a common Caliper release issue, and a quick "fix"

i have had several issues recently as well as watching this at a recent indoor event from the clock table.

  

    It seems to much  much more prevalent than i realized . i am seeing form and process breakdown at the point at and around getting to anchor. i see a good set and set up, draw, get to "anchor" then aim hard......THEN ...either  several touches followed by a slap, or a very slow coiling of the trigger finger getting ready to strike. which is by all accounts  punching.

    now, as said this seems to be near epidemic in scope, and not strictly wrist release. i believe the best way to start to fix this is to rethink where getting on the trigger belongs in the shot sequence. if we coach the archer to consider this hooking around the trigger (or thumb post) part of the anchoring process it goes a long way to remove the slap. 

    after the trigger is in contact, the finger(or thumb) should never move again. the contraction of the back muscles and subsequent rotation of the release side elbow should move the trigger into the digit for a "surprise" shot

    the benefit is more than just eliminating the slap, it really vastly improves the quality of your anchor. my coach Alexander Kirillov , taught me that there should be no visible motion/ muscle involvement in the release hand. the fact is if you are moving your finger there is movement in your anchor.

    so my main concerns with having the triggering happening at the after aim point is that the anchor is moving #2 the punch is #3  that all the time aiming and holding prior to executing the shot is wasted time.  what is #1???? 

   the number one issue with reaching for the trigger after aiming is it caused collapse and loss of back tension. the release elbow should only come forward during the shot sequence if letting down.

expectations for your youth archer (or yourself)

its been a bit, i have been busy. i have been putting post its with blog topics here and there....just found one.

  soccer moms....we have archery moms and dads as well. this is a hugely positive thing. after all, parents are the very first sponsor archers usually get.parents provide transportation, equipment time and money to the endeavors of the youth archer. thank you. if your archer doesn't thank you ,i am sure they are aware that you are the key to them competing.

   along with the positives of archery parents there are a few things that can be VERY detrimental to the archers mental game, their shot, and there enjoyment of the sport.

   first, expectation......the only thing you should expect from your archer is that they are willing to try and/or learn to execute good shots. that is it. i am not talking about being respectful, courteous and other basic manners that should be instilled long before the string is ever pulled to anchor. as far as archery. archery is a sport for ones self. if you think you child is not trying hard enough because they blow a shot or two then even if archery is a sport for them it may not be a sport for you to "parent" for. archery is only two things....setting up for and executing the shot. where it lands is secondary to execution....x's will come with time and repetition. one of the worst things you can do as a parent is bring attention to every mistake. this is not to say form correction is not important. but it should be done in a positive way.

    second applying pressures. pressure can be  imparted in several ways. one is to have podium placement and score expectation . this is actually harmful to having a good match. you cannot think about shooting a 600 60x and aim and have a relaxed effortless shot all at once. ANYTHING that distracts from aiming and execution will have a negative affect on the shot. pressure also comes with having nice gear. shooting a $ 1500.00 target rig is awesome , and well worth it if you have a motivated and dedicated archer. you should shoot the best gear you can afford. same for arrows. .....this is all dependent on one thing. will it be used in a positive way? or a negative way?

   what does positive and negative mean in regards to equipment ?

    it comes down to this, if you say things like " that was a waste of money if you are going to shoot scores like that " NEGATIVE

    if you say things like " i spent enough for that bow, you should start winning" NEGATIVE

    if you say " if you break another arrow, i am not buying anymore" this is both NEGATIVE and PUNITIVE

     having the best equipment should do nothing more than add confidence in your gear, the onty thought that you should have about your equipment as an archer is that it feels good and will perform as well as you can execute.

    that being said, a youth archer does need to respect the equipment, and that sacrifice made by the parents or sponsors, throwing the bow in frustration, purposely shooting at rocks etc should not occur and is more an indication of personality and basic character. these kids are not ready to compete at all, let alone have marquee equipment. i will not coach such people.


   so to recap.....archery moms and dads should be a foundation of support, expect that your archer will try and make a good shot, do not expect that equipment means they should do more.

   there are volumes about the mental game, shout out to Lanny Bassham and "with winning in mind" and to a lesser degree The Secret, both boil down to think bad things...bad things happen.

i get it from the parents view as well, gear and travel cost money. ask your self 2 things

1. is my archer a good person? hopefully you can say yes.
2. is replacement cost too high? if yes you cant afford to shoot that shaft,  a good shot with no pressure will hit the x with a basic shaft more than a unfocused/stressed shot will with a world level shaft.....if no, then shafts break, sometimes a slight bend while pulling , or hitting another lost tip left behind in a bale, sometimes a ginch in the shot can cause a miss and a fragile Olympic shaft will break when hitting the berm. it is LIKELY that you will lose a shaft or two a season from hitting or being hit by another arrow in the same spot. your very first Robin Hood is cool.....after that it is a waste of money. a waste that does happen and is part of the sport. something to be dealt with...nothing more. certainly not something that should affect the next shot.


food for thought.....

until next time, best regards from Handsome Dave and InsideOut Academy of Archery
   

mid life athletes

hi all,   today i am gonna mull over some thoughts about mid life and how being an archer improves your scene.....

    i was listening to some NPR, generally this makes me mad, but today i caught a few minutes of a woman journalist who wrote a book about the middle aged person  and how there is a lack of punctuation to this part of life.

    the jist of what was said is that goals and milestones are abundant while in childhood, through adolescence into the early stages of beginning a functional adult. school has demands of a passing grade, sports are used to gauge things, boy/girl scouts, karate and many other endeavors act as a period, exclamation mark etc, even into post school and post college. buying a house, getting a "good"job etc.

   what happens to most people here is....a sad settling in to life and the mechanics of making it comfortable. not everyone for sure but many. this is often masked by getting involved in your child's pass times. karate, scouts etc.  this is not to say that joy is not found, and fun times not there.

     i guess what i am saying is having a sport or hobby that pushes you keeps you striving for something, a reason to play(which is just all a round better)


   if you are a grown up and are interested in archery please let me know, if you are out of the area i have a good network of coaches i can recommend .

    if archery is not an interest , take piano lessons. anything that will engage you as a driving desire to get better is going to re insert the missing small goals and milestones.

  other benefits of having a sport/hobby/pass time....

you will meet great people
you will learn new skills...keep dementia at bay!
your moods and demeanor will become more sunny


in archery there are programs that have little check points like USA Archers Adult Achievement Program , and JOAD. where you shoot for Pins. similar to the NRA marksmanship qualification program. there are also divisions for any type of equipment or style, age and gender. i am new to this side of archery. it is great! i am meeting very nice people, and there is an intermingling with the JOAD kids at league and matches. it has much more of a community/team vibe than 3D.

   find something that is not your job....and do it!

what a coach can and cant do

Its been a bit since I blogged. a quick update.

     Selling fingerslings and a few bino straps. that's good. I am shooting my best in some time, I firmly believe that shooting recurve has helped my shot, a clean finger release at 34 pounds must really burn the muscle memory in for the feel, my shots are going off clean and firm backtension, yet very relaxed ie no helping.

     also I traded the Elite E35 for a custom shop PSE 3D Dominator, which is an exact model match and close draw weight, only and this has me grinning a bit, its a custom shop color.white with silver wheels and pockets. my red  3D Dominator feels like a hug from an old friend.


ok, today's topic.....what a coach can and cant do.

a coach can
instruct suggest encourage discourage

a coach cant
make you do anything


    the coach student must be based on trust and respect. if I suggest that your anchor should be a bit more solid, and you say no.,you have always shot that way like your day/uncle/buddy...who is very good.

    I have to first say I cannot make you change. I would say, first you pay me to coach you. There must be a reason...you want to get better. I am not even saying that the change in anchor would even be an improvement. as a coach I am trained to see "classic form flaws" based on the NTS system developed by KiSik Lee. you may have a muscle imbalance you may have a flexibility issue .
 I am getting off topic. as your coach I ask that you try what i suggest. results will determine if it is a good change, not me. it shouldn't be you.

   i respect you as a student and more so as a fellow archer, i WANT to see you do well. i use a coach from time to time for form checks i also have archers i trust check my alignment. as a student you/me don't know what we don't know. we cant see what we cant see. together with mutual trust and respect will be able to make smart results based decisions to make you the best you can be.


        GROUP LESSONS AT MORSES SPORTING GOODS ,HILLSBOROUGH NH STARTING IN APRIL    .......www.InsideOutAcademyLLC.com

archery in popular culture....on the way up!

and about time!  Fact is archery is cool. should be cool for almost anyone. I am not gonna say everyone thinks archery is cool.....just people who understand facts.

I  digress...already.

    Hawkeye, of the Avengers, Katniss, the Mockingjay, the elf dude who sometimes is a pirate. even Darrell from Walking Dead (if xbow is your bag). There is no doubt that these characters are helping build the archery boon. This is great for overall visibility. Archery was one of the most watched of the last summer Olympic games if i recall correctly. I am actually happier about the games than the Avengers Et al.

  Another fact ...I am sinking into the cesspit of hippyism....another fact is I am probably the better for it. All the above mentioned fictional characters use their bows to kill people. It makes for good movies and TV. It does, I get it I like it I am part of the problem.

   So we as Archery fans, participants, hobbyist, professionals and educators, should foster the interest in the SPORT. We will gladly take help from Hollywood to promote archery. We need to make sure that kids realize that like in the movies bows can kill, that bows are not left to use without monitoring, and that they are shown at lease the minimum of form so they do not get injured.

  it will not take more than a couple accidents to ruin the fun for all. please do introduce someone to the art, please do make sure they get some basic instruction and supervision.

cheers
Handsome Dave

the joys of the stick and string....and please use a tab!

hi guys,    i have started shooting a little barebow recurve, as an instructor/coach i feel the need to at least be able to demonstrate techniques and form. will i ever gbe great? maybe ....maybe not. compound is my love so that gets the lions share of practice time.

    i will say how ever for just pure FUN a recurve is hard to beat. no sights....no problem. at first i was shooting way over spinded arrows , and off the shelf. after putting a stick on flipper and shooting some 1000 spine arrows, left and rights cleared up and the groups got smaller. some ends are a hittle higher or lower, but noting to worry about. consistency comes with repetition.

   i am shooting a 25 lb PSE Razorback. i expect i will be getting 5-6 more for classes. the Genesis is a fine youth bow, well made and logical. but it is a bit heavier than a recurve.i would like to have a full class set of both.

    so.....one thing with the recurve, even a light student bow. NEVER EVER draw it with the bare fingers. as a coach the number one thing that makes me cringe is a bare finger draw. not only does it give a crappy release, it is dangerous.. even one time ...the small first joint of the fingers is very fragile,  Not so much in the bone, but the nerve passage ways are prone to damage since there is little padding there.

    will this damage cause you to not be able to do your job as an electrician or CPA? probably not but you may have finger tingles or numbness /pain. and sadly like most nerve damage if you get it  when you are 8 you will have it when you are 80. and if it is tolerable at 8....with age and arthritis......80 may wish you spent the 1-10 bucks when you were 8.

back tension.....and the tension it causes.

what? what did i say? odd title.

it is a fact that a pure backtension shot it the best way to eliminate the you in your execution. by that i mean inconsistency in the commanded shot...or punched.No matter how slow the squeeze of a finger or thumb it is being punched.sometimes you float like a butterfly some times you sting like a bee.
   this is not to say someone cannot close to master a on command shot....these people are extraordinary and would be even better if they would take the loss in points until they built their shot....wont take long.
  I am feeling rambly all, sorry.

    here is the issue with shooting back tension, and it is an issue with punchers too. we as archers can get lazy....I said it .I am guilty of it. it can be insidious, sneakin into an arrow every few ends...next thing you know you are shooting terrible and dont really know why. get real close to a bale and go through all the steps of a classic shot sequence( or yours if you wish) set your feet, nock the arrow,set and hook,set up,draw/load....THATS IT!!!! this is really where the shot become poop.....I am finding that most of the time people start using the arm to help a bit ,maybe towards the end of a match, and over time the draw starts to happen with the arm more.
   this is not to say the back is not involved at all, but it is not being loaded.when this happens the shot is slightly helped by changing your hip rotation of some such nonsense that changes the angle of the hand to loop to make up for the loss of alignment.as a matter of unimportance, I would say that it is BECAUSE the back is still involved some they dont notice they are not using it totally.

    what? now alignment is an issue?....probably. i say probably because there are freaks that hold like a rock, and squeeze it off consistent enough to makeup for poor alignment.but yes as the failure to load the back in-turn causes alignment issues. the load of the back and the rotation of the drawside scapula has to happen to allow the bow shoulder in for good bone alignment and to turn your parallelogram into a wedge.

a hinge will not make you use back tension, a wrist caliper does not mean you cant use back tension.....but i will say you cant have back tension with out loading the drawside back.


so when you get inconsistent, blank bale and sound of the steps of your shot with your eyes closed.it should shed some light on whats what.

welcome new friends!

hiya,

  My name is Handsome Dave Castle, I am the owner of InsideOut Academy of Archery LLC. I am a NFAA/USA Archery level 2 instructor and a PSE Schools certified Coach. This will be an into of sorts, i will continue to blog about archery and coaching related subjects. I may blog now and a gain about a new piece of kit of a tournament series or format.

   My business is new, My love for archery is not, nor is my love of the history, techniques and equipment for the sport. I have invested in my self to become a coach, and  bow technician , i have introduced and instructed numerous people into the lifetime pursuits of the stick and string.

i have had some personal success but am and will remain a student of the sport for the rest of my life.

  i have been involved with competitive archery for 25 years or so.i am primarily a compound archer but do shoot some barebow recurve.

   the academy uses Genesis bows ,we do allow your own equipment and encourage you to get your own if you have the desire to continue on.

   for the time being we will be giving instruction spring through fall at Morses Sporting Goods in Hillsborough NH. after the fall we hopefully will have a better line on an indoor venue.

i am a member of .....
International Bowhunting Organization
National Field Archery Assn.
USA Archery
NH Bowmen
Pioneer Sportsmens Club Dunbarton NH

Certified Level 1-2 USA Archery
Safesport Certified
PSE Coach School Certified
PSE Shooter School Graduate
PSE Bow Technician Certified

formerly Bowhunter Ed Instructor

i am a Staff Shooter for
Morses sporting Goods
Easton Arrows
Stanislawski release aides

our goals at InsideOut is to foster a love for archery that will last a life time through Fun Safe and Consistent instruction of classic form and solid foundation.
I also make fingerslings , binocular straps and other paracord archery items, check them out at https://www.facebook.com/HandsomedavesStraps/