To hold or not to hold

[Jhawk]

I have been tinkering with my form and specifically with my release.  Like anything it feels weird when you make a change.  The way I have been shooting is holding at full draw for a few seconds and concentrating on a smooth release.  My problem with my form is that I am anticipating the shot with my bow hand.  Its almost like shooting a hand gun and I am flinching occasionally.  My accuracy is decent out to 25 yards.

The past few days I have been trying to shoot much quicker and releasing as soon as I reach my anchor.  I feel like I am achieving a clean release much  more consistently and my groups are more consistent as well.  The problem is I feel like I am rushing my shot and I have shots that are way off more often then holding my draw.  

My main concern is feeling like Im rushing my shot.  Not a big deal at a foam deer but I right now it seems like I will have a hard time feeling comfortable shooting that quick at a live animal.  Should I stick with this form as I believe I am getting a cleaner release and just let it become 2nd nature, or stick with what is comfortable to me now and find a way to cure the flinch?

[macbow]

I suggest staying with what has worked but instead of thinking of a good release. Only concentrate on aiming.
Let the release be part of the unconscious muscle memory.

Holding at anchor for me...........but everyone has to find their own way!

Bisch

[ron w]

If I don't hold ........I don't anchor!

[ChuckC]

Releasing at touch is a great entry into releasing before touch.  I know about this one.  Try incorporating your back tension more.  We say we do, but many don't really.
ChuckC

[Jhawk]

Chuck.  Are you saying that releasing at anchor develops bad habits?  It certainly makes sense that if I don't hold I can start releasing before I make it to full draw.  

Anyone else flinch when they release?  What do you do to stop this?

[riverrat 2]

macbow X2. rat'

[Hoyt]

I have a thing I do before releasing. I draw, anchor, zero in exactly where I think I need to hit..I see the flight of the arrow, adjust my elevation and when I think it's right..that's my hold time..long enough to check, then I tell myself "I can kill him with this" and it's gone.

Everything but the check and telling myself is one motion.

[Fletcher]

When you are working on a specific form issue, I find it best to do it at a blank bale or target and from VERY close.  It is best done with your eyes closed.  This way you can concentrate on form without worrying about where the shot goes.  When you go back to shooting regular targets and distances, Aim.  If the form issue comes back, go back to the blank bale.

[Rob W.]

I would suggest finding your sight picture and anchor and focus on pulling. Your brain already knows how to aim. Back tension won't steer you wrong.

Rob

[Scott E]

The release is not an action you can do. It is a reaction to the relaxation of your fingers. At blank bale come to your anchor and feel yourself continue to build tension. Ideal timing is a 2-3 second expansion (holding).


Hope that made sense

[-snypershot317-]

not gonna lie, after reading this i am beginning to wonder just how bad my form really is    :confused:    ...i say this because i am 'snap' shooter       meaning that i shoot upon hitting my anchor. i dont hold or even try to think when i shoot because i know if i do my shots are way way off..instead i aim before i even think about drawing back the string. i pick the spot, stay the spot and snap shoot...and hope my ADD doesnt kick in and look away cause then my shot goes off    :rolleyes:  but hearing/reading how yall shoot makes me wonder how bad my form is but im accurate to about 20yds...    

[ChuckC]

Not saying it WILL.  But I have been there and I can tell you it DID for me and lots of others too.

Problem comes into play when (if) your brain starts telling you when to let go instead of you. At that point, you are not in control and where your draw is when you release is up in the air.

It is just a guess that when you go through a series of steps, well defined steps, it might make that less likely.  I wish I had a definitive answer for you and really don't want to scare you.

Since changing to lefty, I can tell you, I go through steps, including full use of my back.  My elbow is straight back and when I do it right, I almost can't pluck the string because my arm goes back upon release.  Course, I am still learning and don't always do it right.

Get someone to video your shooting from relatively close, so YOU can watch and critique.  I absolutely hate someone else telling me what I am doing wrong, because of course I am not. . until I see it happen for myself.  Things I think I am doing I may not actually be achieving.

ChuckC

[LB_hntr]

I hold at anchor as well. I draw, lock anchor, lock on traget, then shoot.
During practic sessions i make a mental note to pay attention to push my bow arm, relax my string hand and keep my elbow inline.

Whe i first started over 20 years ago. I did the swing draw style with snap shooting. I was wicked awesome at it. But after 2 years of shooting incredible that way i developed short draw and traget panic. fought with it for almost 3 years.
Broke it by actually drawing my bow at the ground 20 feet or so in front of me and coming to anchor, then raising my bow arm up to target, then make sure everything was perfect and then hold for a 2 count after everything was perfect (total hold time about 4-5 seconds), then shoot.
   This was how i beat target panic and in turn created my shooting style i use today.
 Now (and for last 15 years) I draw and come to anchor in one motion, lock anchor soild, make sure on traget, hold for a second to make sure everything is solid, then push my bowarm to release the string.
  Works for me. Im sure its not right for everyone. But i can shoot the wings off a fly at 100 yards! ok maybe that's a slight exageration, but i can hit a 3d elk target at 9 yards almost everytime...lol

[sweet old bill]

Lb that the best I have ever heard, had all the same things occur to me and the only way to be a good shot is to anchor, aim and let the arrow go and keep that bow arm up till you see the arrow hit the target or game....at 71 I still am shooting and also still learning how to get close to deer. I like the eye ball to eye ball close shots...

[Ron Vought]

After many years of shooting a longbow I use to touch anchor and let the arrow fly. By shooting this way I did develop target panic just this year. I pull back the string and lock up about 2-3 inches from the corner of my mouth. Working through it now by concentrating on form and pulling to anchor but it has been a very difficult road. When I draw, anchor and hold now my shooting is much more controlled and more accurate than ever before. I just need to keep working on it.

Ron

[The Night Stalker]

I went to Ricks Welch's a few years ago also and I switched my shot routine.
I try to square up my feet, shoulder to target like Rick
I grab the bow lightly, I have a piece of para cord tied around my riser. I use it as a bow sling in case the rise would come out of my hand. It is just a mental thing.
I do a rotational draw, I start by even up my finger tips with a cavalier tab that I modified. I place my fingers on the string. My right forearm drawing arm is totally loose. My arrow is pointing slightly left. I focus on pulling my elbow back and around as my forearm acts as a hook. As my arrow lines up, my right hand anchors with my thumb locked on my jawline. The metal part of my cavalier tab rest on my cheekbone. My nose hits my feather and I try to keep my bow arm as still as possible. When my sightpicture looks right, I pull my release straight back and my hand ends up by my rotator cuff. I do a lot of close bale shooting with eyes open and closed. I also do a thing where I think the shot but do not shoot after holding for 4-5 seconds. It is like I know the arrow will go there but I do not have to go retrieve my arrow so I let down. This helps me fight a premature release as the feather touches my nose. Another thing you can do is consciously think about your shot process step by step in your mind and what your thinking about. Write it down and study it and refer back to it. If your having problems holding, try this; go through your shot process but instead of focusing on your target, look at a spot on the back of your riser. You can put a small piece of tape just above and to the right of your arrow. When everything feels right, switch your focus to your sight picture, hold and release. This is for the type of target panic where you release early. You can usually hold at full draw for ever if get around your subconscious. Hold your site picture until your release goes off subconsciously. Be mindful of your bow arm and your elbow after the shot. Both should move ever so slightly until your arrow hits it mark.     Tim in NC
If you really can not hold at all, read Jay Kidwells book and buy Joel Turners DVD. Plenty of info on the shooters forum

[TSP]

I'd have to agree with some of the commenters above regarding the role of the release.  The release is really more a 'result' than a thing to focus on during the shot.  If you have developed your form carefully enough so that you are confident/comfortable with it (stance, bow grip, string grip, draw rhythm, anchor, back tension), then all that's left is to build a reliable sight picture and execute the shot.  For some, that starts before drawing the bow and allows the shot to happen almost instantly once anchor is reach.  Others find that reaching anchor first and then pausing for a few seconds helps alot, while still others use a combination of these approaches.  The point is, however you build your shot sequence if you find yourself needing to 'think' about individual shot components while you are shooting 'real' shots then you likely need additional practice at the bale to make your sequence more second nature.  The release is mostly what happens after you complete your shot sequence...and if you aren't shooting well it can be a good indicator that there's a problem somewhere in one or more of those components.  

The best way to detect form problems is by videotaping yourself.  It's amazing how a video can show things that you never knew you were doing wrong.  In that regard it's almost as good as a wife.       :D

[ChuckC]

LB.  problem with TP is that it gets weird.  What you do is remove the aim feature.  I found that if I didn't aim I could pull my bow back to full draw and hold it just fine (it wasn't "too heavy").  Whether I closed my eyes, or aimed below or to the side didn't matter.  Worked right up to the point that my brain then would not let me then get onto the target, yet another form of TP.

I switched to lefty shooting because after years and years, I finally faced facts, I couldn't beat it.  Now, so far, I am not experiencing any of the forms of TP.  I draw, not to my face, but to full draw (using shoulder tension), then I set my face into my draw hand and the arrow.  My drawing forearm is as relaxed as it can get and still hold the arrow.  

When I do it right, my hand goes back at release, not out from the face which is part of that whole "pluck the string" thing.  I am thinking that by using my back in this way, I almost (almost) can't pluck in the classic sense because my hand does not come away from my face (to the side) but it goes back.

Thinking back, I rarely plucked the string before because my brain would release (cause me to release) the arrow on the back swing, and I didn't pull it away sidewise.

Get the camera out, use the video function and watch yourself and be a bit critical.  Then, practice.  

My thoughts are, that there are some fairly typical things that we must do to shoot well, some of them are form.  My body type, shape, athletic ability, stretchability etc are different than yours, or anybody else's, so some of the ways I do it might not be comfortable (or even possible) for you, and vice versa.  

You need to take those standards (body alignment, bone on bone alignment, anchor, use of back, not arm) and make them a function of what you can do, then make it work for you.
Chuck

[Terry Green]

Personally preference totally...depends on your make up...hold works for some, snap shooting for others.  HH and Bear were snappers.