Change from right to left handed and target panic

[rendalen]

Hello
Wil a change from right to left handed cure target panic ? I know Fred Bear and Glen St Charles did it. I have been strugling with it for 20 years and i am tired of it. I have it under controle with a finger clicker but i don`t like to use it.
Øyvind

[moebow]

Target Panic is very hard to beat but it can be done.  Switching to left MIGHT help IF you do not duplicate you current shot sequence as you learn to shoot left handed.

Have you looked at the lengthy thread here in this forum named "Target Panic Reality Check?"  This may give you some tools to use.

My opinion is that TP is related to your shot sequence and what you are thinking about during the shot.  If the process is out of order OR if you are thinking about the wrong thing at the wrong time, it is easy to loose control of the shot.

Can you describe your shot sequence?

Arne

[McDave]

My experience was that almost anything different that I did would stop the target panic....for a while.  Heck, even if I bought a new bow it would stop target panic for a while. There are good reasons to shoot both right and left handed to keep your body in balance, but I think you will shoot most accurately if the arrow is under your dominant eye.

But go ahead and learn to shoot left-handed and see what happens. It's not going to hurt your right-handed shooting if you know how to shoot both ways.  If it doesn't permanently stop your target panic, then you can look for something else. I believe there are many causes and many cures.

[rendalen]

Hello

I use the rotaing draw sequence. And i come to anchor and pause for a 3-4 seconds and release. I have looked at the target panic tread and found it very useful. I now only think about my back tension during the shot and my acuracy and controle of the shot have inprooved dramaticly.  But as soon as i take the clicker of it turns to crap in a 30-40 arrows. And i only think about back tension then also. I feel very relaxed when i shoot now so i think it is strange that it dont work when the clicker is of. Can it be the fear of not having the securety of the clicker that gets to me ? By the way are you from Norway ?
Regards Øyvind

[moebow]

Yes, indirectly.  I'm a relatively rare "bird" in that I'm a 4th generation full Norwegian.  Original roots in the Stavanger and Bergen areas.  Grandparent names of Mo(e), Ahre, Idso, and Jacobson.

It is very possible that the clicker has become sort of a mental crutch" for you.  Really nothing wrong with using a clicker if that helps you execute the shot.

Arne

[rendalen]

Thanks for your help.
 My target panic has been the same always, it does not matter if i change my form or equipment. The only thing that helped was thinking of just one thing when you shoot like Joel on the target panic tread sugested, and it works great with the finger clicker. But i dont like to use the clicker. I have done a little shooting from my left side today, but only with a form master. And i got a little feel for it. It is mutch easier to start with the form master right away i think, got back tension after a short while.
Do you think i can use the same roatational draw sequense when learning to shoot with the left or should i use the normal drawing straight back. Just not to do the same thing with my left as you said Arne.  Do you have any good tips?
 It would be just comical if i developed target panic with my left side to.


Øyvind

[moebow]

I think the rotational draw is the way to go!  Have you ever written down the steps of your shot sequence?  Do that and follow them (the steps).  Don't be afraid to change the steps as you develop, add to them or delete them as necessary.

I really don't think that you will get TP on the left side IF you are able to keep your thoughts on the steps as you perform them.  Don't let your mind wonder off onto something else and do not stress on a target.  Shoot blank bale for a while and make your form steps solid, then introduce the target.  Adding that step AFTER getting the shot sequence down.

Many (most) times, TP is caused by stressing about hitting the target and trying too hard to emphasize ONLY that step at the expense of all the other steps.  Learn to trust the fact that IF you perform the shot correctly, the arrow will hit where you intend.

Arne

[rendalen]

Hello
No i have not written it down. I wil do it and follow it to the letter. A diference that i have noticed is the way i hold the string with my left hand, it feels so mutch more solid then my right hand side. I also have a more even preasure on all my fingers on the left. I am Right eye dominant, do you think that wil be an issue? I shoot instinctivly not looking at the arrow when i shoot.
I have not heard of the name Arne used outside of Norway, that is why i thought you were from Norweging ancestry. My great grandfather had a small farm in Kalispell Monatana from 1905 to 1912. I have never been there, but i have to go sometime in my life to see it.

Øyvind

[moebow]

There are a few Arne's over here but not many.  BUT, I have spent my entire life having folks misspell my name.  They like to use Arnie which is generally a nick name for Arnold.

If you ever do travel to Montana, you might want to put Northern Minnesota on your list, Lots of Scandinavian folks around here.

Shooting on your dominate eye side is always recommended BUT you certainly can learn to shoot left handed.  Especially using some version of "instinctive" aiming.

Arne

[rendalen]

Thanks for your help.
Now i just have to get a left handed bow.

Øyvind

[Ed Q]

I noticed that when I switched to left hand shooting my target panic went away completely. I think part of the reason is that it was so awkward for me to draw, anchor, hold and release with my left hand that I kept thinking about my form. Whereas when I shoot right hand, my subconscious takes over on the form and I'm instead thinking of aiming. Anyway, I've been shooting left-hand for over a year now, and thankfully, TP has not been an issue so far.

[Bowwild]

I shot right-handed for 28 years, the last 11 with TP. I switched to LH in 1996 to match my dominant eye and the TP was instantly gone. Frankly, this saved archery for me.

Of course I had to know what causes TP to make sure I didn't "get it" on the left side. Now I can shoot both RH and LH.

It can be corrected and prevented. None of the "tricks" about blank bales, closed eyes, close shooting etc. worked for me doing those painful 11 years of TP. The fix was was to move from aiming to finishing the shot which has nothing to do with aiming.

I continue to shoot LH.