Premature Hold-Problem!

[STL]

Guys/Gals,

I need some help!  A little history may be in order to help understand where I'm coming from.

I have been shooting compounds since I was eight (I'm 33 now).  I shot competition and have always hunted as well.  Around 7-8 years ago I switched to traditional and since that time I've shot almost no competition and have not hunted much either.  

Up until this year with my recurve I shot instictively, but I was not happy with my accuracy or consistency.  I decided to try gap shooting, as I felt it might work better with my methodical mindset(think more engineer than artist!).

I dropped bow weight down to 45#, and have been shooting daily to build up my muscles.  Up until switching to gap, I had a terrible problem with not hitting my anchor (I was snap shooting horribly!).  Well, I love the gap method, and feel much more comfortable with that style.  I have no issues hitting my anchor nor holding, but now I'm having problems with 'premature holding'; I lock in beneath my aim point and cannot make the tip of my arrow rise!  It doesn't matter if I pull above the aimpoint and swing down, start off aiming at the point, or start low and pull up; I always end up settling in low.  I lock in dead steady, and I can get a smooth release (except for the times my bow arm jerks upward trying to compensate for my low hold).

My groups are good typically, but I'm getting frustrated at myself for not hitting where I want!  I have been searching through threads here, but most seem to address premature release rather than premature hold.  Can any of you offer any suggestions?  I'm at the point now to where I'm serious about shooting well, and this is very aggravating to say the least!  Everything is going well if I can just break this bad habit!  Somebody help me!

Sincerely,
Dan

Lots and lots of wall drills... maybe. Draw, anchor, hold on the mark, expand, and let down.  Maybe days, or weeks, but don't shoot an arrow until you can comfortably HOLD on the mark. Start up close, then, bridge back a yard at a time.

[STL]

Thanks Jim; I'll work on that.  The funny (or not-so funny) thing is that at 10-15 yards I have no problem.  Twenty yards is like a whole other universe though!

Today will be the first day of my recovery process!

Thanks,
Dan

[McDave]

Have you tried moving at the waist rather than at the arms and shoulders?  It's better form to be locked into a solid T up top, and to adjust elevation by bending at the waist anyway, and it might just free you up enough that you can make the adjustments you need.

Second, have you tried keeping on target throughout the draw?  In other words, not coming in to the target from the top, bottom, or side, but staying on target from the moment you start your draw until you release the arrow?

[KSCATTRAPR]

I had the same problem last year and it cost me a big deer, shot right under him. Every time I would draw and anchor, my bow arm would drop and I could not physically lift it up no matter how hard I tried. Several times I remember throwing my bow and going insidebecause I was so frustrated. After the season was over I did alot of reading from guys posts on here and totally changed my shot set up. I would suggest doing what "McDave" talked about. Starting with the bow on target and drawing from there. I started doing this and my shot has gotten alot better. I started off just doing draw backs with no shot,then shooting with my eyes closed at a close distance, and eventually shooting from 5 yards and moving out yard by yard. When I draw the bow back, I start off holding it on target, when I draw, I hit anchor and just focus on where my finger is on my mouth and tell myself to pull, pull, pull. Once my finger hits the corner of my mouth I release the shot. so far this has worked well for me. There are a lot of good tips on this site and a lot of guys willing to help you out. Good luck

[STL]

Thanks for the help.  McDave, I have tried bending at the waist to no avail.  My mind just won't let me move it!  I have also tried drawing on target; as soon as I hit my anchor my bow arm settles low... I know it's crazy.

This afternoon I decided to take everyone's advice and get back to the basics.  I switched back to dots on my target and moved back up to 10 yards (after a few rounds at a few feet with my eyes closed).  To begin with my form was shot even up close, but after settling in it started coming back.  Hopefully I have caught this before it totally messed me over!  

I plan to drop my quantity down (I've been shooting 60-80 arrows an afternoon) and focus on the mechanics of the shot.  I'll start and finish with up close shots with my eyes closed, and shoot some rounds in-between starting at 10 yards for a few days before slowing moving back as suggested.

I feel much better about it today, so thanks for your help guys!  I've got a little over a month left until bow season, so hopefully I'll be back on track before then!

Thanks,
Dan

[McDave]

This seems to be one of the classic types of target panic.  Jay Kidwell addresses this type of target panic specifically in his book, Instinctive Archery Insights, and has exercises to help overcome it.

Joel Turner also identifies this as a type of target panic in his new DVD, but most of the DVD seems aimed at the more common type of target panic where people are unable to come to a full draw before releasing.  However, I'm sure Joel has ideas about dealing with your type of target panic as well, and has offered to talk with anyone on the phone about their shooting concerns.  His phone number is in the string on this forum, "Target Panic Reality Check."  I spoke with him once about an issue I was having and found him to be very helpful.

So I would recommend reading Jay's book and/or calling Joel, as it would appear that your target panic has gone beyond the level where self-help is going to do you much good.  I don't say this to discourage you, as it is certainly a problem that can be solved, but I know that many people have tried to solve it on their own for many years without much success.

[Ron Vought]

Lay off shooting for a few days. After a few days off take one arrow and solely work on proper form and anchor drills. I'm fighting with the same issue now and getting better with this method. I think the problem is we get so consumed with shooting lots of arrows until we get tired which leads to bad form and frustration.

Ron

[Ron Vought]

Lay off shooting for a few days. After a few days off take one arrow and solely work on proper form and anchor drills. I'm fighting with the same issue now and getting better with this method. I think the problem is we get so consumed with shooting lots of arrows until we get tired which leads to bad form and frustration.

Ron

[LongStick64]

I'll second what McDave said. I had this problem and worked through it by using a lightweight bow and did the Kidwell drills. It takes time the cure will not happen quickly. It's about programming the mind and muscles together.
Also spoke to Joel and agree with hit attitude that we have been taught to aim too much which build anxiety and tension so your shot suffers.
The difference I have over Joel's method is that he sets his sight picture early and then focuses on the pull. I use a push/pull draw method so my sight picture isn't set till the near end of my shot, so I'm not focused on aiming while I am drawing my bow.
It sounds to me like you are aiming at the pre draw point and throughout your draw, so by the time you are at anchor, your mind has given the go signal before you are set on target.

[reddogge]

It's a classic form of target panic affecting archers, rifle and pistols shooters alike. I'd call Joel on the phone. He can't cover every situation in a DVD but maybe he can help and he is willing to talk to you.

[STL]

Hey guys, thanks for all the input!  I spent a few days reading all of the Reality Check posts and I now see that my problem was focusing too much on aiming, which I never thought was possible until now.  I was also using a static release (due to struggling to get the aim I desired).  

For the past three days I have followed the sequence of draw, aim, then switch to focusing on pulling through the shot with excellent results. Joel's 'mantra' really does help.  I am working on a psychotrigger (feather to nose) which is a challenge, but on most shots I'm hitting it.  When I do, I am able to stack some arrows!  

Now it's just getting this ingrained into my brain so that I can maintain it forever!  I hope to get my time-to-shoot sped up as well, as right now it is taking me a while to pull through the shot since I'm having to force myself to do it (and I can be stubborn).  Nevertheless, it is still a quicker shot than what I was doing, as I struggled to raise onto my aimpoint.

I think I'm on the right road, so thanks to all of you for your insight!

Dan

[LongStick64]

Good for you Dan, trust me once you get over that constant aiming issue, everything else falls into place.

[Green]

Getting stuck "off target" is the type of TP that afflicted me.  I spoke to Joel on the phone, went back completely through my shot routine as taught to me by Rod Jenkins, both at the bale and bridging over a few months time.....nothing seemed to beat it.  Finally I received Joel's DVD and in it he mentioned the one thing that finally hit home regarding aiming.  "Hit anchor and get your aiming done".  

What he's referring to is to get your aim done within the first one second of anchoring, then start your mantra, not giving any further thought to aiming as there's nothing further you can do about it anyway as the subconscious is running it at that point, and the conscious mind needs to be focused on controlling the muscle action that gets you to the psycho trigger, and proper conclusion of the shot.  

Once I implemented the "get 'er done" philosophy of aiming, my TP started to become a thing of the past.  I'm no longer stuck off to the right, trying to move left to target.....trying to "micro aim".  I draw with my visual focus solely on the spot I want to hit and see the shaft/tip in my peripheral vision directly under the target.  As I continue to increase my back tension, my focus on the spot does not change, and I don't worry about what the arrow is doing....I know from experimenting with what Joel and Rod teach, that it will "just be there floating".  Focus on the process and the results will come.  Good luck and I hope my exasperation and experience may be of some help to you.

[moebow]

Rob,

YES, YES, YES!!!!

Arne

[STL]

Thanks again for the help guys!

Green-you hit it dead on the head!  When I focus on the muscle movement everything falls into place.  I am not having any issues with aiming low now, but I did cave somewhat when I switched to my 3D target.  

I started having a difficult time settling in at first.  I then relaxed, analyzed what I was thinking about (during the shot), and refocused on draw, aim (as I hit anchor), and then pull through the shot.  I see I've still got some work to do, but I now realize when I do something wrong.  I'm still working on letting down when it doesn't feel right.

Dan