What is the one single thing that has helped your shooting?

[Boesman]

The answers I received to questions posted on Shooters'Forum made all the difference for me last year. So I'd have to say this forum was the one thing that truly helped me improve.

[TexasTrad]

Attending Rick Welch's shooting school.

[tuscarawasbowman]

Originally posted by Keith Langford:
Rick Welch, nuff said

  X2 want to take his class someday..

[modr]

Slowing down my shot.

[Hopewell Tom]

Keeping my bow arm steady.
Still learning though. Next up is the video of my shooting and getting some knowledgeable people to look at it. Mostly I can trace any poor shot to my bow arm. Funny that idea of denying yourself the shot. Probably be a good thing in the end, but oh my, the frustration, which is the point...

[acadian archer]

for me shooting spots at 3 to five yards which allows me to work on my release, keep my arm steady and follow through.

This keeps things automatic when shooting at 20-30 yards so the only thing i think about is the shot, nothing else

[turkeyslayer]

Maintaining good back tension completely thru the shot

[zootown2007]

Hitting your anchor on every shot...and remembering that shooting is FUN not work or practice

[TSP]

Keeping it simple.

[Ruff Hewn]

I would have to say, using my back to pull through the shot.

[longrifle346]

Not sure I could limit what success I've had, as sparce as some might consider it, to one thing but if I had to pick it would be immersing myself into anything and everything traditional archery by reading, listening, and experimenting. Some things work, some don't for me, but I keep an open mind. I picked up trad again after a 20 year hiatus and feel very lucky to be enjoying the accuracy I am this quickly. The threads and videos here, posts by others  who were struggling, and the responses by the knowledgeable archers have often proven applicable, in whole or in part, to problems I may be having at the time. There's not much pertaining to form or tuning here on TradGang that I haven't read in the past few months and learning the tuning process for myself instead of having to take my rig to a shop all the time has given me a much broader working knowledge and the ability to recognize flaws and correct myself a lot quicker.

[chuckbow]

three anchor points!

[MulieMike]

As I am very new to shooting traditional the one thing i notice is i am much more accurate if i make sure i am standing tall. If i notice my groups growing it is usualy due to being too hunched over, in return, im not getting the full back tention i need and front side is slightly colapsed

[JohnnyWayne]

Practice, self-confidence and that funny little clock on the top left of this page  

[stiknstringer]

Consistant anchor and clean release.

[poekoelan]

Beating my target panic!

[tradspirit]

The Hanky method and the surprise release that results from my final expansion while continuing to maintain back tension.

[Big Fisherman]

Arrow diameter reduction and concentration on keeping the arrow under my eye.

[cahaba]

Blind bale without a doubt. It helps me with form, back tension and my release.

[Kevin Dill]

Overall, I had to completely rebuild my form. I knew it. Once I got willing, I understood that strength to pull the bow was paramount. If you can't control the bow...you can't execute a good shot. I wasn't willing to drop a single pound in bow weight. I spent a month shooting at 5 yards. 65# longbow...full draw...anchor...shoot. No concern on accuracy, and I mean that. I did nothing but form shoot and build strength for 3 solid months, always refusing to pay any attention to where the arrow hit.

I got to where I could slow draw my 65# longbow to full draw and hold it. Clean release and follow-through. The funny thing was this: Despite steadfastly refusing to care where ANY arrow hit the butt, I found myself shooting 5-arrow groups which got tighter and smaller each week. I had to increase distance just to prevent crashing arrows. As long as I shot with 100% focus on form, the accuracy was automatically there.

I still follow this philosophy today. I shoot with a tremendous degree of confidence and control. I get ALL of my bow's power into the shot. I can slow draw on a moose or a whitetail, and feel no urgency to get the shot over with.

I'd like to also add this: An accomplished shooter once explained to me that he had no cares about his acuracy. Where the arrow hit did not worry him. It was simply a RESULT of his shooting. If it didn't hit where he intended, then he had to do something different. He was very analytical and unemotional about his accuracy. A complete miss would produce no negativity...just an acknowledgement that he had to work on his shooting form. He was the BEST recurve shooter I've ever watched, and I learned from that. I no longer shoot for accuracy or care where my arrow hits in practice. I just try to always use excellent form and forget the rest of it. I've never shot better in my life...never felt more comfortable with my heavier bows.