I went to Cloverdale, IN last weekend. I was having real problems with my rights and lefts. I don't claim to be a "good" shot, but this was really unusual and became quite annoying. Never experience that much inconsistency.

I recalled an online conversation a few years ago with Rod Jenkins-- he was discussing string blur. This past week I worked on using the string blur. After a couple session it's almost become second nature. When I come to anchor, I set the string blur along the right side of the riser, then continue my expansion to conclusion.

The right and left problems have literally vanished. It's made me curious... how many folks use string blur? Am I just (very) late to string blur game?

Contrary to current thinking I shoot my compound bow without a peep sight...I set the sight pins just outside the string blur to establish consistent windage (right/left)...I use a kisser button to establish consistent elevation...this method does not allow for the precise aim of a peep sight, but for a hunter it works just fine, and better, in my opinion, in low light...I started doing that in the mid 90's...my guess is that FITA recurve shooters operate in much the same way since they are not allowed to use a rear sight

DDave

I am not an aimer with traditional bows so I never even see the string when shooting

DDave

I do..all the time.

The string blur IS my windage adjustment.

I have various ways that I practice in the back yard. Sometimes I just shoot fully instinctive, other times, split vision with string blur.

Having a large battle with the dreaded TP, while learning to hold at anchor with out shooting, etc, I was told to "enjoy the site picture". Part of that has become seeing the string blur while holding and not releasing at full draw.

Generally at a 3D event, I shoot instinctive thou sometimes I can shoot split vision, as HH writes about. I would love to slow it down a few miliiseconds more to reference string blur all the time with split vision, until it becomes a built in habit.

If form is good over all, string blur will absolutely take care of your left - right issues.

I like the saying about string blur, "reference it, don't manage it."

Yeah, split vision with string blur is amazing in how accurate you can become. With practice I can tell it's becoming more second nature.

If you keep on this route you will only gain in accuracy and consistency in my opinion.

...ya know, I could say so much more.

But really, string blur will elevate your shooting, keep at it!!

where can someone read up on the concept of string blur?

I used string blur when I shot sights on my old wood riser Jennings. Really did not think about using it bare bow. I am in, more info would be helpful.

I first heard of it in a book by Rick McKinney, Simple Art Of Winning.

I was reluctant to buy the book as he is an Olympic Archer which isn't my shooting style, but a friend of mine, a deep rooted traditional guy I respect, suggested the book, so I bought it.

I did however find a lot of great insights into "good form" in his book and I still re read it from time to time.

http://www.lancasterarchery.com/rick-mckinney-simple-art-of-winning- book.html

He doesn't go into a lot of detail about string blur but it introduced me to the concept.

There after, searching google I found a lot of information, pertaining mainly to olympic style archers and gap shooters.

Searching the net often took me to an archery forum I was not familiar with, Trad Talk, which had a lot of useful information on string blur by guys using it.

Their shooting styles are generally different than what I am accustomed to but there is a lot of very insightful information. Shooting styles there are more in line with archers like Jimmy Blackmon and gapping. And if you see his accuracy, it's impressive.

I don't see / use string blur all the time. I use it when I'm practicing certain elements of form, or really trying to slow down my snap shooting issue. Or, when I have having left right issues, it's a quick reference on alignment.

When playing with joel turners, feather to nose, (having practiced split vision the past couple of years) is when I really started seeing the string blur.

With split vision, the out of focus arrow tip, for me, is out of focus below the X, like Bryon Ferguson describes in Become the Arrow. That out of focus arrow tip is the front site.

With arrow under eye, string blur is the rear site which is why left and right errors are greatly cleaned up.

In my hybird shooting style I would say the trajectory for me is instinctive while the left right (windage) is split vision.

This next comment is not meant to open a debate. But, with enough practice using string blur and split vision, it pretty much becomes instinctive or 2nd nature, built into muscle memory and you can shoot as fast or slow as you choose.

I have tried to keep an open mind in all of this, coming from a strictly "traditional" world.

I hope this helps.

part of the reason I'm sing'in string blur praises is this.

Two weeks ago I shot a two day 3D event with a very new long bow and I shot very poorly.

Afterwards, I practised twice a day for the next four days, using string blur which cleaned up my left and right arrows greatly. I now had a rear site and bette alignment.

The following weekend I shot another 3D and I shot a personal best.

At the 3D I shot to quickly, most of the time, to reference the sting blur but I believe that all the practice using it the previous days allowed me to have better alignment overall as it had became ingrained. So for me it was proof it was working.

forgot to say I see the out of focus string on a a certain part of my riser. When the string is on that spot, I know my alignment is good. It's the rear site.

There is no right spot to have the blur, could be inside or outside the riser, down the centre, etc.

The important part is it's consistent and it's a reference point...

Hopefully others will chime in.

have no idea what a string blurr is and really don't want to know but for bad rights/lefts try what worked for me and thats anchoring more towards the center of your mouth or under your nose and don't cant the bow as much,, this will shorten your a draw 1/2... I promise your line will get better and now the ups and downs will be the only problem which i fixed by letting the anchor hand come to the anchor without moving my head forward or back which kept changing my draw length.

I started in archery as a hunter using a Slazenger longbow then bought my first recurve about 1963. In 1964 I started shooting target where I was taught how to use the string as an alignment tool. In those days we were allowed to have a piece of tape on the string to use as a rear sight in conjunction with the target sight on the bow. Since that time using the string as an alignment device I have never had a problem with right or left arrows. A few years later tape or a mark on the string was banned by FITA and scores dropped by 100 points overnight. This elevation problem was overcome by shooters clenching their teeth and anchoring using a shelf tab to make sure that the distance between the shooters eye and the arrow was exactly the same every shot. Using an under jaw anchor point and string blur scores climbed back up again. This method is still used today.

So shooting instinctive use the string to give alignment with a point on the sight window and make sure of wherever your anchor point is that it is exactly the same shot after shot.

String blur has been a part of archery since at least the days of Robert Elmer as he talked to the string blur factor as well the actual relationship of the string blur to the arrow. he went on to discuss things such as the "bow window" as it relates to ones sight picture, etc..

Vioer, has discussed the string blur on here a number of times as well.

Jim Ploen wrote several articles in the past that explain the string blur concept pretty in depth as well. It's a VERY simple concept once it is understood and practiced for just a little while.

"...have no idea what a string blurr is and really don't want to know..."

Too bad you don't want to know. If you knew, you wouldn't have to put your string in the middle of your mouth or under your nose and you wouldn't have to shorten your draw. Oh well.

Some good info here for guys like me with left-right issues, usually left. I am a peeker so maybe this can help me. Now if the outside temps would drop down to say 105 I could get out and try. I would like to thank those that have answered this post. Your comments have been vey helpful. Tom M

this kinda explains it all...

http://www.tradgang.com/pdf-files/aiming_the_arrow.pdf

[[[ M60gunner: "I am a peeker." ]]]

This is my #1 struggle with archery.

Sometimes it's like I almost drop everything, and put my hands on my hips just to watch that arrow goooooooooooooooo.

It's a curse, but it's one born of love.

8^)

Rick

Oh yeah. To answer the question.

Yes, I use the string blur.

Rick

Firstflight/Paul...thanks for that Jim Ploen article:

http://www.tradgang.com/pdf-files/aiming_the_arrow.pdf

JK

I'm gonna have to try that. I struggle with left right misses myself. Thanks for the tip.

I'm so thankful that I'm right handed and left eye dominant.

I dont have to deal with all this half baked pseudo sight stuff.

Grip it and rip it gents.

I'm not having L/R issues but sure do need to get better about distances...which Ploen does talk about.

[[[ Kodiak said: "I'm so thankful that I'm right handed and left eye dominant. I dont have to deal with all this half baked pseudo sight stuff. Grip it and rip it gents." ]]]

I too am right handed, and left eye dominant. I've never been a grip it and rip it shooter.

I use a number of different sighting methods, and none of them are half baked. 8^)

Rick

Never a grip it and rip it?

Yer missing out. :)

I'm with rick, I'm left eye dominate and shoot righty.

It's about different sighting methods, Kodiak, which allows one to shoot to your potential, which you are not dong if you only grip and rip.

If you don't understand this, it's ok. It's a lot to take in and it takes an open mind, a lot of hard work, determination and practise to test out all this theory.

I'm sure your good at how you shoot, I was. Then I wanted to get better and shoot higher scores at 3D events.

When you understand the foundations of archery and good form you understand why having more tools in your tool kit allows for better, consistent results.

That's why Howard Hill, Bryon Ferguson and many archers who are thought to be "instinctive" archers talk about the need for aiming.

Read their own words, do the research and put it to practice to the point where it becomes instinctive.

Then when you grip and rip, you'll see a massive improvement.

Great posting and conversation here. About a year ago I gave up the " pure instinctive" method after a lifetime (55 now started shooting when I was 7 at summer camp)nof inconsistent accuracy at 15 yards - inconsistent as in spraying arrows all over the bag with no clue as to root cause. I moved to 3 under with a vertical bow, started to gap aim and have been working hard on form/alignment with huge inprovement. Very recently I have fine tuned my form to get my eye ( right handed, left eye dominant) better aligned with the arrow to address my tendency to hit left and by pure coinsidence string blur is coming into play for me as I push for the next level of accuracy. This journey has been great fun although a lot of "work" if you consider shooting a bow work - I don't. I anticipate that by learning to use string blur my consistency will continue to improve. Now that is what I call fun and for me that is what archery is all about!

Okay so maybe I overstated the inconsistency - not exactly spraying arrows all over but I certainly had no way to diagnose the poor shots like I do now and the string blur is giving me another source of data.

Viper mentioned it briefly in his book. I worked on it some, with improvement. Unfortunately, winter came, and I couldn't wade to the target and forgot about it till now. I think I'll fool with it more. I think you have to be a average to good shot for it to help. Not because it's bad, but just because it's one more thing to deal with for a guy with allot to work on. Anchor, back tension, and bow-arm are 1-2-and-3.

Ok. What the heck is string blur? The more I think I know about shooting a bow the more I realize how little I know.

Geez Firstlight, do you think you could be any more condescending?

You don't know nearly as much you 'think' you know.

I'll leave it there, because Phil is watching. :)

"Geez Firstlight, do you think you could be any more condescending? You don't know nearly as much you 'think' you know..."

No... I think you already beat him to it. :^)

"I'm so thankful that I'm right handed and left eye dominant. I dont have to deal with all this half baked pseudo sight stuff."

"Ok. What the heck is string blur?...

Dr. J.R., that was answered in the first post, "...I set the string blur along the right side of the riser..." When you draw, you can see the string in your periphery. It appears blurry. You simply note where it is, or move it to a certain place, like along the outside, center or inside of the riser. It assists in windage consistency.

"...I set the string blur along the right side of the riser..."

I've only been shooting a little over three years. I started purely instinctive. If I tried to see my arrow at all I shot terribly...had to make sure I ignored it.

What I figured out was that I had learned to shoot without alignment. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. I had a very frustrating miss on a deer and decide to reassess my methods.

As a poster above did.... I started to shoot more vertical, worked on my alignment and gapping and I also worked on string walking and crawling. My shooting has improved drastically.

My INSTINCTIVE shooting has improved drastically because now my alignment is closer to being right every time I draw because the use of reference points (arrow, string, riser) has trained my body to do it naturally.

If you can do it without that, move on and enjoy yourself. But I think it is downright silly to tell a beginner to just burn a hole in the target and keep trying until it just happens.

Jim, to answer your question - not as many as those using a sequence AND there's not many here using a sequence.

Personally, I check it, but admittedly not as often as I should. It's normally where I want it. I think that's because I've very careful with my stance and head placement before I draw.

For this reason I check it the most when shooting from a treestand.

Nice post, bud.

Bowmania

Yes. But I have never thought about it. I guess I may see it but I don't think about it. I understand where you set the string blur I just never heard of it. I don't want to think about it. If my arrows are spined correctly my left and right is ok. :)

Not sure I can see string blur at full draw without getting ridiculously distracted, even with peripheral vision...but I suspect my Hill/straight and Hill/locator-grip bows accomplish the same thing as string blur by grip feel.

""Geez Firstlight, do you think you could be any more condescending? You don't know nearly as much you 'think' you know..." No... I think you already beat him to it. :^)

"I'm so thankful that I'm right handed and left eye dominant. I dont have to deal with all this half baked pseudo sight stuff.""

Touché Jim. :)

You go ahead and just mount that sight pin. We critics be watchin though. lol

jk...that's incorrect. String blur is a reinforcement of head position, not hand placement on the bow. The hand placement CAN be used to align the string, the string blur is completely different.

I look down the arrow, so my biggest concern is altitude. by looking down the arrow I don't have a problem with left or right unless I pluck the string or one of my fingers don't release the string, (old age / arthritis). Any method of aiming and being consistent without sights should be looked at and not scoffed until you try it. ......wing

Frank/FDP... OK, probably yes, "string blur is a reinforcement of head position"...however "de head bone is connected to de neck bone" which is also connected to the hand bones :-)

Visual perception (string blur) is connected to everything else, including hand position. Same as system used by basketball players.

I suppose the root of the confusion is that fact that every bow with an arrow on the string already has a sight on it.

It's the arrow and the string. If you don't HAVE to add anything else, why would you?

Hey Kodiak, It's all good on my end, my apologies if I sounded condescending, not my intention, really. Just expressing my opinion to your initial reply to this thread, and I know that intent and tone is often misinterpreted on internet forums.

I took your comments literally. In an educational thread like this, when out of the blue you post an unhelpful comment such as

"I'm so thankful that I'm right handed and left eye dominant. I don't have to deal with all this half baked pseudo sight

I took you literally. Thus, if you really meant what you said, then I think my reply is appropriate, IE: along the lines of, clearly you don’t understand the benefits of string blur, but with an open mind you can.

The position I was coming from in my initial reply to you was form the perspective of hearing an instinctive archer dismiss constructive applications of aiming, which will not only improve their consistency over time but ironically, it can become instinctive.

Like Howard Hill talks about with learning split vision. When learning you see the out of focus arrow. After time, when ingrained into muscle memory your unconscious knows the site picture and you can choose to see or not see the out of focus arrow, depending on how you want to shoot. The same is with string blur. Sometimes I’m very aware of it. Other times, when stumping, etc I see nothing, no arrow, no string, just burning the hole in the stump, purely instinctive.

BUT, having the ability to choose to switch my awareness and to be able to see the string blur and out of focus arrow in my secondary vision is a powerful tool to aid in consistency and self correction, as an archer. I have a long way to go. I’m on the newer side of all this. I can do it fine in the back yard, not near as fine at a 3D event.

I like to be able to shoot purely instinctive. I also like to be able to slow things down, reference the string blur and use split vision because for me, when shooting something like a 3D event, split vision allows me to be more accurate over the entire day vs. instinctive shooting only.

Perhaps in the future on a thread where people are learning, please consider either adding constructively to the thread or not adding at all.

If you can only come up with something negative to say, like calling our comments, "half baked pseudo stuff", you can always decide to move along to a different thread...

There's no confusion. The shot always involves muscles and bone as importantly as sighting.

I suspect recurve archers are more inclined to longer hold times with conscious aming processes than are longbow archers...because longbows are more objective tools, unlike the recurves that may personally fit one's hand like some target pistol grips.

jk...unfortunately that's a popular opinion, but completely incorrect. I shoot all bows the same way, and I make and shoot self bows, Hill style longbows, flatbows, recurves, and I shoot all of them in a way that leads to the most consistent accuracy that I can get. Period.

If your longbow grip doesn't fit YOUR hand as well as a recurve, you have grip problems, period and that will lead to inconsistent hand placement, and inconsistent results.

The muscle, bone, and sighting are all part of a successful shooting sequence.

By the way, thought I'd add. I'm shooting a longbow and holding less than 1/2 a second at anchor.

I switched to a straight arm draw in the past couple of years. So I'm seeing the string blur as I draw, as I focus on my target, on the way to anchor.

I often have a touch and go, inline release, not stopping / holding at all at anchor. But I still see the string blur on the way to anchor and in the time I reference anchor, I can see the blur.

I just wanted to mention this in the event some people don't want to hold for multiple seconds at anchor.

I

fdp, I don't want to take away from anybody's custom-grip- marketing, but we all know our brains use our hands as incredibly subtle/accurate sensing devices...they are amazingly adaptable to a wide range of grips. I find Hill-style straight grips are excellent sensors as well as pointing/aiming devices.

I have no idea what this is.

Everyone, some subconsciously some consciously.

It's just another reference point.I used to draw way outside of my eye and couldn't see the string. Now I turn my head out and the string is at my eye without shortening my draw and things have improved.

"Hey Kodiak, It's all good on my end, my apologies if I sounded condescending, not my intention, really. Just expressing my opinion to your initial reply to this thread, and I know that intent and tone is often misinterpreted on internet forums."

It's all good. I've been on these forums since the 90s and sometimes I like to put my foot in my mouth.

My point is that sometimes we make shooting more difficult than we have to...hence the " grip it and rip it" comment.

Enjoy the shot...don't make it a science project.

Kodiak: That's an important statement for sure. "Enjoy the shot...don't make it a science project."

I agree, it is to easy to get carried away overthinking things.

Just a couple of days ago I took a judo and a flu flu and went stumping and "just shot".

Didn't let myself do any of the things that we've been discussing in this thread.

Just pick a spot, roving and shooting. And I had a blast!

Never heard of it - but now that I have, I'll check it out :)

There is something even better than just string blur. Serving blur. Use a white string with black serving. And run your serving high enough so that it is inline with your shelf or plunger or some other reference point when your anchored correctly.

Now, when you have the string blur set correctly horizontally with the riser and vertically with your plunger, your triangulated into an exact repeatable condition.

Know what I mean? If not I'll try better to explain.

Thanks runner, your posts always make me smile. You do bring up a good point, a skinny string would be theoretically better. I vote for jinkster to do the math to see how much closer you are to center shot looking down the edge of a skinny string vs a thick string and how many inches it would change impact to the left at 20 yards. I'm betting .5"

I think some of you guys over think things. It's supposed to be simple.

It sometimes amazes me how much really good and useful information comes about on this site, verses the number of so-called archers, who either can't or absolutely refuse to learn a thing. Ignorance must really be blissful after all.

You "grip it and rip it" guys left off the last part that generally happens, "miss it"

LOL, well done Graysquirrel and spot on Roger!!

Started using string blur and gap shooting method after a rod Jenkins shooting school in weatherford, tx 5 or 6 years ago. I'm no expert shooter, but I've killed a lot more game since than before. I still misjudge yardage occasionally, but when I get the yardage right I can usually get in the kill zone.

I think that when folks post answers too such questions they respond in knee jerk fashions and post up some slick sounding stuff that actually does pertain too them personally but then don't take into account the wise audience they are responding too.

Which is part of why I like bouncing around and trying it all! :)

As it broadens my perspective. ;)

Now here's my answer...do I use string blur as part of my aiming system?...

ABSOLUTELY!...Every Shot!...on my ILF Target Rigs and it definitely increases my confidence and consistency but...

ABSOLUTELY NOT!...on my 58" Hybrid Longbow...there?...I've found string blur serves as nothing more than a serious distraction from far more import things that require my utmost attention and?..for some reason?...while I have little problem moving string blur wherever it serves me bast on longer target rigs?...when shooting my short 58" cut-too-center hybrid with a slight cant like I always do?...my focus is on one thing...

"My Arrows Alignment & Relationship Unto The Target"

anything else?...seems to only serve as a distraction to that.

Then again?...maybe I'm doing it wrong! LOL! ;)

Just bumping an old thread.

I was having some Left/Right inconsistency with a new bow and took a minute to figure out where the string blur should be to get me in line. After a few ends, it was automatic.

Just went out and shot nice 20-30 yard groups in last light.

It's a good technique and a valuable tool to have,

I've recently found string blur more sensible than I previously thought ...what changed? I abandoned bifocals, paid serious money for an opthamologist (not mere optometrist) and the resulting mono-vision lenses allow me to view the shaft much more directly...not at an angle...directly to the spot...not quite using string blur.

I think using the string as a rear sight (string blur) would make more or less sense depending on the shape of one's skull and where one would want to anchor (Olympic style anyone?)

I have been working to find an easy natural anchor where I don't have to bend my neck or tilt my head and have no face interference.

The nice thing is that I can anchor with my middle finger, index finger or thumb under the chin with the same alignment. Makes me confident that it is easily repeatable and 'structurally sound'.

I began using the string to line up the shot when I began shooting field. When you shoot from 30' to 80 yards you can't be in tune the entire distance walking the string. So, I quickly discovered that I was stiff at some distances and weak at others - tuned at `50 yards.

I solved the left and right issue by the way I aligned my string. For 3D, using a plunger, I alight the string with the outside of my plunger. I draw to anchor, check string alignment, begin aiming, expand to conclusion. String alignment matters!

It definitely matters....Jimmy beat me by 40 points at the Twin Oaks open shoot last week :)

Wow, something new to try! I don't believe I've ever noticed the string.

I cant my bow so my string blur is way right of anything I can reference. When I have messed with target style bows shooting vertically, I blur it right in the middle like you would with with a peep sight.

String! String!.....What String?????

I thought if you use a solid three point anchor you wouldn't have trouble with windage.

Gee and I thought I had it all figured out.

When I'm able to shoot again I will look for that string you folks mention...........Ron

always something, been shooting 59 years and now there is a string involved....mumble mumble, gosh darn I'm never going to get this right....mumble mumble!!!!!

JB said " For 3D, using a plunger, I alight the string with the outside of my plunger."

What is the "outside of my plunger" ? Point of contact with shaft? Sounds unlikely.

I don't care how much you teach me I don't have to learn it.

I am amazed and thankful for the patience of the best archers on this site. >>>------> Ken

On my recurves, I get the string just where it blocks my view of the inside edge of the sight window and that leaves the arrow exposed and no obstruction to the target.

I have a target riser coming in the mail. Will be interesting to see what that is like.

I always use the string blur even for hunting

I am open to bettering my shooting. My first try was awkward, but will try again tomorrow. I understand the concept

What is string blur? There is so much about shooting I don't know. String blur, the star method, fixed crawl.

At 62 I can't focus that close. lol Never noticed 'string blur' until very recently here on the 'wall. My eyes and concentration has always been solely on the target start to finish of the shot.

NOBODY can focus on it. That's why it is called String Blur. I can't read without glasses but I can shoot without them.

Babysaph, You won't see it unless you are drawing to your eye. The principle is that your arrow point should sit just to the left (right handed shooter) of the string when you are properly lined up. It's like a rear sight. If you find a reference point on your bow (usually the riser/window), you line the string to that.

If you don't anchor where you can see that string blur/arrow picture, then your alignment/sight picture will be DIFFERENT AT EVERY RANGE. Not good (that was me 2 years ago).

Anyway...if you ingrain this into your form, it becomes automatic. Your quick instinctive shooting will improve (mine did anyway) and shooting split vision becomes much more precise.

Oh JSD, you CAN focus on it. It ain't pretty when you turn the arrow loose though let me tell ya'. LOL!

All I know is string blur helps...if you will let it.

I must have read this wrong. I tried it this way; I put my bow arm up, aligned the string to the right of the riser, put the point of the arrow on the bull, and finished up my draw, anchor and then loosed. It tightened me up. Maybe I needed to add the 'point on the bull' vice drawing and focusing only on the bull only. That extra alignment step seemed to help. After reading this again, I have more work to do

String blur, and Lilli Pop is definitely your friend. 8^)

Rick

I don't know if it's due to wearing glasses, or what, but using the string blur is real easy for me.

It's kind of like looking through a vertical strip of tinted window. I doesn't obscure the target, but I can easily see it, and line the arrow up in the center of it.

Rick

It's not just the glasses Rick. The blur is the same for me. I'm right handed if the arrow is left of the blur, I miss left, if the arrow is right of the blur, I miss right. The rear sight I mention many times. Makes it a simple thing to correct windage misses.

Dude just made the only clear explanation I've seen...

"NOBODY can focus on it. That's why it is called String Blur. I can't read without glasses but I can shoot without them. Babysaph, You won't see it unless you are drawing to your eye. The principle is that your arrow point should sit just to the left (right handed shooter) of the string when you are properly lined up. It's like a rear sight. If you find a reference point on your bow (usually the riser/window), you line the string to that.

If you don't anchor where you can see that string blur/arrow picture, then your alignment/sight picture will be DIFFERENT AT EVERY RANGE. Not good (that was me 2 years ago).

Anyway...if you ingrain this into your form, it becomes automatic. Your quick instinctive shooting will improve (mine did anyway) and shooting split vision becomes much more precise." ------------------------------

Me, I do shoot with glasses and got great improvement by wearing specs that have NO reading correction, only walking around correction. Reading correction distorts and distracts.

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