Target Panic DVD

[Macbow]

Sounds too good to be true but I need a miracle cure so have ordered this DVD:
http://www.pushrelease.com/

In the last six months I have developed target panic in that I just cannot bring my arrow point on target and hold without the horrible aching need to release. This has only happened since I started shooting decent scores and raised my expectations. It got so bad (and embarrassing) I had to shoot a recent comp "instinctively" with no defined sight marks. Not being Yoda the result was a bad score and a bad day.
More recently I have had great success using Jay Kidwell's TP cure described in his book Instinctive Archery Insights (don't let the title put you off) which works great during practice and everyday shooting but during our last club comp I was still sweating with mental strain, although shot much better with only five badly flinched releases (my subconscious is pleading with me to let go but my brain knows I am releasing too soon and tries to grab the string). Tried Jay Barr's Mental Game suggestions to stay relaxed but...
Please God let this DVD end this TP nightmare and I promise to be good.

[geoffretired]

Sent you a PM hope it helps.

[Flying Whale]

Please let us all know how it goes, both the DVD and the PM from geofretired. I have not yet succumbed to target panic, but know that it can strike at any time.

[Macbow]

Flying Whale - rest assured that TP is not inevitable among the vast majority of archers. Hopefully you will never know but I wouldn't worry too much about it. Some experts believe TP is more likely to affect those of an anxious disposition which to some extent applies to me. As far as the DVD and Geoff's advice - so far so good but not out of the woods yet. Geoff has actually been extremely helpful and his suggestions support the various shooting and mental drills I have been doing already with some degree of success. His insights have helped me distill my own thoughts and clarify in my own mind what I am aiming to achieve. TP has many different forms and degrees of severity and I think those unlucky enough to develop it really need to find what works for them as what helped another archer may not help you. Discussing my situation with Geoff and trying some of his methodology has also forced me to look at my own shooting process in a lot more depth.
The DVD "cure" is actually very simple and also concurs with specific aspects that Geoff and I were discussing. Very few rifle shooters suffer from TP - I myself have never had it shooting a gun. The DVD method basically places a physical "trigger" into the form in order to block the conditioned response generated by repetitive practice of AIM, HOLD, RELEASE. In the same way that a rifle shooter does not fire as soon as he sees the target, using a trigger stimulus helps to stop the archer from letting go the second he tries to aim at the spot. This method is based on a traditional corner of the mouth anchor so will not suit a lot of archers. Personally I think the method is secondary to the idea behind it - that in order to execute the release you must first do something that consciously triggers it. For me it makes perfect sense, feels very natural and doesn't contradict the drills I have already been doing from Jay Kidwell's book. At this point I feel I have made good progress in a very short space of time, more so considering that less than two months ago I was shooting so poorly it was humiliating - I enjoy archery but only when I am shooting well and if I shoot well I only want to shoot better.
I am not advocating this DVD or suggesting that what I am doing has any merit whatsoever. It seems to be working for me and right now I will take any improvement and be grateful but I humbly thank Geoff for his direct help and encouragement.

[geoffretired]

Apart from the very clear advice I was given by members of this forum re TP,a key ingredient in my recovery was the sense that I was not given a pill to take and told to go away and see what happens. I felt, from the start, that others were willing to give their time to me. It is difficult to call it a team effort when the others were all over the country and even across the globe. I did not know any of the people either. But I had a very strong sense that I could go back for more help and that the help would be given.I can't thank those people enough but I would stress again how important their support has been.( still is)