Anchoring trouble, Stroke related? any advice?

[JaniceH]

Im currently on my first week past the four weeks beginners course, and absolutely loving it. Im shooting an 18lb take down bow and am not ready to buy my own yet.

Im very left handed, right eye domininant so Im shooting right handed which Im finding ok, although it was a bit strange at first. The biggest problem is that I had a stroke 8 years ago after the birth of my youngest son, which seriously affected my balance. Even though I didnt get any paralysis my right side is considerably weaker and I seem less 'aware' of what that side of my body is doing if that makes any sense. If I close my eyes my body doesnt know which way is up (makes going to sleep interesting) and if I close my eyes and try and touch my nose with my left hand I go straight to it, if I do the same with my right hand, I touch my mouth instead, every single time. Im not affected in any other way and unless I told you, you would never know.

However, Im having major trouble anchoring my string in the right place against my nose and it doesnt help that I cant seem to move my head far enough over my left shoulder so my nose isnt directly in the middle. This week I used a tab with a plastic section on the top to line up against the middle of my chin to see if it made a 'feel' difference, its almost as if my right hand doesnt know where my face is, and it either goes to the side, or underneath, or then I cant line the string and the sight up. By the time Ive fiddled around to line everything up I cant hold the string anymore, so either shoot or come down.

The only thing I can equate it to, is having rather a lot of wine, spinning yourself around and closing your eyes then trying to touch your nose, and not finding it!

I did have a go at a compound and found that lining up the little circle thingummy in the string and the sight made things a lot easier, but I dont think thats something you can have on a recurve?

My coach/coaches have been wonderful, and keep going over and over it and hopefully it will just click, but is there anything anyone can suggest, a different tab, similar experiences etc etc. My frustration level is high, I cant shoot left handed as it feels too awkward with my eye dominance and Im just getting cross with myself.

[mk1]

It sounds as though a kisser button might be worth a try. Its a small plastic disc that the string goes through and you set it so it can touch it to the side of your mouth so you feel it on your lips when at full draw.

There are plenty pictures on the net but I haven't managed to find one in use yet!

Otherwise you could always shoot a compound

Well done on persevering and welcome to archery!

[andrew.paterson]

Originally Posted by JaniceH

My frustration level is high, I cant shoot left handed as it feels too awkward with my eye dominance and Im just getting cross with myself.

You can use an eye patch or glasses with a frosted lens to stop your right eye dominance being an issue. A number of archers after injury do swap handidness, so it is possible to make adjustments for physical ability that do contradict eye dominance.

My wife shoots with the 'wrong eye', and just closes the dominant eye. A lot of people close their non-dominant eye anyway (or cover it up).

Just keep at it and I am sure you will find a solution that suits you.

[Furface]

My heartfelt sympathies! First advice is get a proficient coach to work with you and help you through this - while your graphic description says a lot, online coaching for such a complex situation is very hard.
Second advice is to try to go left-handed if at all possible. It is generally easier to train an eye, even one as dominant as yours. With a coach, see what happens if you use a translucent eyepatch on your right eye - this may be enough to counter the disorientation you describe.
Third advice - stick to it. You will be able to master the skills and co-ordination required, and you will continue to enjoy years of pleasure.
And do keep us informed how you get on!

[Kae]

A full list of coaches in Cheshire can be found here:

Cheshire Archery Association Official Website

Cheshire Coaches
Martin Bourke
Alsager Company of Archers
Mike Thorburn
New Century Bowmen
John Lewis
Alsager Company of Archers
Mike Cobban
New Century Bowmen
Pierre McCurrie
Club Astra Zeneca
Terry Jones
New Century Bowmen
Mike Wormald
Club Astra Zeneca
Eileen Pass
New Century Bowmen
Steve Ash
Bowmen of Bruntwood
Malcolm Lewis
Neston Company of Archers
Jo Galbraith
Bowmen of Bruntwood
Bill Judson
Neston Company of Archers
Peter Galbraith
Bowmen of Bruntwood
John Evans
Bowmen of Warrington
Joan Platt
Caldy Bowmen
Krys Bremner
Winnington Park Bowmen
Dennis Martland
Caldy Bowmen
Tony Cooper
Winnington Park Bowmen
Fiona German-Lloyd
Cheshire County Bowmen
Ted Duncan

Joyce Harrison
Cheshire County Bowmen (Cheshire CCO)
Level 1 Coaches

Brian Harrison
Cheshire County Bowmen
Tony Bossons
Greenbank Company of Archers
Jack Trigg
Greenbank Company of Archers
Helen Bossons
Greenbank Company of Archers

Jack Trigg isn't really with us very often now, but you know Tony.

All the best,

Kae.

[geoffretired]

I have been shooting for a lot of years, right handed and right eye dominant. My right eye is now so poor that I am shooting right handed still, but with an extended sight so I can use my left eye. I expected problems when I made the change, but so far there hasn't been any.
You could therefore, have the option of shooting left handed, with the right eye doing the sighting.
If shooting right handed is the only way for you to get the form you need, it might be worth using a stretchy band to practice the draw. You could learn ways to get the draw hand in the right place, while not having to worry about struggling with an arrow and having to release or abort the shot.A further development of that would be to fit a device to the end of the stretchy band that mimics the string and the correct string angle, so it feels the same as a bowstring when bent at full draw.An advantage of this is you can practise in front of a mirror with no danger of shooting an arrow into it!!??

[not dead yet]

not to put you off. i'm lefty right eye dom. brother was righty, now lefty due to gold shyness. mum was righty but shot using left eye.. all shot for wales over the years.

it can be overcome, easily, cant believe they havn't tried you left handed with right eye shut.

[JaniceH]

Wow thankyou for all those replies. Just to clear up a couple of things, I have shot left handed and my left eye sight is not great at all, when shooting I shut my left eye almost naturally. So Im going to continue to shoot right handed and persevere. I have found that I love archery so its just going to be a steeper learning curve.

Geoffretired, can you give me some more info on the stretchy band, Ive been thinking of getting one of those warm up strips of rubber to strengthen my arms a bit at home anyway, is it one of those?

The kisser button sounds like an ace idea, I dont think I could add one to a club bow unless they come off after Ive used it, but its definately something that might help a lot. Ill have an internet trawl to see.

Ive also had a lovely pm from someone on here who has almost exactly the same thing happen to him and hes now competing. He gently reminded me of the fact that every new task has to be re-learnt in my brain in a different part to what it would have been before. So it takes longer. It took me a long time to co-ordinate myself to walk again and now you would never know, so why I thought this would be any different I dont know. I suppose Ive not tried to learn anything this new, on the 'wrong' side of my body for a long time and its just a gentle reminder to not be quite so hard on myself. Even though I think Im back to how I used to be, obviously in some areas, Im not.

I do think I will end up using a compound though, strength and other things make it a good option for me - plus it comes in pink....

[Shirley]

So good to see a ' newbie' so determined and focused.I hope archery is all you want it to be, but I think you will make it happen.

Keep the posts coming on your progress, it is good to see things from a new point of view.

[mk1]

Good on yer Janice

Stretchy Band can be got from several sports shops. The best stuff (IMHO) is called Dyna Band and it comes in different colours. Don't be afraid to ask to try it in the store when you buy, and I'd suggest not getting one that feels really easy as it eases off a bit after short use - or perhaps I eat too much weetabix .

Kisser buttons usually have a split in the disc for allowing the string in to the middle hole, then some serving above and below will hold it in place. If your bow is needed by others perhaps some tape in place of serving could be use temporarily to hold it in place and a measure taken so it can be re-positioned each time.