how do you regain your confidence?

[Harold's Eye,It wasn't me]

Snarkhunter for Prime Minister, how well said was that?

[GeoffT]

Clicki,

Your fletching were hitting the bow. Nobody shoots well if that is happening. So don't let it get you down.

I have had many "slumps". I find the best way out is:
a) make sure the bow is set up correctly
b) go back to basics and talk yourself through each shot sequence, whatever your particular shot sequence might be. For example,

Nock arrow
Stance
Stand up straight
Place bow hand in correct position.
Look at Target
Raise bow
Draw back
Get comfortable anchor (reference, whatever)
Glance down to see clicker a few mm from dropping.
Aim,aim,aim whilst pushing and pulling (or pushing, or pulling whatever you do)
Click
Let follow through happen
Keep bow arm up.

Give yourself time to recover before starting the sequence again

While you are coming out of your slump, don't use a spotting scope. Just let the groups happen wherever they may be on the target.

Hope that helps......onward and upward!

[Hidden Hippo]

I'm going through the same thing at the moment Clicki - was shooting brilliantly until about 3 weeks ago, bowman within touching distance, but it all fell apart. So far all I've really been doing is shooting at distances where I'm comfortable, not scoring and just getting back to the fun of the sport - after all that's what we all started the sport for isn't it? Over the past couple of weeks it's been significantly better and my confidence is now improving again.

All you need to do is shoot for fun and you'll eventually get through the rough patch and probably be shooting better than ever.

[andrew.paterson]

Originally Posted by clickerati

After another poor performance at Bronte this weekend, I'm suffering a huge lack of confidence. I'm rock bottom right now, so I know the only way is up, but I'm struggling to figure out how to do that.

Has anyone else ever been through this and can you share what you did to improve your confidence?

So going through the same at the moment, and it really is so so trying.

Two weeks ago I won a tournament, so a bit of a glimmer in what has been a terrible year for me. Doubt I will even make the county team

Do I go back to shooting Herefords for some comfort, or carry on plugging away at Yorks, wondering why 3 out of 6 go off to the right at 100 yards? I know my timing is a bit out at the moment, but nothing that bad.

Don't you just love this sport

[clickerati]

Originally Posted by GeoffT

Hope that helps......onward and upward!

yes it does and as i can't get any worse, the only way is upward.

Snarkhunter...I expect your support on Sunday at the Surreys. I'm the halfway point between you and your son, so as you pass, remind me me of that quote!

I have just replaced the damaged fletches ready for shooting tomorrow. I'm also trying a few things Aard recommended to see if they help. I love fletching and I have to say, it's taken the edge off my low mood. Fresh fletches, fresh attitude, I guess.

[Flying Whale]

I Like the post from PhZ. I have been through it and did not do a number of the things he suggests. Consequently stayed in the slump for ages.

In the end I decided to have a break from recurve, and intersperse it with shooting compound. While I knew the general expectations are higher, I felt that something new would put a smile back on my face. I was right. Thoroughly enjoying compound, but also found that when I decided to shoot the recurve (about 1 in 3 shoots) that was working better than for a long time.

Definitely try and avoid beating your self up with the "come on, you know you can shoot better than this...". I keep telling myself, but still can't do it yet.


Main thing is find some way of getting some enjoyment back in to your shooting.

[not dead yet]

just like crocodile dundee said.

post all your problems on here. we all get to know

all comes out in the open

no more problems. boost your confidence.

[RoverJohn977]

I've suffered the same sort of problem. In my case it wasnt the odd bad score - it was a gradual slide in form which appeared to accelerate the harder I tried to reverse it.

I think the way to recover from it probably varies depending on what sort of person you are.

I hit rock bottom when I tried going back to basics and found I was consistently shooting higher scores with my old wooden starter bow than I was with my current equipment.

The way I coped was to literally strip back to barebow and concentrate on form and add back my kit one piece at a time. I found that training for strength and form without release also helped.

After 6 months I am back to shooting PBs but if I have the problem again - at least I have a solution.

Whilst I identified an awful lot of technical faults along the way - the basic problem was me and the way my shooting had evolved.

I used to shoot pistol and went through exactly the same process periodically.

The only silver lining is that when you do recover your form, and your confidence - you will be a stronger archer - and you will have a solution for next time.

Good Luck for a speedy recovery

[Robin the Hood]

Clicki.....What GeoffT says is very true and RoverJohn also makes sense.
It is very easy to suddenly fall from shooting well. One belief I have is that when everything falls into place and good scores get shot, it is too easy to relax and let everything become sub-conscious (here we go again). Going back to the basics brings back the thinking of what you're doing. It is the one thing I believe that needs to be done with every shot, even I do it myself after all these years.
Geoff's list will give a good idea, in it he has 13 instructions, if you can follow this principle and list your own sequence of checks I believe that this will bring you consistancy back.
Good Luck!....

Paul.......

[hooktonboy]

Hope its coming together again Clicki. I seem to have been there a few times too.

FWIW I tend to go with GeoffT on this, with the added proviso that to build your confidence, bring the distances right down and build some groups without having the pressure of high expectations. My preference is to come down to 30m, use an 80 face, and just run through your shot sequences and shoot until the groups close in. I think this rebuilds your confidence in your own technique and promotes a relaxed shot. I think you can then take that relaxed state to the longer distances.

Seems to help me anyway. Good luck, m'dear!!