Filming

[Blackcat]

A quick question for all you coaches out there. Is filming yourself a good idea if you want to find the faults in your archery. Only asking cause I'm thinking of doing this myself (have no one to stand on line to watch me).

[Kae]

Only if you know what your looking for.

Otherwise it can be a downwards spiral of doubt and repetetive errors.

Is there no one that can watch you shoot and give your pointers?

Kae.

[Blackcat]

My husband could watch but he is a beginner to and i think i know what i'm looking for now i have my bow set up. I shot a pb by 60 points on Tues at the portsmouth but had 1st arrow probs and almost sure i wasn't expanding my chest enough and using back muscles, instead of just shoulders. Only thing i can think of so wanted to film to see if this is the case. Not looking for other probs just yet I'm a great believer in one thing at a time.

[Murray]

Originally Posted by Kae

...downwards spiral of doubt and repetetive errors.

LOL such positive affirmations! But you're right, it needs some understanding of what "right" is.

Videoing can be a useful exercise if only to provide you with visual feedback that you're doing what you THINK you're doing. I would suggest that if you wish to see back muscle usage and "expansion", then that probably won't come from video as it would have to be very exaggerated to spot it, however, you COULD get some hints towards correct or incorrect muscle usage or alignment in the reaction of the follow-through (providing it's not forced).

Worth a try and see where you get to.

[ThePinkOne]

I'm not a coach, but I work on feeling the shot on a blank-bail to help especially if I'm trying something new. Once I can feel it I may use a bit of string and the bathroom mirror to look at alignment- especially useful when playing with release aid angles/depth of hook into release aid. That's what I could do with a video for! Not sure how much a video helps overall though when on your own- it depends what you're working on I guess. Some things it could be good for- e.g. release- but if you've got basic body geometry issues to work on filming you release may not help much overall, depends what angles you can film from maybe.

Then again, if someone videos you on the line from different angles (ideally when you are not aware so you are not modifing your form for the camera), it could be a useful tool to work with if you can find a coach to look at it with you- and video can be sent over the internet (or even in the Snail Mail) so it is a handy way of getting comment on your shooting form overall without lots of miles travelled.

This is JMO as an archer though, no doubt the coaches out there will have more to say about using video as a coaching tool....

P.

[Meddler]

Originally Posted by Blackcat

A quick question for all you coaches out there. Is filming yourself a good idea if you want to find the faults in your archery. Only asking cause I'm thinking of doing this myself (have no one to stand on line to watch me).

Dont see why this should be a problem.

If you can get shots from three different angles, you should get a rough idea.

1) with camera looking at you from the front (ie along the shooting line)
one thing to look for is a good draw force line (DFL). This is generally described as a straight line from the tip of the elbow through the nock on the arrow to the point of pressure on the bow.

2) with camera looking at you from behind (again along the shooting line)
what I would be looking for is as straight a line as possible from bow hand through both shoulders. If front shoulder is high, you're not set up correctly

3) from above
what I would be looking for would be a straight line from tip of elbow to tip of arrow (another DFL). It has been said that ideally, there should be a straight line from bow hand to drawing shoulder.

The ideal would be to get somebody who knows what "good" form looks like to have a look at you.

Iain.

[ThePinkOne]

Originally Posted by Meddler

The ideal would be to get somebody who knows what "good" form looks like to have a look at you.

Iain.

Of course this is always the challenging part of the exercise, isn't it.....

P.

[Meddler]

Originally Posted by ThePinkOne

Of course this is always the challenging part of the exercise, isn't it.....
P.

P.

I can think of one straight off...

Iain.

[napolienne]

We use video as a coaching tool a lot at our club - as was said above, its good for showing you what you are actually doing, rather than what you think you are. Do get a coach involved if you can though - they can help you work out a long term plan to improve. If you cannot by any means find a coach, remember to work on one thing at a time - don't try to change everything at once. Observe your shooting from the ground up, starting with stance, and make sure you take note of what is good as well as what you'd like to improve.

[geoffretired]

Video is good!
Use it to advantage.The views Meddler mentioned are sound; you will see what you look like at the references etc.
Don't forget the thing video does best;movement.
From behind you on the shooting line get a close up of the arrow point as you reach full draw and move into release. Look for the steady draw back and no creeping forward before the loose. From the same angle focus on the bow shoulder with some sort of horizontal reference like the arrow shaft;you are looking for any lifting of the bow shoulder. It will appear to close the gap between arrow and shoulder.
Another good view is from behind the shooting line looking towards the target.
You are looking to see how the bowarm and string arm react at the follow through.The draw elbow will move across and slightly left. The bow arm will be hidden, but the bow will indicate what it was doing. You don't want it moving right as in a collapsed shot.(assuming you are right handed archer)