I shoot with both eyes shut. But what does it mean?

[LineCutter]

Today's session had just about finished, so I decided to go up to 5m from the bosses & work on my technique, with my eyes closed. Ideally this would have been a blank boss, but time was short, so I left the faces on & just picked a point to aim at before I closed my eyes. After a couple of dozen arrows it's pretty clear that

• I'd got my head around what I'd been focussing on
• I can hold a consistent point of aim at 5m with my eyes closed (2cm groups)
• I tend to hit high of the point I've aimed at (3cm or so)

I'm OK with the first 2, but a little curious as to what the last one means. Is it just that the sights were set for 18m, or could this be a clue to change something?
I favour the former, but I thought I'd see what the group thinks, both about the observation & the value of looking where the arrows land when the focus of the exercise is internal to the archer.

[Barry C]

It may be your tiller is wrong or you slightly torque the grip without realising it.

[elastoplastscavenger]

a guy at my club does this when he finds he isnt shooting too well: draws and aims, shuts his eyes then draws through the clicker and fires then opens them and finds hes got gold or red.

[laminatekid]

i tried shooting in the dark once at a boss about 15 yards away the only guidance that i was hitting was the thud of the arrow...was rather chuffed to find a tight group at the end of it

[Furface]

I would guess that you had beconme accustomed to shooting with the bow at the elevation for 18metres, and that you were shooting as your body told you to. Well done. Now try it at 100yards

[cliveanne]

It could be me, but I think that to try shooting groups that close to the boss (Eyes open or closed) could be detrimental to your arrows, you know.. "Robin Hood"ing them? Anyway, your choice.
When I have an archer under my wing (So to speak) I let that archer shoot one arrow, then I will remove & return it. The idea is to feel the shot(s) not to get groups.

[LineCutter]

Sorry, I may not have been clear enough - I was shooting 6 arrows at 6 arbitrary points (horizontally) on the boss. It was only the fact that there were still target faces (with groups of holes) there that demonstrated the grouping & point of impact that I asked about. I agree, if I'd done it aiming at one spot I'd have trashed another arrow this week (if not more).

[Cakemeister]

I need to try this technique more- my coach is very keen on 'feeling the shot' (feel the form, Luke) & I've taken up shooting at blank bosses.

if your shot is slightly raised, do you alter your balance at all when you shut your eyes- without visual reassurance, your brain might be over-compensating for all the weight on one side?

pete

[Small Monkey]

Originally Posted by Cakemeister

feel the form, Luke

Now I have coffee all over my desk...

[Cakemeister]

Originally Posted by Small Monkey

Now I have coffee all over my desk...

Oops

If you can work with someone & do it safely, blindfold shooting is worth trying at whatever level. We're trying to get a 'shooting buddy' system going where someone will watch you shoot just to reinforce what your current targets are in terms of stance, form, release etc- someone who you don't mind letting into your personal space!