Archery Insights by Jay Kidwell and read it cover to cover and then start the drills in the target panic chapter.  I have target panic as well and tried many things over the years.  This is the best money I have spent and I have made big improvements in the last year with his techniques.  Good luck.

[Jeff Mundy]

blind bale!

[LongStick64]

This is going to sound yodaish but you can't fix it unless you find the trigger for it. There isn't a one fix all drill, book , video for everyone. It took me a long battle, until I figured out what cuased my target panic. It really is like a bacterial virus, not every antibiotic kills it.

[McDave]

Longstick is probably right; one size doesn't fit all.  But if you look around, you'll find something that works for you, and Kidwell's book is a good place to start.  I would venture to say that thousands of people have either found a cure for target panic or had it just cure itself over time.  I think there is a tendency for humans to create obstacles for ourselves when we want something too much, whether it's getting tongue-tied when we ask that special girl out for the first time, or getting target panic when we want to draw and shoot the bow perfectly.  We can try and kid ourselves that it isn't that important to us, but if it really is that important, we'll find a way to get there.

[McDave]

[JamesKerr]

I would recommend you get the Push Release DVD it cured my target panic in two days. I had just about decided to give up archery all together when I finally saw this it clicked that this was a brain malfunction and that you could retrain your brain by simply focussing on each and every shot

[the longbowkid]

thats everyone for the advice, ill look into it

[knobby]

McDave, I could ask the pretty girl out, and wound up marrying her. The target panic is MUCH worse  

[horsehairhunter]

If it's still on the stands, the May/June "Bow and Arrow Hunting" magazine has a very good article on target panic/buck fever.  I know it's more aimed at weelie bows, but you can use the same idea on a trad bow with a clicker.

[roy easom]

2nd the blind bale!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BobCo 1965]

I am not sure how blind bale can be looked upon as a cure..?? Maybe this could be explained further. Most of the time what people view as TP does not exist while shooting blind bale. I have seen people who can execute all aspects of the shot at any distance blind or blank bale time and time again. The execution problem usually sets in when shooting at a target. A green light to release or anticipation usually goes off when a sight picture develops. This green light usually dictates the release prematurely. What needs to be changed is the trigger to the release when shooting at a target.

[BowsanAiros]

Totally agree with you on that BobCo...

[Flingblade]

I'm with BobCo.  Blind bale for form not TP.

[LongStick64]

Can only explain it like this, you use the bale to ingrain the new trigger or remove the bad trigger.

Originally posted by LongStick64:
Can only explain it like this, you use the bale to ingrain the new trigger or remove the bad trigger.

I think that’s a pretty good description.  TP is some kind of a short circuit in the shot sequence.  The bale, and ultimately the bridge will allow you to take control of the shot sequence and burn it into the subconscious, which will eliminate the short circuit.  I don’t see (at this point anyway) any other way to deal the #$%#^#$ stuff.

[Flingblade]

I think target panic is different for everyone.  I could stand and shoot blind bale for hours without any tp at all and shoot just the way I wanted to but when I stepped back to 20 yards and tried to shoot at a spot on a target I couldn't get to full draw.  The blind bale helped me with form but did nothing for the type of tp I had.  I also think it is something that must be continually managed as it will return if not. I'm just glad there is so much discussion of it here as it has helped me immensely and I am still learning.

Flingblade,

I think you just told us why you had no control at 20 yards.  

You failed to use the bridge.  Most everyone can use the bale at 2 yards and work on the form.  The "key" is to bridge back from there.  You can't just go back to 20 yards and expect all to be well.  You begin your bride by going back one more step from the bale and stay there until you have "complete" control.  Then... another step back, then another... and so on.

...and the most important (perhaps) is not to fool yourself.  Don't move back until you have complete control where you are.

Rod Jenkins teaches this on the MBBIII dvd and in his clinics.  Example:  You shoot 30 shots on the bale.  When you can make every shot without a less than perfect shot you begin the bridge.  You take a step back, and shoot.  If you can shoot 30 shots without a "less than" then you can move back anther step.  If you have a less than, go back up the bale and finish your drill.  Again... the key is to not fool yourself.  Don't move back until you have complete control.

Unfortunately, most TP sufferers aren't willing to put in the work and time it takes to beat this #$%^^$ stuff.  I'm 13 months in, and almost there.  I had a neighbor who has done the drills, and he is in control.  It took him 9 months.

[nightowl1]

I fixed mine by putting a piece of duck tape on my riser for an elevation mark. Start close like they said and let your peripheral pick up the elevation. You can take the tape off after you get your confidence back. I left mine on cuz I like being able to always know that I am on.

[BobCo 1965]

Originally posted by LongStick64:
Can only explain it like this, you use the bale to ingrain the new trigger or remove the bad trigger.

From my experience, the flaw that I see in this is that the "bad trigger" or what I would call lack of proper execution is usually not apparant when shooting blind or blank bale. The removal of the "bad trigger" is not necessary since the execution takes place correctly with the blank or blind bale. The bale is great for embedding physical characteristics, muscle memory, etc of the shot and personally, I can honestly say that 1/3 of my practice is of this sort, but I am not sure this problem will be cured by blank bale.