When to start using a clicker?

[Cakemeister]

To stop creeping? Or get the technique right & just use it as an information provider?

Pete

[*~L~*]

I had to start using the clicker because i got into the bad habit of getting to full draw and releasing straight away, so it was the only way to stop me from doin that and slow down my shooting.
Felt lik torture at first i hav to admit, but its all good now

[Furface]

There are those who say you should start beginners with a clicker. There are also those who say a clicker should never be used. I would say to use it when you realise that variable draw length is a problem.

[Tobytoolbag]

Originally Posted by Furface

There are those who say you should start beginners with a clicker. There are also those who say a clicker should never be used. I would say to use it when you realise that variable draw length is a problem.

Agreed - but with a little 'tweak' that you should only start using it when your draw length settles down and is consistent enough (with a tolerance of, say, +/- 5mm) to be able to set up on the clicker without pulling any muscles due to poor technique.

Those who say that you should start archery using a clicker are generally Korean, and coach Olympic champions; those who say you should never use a clicker are generally people whose poor technique means that they have problems drawing past a clicker, and should read books by Koreans who coach Olympic champions...

[cliveanne]

Originally Posted by Pete_T

To stop creeping? Or get the technique right & just use it as an information provider?

Pete

Use it for info'. A lot of archers are ruled by the thing, & tend to loose on hearing it, ready or not.
I do use one & my Good Lady does not.
I have two bad habits "Creeping" & dropping the bow-arm too soon. I'm working on the latter. The "Creeping is checked by my bow (Comp') one slight moment of relaxation... the bow takes over. That will be good when I take up my recurve again. I hope I shall have stopped creeping, one way is to not use the clicker & keep an eye on what I'm doing, forget the score until I'm happy with what I'm doing. (Yet another target )

[rod]

i never used a clicker, then i started shooting 80-100 yds, point is unless you have a really consistant draw length a 1 or 2 mm difference will punish your vertical group let alone +- 5mm.
not using a clicker has delayed my progress, IMO

[LineCutter]

Seems fair to say that the time to use a clicker is when you're ready for it!
It'd feel wrong inflicting it on a UK beginner - if we could go through the Korean miming shooting regime first I might think otherwise.
A settled draw length & stlye seem the minimum for you to use one & not be ruled by it. Thereafter... take your coaches advice. IMHO.

[Shirt]

If you want to be even vaguely competitive, a clicker is NOT an optional extra.

Soon as you have a vaguely consistent draw length, get one and get someone to show you how to use it.

[Murray]

I think one of the best things a coach can do for an archer is to give them a clicker and teach them how to use it as early as possible.

By the time they may want to get competitive, they have too many habits to unlearn IMO which is not only a waste of time, it's demotivating for the archer.

The downside is that it requires consistency from the coach and a lengthy period of monitoring and adjustment to be done right.

[cliveanne]

Originally Posted by Murray

I think one of the best things a coach can do for an archer is to give them a clicker and teach them how to use it as early as possible.

By the time they may want to get competitive, they have too many habits to unlearn IMO which is not only a waste of time, it's demotivating for the archer.

The downside is that it requires consistency from the coach and a lengthy period of monitoring and adjustment to be done right.

Could be right there. Although I was told many years ag, that you need to get some consistancy in your shooting style before using a clicker, as there is so much to remember, that extra work could be too much to take in for a beginner.
But since shooting for 10-11 years I have come to see that people are not as slow as was first thought.
As an experiment, The next course I run, I'll fix up a clicker for an archer & see how it goes.