Advice and Opinions on Progressing Shooting Distances Please!

[Witchie Poo Cat]

Hi Guys

I wonder if I can ask for your opinions on something.

Im about to start pushing my targets back to increase the distance Im shooting. Im doing well at 20 yards now so time to try 30 yards.

My plan was to push back to 30 then when Im getting them all red or gold most of the time push back to 40 yards and do the same and so on over the distances. However, now Im thinking that perhaps I should be starting shooting rounds instead?

What do you think is best? Just do one distance at a time and move on when the arrows are hitting red or better. Or, start shooting rounds and just move up the rounds as I get better at each one?

Im also wondering that if I choose to just do one distance at a time, get good then push back that perhaps it will take too long for me to start doing rounds since most of the rounds are 40, 50 yards + and potentially it might take me a while to push back to 50 yards?

What is the general opinion? Which option have you seen to work better for most archers?

Thanks for your advice guys, much appreciated as always

Witchie Poo Cat

[joetapley]

I would do both. Practice at rounds where your just being stretched so the feedback is better but also shoot rounds to get a handicap/classification. The latter is good for the ego and is quite a good monitor of performance as well as givig your competive instincts a run out.

[NoAngel]

Originally Posted by ruthmc

Why not shoot a round at 20 and 30y? I know these are junior round distances, but at least you get used to the format!

That's what most of us start out doing, as it takes so long to get used to filling in the bl**dy score sheet correctly!

Ruth

This is a very sensible suggestion. As club records officer I am always encouraging beginners to shoot rounds if nothing more than so they have a handicap. It doesn’t matter what distance you shoot at, your handicap should be around the same mark. Obviously as you rapidly improve as a beginner this will steadily drop.

As a beginner you are more likely to win a competition with a Handicap adjusted score rather than a straight shoot, our club also award medals for handicap improvement. Likewise with a classification shoot, you could win a classification medal for achieving the top score in your group.

A female adult Recurve archer can achieve 3rd class at both 30 & 40 yard distances, try shooing something like a Short or Junior Warwick just to see how you get on, if you make a classification grade then that’s great, if not then its something for you to work towards. And as s Ruth says it also give you excellent practice on scoring rounds.

[Witchie Poo Cat]

Thanks for the suggestions. Can I just ask you another question though? If I shoot a round meant for juniors would it still go towards a handicap score? I dont really know much about submitting the scores and handicaps etc but I thought I would have to shoot adult rounds to get a handicap?

Ive sussed out the score sheets already, quite an achievement really! Must start getting hubby to score so he can get some practise! He hasnt started scoring his rounds yet (holding out for his new arrows!).

[Max]

You can make up an "adult" round for just about every distance - You can if you want shoot just one element of a FITA - try 3 dozen at 30M and work up from there. The American is a good one to try (60/50/40 yards once you are happy at shorter distances), but the golden rule I was taught is to shoot a standard 122cm face at the distance at which you can group consistently in the Red. Then move it back 10 - 20 yards and keep practicing until you group in the Red again. Keep going until you make the Olymipcs

[NoAngel]

Originally Posted by Witchie Poo Cat

Thanks for the suggestions. Can I just ask you another question though? If I shoot a round meant for juniors would it still go towards a handicap score? I dont really know much about submitting the scores and handicaps etc but I thought I would have to shoot adult rounds to get a handicap?

Ive sussed out the score sheets already, quite an achievement really! Must start getting hubby to score so he can get some practise! He hasnt started scoring his rounds yet (holding out for his new arrows!).

There is no set "Junior Round" as such, although these rounds are designed for juniors in the different age bands, there is no rule to prohibit a senior from shooting them. They will still count towards any handicap and classification level you might attain. The only restriction on these rounds as I understand it, is that they do not qualify for records status scores if shooting them as a senior.

[PorlyP]

Hiya WPC,

as a fellow noob I can only tell you what I've done, I've focussed less on scores and more on distance progression. I know that If I can get a half decent score at one distance, I can try the next, so I try to set myself a task for the distance, if it's a first try, it's all six on, then 5s or better, then 7s and better.

Now I'm at 60, in only a month, and now I'm shooting rounds too, as it's a way to shoot with the rest of the club, and hitting gold at 60 after 4 weeks out of a beginners course is such a rush!

All I'd recommend is do what feels good for you, if you want to dominate the scoring at lower distances before progressing, go that way, but I'm into the distance improvement then scores following, a personal philosophy but one that has seen me do pretty well so far.

Let it be known I'm a bit impatient, and competitive, so I was keen to get up to the same level as everyone else, and see how I go. For me, my nearest competition was shooting at 50 and 60, so I gradually cranked up the distance every 2 sessions to build my confidence.

Sorry for the rant, just thought an explanation of why I did my way would help

In short, do what you feel good with!

[wingate_52]

The outdoor season is nearly over. Shoot your distances and shoot and score rounds if convenient. Don't worry about scores too much. Next year you will emerge from indoor shooting and have no fears and a good technique as well as an indoor classification. You will probably progress through the classifications.

[Witchie Poo Cat]

Originally Posted by PorlyP

Hiya WPC,

as a fellow noob I can only tell you what I've done, I've focussed less on scores and more on distance progression. I know that If I can get a half decent score at one distance, I can try the next, so I try to set myself a task for the distance, if it's a first try, it's all six on, then 5s or better, then 7s and better.

Now I'm at 60, in only a month, and now I'm shooting rounds too, as it's a way to shoot with the rest of the club, and hitting gold at 60 after 4 weeks out of a beginners course is such a rush!

All I'd recommend is do what feels good for you, if you want to dominate the scoring at lower distances before progressing, go that way, but I'm into the distance improvement then scores following, a personal philosophy but one that has seen me do pretty well so far.

Let it be known I'm a bit impatient, and competitive, so I was keen to get up to the same level as everyone else, and see how I go. For me, my nearest competition was shooting at 50 and 60, so I gradually cranked up the distance every 2 sessions to build my confidence.

Sorry for the rant, just thought an explanation of why I did my way would help

In short, do what you feel good with!

Thanks for the explanation there, I like hearing other peoples views and ideas thats why I ask so many questions

I think my problem is that I lack confidence so like to take things one step at a time and build up. If I start doing rounds before I have practised much at a particular distance I have a feeling I will end up being too hard on myself, thats why I was thinking of just doing one distance at a time. However, in saying that, I do feel like it will take me too long to be able to join in with the other club members on shoots so I need to take that into account too. Maybe I can do a mixture of both. Shoot set distances a couple of nights and rounds the rest of the time or something like that. I guess its just trial and error. Im my own worst enemy though, I need to be good at something before I step up, what the definition of "good" is though will probably vary as the distances get longer so I will need to keep a check on that so as not to dishearten myself when I start missing!

NoAngel - thanks for the info, much appreciated. Ive just not got my head around the paperwork side of archery yet! lol

Max - loved your last sentence "keep going til you get to the olympics" - If your going to have an ambition, may as well make it a biggie!

Thanks for all the replies guys, am eager to get shooting now but its raining here and I dont have a key to the part where they keep the bosses yet either (get that on Tuesday! yippee!). Oh well, roll on Sunday