Target Panic Reality Check

[buckeye_hunter]

Well..... I have it bad right about now. Trying to fight it, but having a hard time not loosing an arrow once I draw the bow. I get so uptight that shooting gives me a headache. I would love to feel in control and relaxed like olympic archers when they are shooting.

[buckeye_hunter]

Going to try clicking my thumb and pinkie nail tomorrow to see if that helps.

[Rossco7002]

After speaking with Joel this weekend I've experimented with some of his suggestions and found the 'feather to nose' to work best for me. The tab sear resulted in a dead release nada it of a collapse....

I shoot a long bow split finger. Has anyone found a configuration of feathers and contact point that works well for that style? I tried using my upper lip but that resulted in an overdraw and using my nose to the feather alters my head position and alignment at anchor.

[Lee Lobbestael]

Has anyone tried a kisser button to the forehead? Been working good for me.

[CLICKERMAN]

Fellas,

We are all starting to experiment with psychotriggers now, good for you!!!!!!  Just keep in mind that no matter what trigger you use, it is the concentration on the movement that gets you to the trigger that is key.  Analyze what is going through your mind at full draw.  Put the concentration where it needs to be with your words that say to yourself at full draw.  DON'T SHOOT AN ARROW UNLESS IT IS PERFECT IN CONCENTRATION!!!!!!  Once you start into the world of psychotriggers and mantras, you should get to the point where you are able to recognize whether the shoot is good in concentration or not.  If it is good, commit to the shot and finish it.  If something is not right, no one is forcing you to shoot that arrow.  The thing that separates the elite archers from the rest of us is the ability to concentrate under stress and the ability to recognize that bad shot before it happens.  I am still getting calls and I truly enjoy speaking to each and every one of you, please keep the calls coming!!!!  253-686-3623

JT

[The Night Stalker]

Looking at all you member modifying your tabs, I decided to work on mine. I have access to all kinds of little plates and wires and surgery systems for hands and small bones. I have a few things in mind. Ordered some stuff online and will start to experiment after Joel emailed me. I will let you know how I will modify mine for placement and comfort.

[Paul WA]

TTT, keep this up

[crandog]

Come on everyone! Keep it up, I"m almost cured!

[CLICKERMAN]

Just an update, I am at 88 callers now and I am hoping for many more!!!!  I just won my first tournament this weekend shooting with my thumb!!!  I made a custom leather thumb tab and I am really enjoying that style of shooting, not sure if I will go back to my fingers!!!!  Anyhow, I will be at the Kalamazoo Trad Expo in the A&H Archery booth.  Stop on by and we can chat about shooting, tuning, target panic or whatever is on your mind.

Hope to see ya there

JT

Not fair!  No pictures of it, or how you brace the bow?  Now... get back in here and finish what you just started.  

:^)

[CLICKERMAN]

Jim,

I am trying to figure out how to post pics again!!!!  I have been shooting this way for the last three months exclusively and it has been quite an adventure.  I have done a ton of experimentation with thumb rings and tabs and have settled on a leather ring/tab combo.  It is similar to the leather thumb tab sold by Three rivers but without the buckle and I had a piece of Cordovan sewed to the face.  The one in the pictures is just a single piece of leather.  For a psychotrigger, I have made a notch on the front of my grip that I set my middle fingernail into.  When I want to activate my shot, I apply rearward pressure on my finger and it cleanly pops out of the notch to create my non-anticipatory psychological trigger.  I used this trigger and a thumb ring made of pvc to harvest a dandy blacktail buck in late October.  So I have already tested it under stress, and it worked great.  Same mental mechanics with subconcious aiming and concentration on the movement/pressure applied to the finger in the notch. I am still trying to figure out the posting of the pics.  I gotta go to work now so I will get them on here asap.  Sorry for the delay.

[CLICKERMAN]

 

[CLICKERMAN]

 

 

 

[Ed Q]

I'm one of the 88 that called you. Thanks a bunch for taking the time to help us with this mental challenge. Although I haven't defeated it completely, you helped me understand the problem much better and the mental tools to overcome it.

Can a moderator make this thread a sticky? Of all the threads on here about this subject, this one has been one of the most helpful and insightful. I think it would greatly help others struggling with this particular mental aspect of this sport we love so much.

[Rossco7002]

I'm glad to see this at the top again. I completely fixed my TP issues after speaking with Joel on the phone. I shoot Hill bows split finger so eventually settled on my cock feather touching my upper lip as my psycho-trigger.

My shooting has progressed in leaps and bounds since in regard to accuracy but most importantly I have total control.

[CLICKERMAN]

Ed Q,

I hope they can make this a sticky.  It has grown to a very large thread.  If you haven't defeated the problem completely, give me a call for a little refresher so you can whip this thing for good.  If anyone that has called me for advice is still having trouble, please call me back, so we can narrow the scope of the issue.  It really boils down to the archer making the decision to not shoot an arrow unless they know it is perfect in concentration.  The skill of concentrating under stress is much more difficult to master than shooting the bow physically.  You have to know your mind!!!!!

Take Care and Thanks for the kind words from all!!!

JT

[Ed Q]

Thanks, Joel.  No need to call you again, at least not yet.  I just need to remind myself of the mantra, to think about what I'm doing after I commit to make a shot, and then to let down when concentration isn't perfect.  It's the last part I have trouble with mostly now, but I can now come to full draw and pause - most times.  Before I couldn't even come to full draw before releasing prematurely.

A lot of my backyard practice now doesn't even involve shooting.  I try to incorporate a form of Dr. Kidwell's mental drills - draw, aim, pause and let-down drills.  When I do shoot, I go much more slowly than before.  Most of my time shooting is now spent pre-draw - mentally imagining myself at each step - stance, grip, deep-hook, draw, come to anchor, back-tension, sight alignment, pause, smooth release.  And then when I commit to shoot, I use a mantra to repeat each one of those steps and think or consciously focus/concentrate on doing them - kind of like how you explained.  I still struggle with letting down, though, when I'm unsure if my concentration is perfect, but I figure that given the improvement I've made so far, I'll conquer it eventually.  The mental imagery before each shot takes quite a bit of time, though, but if it helps, then I'll keep doing it.  It's actually made me enjoy archery much more than before when I'd get so frustrated with target panic.  Need to thank you for that!

I also remember what you said about the subconscious' struggle with the body at tension (full draw) and the subconscious need to release that tension (premature release).  I usually shoot 35-45# bows.  But I got some 60# limbs to help build back muscle strength and maybe even lessen the "body-at-tension" struggle with the subconscious.  I didn't realize how weak I was when I first tried to pull 60#!  I still struggle drawing those limbs, but it's much easier now than it was before.

Anyway, if I begin to stumble in my journey towards defeating TP, I'll give you a call again!  Thanks!

[TheFatboy]

I had not realized that target panic was such a huge issue for many. Especially not the fact that a handful of fellow Tradgangers have been dealing with it for years and years.

Besides working on it yourselves, don't forget to note if/when you see fellow archers showing the same tendencies. First thing to do when you find yourself in a hole, is to stop digging! Unfortunately, one self is not always the right person to point these things out...

[BuckeyeGuy]

I recently switched from off the shelf and split finger to elevated rest and 3 under.  I shoot cock feather in, so when I draw the northernmost hen feather touches between my upper lip and nose.  Same anchor point (index in corner of mouth), but I think the feather creates a double anchor for me and I just seem to be more relaxed shooting this way now.  Whatever works is what matters.  If I draw to my middle finger at the corner, that same feather hits the tip of my nose.

[cch]

I shot with Joel this past weekend and had a great time. He is always helping me with my shooting. I put a clicker back on as I was having trouble with the feather touching my nose. I think I have to master the clicker before any other method is tried. Joel is a great teacher. His boy just turned 6 and he is shooting with a clicker and is grouping arrows at 20yds better than a lot of guys I see shooting at the butts. Just wanted to bring this back to the top as there is so much good info.