What is target panic?

[Little Miss Purple]

I bought womble a book called 'Instinctive Archery Insights' by Jay Kidwell. It is accelerated learning through applied psychology and claims to cure TP. Womble has read it this week and says there are some very valid ponts in it even though he felt it was written for field archers (American - hunting??)

[Marcus26]

Good work geoff. Sounds like you are getting the idea here.
The interesting thing is I find that when people start this process they concentrate hard on doing it right. It is that level of concentration we need to use all the time to shoot good shots (and hopefully scores). So when you return to real targets remember that concentration level and maintain it.

[clickerati]

I like to make friends with my targets before shooting them.

Breaks the ice, so to speak.

[LineCutter]

Originally Posted by clickerati

I like to make friends with my targets before shooting them.

Do you treat all of your friends like that??

[geoffretired]

Thanks again for the recent posts. It's good to know there is help available and that it works. I almost feel like I did when I first started real archery. I had a recurve then, but the intense concentration I needed to put in then, seems to be back in use.

Originally Posted by Little Miss Purple

I bought womble a book called 'Instinctive Archery Insights' by Jay Kidwell. It is accelerated learning through applied psychology and claims to cure TP. Womble has read it this week and says there are some very valid ponts in it even though he felt it was written for field archers (American - hunting??)

I have read that book, it was very good. But as you say very USA driven.

[clickerati]

Originally Posted by LineCutter

Do you treat all of your friends like that??

Nope. Targets have that special privilege. I'm demonstrative in other ways to my human and pet friends.

[Murray]

Tell us more Clicki

[clickerati]

This isn't a show and tell, Murray!

[geoffretired]

I thought it could be useful to keep a sort of diary of the progress made with the rehab. From what I've heard and read in different places, it seems there is much variation in what people think it is and how to deal with it.
There are suggestions and plans of action put forward.
Are there any diaries of how the plans worked out?
Will mine be the same as all the others?
Is the idea of a diary of value to others who may fall into the same situation?
Is this thread in the right section?
Should I start it again with its own title?

This is my diary ( two days so far)
day 1 Thought I knew what I should do so got to work with large aperture sight at close range.
Reminded myself of the immediate goal/aim/focus which was to hold on aim while squeezing the release without rushing: being patient like Marcus said.
First three arrows were failures.
Next three arrows; FAIL FAIL Success!!!!!!
Next three Fail Fail Success
N T Success Fail Success
In the end I was breaking roughly even but slightly more fails than successes

IMPORTANT note I felt I had Succeeded I wanted some surprise shots and I'd had some.

Day2 Wanted to carry on from where I'd left off.
Wanted very much to get the first arrow shot as a surprise.
YES!!!!
in fact first three all were surprises (that's a surprise in itself)
In summary, there were more rights than wrongs in session 2
MORE IMPORTANT note
I am now aware that, as I am doing what I have been told to do, the aim is actually working. I am staying on aim without the dreaded panic attacks.
I am also aware that I am starting to UNDERSTAND what I only thought I had understood the day before. Squeezing the trigger does not mean the same thing any more. I have changed my understanding of it.
The word PATIENCE, for me, is becoming crucial to the success of getting the surprise shots away. I am bursting with the need to share this. Not to boast of my success(what is two sessions at 4yards?) But perhaps this could help others; as I've been helped so much already.
Patience is the key I now feel. If I squeeze the trigger by building up the pressure on it,and feeling it build, it goes wrong and there is no surprise.(bother)
If I make sure that I hold the pressure on the trigger with no feeling of increase; if I continue to keep the bow held on its stops and on aim, if I remain patient and jusy WAIT...............................GONE! another success.
Another surprise!!
Tomorrow,I may feel quite differently. Perhaps that's how the rehab runs.

Could this be of use to others do you think or should I just keep my own diary?
All the best
Geoff