Writing Down Form

[MikeD]

I was advised by a coach to write down a step-by-step description of my form, memorise it and then ensure that I always follow it in sequence. I have been doing this for a while now and found it has helped me be more consistent.

Does anyone else do this or soemthing similar?

For example my form (recurve) is something like:

1. Check finger sling
2. Check feet position
3. Fit arrow, check #### fletch, button and clicker
4. Fingers on string. Small predraw to help set grip.
5. Check grip
6. Stance and zen breathe
7. Turn head and focus on centre of gold
8. To T-position (and set bow arm), Per Korean method
9. Breathe and Draw
10. Check sight Window
11. Check power on back
12. All OK? Commit to shot or come down
13. Concentrate on very centre of gold and expand to...
14. Click, release. Or come down if click does not happen quickly
15. Continue to concentrate on Gold, do not drop bow arm.

[Small Monkey]

Yeah, I wrote all that stuff down a while ago, and it was very useful to read it over every month or so, to remind myself of things to remember. Also, if something goes wrong, it's a good thing to check against for details. (I have lots of little diagrams on mine as well!)

I'm not sure where mine is at the moment, but it definitely needs updating!

[Cakemeister]

I've been asked to do that- but my routine evolves depending on what I'm practising. Right now it's

1. Check weight distribution
2. Breathe
3. Pre-draw with low shoulders
4. breathe
5. draw
6.sight window
7. gold
8. back tension
9. check feeling & commit or down
10. release
11. stay on gold
12. down

More about 'zen breathing' please Mike!

[Adam]

Originally Posted by MikeD

1. Check finger sling
2. Check feet position
3. Fit arrow, check #### fletch, button and clicker
4. Fingers on string. Small predraw to help set grip.
5. Check grip
6. Stance and zen breathe
7. Turn head and focus on centre of gold
8. To T-position (and set bow arm), Per Korean method
9. Breathe and Draw
10. Check sight Window
11. Check power on back
12. All OK? Commit to shot or come down
13. Concentrate on very centre of gold and expand to...
14. Click, release. Or come down if click does not happen quickly
15. Continue to concentrate on Gold, do not drop bow arm.

All very admirable, and certainly something useful to keep in your kit box (or by the bed, in the bog or wherever), but there's absolutely no way on earth it's possible to run through this in exactly the same way on each and every shot. It's just way too complex and long-winded. All it will serve to do is distract you from what you should be doing - shooting the arrow.

Long check lists cause problems because, as tournament pressure builds, you begin to wonder if you've covered every point and you question HOW you've covered every point. Then you've got to go back and do it again because, if you don't, you won't reach that comfortable place where you need to be to shoot the arrow well. Then time begins to run short, so you try to do it in a rush, then you begin to question...

Yes, you need to know all that stuff: but, when you step onto the line, KEEP IT SIMPLE.

My checklist (which has just cropped-up elsewhere on AIUK) is:

1. stand up straight
2. draw the bow in a straight line
3. put the sight in the middle of the target
4. execute the shot

That's all. Nothing more complicated. Nothing to distract you from doing what you know how to do - i.e. shoot the arrow.

Adam

[MikeD]

Originally Posted by Cakemeister

More about 'zen breathing' please Mike!

It's nothing really. It's a deep breathe to the diaphram and relaxing at the same time. To start the main concentration phase. You can go further and imagine breathing in air with cool inviting colour, and breathe out all the nasties with a yucky brown or black colour.

[MikeD]

Originally Posted by Adam

All very admirable, and certainly something useful to keep in your kit box (or by the bed, in the bog or wherever), but there's absolutely no way on earth it's possible to run through this in exactly the same way on each and every shot. It's just way too complex and long-winded. All it will serve to do is distract you from what you should be doing - shooting the arrow.

Long check lists cause problems because, as tournament pressure builds, you begin to wonder if you've covered every point and you question HOW you've covered every point. Then you've got to go back and do it again because, if you don't, you won't reach that comfortable place where you need to be to shoot the arrow well. Then time begins to run short, so you try to do it in a rush, then you begin to question...

Yes, you need to know all that stuff: but, when you step onto the line, KEEP IT SIMPLE.

My checklist (which has just cropped-up elsewhere on AIUK) is:

1. stand up straight
2. draw the bow in a straight line
3. put the sight in the middle of the target
4. execute the shot

That's all. Nothing more complicated. Nothing to distract you from doing what you know how to do - i.e. shoot the arrow.

Adam

Yes the long form is for practice and ironing out problems. You revise and simplify it over time. You should follow it subconciously in competition.

[little longbow]

for my longbow its:
1.feet poisition
2.check arrow
3.nock arrow
4.think
5.draw
6.aim
7.release-come back to shoulder

[moo-mop]

The fita traning tips spend quite a while on having you work out and write down a sequence - starting from week 14. (The links to this from the fita website now work again.)

I have always written down a sequence, but recently have based the form sequence I use around these suggestions, I find them a helpful structure.

[chris]

all that i have done is pick one of the things on your list(much abreaveated for me)
and concentrait on that until i am doing it without thinking , once i realise that i have stoped thinking about it i move ion to somethin els and so on.

chris

[Medoc]

The idea is that you use the list in practice to train yourself anout your shot sequence, it then become a subconcious programme allowing you to execute consistant shots, it works, dont take my advice read Rick McKinney and the heretic archer as well as Lee.

So longwinded, maybe at first to to build shot repetition and focus it appears most elite archers follow this.

Oh and my list was 14 steps and I had to describe each one for my coach.