Tuning your "instinctive" - Newb

[inn8hunter]

Hi again. I posted in another thread how I struggled yesterday at 15 yards.

Nearly every shot was low. I was not consistent on one side or the other, but always 10 - 12" low or more.

Now, here is where I get confused. Do I override my "instinctive" and aim higher to "train" it to where it needs to be? Or, do I just keep "looking at the spot" and the shot will start rising to where it needs to be?

I don't plan on shooting at 15 for awile again, but I wasn't sure where to go with it yesterday while I was shooting at 15 yards.

Again, I'm looking for some good information on the "release" as well.

Thanks,

Tim

[Shaun]

Two suggestions; work on form. Good shooting follows good form. Full draw, back tension, pulling elbow back and in line with the shot, etc.

Two, use white or other bright fletching so that the flight of the arrow is easy to see and imprints in your mind.

Release is part of form. My ideal release (yours may vary) involves nothing moving at the shot - no pluck, no wave to the crowd, no double clutch hesitation - hand stays at or near anchor.

Hitting where you want involves nothing more than pointing the arrow at the spot and good form.

[JRY309]

You might try to lower your nocking point alittle,it may bring it up some.But not so much as to affect good arrow flight.Are you dropping your bow arm at release? Just concentrate on your form,draw,anchor,focus and release.Even though your arrows are hitting low,are they grouping fairly close together?

[Orion]

You were shooting at 8 yards before right?  You've developed a sight picture for 8 yards and that's how you're now holding at 15 yards.  Of course, move it up.  You're not over riding your "instinctive."  After the first shot, there is no more instinctive (an unconscious act). Your brain has learned something and learns more with each shot.  Howard Hill and many since shoot with what they call split vision, i.e., they see the arrow in their peripheral vision.  They don't use it to aim but the brain uses its general orientation to the target acquired through peripheral vision to adjust that orientation so the arrow hits where you're looking.  Good luck.

[Acuna]

I am far from an expert, but what I have found in my own practice is that my brain will eventually program itself.

Like Shaun said work on your form and then make it consistent.  If you can make every shot the same, your brain will soon figure it out.

[Renaissance Man]

inn8 go on the shooters forum and read the posts floating your thumb and pinky and the other post "anyone doing it old school"
You might find what you are looking for there

[Bill Carlsen]

Get yourself a copy of Jay Kidwell's book INSTINCTIVE ARCHERY INSIGHTS....sounds like it is right up your alley.

[Jmatt1957]

Was having same trouble. Follow thru keep your bow up until after arrow hits. I'm assuming your bow is tuned and you have good arrow flight.

[Jack Whitmire Jr]

Concentrate like these guys have said above on your FORM . Consistency , Consistency , Consistency is what you want to work on .

Try to get your anchor exactly the same every time, draw it back there get into your anchor and let down , do not shoot . You can practice this in the living room if need be in these cold temps     Feel that tension in your shoulder blades.

When outside, as Shaun said so well above at the release nothing should move for my shot to go where I'm looking, especially your bow arm it has to remain perfectly still at the release. Do not peek to see the arrow flight, as your shooting improves the flight of the arrow will cross your sight path as a guided missile would. Envision your sight as a laser beam to the spot you are looking at .

Again keep everything consistent so that you are not working on ten things at a time . Remember FORM, FORM ,FORM !

If I could suggest one thing to improve everyone's shooting ,I would say consistent draw and anchor . I'm no expert but been doing this for over 20 years.

Jack

[inn8hunter]

Thanks all. I do think that I will struggle until I find a consistent anchor and release. We "tuned" loosely with feathers yesterday and when the bow shop owner and my son (newb also but much smoother than I)shot through the paper. Very small, if any tearing at all with my bow. When I shot it, a pretty good 1.5" tear to the left. Every once in a while I would get no tear which makes me believe it is certainly a newbie form/release problem.

I have never even thought about holding the bow steady after the shot. I'll have to look at that. I am not paying attention to the arc of my arrow either. LOL - it is amazing on how many things one needs to focus on.

I think I will stick to 7 - 8 yards in the garage and work, anchor/release/form over and over for awhile and not worry about targets.

That sound like a plan?

Tim

[Jack Whitmire Jr]

Tim you are doing the right thing in working on getting the anchor/ release thing down pat.

If you have a indoor range available in your area that is a good spot to work on form.

Good luck and let us know how you are progressing in this post. Be patient good shooting follows good form .

Jack

[lpcjon2]

these guys are all correct work on the form and have a freind watch you to ensure you do it consistent and try to tilt your head slightly forward and you can cant the bow to compensate for the distance.read the Hitten em like Howard book it's short and to the point.Good luck

[mcgroundstalker]

I second the idea of gettin' hold of Kidwells book. Another Great idea would be G. Fred Asbells DVD on Instinctive Shooting. If you are tryin' to teach yourself (like I did, and formed poor habits) read the books and watch the videos but it is important to learn "one-on-one" from an archer that has been at this game for a while.

There IS alot to learn but it can be fun along the way... If ya get it right from the start.

... mike ...

[inn8hunter]

Originally posted by Renaissance Man:
inn8 go on the shooters forum and read the posts floating your thumb and pinky and the other post "anyone doing it old school"
You might find what you are looking for there

First off, thanks for the advice so far and keep it coming as you see fit.

Renaissance Man:

The "floating pinky/thumb" thing helped quite a bit I think. Also, I was doing 3 under and today brought the feather to my eye (sort of anyways) and it just looked and felt better to me.

I shot 42 arrows today at 7 yards in the garage - it was cold in Wisconsin today.

The results were very encouraging. After I got used to touching the thumb and pinky together and bringing the right knuckle to the same place on my jaw bone, the groups tightened up.

Probably in the 4" range with 1 or 2 flyers in a group of six arrows shot. I even nicked a few arrows up as well. Not perfect, not good, but as some of you had mentioned on threads, something "felt right" today.

I'll keep at it.

Tim

[hydrasport205]

consistant anchor point is the key  find your anchor point and practice shooting at about ten yards with your eyes closed   keep shooting till you get your anchor point down then go from there

[Rob DiStefano]

virtual coaching is better than nothing, but NOTHING beats working with a qualified archery coach.  

inside of an hour - or less - you'll be a far better archer than trying to figure out what you're doing wrong/right, not knowing if part of your problem is your tackle ... and spending lots of frustrating time.

hope you can find a GOOD local coach or mentor - it's what you, and lots of other folks, really need.

[Corn Stalker]

From one newbie to another. I had my wife video me this summer in the backyard so I could play it over in slow motion frame by frame. I was throwing my hand out at the moment of release and dropping my bow arm. Before I watched the video I would have told you my form was pretty good. I just started shooting this year so take this with a grain of salt.

Vic

[BEN]

Just another helpfull (maybe) note:  

Make sure you aren't raising your head a little, "peeking" at the arrow as it flies.

I did that when I first switched from compound---I think not having the sight pins to hold steady and also having the time to watch the arrow vs. the compound's speed, made it too easy to pop my head just a little.  Took me a little time to cure that one.....

Ben

[inn8hunter]

Rob: Unfortunately not much of an option around here right now. The two guys that shoot primitive that I know basically gave me a few pointers and said find your niche/comfort zone. One was a patient shooter and the other was a snap shooter - lol.

Corn: Yes, I was doing that when I first started. STill forget about it time to time, but much better.

Ben: Yep, did that early this week as well...lol.

Tim

[sdpeb1]

Lot of good suggestion here. Working of form first is key. Once you find the  anchor  you want and you have your release cown good etc. Then to shoot instinctive you really need to mix up your distances. I shoot one arrow at a time at 10,15,20,25,30 and then do it reverse. When I'm working on form I just do blank bale shooting and just work on one element of my shooting, release, anchor, dropping my bow arm, shot sequence etc.- Steve