Hi! I think this is my first post although i've been reading for years.

I've been shooting for about 25 years and suffering badly with tp for the last 10. My symptoms were loosing before I was ready, being unable to point the arrow at the spot, and flinching on the release.

I'd tried aim and let down exercises but it seemed that if my brain KNEW I wasn't actually going to shoot then it would allow me to function normally.

But, as soon as I drew the bow with an intention to shoot I would feel a rising wave of anxiety that would peak on aiming and cause one or all of my symptoms to manifest.

On a whim, I tried a new approach. I was going to definitely shoot, but try my absolute hardest not to release the string until I was ready.

First arrow... total failure. As soon as i focused on the target it was away.

Second arrow, with willpower set to maximum, I reached full draw, burned a hole and held it... just about... I flinched badly, lost back tension and collapsed a couple of inches but managed to hold onto the string. I dragged it back to anchor and tried again.

Better prepared this time, I was able to hold it through the first wave of tp. I kept holding it as a second wave hit me, trying to make me release. Then suddenly, the anxiety was gone. Complete calm. I was able to aim right through the shot.

The next few arrows I did the same thing; draw, focus on the spot, cling on, and wait for the two 'waves' to pass before shooting. They pretty much halved in strength with each arrow. After about ten arrows the waves had gone completely. I could draw, go through my form routine and release when I wanted to, with no anxiety at all. 10 years of debilitating target panic gone.

That was a couple of months ago. I gave it some time to be sure it wasn’t a false dawn. I’ve since shot over 2000 arrows with no symptoms whatsoever, usually doing my normal shot routine (about 3 seconds) and the occasional snap-shot for fun.

I know tp affects people differently, and I have absolutely no idea whether this will work for anyone else, but if you're suffering with the same symptoms I had, give it a go. You never know!

Great to hear. It's a nasty malady but folks do deal with it on their own terms for the most part.

I tip my hat to you--congratulations!

What you described (in my experience) is exactly what needs to take place to beat this damnable demon, but it usually takes from a few months to a year with a lot of repetition for most folks to overcome it.

Yep. You have to get control of the mental demon.

Good for you.

Musta been a helluva Thanksgiving dinner...

Fantastic. Congratulations. That is so good to hear that some one whipped the demon. Sounds like a good plan that should work for others too. That is another reason why over bowed can cause or make it worse. Folks find it impossible to hold through it and get in a big hurry to dump the string. I am happy for you. >>>>-----> Ken

Good for you sir. Keep up the good work.

Been there...gave up! Switched to left-handed.

I have to do exactly the same thing once every few months...it is just bizarre that your will can be overcome in the way that it does.

Like you, I can draw and hold when I am not going to shoot.

I have the same feeling as you...it's like I can't focus on the spot. to overcome it I just tell myself this is the moneymaker shot on a ten point and stare at a little spot.

And then it is gone...all my shots are fine.

Well done! Still battling mine. Shan't give up.

Good job..

^5

Glad to hear it!! I had a blip last year when shooting indoor 5 spot where the shooters were shoulder to shoulder and most of them had wheels. It was so bad I'd share my arrows with my neighbors target more than once. I added a small grip sear to my bow, now when I get on the line I draw back and when I feel the urge to get rid of the arrow i focus on popping the grip sear---gives me a job to do that forces my mind to a calmer place.

Good for you!!!

There is no single cure for it. If that works for you, stick with it. And congrats !

We all know that Target Panic has a mental not a physical cause - which means you have to reason your way out of it. Good Job on finding what works for you. I hope and pray that your success can be inspirational to others who are dealing with TP. No matter the sport - in golfing the yips, in baseball the sudden inability for someone to be able to throw from second base to first etc., it takes a strong will to work on overcoming the anxiety that causes any of these performance issues. CONGRATULATIONS on working it out.

Godspeed, OB55

Congrats way to be an inspiration to others!!!!!!!!!! TLM

I have delt with it for many years my basic routine is focus draw anchor focus expand release that all happens really quick for me but when tp creeps in I don't get past anchor. & just like you did i have to (will) my way through it. funny thing I've read some of Joel Turners stuff & it makes sense to me & I'm absolutely not questioning Joel or any tp coaches but I can squeeze the trigger on a rifle without any anxiety yet a 38# bow will sometimes drive me nuts ???

Good Luck. I have never seen anyone beat it long term.

Congratulations and while I have only been shooting traditional bows for about 5 years now, I have already seen the monster rear it's ugly head, and manifest in forcing a quick shot. My remedy was similar to yours. Just MAKE yourself hold the string, and then release after the jumpiness is gone. Had this happen with rifles before as well, but it made me unable to take a shot.. better then a bad one, but still not fun.

-Bones

I’ve had it for years, took me several months to break it, I had my mind made up I wasn’t paying money to break it, simple but effective way for me

Thanks to everyone for the kind messages. Only time will tell if it comes back, but now i know what works for me, i'm confident i can break it again. It's a glorious feeling to be shooting without it, good luck to anyone fighting it

You did it. That is what matters... I beat it too, in (a different but) the simplest of ways. If it comes back you know what to do... you now have the solutions. Way to go. JW.

It's a weird thing. I shot compound for a little while years ago, and went through a patch where at fifteen or twenty yards I could aim an inch below the spot and a tiny bit right, but couldn't bring it up to hold on the spot. It was hard to get my head around and really frustrating. And then I thought of something that might be worth a try- I moved my sight pin to be an inch high at the distance- I was still holding low but hitting the dot. I wish everything else in archery was that simple:) JayInOz

Congrats to you! Tp is what brought me to traditional archery. Anything with a trigger and I couldn’t hit my target! A friend introduced me to Trad bows and there was zero panic !!!

W.C.Fields said that it was easy to quit smoking - he'd done it a thousand times. Based on my long experience, I'd say the same thing could be said about target panic.

My story is about the same as JayinOz. It started about 35 yrs ago using a compound with sights. Went back to a recurve in 1985 instead of freezing off target I started short drawing. Fought this for years, a clicker helped. I started using a Form Master 2 yrs ago, it helps me keep control of my shot. I still have to keep reinforcing by holding and not shooting, and shooting with the Form Master.

That is one of the best way's I think to manage it. Just remember, you never break it or get rid of it. You have to manage it. It will always be there.

What Live2 hunt says. I know how to manage it.

I had it bad for years. I did the same thing. Just said I’m going to do this. The first few arrows were pretty ugly getting thru that flinch and then it continued to get easier over time. I’ve been good for a few years now but I also know to be careful cause it can come back any time.

Maybe you can do it shooting by yourself. Most guys I see come apart shooting with their buddies watching.

dnovo- That's very good to hear. It sounds like a few of us with this form of tp have had quick success with the same or similar methods. I agree about being cautious, but i'm sure we'll both recognise the feeling of it coming back and deal with it before it becomes a problem next time.

Babysaph- I think that's a different thing. Like most people, i get nervous when the pressure's on in any sport. If i'm competing and i'm way out in front or way behind i'm fine. When it's one shot left to win or lose is when i fall apart. I think the ability to handle that sort of pressure is one (of several) of the things separating the winners from the also-rans like myself, and i can live with that.

Standing alone in a forest with no one watching apart from a couple of pigeons and a squirrel, and still not being able to point the arrow at the spot.. that's target panic! I'm glad to be rid of it, for however long it lasts.

In the mind.

Hate to break this to you will never be rid of it just managing it better.

She's like the old lady in the shoe there are many children around you will find out.

You get one thing managed and another seems to rise up. steady at the shot and focus and don't do things or have things that can add to the pressure.

Like being over bowed or taking the wrong shots that would cause you to think things negatively. And these are just a couple things.

I found this out when I first thought I beat it and overcame it myself. Comes and goes to varying degrees especially after a shooting lay off.

Axtually Ryman you are incorrect. TP isn't a physical malady ir is simply a mental block. And the simple fact is that it can be fixed by the person suffering from it, and it doesn't require spending many dollars to overcome it.

Everybody is different, and the every solution is different.

Huh? He said 'In the mind'. Ya Musta missed that. I don't see anything in Cat's post that says anything about a 'physical malady'. Its all mental. Or spending money either. None of that.

For me, using a Form Master helps me better than anything else I have tried.

No I didn't miss that. The only way that TP could be something that you could never get over would be if it were caused by a permananent physical malady.

Anything that is based in the mind such as TP can be overcome and eliminated the same way.

Yes it not physical its in the mind where it starts.

You can have physical things contribute to it though like being over bowed to begin with.

There are many forms to this TP business and righto everyone is different but to say its gone in 10 minutes is a stretch of imagination.

Its like having Lyme's its never gone anyone who has had it knows but it lays dormant then rises up.

This is a mental game and so many things can effect it.

I'm only saying things I experienced because these are things I found out.

When I first realized I had it the other guys didn't know what it was called either till I came up with I thought the first book out on the subject though it was TP no more but it was a while back now.

I found just to be able to shoot targets I had to condition my mind and didn't know how to clear it.

Can not be overcome its burned into the archives in your computer in your mind! Its a recall and can be managed but not overcome completely we are not robots and some of our minds are weaker than others and fall back to things easier such as old bad habits.

I don't believe anyone's mind is that secure that they can totally erase what was once ingrained that caused the issue.

Any you don't know if you have multiple issues to fix either or others you don't know you have yet to discover.

I'm thinking your thinking of one denominational things that might be wrong and that might be an easier fix. If your lucky enough to not have it that bad might be able to be overcome but I still say no.

It will always be there and never go away.

The mind is a very fickle and many things as most of us know can and do effect us and its a day by day thing and most times moment by moment as well.

And shot by shot. Lose concentration or break form and there ya go into a miss.

You cant overcome the negativity you can only manage it.

I actually had a form of TP once up on a time that was very odd. Actually I've had 2 different types that were odd.

The first bout I had I was unable to keep the point of the arrow OFF the bullseye. That being the case, I would shoot several feet over anything inside 20 yards.

After getting that worked out, I then developed (and didn't realize it until a friend pointed it out) a habit of moving my feet after I got to my anchor/sightimg reference.

It's an odd thing.

Most people I see short draw.,

It wasn’t an overnight immediate change for me. I was determined and it got easier as time went on. It’s probably been at least 10 years now and I am more in control of my shot than ever. The proving point to me was being in a shoot off a couple years and not breaking down under the pressure. That really reinforced my confidence.

That’s good to hear , I’ve been trying what you posted for a few days and it seems to help me. I’ve had TP few years I’ll keep practicing.

fdp: I disagree with your statement that tp is a "mental block." It may be in some cases, but after dealing with it for decades I came to the conclusion that my case at least was physical - that is, my eye triggered the release upon seeing the sight picture. It had nothing to do with fear of missing or an overwhelming desire to hit the target or any mental issue as one always hears. I was shooting left handed and anchoring under my dominant left eye. Over the years I did about 3 million draw and hold exercises and all of the other standard tp "remedies" but made absolutely no progress. The obnly way I could shoot tp free left-handed was with my eyes closed.

About 10 years ago I switched to right handed. I anchor under my non-dominant and weaker vision right eye and I'm not looking right down the arrow at the target as I was when shooting left handed. I'm not really aware of the arrow in my sight picture. No target panic. I shoot much better right handed than I did left.

If my tp was a mental problem, one would think that switching hands would make no lasting difference. Those "mental blocks" should reappear. My great regret is that I spent years and years proceeding on the prevalent idea that tp is a mental problem. I'm convinced that mine wasn't.

Ram,

It's been over a month now. Curios to know how things are going for you now.

Hi 1buckurout, thanks for asking. It's going great thanks. There's been no hint of the demon returning so far. I'm enjoying my archery again so much now. I'd forgotten what it was like to be in full control of the shot. I'm back to being utterly obsessed with all things archery like i was when i started! Just treated myself to a new bow, which is something i hadn't seen the point of doing for quite a few years. I sincerely hope everyone who suffers from tp manages to find a way to beat it.

While haven't experienced TP since I made the switch to trad gear, I've been fighting it for many, many years. I have a bad form of it if I shoot any of my wheel bows that have pin sights on them.Been fighting that since the late 1980's, it has to do with any type of bulls-eye target. I do not shoot at those type targets.

If he isn’t having symptoms of it and believes it gone it is! Simple as that. Congrats and good shooting!

When I first read the "title" of the post, I thought maybe your "stash" of Charmin had burnt up? Sorry, couldn't resist. Glad you have found your cure and hope it lasts, ten years is a long time to be tortured, glad you stuck with it and now can enjoy!

I had it bad when I shot compound competitively. I gave up the compound and competition 32 years ago. No TP since!

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