OK, been at this since 1991 or so after the Robin Hood movie with Costner. Bought a Saxon Longbow of47# and bought Asbell's book and went about learning. Built a Longbow form and built some ten bows from it. Used the various bow designs from Traditional Bowyers of America by Bertalan. The bows came out fine and still have the first two I built. Moved to NC in '95 nd started shooting 3D. Never did real well though in the Convention Center in Raleigh I came in second with one dropped target. My bud had shot three targets out of sequence and got to shoot them over, he won by one point. Shooting a 55 # Jerry Hill bow by PSE using Split Vison aiming. The drop was because I didn't make note of the Aim Off Point. That started my downward slide with Target Panic. Suffered for some 17 years until this time last year. Casto's program was tried and couldn't get into it. I had been trying to rebuild from scratch my shooting form by eliminating 30 years of bad habits. Not much luck until I built my version of the Formaster from leather straps and Paracord. In one month I had put my TP at bay for the most part. I started the quest for good back tension and evolved to a rotational draw. Changed my anchor and aiming style tying everything over the course of one year. I bought A 46# Wesley Special to shoot in the Texas Longbow Championship which was cancelled last week. That was my first 3D shoot back in 1992. Wanted a go one last time. I am 75 and am now a decent self coach after a year. I use a Rotational draw via Arne Moe and am back to Split Vision Split Finger Draw with Middle finger corner of mouth. I tried 3 Under, Fixed Crawl, Point On, Gap, Instinctive, and Split Vision Aiming during this time. The physical form functions except for two are now ingrained and comfortable. I am having trouble with a creep or pluck at release. I have a three point anchor with index knuckle on cheekbone and thumb knuckle on the aft jaw bone. Middle finger rests jus over a missing molar on upper jaw. I use a Dura Glove from 3Rivers and a Bearpaw Speedglove. Gone thru Tabs and different gloves over the last 12 months. I had three bucks at 15 yards with arrow knocked and just could never get a good shoot, in my front yard. Good Acorn Crop last year helped. 3D targets in the yard, shot one up and two vital inserts. Shot the NFAA 300 target course and was hovering around 200, have shot a 240 in the past before the TP set in. I am now shooting from 10 thru 30 yards and have gotten 6" five shot groups in the deer vitals more than a few times. I am canting the bow now with the rotational draw which keeps me from blinking on the draw and anchor, a form flaw that was giving me fits. My consistency is getting better, but the relaxed dynamic release is not quite there. Shot sequence: aim point picked; feet shoulder alignment set; bow arm rotated clockwise, no armguard in summer; bow hand 45 degree low bow grip(Yaeger Lo) on my DAS Dalaa Longbow. Have an elevated rest, Simple NAP; regular shelf on Hill bow; as I draw I glance at the arrow which is pointed off to left beginning rotational draw;
note split vision gap aim off; draw to anchor focusing on the target(aim small miss small); three point anchor continuing focus on target; a couple seconds like Rick Welch helps; continue pull with back tension; unconscious release and follow thru to impact. Then the release is with full back tension and not creep draw hand comes back and the arrow hits where I am looking. When it does, it is like magic. Back to the Formaster for this final bit. Set up for standard draw and release with no arrow, did this just now in my living room. No Target Panic and good hold to release. I am Dryfiring the Bow without damaging it the cord doesn't let the string go forward at all. Form practice thru release with out target anxiety and no bale......I don't like the bale. Now the arrow reference is missing, no arrow. Go outside and out and put an arrow on the string. Set up on your 3D target at ten yards and shoot it. The arrow won't fly very far and if you shoot five you will see them in a tight little wad in front of you, 10 feet or so. Go to 15/20/25 and repeat. You are practicing without target anxiety and going thru your whole shot sequence. What is the point? You have your look to release whether aiming with the arrow tip or instinctive. Just practice your form and shoot, no bale, no long walk. The key with the Formaster is developing that muscle memory without all of the spurious inputs we allow our brain to make. Rather than months of trying to hit that target, you can change bits of your form without the normal anxiety. Its is not just for Olympic Archers hitting targets. You are always shooting at a target, just not with pure Target Archery stance. So it is for target archery because younger shooting targets, that is your aim after all. Long post, but at 75, I made my one last jump to get rid of my TP and make Archery fun again. I am shooting better than ever, and at 75, can work into any bow I own with my Formaster as my go to tool to keep the bad habits from creeping back in. Oh, without changing my look, I can go from DAS to the Hill and back.
Topic: Tips that helped you to “hold” at full draw. (Read 12343 times)
