Controlling Target Panic

[Rik]

It's been interesting reading this thread, and I've come to realise why I've never been able to grasp the causes of Target Panic. I have similar problems understanding seasickness. I don't suffer, and it's more or less a mystery to me why anyone would...

My early training de-emphasised the sight. 'It's just a reference point', 'let it float', 'it's going to move about - you can't hold it still, no-one can', 'let it move around somewhere on the target', and everything I've read since has backed that up. I know some sources say "aim hard", but I always interpreted that as "focus on the target". Maybe I was just lucky, with the people who taught me...

Personally, I teach the line I was taught. 'aiming' is what you do with your body, the sight is just a reference point.

[li33ie]

Originally Posted by timujin

Note: When the archer can hold for more than 45 seconds some rubber bands can be introduced, slipped over the limbs to increase draw weight by about 2 – 3 lbs. Alternatively a heavier bow can be used.

Is this true?? - Do rubber bands increase poundage??

Rik

You are absolutely correct in what you say about sighting. It isn't the sole cause of target panic but it is a major factor and if coaches would emphasise the "let it move around as it will" approach more often they would cut down a lot on TP as archers progress.

Thanks for you comments.

For Li33ie

It isn't "my" statement. It's a statement by an american who observed the Korean coaching techniques. I believe that the rubber bands in question are the type of exercise stretch bands that physiotherapists use and which come in different strength grades, some of which are quite strong.

I'm only guessiing here, but I imagine that they thie the ends of the bands around the limb tips to make an additional "string" and pull this plus the notmal string back at the same time.

Make up your own mind about the efficacy of such an approach.

[Marcus26]

No, they are looped around the string and riser above the stabilizer thus providing extra resistance.

Hi Geoff

There is one thing that might help you with triggering you release aid. Get up close to a blank butt, come to the draw with an arrow in place and try preloading the trigger mechanism with some initial pressure.

You will probably get some unplanned releases at first, but if you persevere, you will eventuall become comfortable with a certain amount of preload.

I use this method whenever I come on aim. As soon as my sights begin to settle I immediately preload the thumb release. When I am ready to go, it takes but a little extra pressure to set it off. I am very relaxed with this system now and it is a good way of relieving any anxiety about your release technique.

When I am watching TV I take my release aid and connect it to a length of string cord and practice preload and release until I get sick of doing it. I do it all the time and so I have come to gain a great deal of confidence about how my aid behaves. Confidence gained by practice and experience overcomes many problems.

It's worth a try and takes no effort.

Geoff

The best comparison I can think of to relate what target panic is like for people is for them to try to remember what it was like when they first learnt how to drive a car. For many of them the experience was terrifyting because there was so much to think about and everything seemed to be happening so quickly.

You can feel yourself freezing up under this sort of pressure and it can only be overcome by not overloading the learner driver with too much information and too many things to do at the one time.

For Max

Regarding sights and the effect they can have on your concentration and your nerves. Try all different types if you can until you can come up with one that makes you feel comfortable, mentally. If you suffer fromo any degree of target panic, the stronger lenses will only exacerbate the problem because movement against the target is magnified and so your anxiety level mutiplies.

There is nothing to say that you have to use a magnifying sight for compound. Recurvers shoot remarkable scores with what are nothing more than ordinary dot sights. Try this if you will for compound and see how you go.

If you use a ring sight the rule of thumb is usually that the smaller you make the ring the more tension you induce. The ideal size ring is one which enables you to place the image of the gold comfortably inside it, with plenty of space around it. The bigger ring makes centering the gold in the ring easier (you'd think it was the other way aroud but it has been proven through actual testing not to be so), and as a secondary benefit, apparent movement of the sights against the target is reduced. This in turn reduces tension.

[geoffretired]

Thanks Tom, I will spend more time on the preloading the trigger.
By the way, i agree with your words to Max. Easier the better. And yes, recurve archer do shoot great scores without a lense. I shoot better without a peep, and I feel that it is the relaxing effect that brings the results. It may not work for everyone, but so what; I'm not everyone.( neither is anyone else)

Having read some of the postings by members on TP, I have been thinking that perhaps we need to find another way of re-programming one's mind in the hope of combatting this insidious problem.

The human mind repsonds stongly to fear and pleasure. TP is a form of fear, so perhaps to counter it we need to learn to regard what we do as pleasure.

So, next time, when you are out at the range, try this line of thought:

As you draw the bow and feel the strain coming on to your muscles, think of this as the type of exertion that you might make in love making and as you come to near full draw, and you are waiting for the clicker to come on, you can feel yourself tingling in anticipation and the click, when it comes, causes that pleasurable, almost orgasmic release. Yes, Yes YEESSS!!!.

Wow, that was good. Did the earth move for you? Let's do it again.

What do you think?

[tel]

It's certainly an interesting thought!
If your imagination is particularly good it might cause some problems though....