rythm of the shot

[152 Sumo]

I have been struggling for quite some time with shooting my recurve.  Target panic, inconsistent anchor, bad release, etc.  I am improving, but not quite there yet.

I learned something yesterday that improved my shot greatly (for now anyway). Rythm.  I usually spend so much time concentrating on one specific part of the shot, that the others suffer.  Yesterday while shooting, I kind of came upon this by mistake.  I just started shooting with a rythm: pick a spot, start to draw, hand touches cheek, remember the spot, middle finger finds incisor, release.  When I could do all of the above with a consistent rythm, and at a decent pace, my groups tightened.  Afterwards, it kind of reminded me of a basketball player shooting a freethrow.  All of them have a rythmic ritual that they repeat every time.  I just hope I can keep it up.

[BobCo 1965]

Good point, rythm and timing are very important. Usually the speed of the draw will dictate the timing. - Some shots have to be made faster then others (timing) when hunting, but the rythm can always be consistant.