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Originally Posted by Random_guy  Psychologically speaking the hole area is a bit of a mine-field. With only a basic grounding in psychology I'm not the best qualified person to answer, but I'll have a go.
'Subconscious' actions and 'habits' are both fairly poorly defined terms, but essentially the same thing. Both are actions learnt through conditioning of one form or another, that are completed in response to a given set of stimuli. The main difference being that when people talk about an undesirable response, or one that is inappropriate in that situation or that they simply did not mean to do, they call it a 'habit', whereas if its something they have practised again and again and are intending it to occur they refer to it as 'subconscious'.
All that is a bit of a generalisation but you get the gist. I think in the case of the forward release, i think i would agree that it is more due to incorrect use of back tension (i suffer from one myself at the moment). If the archer isn't aware of it, then there is no negative feed back, telling them that they have done something wrong.
If they then 'fake' follow through, and the arrow goes vaguely in the middle (even if only some of the time) then there is actually positive feedback, as the archer believes they have made a good shot, and the small collapse at the moment of release becomes reinforced.
This is all based on the behavioural model of psychology, if anyone is interested, and there's a lot of literature about it out there, but it is by no means the only psychological model that could offer an explanation for the forward release! (Just in case anyone else is interested) |
Good point on the fake release. My old coach and mentor would loop a bit of string through the crook in the elbow, and take up the slack in the string as you drew. Any forward movement would "yank the string. and prove to you that you were doing it.
And Geoff, any part of the draw etc, can become fixed in memory as a "habit" if done repeatedly.
It's not all totally clear cut. My release is totally unconscious. My draw is a mix of both. I used to do a mental checklist, from "wiggle the hand into grip, tension string, finalise bow position, raise bow". Pretty standard stuff, so now I am only semi conscious of the draw and breathing. I'm just standing there, looking at the ground as I begin, transferring vision to the target as I begin the process. Aim is the same, back tension and T-section are so practised, I feel when it's not right, then consciously decide what to do EG, come down or amend in situ.
Release is simply touch finger on trigger, increase back tension, pressing the sight into the spot, release arm going in opposite direction. At some point the trigger tension is enough to set it off.
So even the conscious parts, begin to get an unconscious pattern, by sheer repetition.
Is that the sort of thing you were looking for Geoff