Target Panic Reality Check

[Ed Q]

Thanks a bunch, Joel, for taking the time to take our calls and post on here!

What you said makes perfect sense regarding shooting LH vs. RH.  Since LH is still a little awkward for me, I keep telling myself to implement proper form, i.e., draw correctly, keep bow hand correctly, keep draw elbow aligned, etc.  And since I'm right-eye dominant, I tell myself to focus on my left-eye, thereby forcing myself to maintain hold and full draw, and tell myself to line up the left eyesight with the target and point of the arrow.

I experimented with what you told Flingblade while shooting RH last night and found it works perfectly if I can discipline myself to tell myself the similar things I tell myself while shooting LH.  When I consciously tell myself "aim, aim, aim" while at full draw, similar to what I do when I tell myself to line everything up correctly when I shoot LH, I no longer have the premature release, and my shots are right on target!  It's just a matter of making sure I do this each and every shot.

[dragonheart]

Ed Q,

One of the problems with using aim, aim, aim is you are telling yourself to do what you are trying consiously not to do.  BTW:  I have used that mantra in the past and it worked for awhile, but did not last once my head figured out how to shortcut the shot process.  

If you focus your thoughts on form, like "keep pulling" or "push elbow" I think that is what joel is talking about.  Self-talk that directs us to the result of an unanticipated release of the string.  

Aim, Aim, Aim will work for a while, but that mantra might lead you back into a panic due to overaiming.  You have changed one of the stimulus, but the subconsious can figure that out and begin to focus too much on aiming.  

This is a real shift from the common way people have learned about overcoming TP.  The words we say in our head to ourselves have significant meaning to us.

This idea is getting the archer "thinking" during the shot about the process of a perfect shot.  It gives a mantra, or mental script, with less emphasize on aiming.  Overaiming and "trying too hard to hold it on" leads to target panic.  Allowing your subconsious to aim is more relaxed to me in the short time I have been using this.

[SAVIOUR68]

X2 ON WHAT IS A TAB SEAR

[knobby]

This is a really interesting read. I've had target panic for over thirty years, and have tried just about everything, to no avail. Shooting is very good with a clicker, but I melt down on animals, so that didn't work. Short of going to left-handed, I went to a release aid and I can once again get to full draw and aim. Even with the release aid, I still flinch once and awhile, but the string is locked in by the release, so I can recover or let down. I would love to one day return to the control I once had, but thirty plus years of fighting it probably has that negativity pretty deeply ingrained. Good luck to those that can make it work. You have my greenest envy!

[2Blade]

Joel I have to ask ive been shooting a clicker for 4 years straight now ( I shot the 3-D course without clicker and did great!) I had a problem where I would meet the string instead of drawing the bow to me. Should I adjust the clicker so its where I pull the bow string to me? I find its harder to make it click this way because ive always shot meeting the string with my face. But I feel like my old way is making my draw a 1/2" shorter. Thanks sir!

[CLICKERMAN]

Knobby,

Your problem is virtually the same as everyone else's problem.  I would like to talk to you and analyze your shot.  I may be able to give you some advice that will give you total control over the shot of your dreams.  My phone number is in the first post of this thread.  Looking forward to chatting with you.

[CLICKERMAN]

2 Blade,

You should have to make a conscious effort to pull fairly hard until the clicker goes off.  If you are thinking about the clicker and when it is going to pop, you are not thinking about pulling.  Your concentration has to be focused on the movement that gets you to the pop of the clicker, not on the clicker itself.  That concentration is focused through the use of the mantra, Keep Pulling, Keep Pulling, Keep Pulling...  The mantra is based in Neurolinguistic Programming.  You are essentially telling certain muscles to do certain things.  If you practice the mental mechanics of subconscious aiming and conscious shot activation, you will find that you will come through your clicker much quicker.  You will probably find that you will need to lengthen the clicker string.  There is a fine balance between not have to pull hard enough, and having to pull too much.  You will have to find that point in your back muscles.  To really find that point, however, your mind must be right and the concentration is on the pulling.

[tj69]

Clickerman, don´t get me wrong, I don´t want to be rude, but is there a special reason, not to answer the question:
What is a tab sear?

[CLICKERMAN]

Hello All,

I am getting alot of response from many of you and I truly enjoy bringing some sense into the chaotic world of target panic.  Up to this point, those that I have spoken with and the posts that I read on this site and others all have very similar problems or symptoms of target panic.  Isn't it amazing how similar the symptoms are in archers.  Also, isn't it perplexing how so many archers have target panic.  

The shear number of archers suffering from target panic and the similarity in the symptoms tells me that it is a human mind issue.  Our brains work in very specific ways throughout the species.  If we figure out how the brain works, the solutions are equally as similar.  I have told each one of you that I have spoken with the same exact things.  Those things have been the mental mechanics of subconsious aiming and the use of Neurolinguistic Programming to activate the shot.  In addition, we have incorporated the use of a non-anticipatory psychological trigger.  These are very fancy words for talking yourself through a shot and pulling to a goal.  These things have worked for every archer that I have spoken since I developed the Mental Mechanics program.  The results have always been instantaneous because I change the way an archer thinks during the shot.  The system goes right along with the mechanisms of the brain instead of fighting it.  I believe that is why it has worked for everyone that has the discipline to follow the program.  Like I said before, shooting well is a choice.  You can choose to practice true concentration, or you can let your autopilot (subconscious) run the shot for you.  But remember, the autopilot is a madman that doesn't like to hold on target, or come to full draw while aiming at a spot, he likes to get the tension of the bowstring off of the body.  The choice of true concentration through the use of a mantra, makes the shot robust and unaffected by stress.  It is a tangible tool to use in your time of need when the crowd is watching or the buck of a lifetime is standing 24 yards in front of you.  The subconscious autopilot only wants results and the only way he can get results is to shoot the arrow by getting rid of the string.  To gauge your shooting by a score means that you are stuck in the results of the shot.  It should not be said, "I shot well today"  It should be said, "I concentrated well today"

Because of the response I am getting from all of you fine folks.  I would like to start doing some shooting schools to really solidify these concepts in a hands on, one on one arena.  Please let me know if there would be any interest in such a school.  It would be for those that want to gain complete control of their shot and truly experience what it feels like to actually shoot to the potential of the mind.  I would think that would be everyone!!!!  The school would incorporate bow tuning and set up, the mental mechanics of the shot (target panic solutions), and scenario based stress training for concentration practice.  The archer would leave the school with the mental tools to prevent any further bouts with target panic and an innate knowledge of how to concentrate under stress.

As for the tab sear that many of you are asking about, please pm or call me for an explanation.  I am not trying to be all secretive about it except for the fact that I am trying to develop a patent for the invention.  I would be glad to speak with you about it but I don't think an open forum is the place for protection purposes.  I know that sounds bad, but this thing works so well, I think it will have a profound effect on the archery world, so I apologize in advance for not talking too much about it on open forum.

Thanks for reading my ramblings.

[CLICKERMAN]

TJ69,

I just sent you a pm.  Sorry for being rude, just being a little protective I guess.

My apologies,

JT

[Ed Q]

Joel, I think a school for target panickers like us is a great idea.

[Flingblade]

Joel,  
I have considered taking a shooting class with one of the other coaches out there but have not as most have never had or have very little experience with target panic and tp has always been the biggest stumbling block in my shooting.  So...yes, I would be interested in your shooting school if one can be arranged for us middle easterners.  I will give you a call about the tab sear.  And you should be well compensated for techniques or inventions that help beat tp so I wish you best luck in obtaining a patent.
Thanks,
Gary

[Ed Q]

Dragonheart,

Didn't even see your post til now while reading through this thread again.  Thanks for the helpful tips on how to properly use the mantra.  I'll see if I can incorporate what you said into my regimen, as I'm determined to beat TP.

[dragonheart]

Ed Q,

Our words are so meaningful to us.  I believe that part of the manifestation process of TP is in overaiming.  Aim, aim, aim as a mantra may just leads us back down the same trail.  Thinking pull, pull, pull or whatever that may be that works for you to get to the conclusion of the shot may be a better mantra.  

For me it is push, push, push.  Those words activate me to push my draw elbow around and thus activates the proper back muscles for a perfect shot.        

Over time shooting a bow we begin to try to hard, to be over precise in our aim.  This leads to an increase in metal tension, anxiety about the shot.  John Schulz stated in his video that Howard Hill said "if your forms right, you won't be too far off at 50 yards".

What do you have to do to hit the spot?  Point (aim) in the direction of the intended spot and shoot a repeatable shot execution.  I really like what Joel is talking about.  A process focus of our thoughts on the action it takes to get to the conclusion of the shot.  We are not so engrossed in aiming that we create an overwhelming amount of tension in an already tense person under the strain of drawing a bow to full draw.      

Just like our bowarm, drawing hand, and bow grip needs to be consistent, a sameness to our cognitions need also to be present.  Just my thoughts, no pun intended    :p    :D

[Flingblade]

Quick update.  Last week I started a thread called Stage fright tp as I had just shot a 137 out of a possible 300 at an indoor 3d league.  I only got to full draw once out of 30 arrows.  I had been using Joel's system for several months but had fallen into the mistake of focusing on the feather rather than the pulling action.  Tonight I shot 244 out of 300.  My best score yet.  I followed Joel's instruction and said to myself draw, aim, keep pulling, keep pulling, etc. until the feather touched and the bow went off.  I was amazed at the difference in control from one week to the next.  Out of thirty arrows 23 were good execution wise and only 7 went off before the feather.  Next week my goal is 30 out of 30.  For those with tp; me thinks Mr. Turner's on to something here!!

[dragonheart]

Wow, what an improvement.  I am very aware from my past indoor days that level of improvement in score.  Way to keep that discipline up.  What are you thinking about during the shot, that is the key Joel is really turning us onto.  Awesome shooting and improvement!

[CLICKERMAN]

Way to go fellas!!!!  Remember that the ultimate goal in your shooting is know so intimately what is going through your head during a shot, that you can recognize an interuption in the concentration and LET DOWN.  If you shoot a bad arrow, you MUST ask yourself two questions before shooting another arrow.  1. What was I thinking about during the shot?  2. Was I saying my mantra?  Honest answers to those two questions will get you to really start to analyze your shot.  When you know what going through your head, you are well on your way to controlling what is going through your head.  Once we have mastered concentration, we have to test the system.  You have to seek stress in your practice sessions so that you can practice your concentration.  Just shooting arrows to get better is a misnomer.  One perfect shot with perfect concentration is the name of the game.  Keep up the good work and stay in touch.

JT

[Molson]

Joel,

Thanks for taking the time to talk with me. There is no doubt I've been trying to cure my TP issues by practicing the very thing that gave me TP!  I think most guys are doing the same thing. The moment you started explaining the shot activation I knew you had the solution!!

I used your "Tab Sear" concept to completely anchor and shoot 20 arrows in a row last night without an early release.  No anticipation!!  Nearly unheard of in the past four years! I've got a great trigger idea that will work for me as a result of our converstation.

Thanks for taking time to talk, to post, and make yourself available. I've got to make some adjustments to my shot to fully utilize the "sear" concept.  After that it's time to start adding the stress shots.

[CLICKERMAN]

Molson,

Please call me, I would like to hear of your idea for the sear system on a glove.  Keep up the good work.  Remember, your concentration is on the action that gets you to the psychotrigger, not on the trigger itself!!!!!

JT

[Flingblade]

dragonheart,
Thanks!  I was thinking about pulling the bowstring back further.  I guess at times I was thinking about my back muscles contracting, at other times I was thinking about the arrow sliding across the shelf or my finger moving slightly back from my anchor.  The last one was one of the problems I had at first as I wanted to maintain anchor not move back but I am over that now.  Not sure if it is right but I let myself think about any aspect of pulling the bow back as I said the mantra.  I just wouldn't let myself think about the feather and Joel is right; if you're not thinking about the trigger it is easier to pull and you'll reach the trigger more quickly.
Gary