Aiming

[Doods70]

I hope someone can help me. Its been really frustrating lately and my shooting had gone way down.

I shoot barebow FITA rules. I use stringwalking as a way of aiming. For the past year, I have been unable to hold my shot and aim. I would come to full draw and the point of the arrows would be stuck below the aim point. No matter what I do, I cant move my bow arm up. Best remedy was to have a small jerk upwards and release, but that proved to be very inconsistent.

to make it worse, I can perfectly hold and aim when I am NOT at full draw. The string will barely touch my nose but I can hold and aim and be consistent. It just looks wrong. Whats happening? Looking for some help or "cure"

thanks

[WVbowhunter]

Target panic my friend. Check out Ironmind Hunting youtube channel, Joel has some great videos that might really help you understand what is happening and how to combat it.

[McDave]

I agree with WVbowhunter that what you are experiencing fits the definition of target panic.  However, there are many degrees of target panic, ranging from mild to severe enough to justify the name.  Let's assume for the moment that you are experiencing one of the milder forms, and just deal specifically with the problem you describe.  It won't hurt anything to try.

Arne Moe recommends not focusing on the target until you are at full draw and have satisfied yourself that everything in your form is as it should be.  He recommends this for everyone, not just those with target panic.  He recommends drawing the bow horizontally, with your bow arm and torso in a perfect T configuration, regardless of the position of the target, and then adjusting to bring the bow on target by tilting and twisting at the waist, maintaining the T configuration of your bow arm and torso.

I used to draw the bow while looking at the target, which put me pretty much on target when I reached full draw, but also led me to target panic.  Drawing the bow without looking at the target helped me to avoid target panic, but then I experienced the jerkiness you experience in aiming.  Drawing the bow horizontally, like Arne suggests, required me in most cases to make some pretty major movements to get on target, which actually turns out to be easier for me than making minor adjustments, since I'm more inclined to tilt and twist at the waist making major adjustments, and once I get that movement started, it moves smoothly enough.  With minor adjustments, I'm more inclined to move my bow arm, throwing my T out of alignment.  If I get to full draw and find that I'm already close enough to being on target that only minor adjustments are needed, sometimes it helps to make some fairly major adjustments back and forth across the target by tilting or twisting at the waist to break things loose so I'm moving smoothly before my final aiming focus on the target.

I don't think you need to draw horizontally for the rest of your life, or in hunting situations where you want to avoid any unnecessary movement, but it is a good exercise in maintaining the T and the major movements needed to get on target do seem to help in avoiding the jerkiness you describe.

[Terry Green]

How are you " raising your bow arm "?

You should be bending at the waist to change elevation....just raising your bow arm changes proper alignment in to poor alignment and bad form.

[Doods70]

Thank you for the insights. I do try to raise my bow arm. Have never tried staying put and bending at the waist though. So Basically, I stay as I am, at full draw, "T" formation then bend at the waist till my point gets to the aim point?.

Will certainly try that as soon as I can.

Very helpful everyone.Thank you very much

Oh my!  I wouldn't wish the darn stuff on anyone.  

Working up close (I mean 6 feet close), drawing and letting down, shooting sometimes, then begin to bridge your way back. That's helps me when I feel the anticipation of the shot coming on.

[hart2hart]

I wouldn't pass up a little longer distance shooting at big targets/hillsides that force you to hold on(or above)and reinforce the "T" adjustment without the pressure of aiming too much.
Plenty of time to rehearse the SS and keep aiming where it belongs.
Mike

[mahantango]

I feel your pain man! My experience pretty much mirrors McDave's and his advice is spot-on. Good luck.

[Doods70]

Thank you again everyone. We have a barebow competition on Jun 25. Will let you all know how it turns out.

Thanks again

[Orion]

I agree that what you're facing is TP.  I, too, have it, though it expresses itself a bit differently for me.

Agree that one should move from the waist rather than raising the arm to adjust elevation, but that's difficult to do, particularly when trying to raise up.  Easier to point down from the waist, from in a tree stand, for example.

PS.  I'm pretty sure that too much competition, plus being a bit over bowed, was a big contributor to my developing target panic.

[Captain*Kirk]

Originally posted by Orion:
I agree that what you're facing is TP.  I, too, have it, though it expresses itself a bit differently for me.

Agree that one should move from the waist rather than raising the arm to adjust elevation, but that's difficult to do, particularly when trying to raise up.  Easier to point down from the waist, from in a tree stand, for example.

PS.  I'm pretty sure that too much competition, plus being a bit over bowed, was a big contributor to my developing target panic.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest that the #1 creator of target panic is over-bowing over an extended period of time over any other factor.
I've spoken with several archers who claim they never competed or even practiced other than solo efforts ('stage-fright' effect)that developed severe TP either while hunting or shooting backyard 3D...in both cases, these guys were shooting what I considered excessive draw weight bows.
Nothing wrong with hunting with a heavy bow, if you can handle it...but for target practice it's the same principle as shooting practice with a 7mm magnum rather than a .22LR. You WILL develop a flinch, eventually.

[TSP]

I'd have to agree, and disagree, with Capt*Kirk re the effect of bow weight on TP.  There are other equally guilty culprits that are often lost in the mix.  

It's true that too much bow weight can create anxiety as shooters try to develop their shooting process.  Drawing and holding the bow's weight is after all a physical effort and more weight naturally produces a more limited tolerance aspect.  But in many cases the REAL reason behind TP is simply having too complicated a process from start to finish...one requiring too much analysis and mental check-offs... and so producing more opportunities for that process to break down.  Heavier bows give less time to run the shot.   But also happens with light bows because we have learned to prioritize thinking about aiming perfection over simply letting the shot happen. Like shooting a basketball or throwing a baseball, basic accuracy doesn't require thinking or analysis as much as it requires good (simple) basic form and quality practiced repetition.  In a nutshell, we've over-complicated what is actually a very simple process.

We've become too used to shooting bows as if the only good way to do it is in the olympic style.  That would be fine... if training to competing in the olympics.  Perhaps problems with how we shoot would become much clearer if we asked ourselves what our actual goals are.  I.e., what do we want to accomplish?  

Simplifying the shot process (the thinking process) can help avoid TP as much as anything else.  If your shooting isn't working as well as you'd like the answer just may be to look at whether you may be overthinking /overcomplicating  how you do it.

[Terry Green]

TP...never had it....shoot bows from 58 to 110 pounds.....don't know what target panic is....but I have SEEN IT!!!!

Even on guys NOT over bowed that HOLD AND HOLD AND HOLD....then GASP for air when they finaly let go.

Its not just bow weight, or snap shooting...it a MENTAL issue....so those of you that have it need to understand that and learn how do deal with the mental issue....simply dropping down in weight or holding will NOT automatically solve the problem.

Like I said....never had it...but seen it...and don't go blaming it on bow weight or an aiming/shooting style.  You are doing NOTHING to address the problem, yet you ARE doing a disservice to those that have TP.

BTW...I don't flinch with guns either, shot them all my life...22s, 12 gauges, 3006s....flinching has never been an issue....so please don't drag guns into this.....flinching is ALSO a mental issue.

[Rob DiStefano]

"TP" (target panic) is just that - fear of not making an accurate shot on target.  

it's a total mental thing and NOT to be confused with other PHYSICAL ailments such as "over bowing".

[Possum Head]

Good stuff here would most agree that the condition increases with distance? Seems it does with me.

[Tradcat]

Good point possum head ! I'm "TP" free inside 17 yards.. I do ocassionally struggle with it at distances outside 17 yards though. Ironically, my comfortable "hunting distance" is inside 17 yards. Since I'm a hunter first and foremost, seems when I get "TP" is only when I'm target shooting !

[Sam McMichael]

Some consider me a mental midget, so if Terry is correct that TP is a mental issue, then maybe that explains why I have never had a serious long term issue with it.

On a serious note, I sometimes fail to get proper back tension, which often results in a plucked string. This sometimes progresses to anticipating a poor release, at which times I snatch the string. When I settle down and draw properly, it clears up for a while. Does this constitute a form of TP?

[Doods70]

Wow!, My apologies for being away for so long. But I do appreciate all the comments and advice.

Will have to change some habits and see if I can improve. Thanks a lot everyone.

[Gundog68]

I have TP (only with bow, not flinching with gun´s) and i think it is a shortcut for the brain to "optimize" the shooting process under pressure (tournaments). Just get the short way and release before i am in full back tense.

[Terry Green]

Yes Sam....I would say that is a form of TP.

You should not be telling yourself to 'let go'....

You should just........ 'stop holding'....

I know that sounds silly at 1st read, but read it a few times and ponder...I think you will get it.