Quick toot of my own horn...500 falls!!

[TJ Mason]

I've just started reading Al Henderson's "Understanding Winning Archery". He talks about how round numbers like 500 or 1300 present psychological barriers, and advises that we aim for something less round such as 507 or 1306. He points to the example of the four-minute mile. Before it fell, it was an almighty barrier. Knowledgable people wrote in-depth analyses of why humans couldn't run a mile in under four minutes. But shortly after Roger Bannister beat that time, loads of other runners started running a mile in under four minutes.

[Cakemeister]

Congrats- I've still got to get that one! Good thinking about round numbers as a barrier- it's kind of double edged 'cos if you're going for targets like 418 on a Long National people still like to average it out as 'blue & inner on the further distance, red & inner on the nearer- so the temptation is to break scores into understandable blocks anyway. My tactic is just not to add anything up until the end.. Bt I've generally got an idea about how well or not I'm doing.

Some people like to score with PDA software.. then you're stuck with knowing exactly how you're doing.

Pete

[KevinH]

Pete_T - 10/8/2005 10:19 AM
My tactic is just not to add anything up until the end.

I used to do that, but when I started shooting tournaments this year I found it nigh on impossible to shoot well without someone telling you how well you're doing, or speculating on what score you are "on for". I also found it particularly difficult if my name appeared on the leader board, at which point my shooting would take an immediate nose dive.

With advice from some seasoned tournament archers, I learned that it is better to develop confidence in your shooting, and expect to do well.

[Barry C]

TJ Mason - 30/6/2005 12:23 PM I've just started reading Al Henderson's "Understanding Winning Archery". He talks about how round numbers like 500 or 1300 present psychological barriers, and advises that we aim for something less round such as 507 or 1306. He points to the example of the four-minute mile. Before it fell, it was an almighty barrier. Knowledgable people wrote in-depth analyses of why humans couldn't run a mile in under four minutes. But shortly after Roger Bannister beat that time, loads of other runners started running a mile in under four minutes.

</p>

I like the way AL Henderson writes, I can imagine him soundling like the Colonel from KFC I think there is much merit in the round number barrier. When I was a rower it was the 6 minute ergo, comparable to a 1300 in archery. I think you can either use Al's way of picking a random number above your barrier, or fix your brain ot realises its just a goal, which is a million times harder.#</p>

Some people in my club used to have handicap charts and would always shoot for a handicap score. They would get really involved and I think it made them build mental barriers. The people I know who dont care about numbers but just shooting well seem to be more succesful. From what I have noticed.</p>

[Jerry Tee]

Congrats. I agree with the round number school of thought . I'm look for the next one now and thats an average of nines ,540. But is it a barrier or an aimingpoint some thing we feel a sense of achievement on reaching?