If you don't like this regimented/form orientated shooting, you don't need to comment. DON'T DO IT BECAUSE I DO IT, DO IT BECAUSE IT MAKES SENSE TO YOU. All these form threads are no substitute for a coach. No matter how good any written word is, it can't point and say, “move this here”.
We should know our sequence subconsciously. If we go through it enough, it's like my old underwear that's being held together with three molecules (thanks Jerry). We do that at the blank bail AND the only thing we don't do at the blank bail is aim. Aiming should be the only thing we do consciously. It's the only variable from shot to shot. Even if you don't change the distance you have to recalculate it every shot. Whereas everything else has to be exactly the same for a solid shot. You must trust your work at the blank bail.
We should be thinking calibrate, back tension, aim, aim, aim. (THEN THE REACTIONS – RELEASE AND FOLLOW THROUGH happen by themselves.) The problem arises when the conscious mind tries to do two things at one time.
I don't know if this will help. Remember from the 'Release' threads – Alignment to too far? I can hit alignment and start my back tension, but do it so slowly that I can do it for about 3 seconds before my release takes over. I can aim for three seconds – if I have to.
I realize I'm suggesting this on the Leatherwall, where in the beginning I just had to try to justify a sequence. But if you're NOT interested in the grip and rip, 17.3 accuracy, this is something to explore. In addition, once your subconscious takes over you'll be able to shoot just as fast as the grip and rip club.
Let me give you an example of the subconscious. As I said before the conscious can do one thing at a time where as the subconscious can do a thousand. Ever have this kind of a shot? It all takes place in a split second, actually half a split second, I'm not kidding. You're aiming at the target and start your release process and in a split second you see that you're going to miss, so you try to stop, but you've gone too far to stop. The shot goes off (and if you wait the 5 second after the shot that Viper suggests) you see you bow hand way over there and string hand nowhere near where it should be. BUT THE ARROW GOES IN THE X RING.
I used to think that that was TP rearing it's ugly head. Now, I think that it was my subconscious taking over the shot, so I didn't miss. Of course it can't work that every time. Actually a fight between the conscious and subconscious.
Here's another example. It was the first time hunting using a sequence and a mantra (I'll have a Monday thread for mantra). My mantra was kill, kill, kill... I was setup on a two track with a corn field down wind (east) a slough to my back (north), thick woods south and a cattail march east. A doe came out and started walking down the two track. I'm going to end up with a 1/4ing away 12 yard shot. All I thought about is starting that mantra and going through the sequence. When she's almost broadside she takes a trail I didn't see to her right and ends up ¼ ing at 25 yards. I started the mantra and pulled up and shot as fast as I could. My first though was SOB, I didn't go through the sequence, but I had to watch the deer turn and run back to the cattail swamp where I could hear the arrow hitting the cattails for a short period of time.
Was a great shot hit the offside shoulder with a big Snuffer. It was morning so I'm going to wait about another hour and a half before getting out of the tree. I started to think back on the shot and realized that I went through every one of my then 12 steps. All my focus was aiming, 25 yards at a moving animal. This is the end product we're searching for. At least I am.
If the back tension and release process I've just discussed seems pretty difficult good. If it was easy everyone would be shooting exactly the same. My goal is for you to be the best of your abilities. And I have a few hooks to make it easier. One is breathing. And another is rhythm. Really helps when under pressure. That will be a subject down the pike a bit. Really helped me put things together.
To reference past subjects search by clicking on key word;
Actually, threads like this have been a substitute for a coach. Never used one. Done fine without one. Doubtless faster way to get started, but figuring stuff out is a good life skill.
Researchers just started to understand the aiming process and you want an answer on LW? High horses right there. The non-scientific answer: you aim with your mind and body - in this order. The aiming process starts when the intention arise and it ends when the arrow is in the target. The intention rides everything the archer is doing physically. A Coach will show you a path to make these things work. By yourself you may never understand and maybe you don't need it. Trial-error learning will get you in the proximity, it depends on how much you train.
I appreciate this threads you are putting out, good stuff.
My archery world has changed for the better once I started working on form, alignment (shooting a wand) and being aware of what my mind was telling me and introducing a bit of a “mantra”.
I was an okay snap shooter, touch and go release but my spending times on basic elements of form certainly provides me more consistency in my overall shooting, like a 3D event.
I can shoot quite quickly, touch and go release or choose to take 2 seconds and really feel the shot, immersed aiming.
It’s not to have options and slow the shot down. I had to learn all these as a means of dealing with TP. Good stuff, thanks again.
Bowlin, Just think how good you'd be NOW, if back in the day you would have had a coach. From then until now how much time did you practice bad habits? I know I sure did.
And your comment "Yeah ok do we hunt like this or we have several styles of shooting? OMG whats next.LOL" I too, wonder how Bowmania can keep these coming, he must be a heck of a coach!!!
It's good to see you're finally buying in my friend :)
I learned long ago that certain guys on here thrive on decenssion, pretty easy for me now to view the author of any thread and simply don’t even read the comments because there is really isn’t anything worth reading in their comments. Years later, the negative people keep being negative. Funny how that works. And I think we all know who you are, kinda sad for such a great forum.
I enjoy hearing different perspectives, weather I fully agree with them or not.
Great thread Bowmania. I know this because Rymancat is sending some weird and outlandish posts which tells ma you are on to something good archers want to learn.
I've recently learned something about my aiming that I never realized. I used to think I shot totally instinctive by looking at a spot and shooting. I hold for about 3 seconds and during that time I will admit I am trying to find a gap that feels right from memories gained from years of shooting. A very good thread, as are all your others. Joel
Most would be better off with a sight aid of some type. Shooting instinctively requires a rare mindset and determination for hunting close. Very few are mentally calm enough, and determined or skilled at setting up close shots. Sight aids definitely have their place in stickbow shooting, nothing wrong at all with sighting and aiming.
I also agree with Missouribreaks, but you have to know how to judge yardage. Not a problem for most people coming from the compound school. I never did and can't judge yardage.
I'd go farther. I'd say most people even if they were lousy at judiging yardage would beat instinctive shooters.
Once again great info. Keep it coming Todd. There are many points that most can relate to even if they don’t wish to. I figure if we can pick up even a few things your helping.
That's very true Phil. I wonder how many gappers that gap with inches for the distance don't use some sort of framming to get the yardage?
It's why I use a sight picture for the gap instead of estimating. Never really learned estimating and found a gap where it wasn't necessary. The next thread will get into aiming which I'm not looking forward to.
This shot was taken today on the mountain near my home. The shot was from 42 yards (after shooting I stepped it off). Initially after the shot I said 50 yards, but as it turned out that would have been close to where the camera sat. I was shooting at a crease in the log shown in the photo here...the arrow struck just above and slightl to the left. You can try to judge how I 'aimed' by the time it took to make the shot since I don't purposely use the tip of the arrow until I get out near 55 to 60 yards. I just focus draw and shoot.
I'm not going to argue the semantics of instinctive this or that, but I've shot high 400's on field rounds with this focus and shoot method. My only arrow reference on those rounds were 55 yards plus. In this still photo, the crease I was shooting at (focusing on) is just under the arrow.
Here's a short video of that shot. Remember, I was 'thinking' near 50 yards. My mind/body figured it out as the shot progressed and I can only say that comes from doing it for a long time. By the way I took another shot at another dead log after this one, and hit within a few inches of where I was looking. That shot was a little shorter but still over 35 yards.
felipe, it's the biggest of the three in the middle of the screen. You can see two logs there in the middle of an old tram path. The camera makes it look a lot longer also, that's why I zoomed it in.
