Controlling Target Panic

[Murray]

Originally Posted by timujin

What do you think?

I think you need to get out more...

If your imagination is particularly good it might cause some problems though....

No problem. Control is everything.

From my Journal:-

Well I took the plunge on Wednesday and baught a Carter Just B Cuz release aid. A hugh risk for m me as I have yet to shoot a conventional release aid with any success since I started compound archery. I bought it as I feel now is the time to move on. I have shot my BT release for over a year now and feel it's run it's course, and get the impression it's holding me back for progressing.

Initial impression when setting up my bow I noticed I had to move my peep up by about 1 cm. Wow. This looked very encouraging as I have always struggled with decent sight marks.

Shot last night in near perfect conditions. WOW the new release shot with back tention techniques works like a dream. I'm still getting used to it but I managed to break my PB for 90m with a score of 302. With a little more practice I feel there is a 310 in there.

The best bit is "no target panic what so ever!!!!!!!" Am I cured???? I do hope so as I feel so confident I can achieve my MB this year now as long as the TP does not come back. I will need to re-inforce the feel of the shot by shooting some more blank boss as much as I can.

Very happy bunny.

For Murray

I'm doing it all from memory these days.

Rich

That is fantastic. I'm really delighted for you and I hope everything stays well with you from now on

Originally Posted by timujin

Rich

That is fantastic. I'm really delighted for you and I hope everything stays well with you from now on

Cheers

I feel the reason for the change is using a BT release for so long and learning back tension. And learning how to use a Carter release from others in the club. Geoff did point out a great technique for Max, it works for me too. I do worry that it may creep back, but I feel I have enough knowledge to deal with it if it does.

[geoffretired]

Timujin, I like the idea of replacing anxiety with nice thoughts. I do have to worry about the *** analogy! So there you are at full draw, thinking all the pleasurable thoughts, when a little voice whispers, " What if wifey finds out?"
Could that not lead to some form of panic?
Seriously though, the state of mind thing is vital, as you say. I always find some are too serious about their scores. I am very serious about my shooting, but not the score; the enjoyment! I seriously want to enjoy my shooting. For me, that means shooting with a good enough technique to allow me to get pleasure from the act of drawing and releasing. With a good enough technique, it feels so much easier to draw the bow. The release feels better and the scores eventually reflect that. The better scores are the icing on the cake, nothing more. Worrying about score or groups, when little effort has been put into the technique, seems back to front to me.
For what it's worth, I feel the time to do the thinking is when you are behind the line. Consider why you are shooting. How good a group can you realistically expect? Isn't archery better than staying in to wash dishes?
Don't you meet some great people?
If you approach the line in the right frame of mind you have a better chance of feeling good about the shot. To feel even better, shoot better; but be prepared to wait and in that time be prepared to work.

[geoffretired]

An interesting beginners course started at the club on Friday. We had bosses to catch arrows but no targets to miss. After the safety rules had been explained etc. we went on to the shooting. I did the mime with some explanation, keepnig it short. When the newbies shot they were asked to draw with the elbow rather than the hand. This was made into a gentle goal for the day. No pressure. They all relaxed once they got over being clumsy with the bows (the usual stuff)
One young gent could do everything nicely, but he added a startled expression, with a slight throwing back of the head, as the arrows were released. My immediate reaction was that he had tp from the off. I have given this more thought since and feel now that it is more likely to be bow panic.By that I mean he appears to be over reacting to the unexpected recoil of the bow.It is not a heavy bow.Perhaps he has watched archery and when you watch there is no sensation of recoil. Next session I shall see if there is something else he can do with his head. I wonder if the Korean methods could help? Do that again and it's two laps of the field!

[JohnK]

I was at the last day of our club's beginner's course yesterday (I had to miss last week) and saw target panic in the offing . . .

An older chap was shooting with a bow that was clearly far too heavy for him. He'd just about manage to get it back to his face, but when he refocused on the target he'd creep forwards and shake like jelly.

I would have intervened, but our GNAS coach was taking care of him. He just kept telling the beginner that he had to keep the string on his face. That's all very well, but if he can't pull the ****ing bow comfortably what's the bloody point?

Sorry - I get very irate about this sort of thing.

[geoffretired]

JohnK, I can sympathise with your situation. I wonder why beginners' courses seem to be run using inappropriate bows, at times.Is the idea to add some realism? Or is it just lack of thought? It seems to me,the world has moved on and left some (archers/coaches) behind.I have been guilty of being left behind over several archery related topics so I can see the other side,in a way.What bewilders me somewhat is why, in the days where communication can be global and near instant, little use is made of the facility, by those who could do so much to put us in the picture.