ok, so something i think is really important is getting the correct mind set to make good shots.
this will sound obvious and basic but ,in fact, is really not done by most.
you have heard the phrase" shoot every practice shot like its a competition and every competition as a practice" this on the surface is a no duh! Every shot in practice should be executed like its the only shot you will take. and every competitive shot should be executed like its the only shot you will take.
but time and again, practice is looked at as of less importance. this is actually 100% wrong. if the thought is to make every shot the same, then do it! a practice shot is as important as the last arrow in a Vagas shoot down.
as an aside to this is that volume should not be pushed past YOUR best form execution . as soon as it breaks down stop.
another simple thing to do mental approach wise is , aim at the X.... some of the JOAD kids and even on a 3D course i see people shooting at the 10. this expands you minds ability to wiggle in a bigger area. from personal experience shooting IBO, when I started really focusing on hitting an 11 my scores went up and my hold got more steady. people often shoot at the yellow on a 3 spot, and for newer kids shooting for ROB i see why. but red or better WILL happen and happen more consistently if you are trying to hold in the very middle.
when practice sessions are planned , try and limit dedicated work for one aspect per session. so for example you are working on your floaty anchor, DO try and follow your shot sequence steps, but let everything be done as sub consciously as you can with only lazer focus on the feeling of the anchor, where it is and how it feels when you settle in and feel the touches.
the fact is if you are "training" you cant put focus on the whole process other than making sure you are following it, and still give the primary aspect of the training total focus. without total focus the mind -muscle memory will not be driven into your form as well.
sometimes the exact purpose can be affected by the exact words. i am going to step outside of archery for a real world example of different verbiage changing an outcome. I stopped smoking the day my wife told me she was pregnant. turns out i started again the night my son was born. when we realized we should still not smoke we tried quitting. failed. tried again failed.tried again and failed. we put a date of my sons second birthday to be 100% done.
in my previous attempts, i always had the mind set that i was trying to quit. this did 2 things, 1 the act of trying was not a firm decision, it allowed room to fail and flounder and 2.magnified the fact that i was a smoker.
on my sons second birthday, also the wedding day of my cousin, i had my last cigerette. i was no longer a smoker, in stead of trying to quit, i was someone who used to smoke. honestly it was that easy. trying to quit=fail to quit, i dont smoke= i dont smoke. a very slight change in approach made all the difference. it has been 22 smoke free years now.
thats it.
sorry for the lack of cohesion on these posts. i really just get started on a thought and let it go where it will.
Tuesday, November 28, 2017
Thursday, October 12, 2017
INDOOR SEASON !!!!!..release theory and of course some Trad...
So, our JOAD club has finished up the outdoor season and have started training for the long New England Indoor season that will reach its finale at the USAA Indoor Nationals. My young squad of compound shooters are looking good, and we are working hard identifying and correcting some form issues.
I have 2 at the moment working on release issues. Both are making progress. for a lot of thumb trigger shooters overcoming the issue that had them switch from a caliper i the first lace is the challenge. This issue is usually punching. A thumb button or triggerless handheld release are NOT magic. They can both be "helped" and quite frankly, explaining the feel is more difficult than you would think.
Generally the concept of expansion/ pulling/rotation of the scapula is told. Some people really get it , some need it to be demonstrated . It really is a feel thing. time after time I see people start pulling with their hand and forearm really tight and doing most of the work. The shot should be easy and breezy. No tension in the hand, and the hand relaxing through the shot. Some people do well just " pulling the bow apart" until so much tension is built it is quite aggressive and violent in the follow through. if this is working please continue! For most this is only possible with absolute alignment. too short and it will throw arrows left.
I believe the best way is to relax the hand AS you are slowly adding tension through the Rhomboid , in turn bringing the shoulder blades together.The hand is only used to hold the release with the fingers, totally engage the trigger post by wrapping your thumb around it. If your release does not allow this position of the thumb....buy a new one plain and simple.
Through the flattening and relaxation of the hand while maintaining pressure on the thumb the release will remain where it is and the thumb will be drawn into it as a result of elbow rotation. this method is repeatable and will not tire you out in your forearms. NTS is fine and a safe and repeatable system, but the best demonstration I ever had and the person who made it "click" was Coach Alexander Kirillov of PSE's shooting school. I now use his method to convey the FEEL of the hand and forearm .
If you have a decent target bow you should have a fairly solid back wall, if not .....buy a new bow. Backtenion with a release aide should be done with little movement from anchor. In order for the trigger to have pressure increased the release cannot move backwards.
This is the cause of the other students release woes. They are a wrist caliper shooter and are generally pretty consistent. Sometimes things get squirrelly, I noticed that the throat of the release was squeezed during the draw to anchor, after anchor and prior to transfer to hold this needs to be relaxed and the strap made to hold the load, and the trigger fully engaged. Then as expansion happens the hand is relaxed and drawn backwards the same as the handheld. There is 0 difference in a proper backtension shot with either release style. Anyways she relaxed this and got tighter groups.
On to Trad!! I am really trying to focus on traditional, and more specifically instinctive. Instinctive is Archery at its essence. a simple stick and string. I have been studying loads of books and video on the subject and there are some "universal truths" and they are universally universal, a consistent and repeatable shot squence(process) is the key. it doesnt matter if you are shooting a blinged out Olympic rig, a fast IBO 3D bow or a longbow. Now, for instinctive it is both harder and easier, I am following Rick Welch's method cause you really should pick one and see if it works and his suits my sensibilities. I can boil him down to a handful of concepts.
1. consistent shot cycle and set up.
2. double anchor
3. laser focus on the smallest spot you can
4. after anchor a 2 sec pause to let the bow arm settle( without looking at the bow or arrow)
5. release and follow through.
Seems easy right? It is when it is....when it isnt it isnt. This is the hard part, instinctive is really NOT instinctive, it is really subconscious programming,.
How do we program? By shooting a TON. Here is where I think people fall down, we as archers are used to going to a set line say a 20 yard bale and shooting groups. for an instinctive shooter , this is of little use. It is important to shoot groups when setting up your bow , because you cant tune until you can shoot groups.
After the bow is tuned to shoot where you are looking, groups should NOT be shot . instead shoot an arrow at a random spot, go retrieve it and walk either past or ahead of where the last shot was. Side angle even. Better yet go stumping. This is my favorite way to train. it gets me in the woods, I have many shots that all look different and with every shot I am practicing my sequence and running the whet stone over my skills edge.
Now, does this mean I never train on a static line? No, sometimes I do if I am working on a specific aspect like my follow through. Even when I do this I will try and not stand at the same spot, or I will put a paper cup on the bale and try and get all my arrows in it.
I recently watched a YouTube video by a German guy named Greyarcher, he discussed "calibration" before heading out to the range, he puts a tiny dot on the bale and takes some shots trying to hit it subconsciously. Once you are hitting the spot all the other distances should be sighted in.
I am going to shoot in the barebow division at Pioneers fall Fling event this weekend, with my 45# PSE Ghost and instinctively...no gap or sting walking for me!
This is really the most fun I have had shooting. Trad is the poop!
lastly, one of our JOAD Archers and a former club member shot some big matches. one was Kelly Davis, she shot in the Texas Shootout and tied for first! lost on 10 count...but she is a great shooter and deserves everything she gets, a hard worker and devoted to her shot.
Next is Ethan Merrill, he was part of the USAT youth team competing at the youth worlds in Argentina, he made it to the gold medal match and it came down to a shoot off, after a nice 10, the other archer hit a hair closer. Even though I can take 0 credit for his career I am very proud of him and will always be in his corner.
cheers
I have 2 at the moment working on release issues. Both are making progress. for a lot of thumb trigger shooters overcoming the issue that had them switch from a caliper i the first lace is the challenge. This issue is usually punching. A thumb button or triggerless handheld release are NOT magic. They can both be "helped" and quite frankly, explaining the feel is more difficult than you would think.
Generally the concept of expansion/ pulling/rotation of the scapula is told. Some people really get it , some need it to be demonstrated . It really is a feel thing. time after time I see people start pulling with their hand and forearm really tight and doing most of the work. The shot should be easy and breezy. No tension in the hand, and the hand relaxing through the shot. Some people do well just " pulling the bow apart" until so much tension is built it is quite aggressive and violent in the follow through. if this is working please continue! For most this is only possible with absolute alignment. too short and it will throw arrows left.
I believe the best way is to relax the hand AS you are slowly adding tension through the Rhomboid , in turn bringing the shoulder blades together.The hand is only used to hold the release with the fingers, totally engage the trigger post by wrapping your thumb around it. If your release does not allow this position of the thumb....buy a new one plain and simple.
Through the flattening and relaxation of the hand while maintaining pressure on the thumb the release will remain where it is and the thumb will be drawn into it as a result of elbow rotation. this method is repeatable and will not tire you out in your forearms. NTS is fine and a safe and repeatable system, but the best demonstration I ever had and the person who made it "click" was Coach Alexander Kirillov of PSE's shooting school. I now use his method to convey the FEEL of the hand and forearm .
If you have a decent target bow you should have a fairly solid back wall, if not .....buy a new bow. Backtenion with a release aide should be done with little movement from anchor. In order for the trigger to have pressure increased the release cannot move backwards.
This is the cause of the other students release woes. They are a wrist caliper shooter and are generally pretty consistent. Sometimes things get squirrelly, I noticed that the throat of the release was squeezed during the draw to anchor, after anchor and prior to transfer to hold this needs to be relaxed and the strap made to hold the load, and the trigger fully engaged. Then as expansion happens the hand is relaxed and drawn backwards the same as the handheld. There is 0 difference in a proper backtension shot with either release style. Anyways she relaxed this and got tighter groups.
On to Trad!! I am really trying to focus on traditional, and more specifically instinctive. Instinctive is Archery at its essence. a simple stick and string. I have been studying loads of books and video on the subject and there are some "universal truths" and they are universally universal, a consistent and repeatable shot squence(process) is the key. it doesnt matter if you are shooting a blinged out Olympic rig, a fast IBO 3D bow or a longbow. Now, for instinctive it is both harder and easier, I am following Rick Welch's method cause you really should pick one and see if it works and his suits my sensibilities. I can boil him down to a handful of concepts.
1. consistent shot cycle and set up.
2. double anchor
3. laser focus on the smallest spot you can
4. after anchor a 2 sec pause to let the bow arm settle( without looking at the bow or arrow)
5. release and follow through.
Seems easy right? It is when it is....when it isnt it isnt. This is the hard part, instinctive is really NOT instinctive, it is really subconscious programming,.
How do we program? By shooting a TON. Here is where I think people fall down, we as archers are used to going to a set line say a 20 yard bale and shooting groups. for an instinctive shooter , this is of little use. It is important to shoot groups when setting up your bow , because you cant tune until you can shoot groups.
After the bow is tuned to shoot where you are looking, groups should NOT be shot . instead shoot an arrow at a random spot, go retrieve it and walk either past or ahead of where the last shot was. Side angle even. Better yet go stumping. This is my favorite way to train. it gets me in the woods, I have many shots that all look different and with every shot I am practicing my sequence and running the whet stone over my skills edge.
Now, does this mean I never train on a static line? No, sometimes I do if I am working on a specific aspect like my follow through. Even when I do this I will try and not stand at the same spot, or I will put a paper cup on the bale and try and get all my arrows in it.
I recently watched a YouTube video by a German guy named Greyarcher, he discussed "calibration" before heading out to the range, he puts a tiny dot on the bale and takes some shots trying to hit it subconsciously. Once you are hitting the spot all the other distances should be sighted in.
I am going to shoot in the barebow division at Pioneers fall Fling event this weekend, with my 45# PSE Ghost and instinctively...no gap or sting walking for me!
This is really the most fun I have had shooting. Trad is the poop!
lastly, one of our JOAD Archers and a former club member shot some big matches. one was Kelly Davis, she shot in the Texas Shootout and tied for first! lost on 10 count...but she is a great shooter and deserves everything she gets, a hard worker and devoted to her shot.
Next is Ethan Merrill, he was part of the USAT youth team competing at the youth worlds in Argentina, he made it to the gold medal match and it came down to a shoot off, after a nice 10, the other archer hit a hair closer. Even though I can take 0 credit for his career I am very proud of him and will always be in his corner.
cheers
Wednesday, August 23, 2017
Traditional Archery
So......I am having a real urge to try my recurve's for still hunting, maybe some tracking when we get some snow.
A few things have changes since last year when I declared I would not hunt anymore. One is I had a nagging cough , possibly from some mold issues in the house. That seems to be gone for a few months now. Second is the apples in the orchard adjacent to my hunting patch is looking decent this year.
I had put up a double stand near a trail when I first started hunting this area, mostly for my wife to feel secure. It was on a leaning tree and over a few years it has gotten to the point of having a down angled bench, no beuno! So last year I knocked it over but couldn't find the key to the lock. I recently cut the lock and moved it to a better spot about 80 yards from where it was , it now is on a well worn path from a swamp to the apples.
This will still be a stand for Kim. In the years since setting up the double I hung a fixed about 50 yards from it on a junction of 3 trails that pass thru a stone wall. until last year I had only been in that stand a hand full of times that I haven't seen deer, at least within gun range. Last year I only went 4 times before the cough got uncontrollable. Never saw a deer that season, apples were non existent so feeding trails were different.
I did recently get a new hunting compound a PSE Decree, it is wicked fast and holds surprisingly well. I got it used for a steal, it took all of 3 shots at 20-30-40-50 to get my Easton Da-Torch's hammering! I plan on using this rig when in the stand, I have potentially 30 yard shots and my instinctive recurve skills are only trust-able to 25 y at the moment.Shooting Swhackers out of the Decree,they are the best flying broadheads I have ever used.
I have a hard time sitting in the stand and have always enjoyed still hunting the swamps with rifles, this season I will do it with a PSE Nighthawk 40# with a 3 arrow Quickee quiver and Easton Traditional Axis and 100g Muzzy's
I can consistently hit an 8" circle at 20 and would push to 25 if conditions are right. Really, I dont expect to see anything more than 20 anyways due to the thickness of this swamp. I used to live at a farm in Mont Vernon NH and was jumping deer when getting to my stand fairly regularly, twice having deer giving me the eyeball at 15 yards. Had I been using a recurve with a nocked arrow a shot would have presented itself. this experience is what got me thinking about recurves.
I do intend to mess around with a fixed crawl to try and get point on at 23 yards or so. If this occurs I should be good for point on from 15 to 25. then perhaps sit a stand with the 'curve. We will see.
You may be thinking ...PSE Nighthawk? I thought you were shooting a Ghost! I am and I love the feel of that bow, but it is not drilled for a bow quiver, and a trad version or cat quiver cost as much as the Nighthawk, which also shoots awesome, has a good feeling grip and accepts a Quickee!
Since I am still building my student bow stable, any bows I get are multi purpose , should I get a nice quiver for the Ghost, the Nighthawk will still get shot by someone at some point.
Anyways.....have a great day.
I am please to say I will be at OBX trying to slay some Spanish mackerel next week...wish me luck!
A few things have changes since last year when I declared I would not hunt anymore. One is I had a nagging cough , possibly from some mold issues in the house. That seems to be gone for a few months now. Second is the apples in the orchard adjacent to my hunting patch is looking decent this year.
I had put up a double stand near a trail when I first started hunting this area, mostly for my wife to feel secure. It was on a leaning tree and over a few years it has gotten to the point of having a down angled bench, no beuno! So last year I knocked it over but couldn't find the key to the lock. I recently cut the lock and moved it to a better spot about 80 yards from where it was , it now is on a well worn path from a swamp to the apples.
This will still be a stand for Kim. In the years since setting up the double I hung a fixed about 50 yards from it on a junction of 3 trails that pass thru a stone wall. until last year I had only been in that stand a hand full of times that I haven't seen deer, at least within gun range. Last year I only went 4 times before the cough got uncontrollable. Never saw a deer that season, apples were non existent so feeding trails were different.
I did recently get a new hunting compound a PSE Decree, it is wicked fast and holds surprisingly well. I got it used for a steal, it took all of 3 shots at 20-30-40-50 to get my Easton Da-Torch's hammering! I plan on using this rig when in the stand, I have potentially 30 yard shots and my instinctive recurve skills are only trust-able to 25 y at the moment.Shooting Swhackers out of the Decree,they are the best flying broadheads I have ever used.
I have a hard time sitting in the stand and have always enjoyed still hunting the swamps with rifles, this season I will do it with a PSE Nighthawk 40# with a 3 arrow Quickee quiver and Easton Traditional Axis and 100g Muzzy's
I can consistently hit an 8" circle at 20 and would push to 25 if conditions are right. Really, I dont expect to see anything more than 20 anyways due to the thickness of this swamp. I used to live at a farm in Mont Vernon NH and was jumping deer when getting to my stand fairly regularly, twice having deer giving me the eyeball at 15 yards. Had I been using a recurve with a nocked arrow a shot would have presented itself. this experience is what got me thinking about recurves.
I do intend to mess around with a fixed crawl to try and get point on at 23 yards or so. If this occurs I should be good for point on from 15 to 25. then perhaps sit a stand with the 'curve. We will see.
You may be thinking ...PSE Nighthawk? I thought you were shooting a Ghost! I am and I love the feel of that bow, but it is not drilled for a bow quiver, and a trad version or cat quiver cost as much as the Nighthawk, which also shoots awesome, has a good feeling grip and accepts a Quickee!
Since I am still building my student bow stable, any bows I get are multi purpose , should I get a nice quiver for the Ghost, the Nighthawk will still get shot by someone at some point.
Anyways.....have a great day.
I am please to say I will be at OBX trying to slay some Spanish mackerel next week...wish me luck!
Thursday, August 10, 2017
Field Archery....best of both worlds!
I have been loosing arrows for over 25 years , in that time I have shot many styles and formats. My favorite is a Field Round, NFAA to be exact.
In my 30's I was all about 3D, making SOYT points etc. in my NH league, IBO qualifiers and the like. All 3 D with a little indoor. I discovered Field at my current club many years ago. It was a situation of one of the indoor regulars said, "well you like 3D you should try it" I did and WOW!
I think field has all the good bits of all the other formats.
It is generally Known distance and has a uniform distance and face size anywhere in the country. Generally it is shot on a trail through the woods. This doesn't mean it is boring or the same. Up hill /down hill can cause you to cut a few yards off. Distance is measured with a string or tape, so a severe angle cuts horizontal distance. This adds challenge and separates the greats from the goods. Also,some are open some are tunneled, some brightly lit some dark. so every Fields round will have the same distance and target face combos making up the 28 (usually 2x14)stations.
In 3D, sometimes it takes the better part of the day to shoot 30 targets, one arrow each. For those who like to shoot lots of shots, Field is a no brainer. 28 targets 4 arrows each 112 arrows! not quite a full FITA outdoor match but a bunch!
Full outdoor FITA is precision repetition, but not a lot of variety for a Compounder. With Field you have from 20 feet to 80 yards (240 feet) and the 80 could be down a hill up a hill, side hill or flat, as could the bunny (20ft).
One of the things I like best about field is it is social like 3D or Golf, you really get to know the other shooters in the group. There just is not much time for that in FITA.
In theory, if you had 80 yards, you could set up a practice course with every target/distance combo with only 4 buts and some different colored steaks for each station.
Some stations will be straight up shoot 4 arrows from X distance. Some will be fans, a fan is 4 markers at a said distance and you shoot one arrow from each. walk ups are the last type of station. a walk up is 4 arrows with one shoot from the furthest distance with the next 3 shots being progressively closer. the bunny is a walk up IIRC its 35' 30' 25'20' and then the 80 is a walk up too.
I fully believe that Field could have a resurgence in the North East , it was once much more popular. It is still popular in the Mid thru Coastal West. 3D sadly has reduced the amount of available shooters to fill a Sunday match. Entry, at even the state Championships, has been in the low teens the last few years. there are only 2 current NFAA Field clubs in NH Pioneer and North Branch Bowmen. for years i have been saying" its a shame more people dont shoot Field, its the best" then for what ever reason I don't go......looks like part of the problem is me.
TRY FIELD!!!!!! I think you will enjoy the trail aspects if you are usually a Target Archer, and the volume of shooting if you are a 3D person.
best to you all,
Handsome
PS
the NH NFAA State Championship is this week at North Branch Bowmen in Keene/Sullivan.i hope to see you there!
NFAA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
The NH Bowmen Outdoor State Championship is next weekend. You may shoot either on Saturday or Sunday. Each day you will shoot a 14 target field round, and a 14 target hunter round, for a 28 target score. You may shoot just one day and take that day's combined score, or you can shoot both days (no additional charge for the second day), and count your best field round score of the two days, and add that to your best hunter round score of the two days.
To qualify for a State Championship award, you must be a New Hampshire resident, and be a current NFAA member. If you are not both of these, you are welcome to shoot as a guest. Here is the link to get your yardages: https://www.nfaausa.com/wp-content/uploads/Range-and-Target-Guidelines-for-NFAA-Rounds.pdf
WHAT: NFAA Outdoor State Championship, scoring (1) (14) target field round and (1) (14) target hunter round
WHEN: Saturday and/or Sunday, August 12 & 13, start time: 0800-1030 am each day.
WHERE: North Branch Bowmen, located at: 19 Ferry Brook Rd, Keene, NH (right on the town line) GPS Lat./Long. 42 58.874' N 72 14.604' W
COST: $20.00 for shooters 15 and older, and $10.00 for shooters 14 and younger
CONTACT: Dan Deyo at: 603-209-6721, orbarebowdan@yahoo.com, or Mike Wright at: 603-209-8007, orbarebownh@aol.com
Tuesday, August 8, 2017
Coming soon to Pioneer Sportsmen....3D!!!!!
the Archery Chair at Pioneer Sportsmen is actively trying to grow the archery aspects of the Club.
we now have a 15 target 3D practice course set up
we will be hosting a IBO NE known distance event next year! of course , club membership involvement is required . we need to spread out the practice course and set stakes. we are bidding on a range from IBO worlds, hopefully we get some nice targets!!! if not we only need to but 15 and replace some cores. if you are a NFAA shooter and have not tried 3D due to not wanting to guess yardage this event will be for you.
we now have a 15 target 3D practice course set up
we will be hosting a IBO NE known distance event next year! of course , club membership involvement is required . we need to spread out the practice course and set stakes. we are bidding on a range from IBO worlds, hopefully we get some nice targets!!! if not we only need to but 15 and replace some cores. if you are a NFAA shooter and have not tried 3D due to not wanting to guess yardage this event will be for you.
the IBO worlds are this weekend, I qualified but will not be there, time and schedule are a bear to manage. i will be shooting the NH Field /Hunter State championships hosed this year by North Branch Bowmen. my goal for the shoot is to relax into my shot and not "help" my release.
have a great day
Thursday, August 3, 2017
Why be tentative? get aggressive!!!!
I have noticed a couple things while coaching the JOAD Tournament Team last couple of weeks.
Several archers are approaching the shot timidly, by this I mean they are either getting to anchor, getting the thumb post engaged or actually drawing their bows (Recurves) very cautiously .
This is problematic for several reasons.
First, it means they are aiming before they are at full draw position. all of them are focused on keeping the pin in the middle through out the cycle. This alone will fertilize any punching or other shot anticipation issues you may have. the facts are , if we want to shoot a good execution then we must be set at anchor and transferred to hold before we aim. if we aim first we waste all that holding time. hold is finite, it gets worse the longer you hold. so why waste precious energy before we are even at full draw?
So for compounds, pull the bow back, get to your anchor fast, get the trigger engaged fast, nose on string fast etc. then transfer to hold, this is a separate and feelable transfer, like a half a beat in the process. but it is vital, as Coach Frank says....HOLD FOR GOLD. any time trying to hold the pin in the middle before you are in hold/aiming is not only not helping...it is hurting.
The next tentative action noticed is once we are at full draw we ease the pin to the middle. this too should be on the quicker side. this IS an understandable trait.it is a throw back to when we start to get better as new archers, and a building block of target panic. when new we shoot command style most likely. then as we try and get better we try and hold middle and punch. the shoot /center is ingrained in our subconscious. what moving slowly into the middle means is you are not ready to shoot the shot yet. this alone illustrates why it is wrong, we should hold center and let the shot happen, we should never MAKE the shot happen. so get to the middle, settle in for expansion to shoot when it will.
To touch on trigger engagement, it should be part of getting to anchor,it should be separate and prior to hold and expansion. for some of the same reasons as getting slowly to full draw position, you are increasing movement the longer you take to get the thumb engaged. also by aiming before you get the thumb on you are begging to punch it. the mind centers the pin then as you move the thumb to peg it says "we are ready" PUNCH. beyond the punch its self, beyond the waste time/energy, if you are moving your thumb and applying quick violent trigger you are moving your anchor. Imagine wiggling your release all over your jawbone as you are expanding....unlikely to have any consistency.
For the recurve side of things, and this is for target style archery not instinctive, slowly drawing your bow increases the intensity of the draw cycle, reduces the muscle memory aspects, makes it much less subconsciously repeatable, and reduces the likelihood of a good transfer to hold. drawing your bow is actually one of the less critical steps, if set /set up hook and grip are OK you should be able to just draw to anchor, if you pull to anchor slowly you are actually less likely to come to the same spot. Also, you are going to get tired a lot faster. Draw should be the easiest step to do subconsciously.
These thoughts are all on the pre release portion of the shot, you should be aggressive in the shot as well.....that is for another time.
Friday, July 28, 2017
A strategy for overcoming Target Panic
Target Panic....that cancerous affliction, we will likely all have to deal with it at some point.Target Panic, will for this blog, be shortened to TP. TP for target panic and that your shot goes down the toilet.
My biggest bout came after some back and forth on a 3D forum that made me hyper self aware if anyone was watching me. I had been shooting well and felt like I had to make a perfect shot when I was on a GSB 3D course. This of course is the crux of TP, I became outcome based instead of process based. I started punching the wrist caliper very badly, with gyrations and spasms both before and during my punch.one of these flinches was so bad I missed a relatively easy shot by about 3 feet high and 11 feet left. the TP was just when people were around, then as I was trying to fix it, it insidiously infected every shot, no matter if I was alone or not.
I came very close to not shooting at all but decided to do some looking into how to fix this mental collapse. First I bought a 2 finger Stanislawski release, but at the time no one was shooting hinges in my circle . After a couple near face punches I bought a 2 finger Zenith Back Tension kit. the video was great and so was the release. Now I had 2 BT releases set at slightly different travels. This actually fixed the shot because I was hyper focused on getting it to fire. that 2 finger Stan won me my first and only MBO shoot off for first, not even a full year after almost quitting.
I got lucky, this does not fix TP for most and many who switch just cheat the hinge and actuate it on command like a trigger.
I was thinking about this sickness a couple days ago. over the years I have read and watched many items on the curing of TP, through all of them 2 recurring themes come up.
1. you have to learn to aim without shooting......
2. you have to learn to shoot without aiming......
I am actually working through a students TP this JOAD cycle, and my wife has it bad. Both need to commit to fixing it if this is going to work.It is frustrating to hear a student hadn't picked up their bow since last JOAD.
Anyways. how I will be working through Kim's ( my bestie and best half) issue is,
Step 1......
I am going to place a one inch circle on my rolling target stand and put her 3 feet away. I am going to have her go through the shot process steps until she gets to anchor. Then I will have her apply light pressure to the thumb trigger, hold until the hold gets unstable then let down. Right now as soon as she gets the pin in the yellow she jerks and flinches. so we need to retrain her subconscious to aim with out expectation of the shot being shot. I expect we will do this for 2 weeks or so, never shooting an arrow.
Setp 2..... I then will have her follow the steps until she gets her thumb contact, then shut here eyes and shoot with her eyes closed for another 2 weeks or so to retrain her subconscious to fire independently from what she is seeing,with extra focus on the feel of the expansion.by this time she should not be hammering the trigger but be conditioned to engage the peg and wait. so if she closes her eyes now she can just squeeze her rhomboids in and the shot should go.
Step 3. After this I will have her shoot 15 arrows with deliberate focus on each step of her shot process. AT A TARGET .In the 15 shots I will likely count her down, tell her to shoot or let down.If we back slide we will go back to aiming only, then back through blind bale.
This is not entirely my cure, it was distilled from many other approaches. Levi Morgan is a big believer in aiming without shooting as a cure. Others think blank bale is the biggest benefit to a cure. Reo Wilde suggests blank bale first, but as I said, I have reasons against this sequence.
I think both are equally important. I do ,however, feel that aiming without shooting should be done first. Most of the issue is in regards to aiming initiating a shot. So blank bale does not fix this. I have seen it time and again, people make a thousand good blank bale executions then as soon as that pin touches yellow BAM! the feel of the shot absent of a target should be done after learning not to jump on the trigger.It is very important to get this feel overall, but not as important in the cure.
Once you can get on target and let it sit ,you have programmed your mind to wait for the shot to go off, not make the shot go off.
I hope those ideas can help those afflicted .
My biggest bout came after some back and forth on a 3D forum that made me hyper self aware if anyone was watching me. I had been shooting well and felt like I had to make a perfect shot when I was on a GSB 3D course. This of course is the crux of TP, I became outcome based instead of process based. I started punching the wrist caliper very badly, with gyrations and spasms both before and during my punch.one of these flinches was so bad I missed a relatively easy shot by about 3 feet high and 11 feet left. the TP was just when people were around, then as I was trying to fix it, it insidiously infected every shot, no matter if I was alone or not.
I came very close to not shooting at all but decided to do some looking into how to fix this mental collapse. First I bought a 2 finger Stanislawski release, but at the time no one was shooting hinges in my circle . After a couple near face punches I bought a 2 finger Zenith Back Tension kit. the video was great and so was the release. Now I had 2 BT releases set at slightly different travels. This actually fixed the shot because I was hyper focused on getting it to fire. that 2 finger Stan won me my first and only MBO shoot off for first, not even a full year after almost quitting.
I got lucky, this does not fix TP for most and many who switch just cheat the hinge and actuate it on command like a trigger.
I was thinking about this sickness a couple days ago. over the years I have read and watched many items on the curing of TP, through all of them 2 recurring themes come up.
1. you have to learn to aim without shooting......
2. you have to learn to shoot without aiming......
I am actually working through a students TP this JOAD cycle, and my wife has it bad. Both need to commit to fixing it if this is going to work.It is frustrating to hear a student hadn't picked up their bow since last JOAD.
Anyways. how I will be working through Kim's ( my bestie and best half) issue is,
Step 1......
I am going to place a one inch circle on my rolling target stand and put her 3 feet away. I am going to have her go through the shot process steps until she gets to anchor. Then I will have her apply light pressure to the thumb trigger, hold until the hold gets unstable then let down. Right now as soon as she gets the pin in the yellow she jerks and flinches. so we need to retrain her subconscious to aim with out expectation of the shot being shot. I expect we will do this for 2 weeks or so, never shooting an arrow.
Setp 2..... I then will have her follow the steps until she gets her thumb contact, then shut here eyes and shoot with her eyes closed for another 2 weeks or so to retrain her subconscious to fire independently from what she is seeing,with extra focus on the feel of the expansion.by this time she should not be hammering the trigger but be conditioned to engage the peg and wait. so if she closes her eyes now she can just squeeze her rhomboids in and the shot should go.
Step 3. After this I will have her shoot 15 arrows with deliberate focus on each step of her shot process. AT A TARGET .In the 15 shots I will likely count her down, tell her to shoot or let down.If we back slide we will go back to aiming only, then back through blind bale.
This is not entirely my cure, it was distilled from many other approaches. Levi Morgan is a big believer in aiming without shooting as a cure. Others think blank bale is the biggest benefit to a cure. Reo Wilde suggests blank bale first, but as I said, I have reasons against this sequence.
I think both are equally important. I do ,however, feel that aiming without shooting should be done first. Most of the issue is in regards to aiming initiating a shot. So blank bale does not fix this. I have seen it time and again, people make a thousand good blank bale executions then as soon as that pin touches yellow BAM! the feel of the shot absent of a target should be done after learning not to jump on the trigger.It is very important to get this feel overall, but not as important in the cure.
Once you can get on target and let it sit ,you have programmed your mind to wait for the shot to go off, not make the shot go off.
I hope those ideas can help those afflicted .
110%?????....about 30% too much
Let me share a few thoughts on effort in archery. There is a culture in sport that anything less than 100% effort...110% for the mathematically challenged, is not doing your best. This may apply to some sports such as powerlifting, sprinting, wrestling and some others. For archery ,about the only time you should be giving all our effort is while learning and subsequently conditioning the subconscious, in new skills.
As archers we WANT the mind to relinquish control to the subconscious. so by giving all out focus we are in fact hurting the process of making a good shot. when we are learning we have to give focus to what we are trying to do. if we are working on a consistent grip we must consciously place the hand in the same spot, make sure the pressure point is the same, and make sure we relax the grip to avoid torque. we must do this in practice until it becomes natural and repeatable. Muscle memory and the subconscious will , at some point, place the hand where you used to think about placing it.
Same goes with increasing back tension, when in training you need to think about the small motion of rhomboid contraction, scapula rotation and bringing LAN 2 around the spine. Without thinking about this you will not be aware of feel of a good execution. Feel cannot be over emphasized here, if you know what it feels like, your subconscious will know if something is awry.
Did you notice I said training and not practice? Training and practice are different. When we train we give lots of focus to what we are doing. we actually do NOT want to do this in practice, practice should be your shot . Why would we practice thinking about anything? We want to practice our subconscious shot.
Now here is where I may differ from some other coaches. I feel like practice should always be scored. Practice should be being used to gauge where we are and if we are making forward or backwards steps. We should never score in training. for one thing scoring takes focus off what we should be giving 100% too. I don't care if a training shot misses the bale....if the grip was the same when working on grip then the shot is perfect. practice ends should have no focus on any aspect of the shot, just marching through the shot process. Focus on making the steps and score the shot.
Now this does not mean a coach should not make corrections. If a correction is suggested the archer should take one "mental shot" or 2 with focus to what is incorrect . For example if Stella McStellapants is not getting to hold and ripping one down range as soon as they get their anchor set, I would say "make sure you transfer to hold". Stella would then close her eyes, and go through every step of the shot until anchor is met ,then take extra mental care to feel the transfer. After one or two she would draw her bow and make the shot. For reinforcement purpose this aspect of the shot may have a little focus, with emphasis on feeling the transfer.Then back to practicing the process of the shot.
Score is only a tool to measure progress.
Blank bale is training.....
Holding drills are training.....
Practice what you are trying to do in competition, this include the mental side which should all be auto pilot subconscious execution.
Up next overcoming target panic strategy .
As archers we WANT the mind to relinquish control to the subconscious. so by giving all out focus we are in fact hurting the process of making a good shot. when we are learning we have to give focus to what we are trying to do. if we are working on a consistent grip we must consciously place the hand in the same spot, make sure the pressure point is the same, and make sure we relax the grip to avoid torque. we must do this in practice until it becomes natural and repeatable. Muscle memory and the subconscious will , at some point, place the hand where you used to think about placing it.
Same goes with increasing back tension, when in training you need to think about the small motion of rhomboid contraction, scapula rotation and bringing LAN 2 around the spine. Without thinking about this you will not be aware of feel of a good execution. Feel cannot be over emphasized here, if you know what it feels like, your subconscious will know if something is awry.
Did you notice I said training and not practice? Training and practice are different. When we train we give lots of focus to what we are doing. we actually do NOT want to do this in practice, practice should be your shot . Why would we practice thinking about anything? We want to practice our subconscious shot.
Now here is where I may differ from some other coaches. I feel like practice should always be scored. Practice should be being used to gauge where we are and if we are making forward or backwards steps. We should never score in training. for one thing scoring takes focus off what we should be giving 100% too. I don't care if a training shot misses the bale....if the grip was the same when working on grip then the shot is perfect. practice ends should have no focus on any aspect of the shot, just marching through the shot process. Focus on making the steps and score the shot.
Now this does not mean a coach should not make corrections. If a correction is suggested the archer should take one "mental shot" or 2 with focus to what is incorrect . For example if Stella McStellapants is not getting to hold and ripping one down range as soon as they get their anchor set, I would say "make sure you transfer to hold". Stella would then close her eyes, and go through every step of the shot until anchor is met ,then take extra mental care to feel the transfer. After one or two she would draw her bow and make the shot. For reinforcement purpose this aspect of the shot may have a little focus, with emphasis on feeling the transfer.Then back to practicing the process of the shot.
Score is only a tool to measure progress.
Blank bale is training.....
Holding drills are training.....
Practice what you are trying to do in competition, this include the mental side which should all be auto pilot subconscious execution.
Up next overcoming target panic strategy .
Wednesday, July 19, 2017
PSE and the LAS limb pocket
so, I am embarrassed to say that when I got my X Pression 3D's I just slapped some stuff on and started shooting , always saying i will tune it next week yada yada yada. then I took the outdoor match season and shot recurve. My bow was on the hook and the other in the case.
I took it out last weekend, sighted in and walked a couple 15 target 3d courses. the center shot was way out side of center. so much in cat that I thought I would need to move axle shims.
I had not adjusted the LAS which move the limb tips slightly for tuning. I was gob smacked with the small amount of adjustment needed to get the string centered in the grip and behind a center mounted blade rest.. less than a full turn on top and less than a half turn on the bottom and it is as perfectly centered as my eye could see.
oddly I could get a decent paper hole, even off like it was.
I took it out last weekend, sighted in and walked a couple 15 target 3d courses. the center shot was way out side of center. so much in cat that I thought I would need to move axle shims.
I had not adjusted the LAS which move the limb tips slightly for tuning. I was gob smacked with the small amount of adjustment needed to get the string centered in the grip and behind a center mounted blade rest.. less than a full turn on top and less than a half turn on the bottom and it is as perfectly centered as my eye could see.
oddly I could get a decent paper hole, even off like it was.
very small rest moves got the bottom pic. and the rest of the holes were not giant either. I will be fine tuning this weekend and expect it to be hammering! Even though I was getting a good hole, french tuning was a struggle and eventually I gave up until I could get it centered. The further out the more left it went, didn't matter much what I did with the rest.
Anyways, my first messing about with the LAS was positive and I am impressed to say the least.
One point of interest it I was moving it the wrong way at first pulling the cam towards me to move the string away from me like a limb on a recurve. Then I realized that a cam has the string position see sawed on the axle so the bottom of the cam goes opposite of the top of the cam, which is where the sting groove would be on a 'curve.. ahhh problems all solved.
Before I go, and this will be of interest in those who go to IBO worlds. Mt Sunapee in NH has put in an archery 3D course as part of their Adventure Park. They have all new Reinhart Targets , they only have 15 at this point. they are nice targets Elk, Moose Mt Goat and Dall sheep plus many more. the course is challenging , and excellent practice for 7 Springs PA. you take the lift up and walk to the course, it is a bit away from the mountain bike and hiking trails, with practice bags just near target 1. all this for 10 bucks. worth it for the physical conditioning at a very minimum .
As you may know i am off the FB , but I do have a twitter acct. I plan on using that to announce deals for straps and other items of interest. InsideOutAcademy can be found @HD_Castle
that is where this Twit Tweets!
Friday, July 14, 2017
lets talk about "adjustibility" as a selling feature
I was just thinking about adjustment range as a selling point for archery gear. on the surface it seems like a great thing to have, and for some gear it really is. For an Archer who is done or near done their growth it can actually be a bad thing.
Now, I am not talking a bout 4 or so inches, but the big adjustment rigs that go from 8-15 to 28-30, these are meant to fit a huge range of shooters, but the down side is the shape of the cam cannot be all that aggressive, that means less performance.
For adult archers they would be much better suited getting an adult bow. The cam is designed to function at the range it is marked at.another thing to consider is that beginner bows that are marketed as "grow with you" generally have terrible back walls. with poor to no existent stops.why does this matter? because if you are executing the shot properly you should be expanding, and if the release can travel backwards instead of firing when the HAND gets pulled back via rotation of the elbow/scapula it WILL cause shot anticipation and drive by actuation.
So for BOWS....unless you have a small child don't worry too much about how adjustable it is, fact is if they are serious about the sport they will be looking for a better performing bow well before they are thru the DL range.
Another thing to think about is if you are a girl, with short parents and are petite to begin with the adjustment to say ..30" 70# is not relevant anyways.
Some will argue that the resale is better with a lot of DL/DW range, I don't really believe this is true.
For somethings it is a good selling point, release aids come to mind.being able to really fit a release to YOUR hand IS very important. the thumb peg on a handheld button is critical to a good release. searching leads to punching.same with a wrist release, the barrel needs to get the trigger in a position where it can be fully wrapped by the finger, a deep hook if you will.
then there is timing on a hinge, and speed of the hinge. trigger releases must be adjustable for 2 things to be worth even buying. 1. travel, a squishy trigger is problematic and cancerous to your shot, if you feel it move before it fires you will eventually squeeze it to make it go faster. 2.tension, for a good back tension shot to happen( being aggressive and powerful in the shot) you must be able to build tension and rotate. so a heavy trigger lets this occur naturally , a light trigger goes before back tension can really happen. it also,for wrist shooters, allows for a slap.
there has been the thought that a hair trigger is best for decades...this is just not truth. truth is, if you are actuating the trigger by finger motion you are not shooting to your potential.
smell ya later
Handsome Dave
Now, I am not talking a bout 4 or so inches, but the big adjustment rigs that go from 8-15 to 28-30, these are meant to fit a huge range of shooters, but the down side is the shape of the cam cannot be all that aggressive, that means less performance.
For adult archers they would be much better suited getting an adult bow. The cam is designed to function at the range it is marked at.another thing to consider is that beginner bows that are marketed as "grow with you" generally have terrible back walls. with poor to no existent stops.why does this matter? because if you are executing the shot properly you should be expanding, and if the release can travel backwards instead of firing when the HAND gets pulled back via rotation of the elbow/scapula it WILL cause shot anticipation and drive by actuation.
So for BOWS....unless you have a small child don't worry too much about how adjustable it is, fact is if they are serious about the sport they will be looking for a better performing bow well before they are thru the DL range.
Another thing to think about is if you are a girl, with short parents and are petite to begin with the adjustment to say ..30" 70# is not relevant anyways.
Some will argue that the resale is better with a lot of DL/DW range, I don't really believe this is true.
For somethings it is a good selling point, release aids come to mind.being able to really fit a release to YOUR hand IS very important. the thumb peg on a handheld button is critical to a good release. searching leads to punching.same with a wrist release, the barrel needs to get the trigger in a position where it can be fully wrapped by the finger, a deep hook if you will.
then there is timing on a hinge, and speed of the hinge. trigger releases must be adjustable for 2 things to be worth even buying. 1. travel, a squishy trigger is problematic and cancerous to your shot, if you feel it move before it fires you will eventually squeeze it to make it go faster. 2.tension, for a good back tension shot to happen( being aggressive and powerful in the shot) you must be able to build tension and rotate. so a heavy trigger lets this occur naturally , a light trigger goes before back tension can really happen. it also,for wrist shooters, allows for a slap.
there has been the thought that a hair trigger is best for decades...this is just not truth. truth is, if you are actuating the trigger by finger motion you are not shooting to your potential.
smell ya later
Handsome Dave
Thursday, July 13, 2017
about ready to breakout the compound......
So as mentioned, I have been shooting the Recurve for the summer tournament season, my season is over. I qualified for IBO Worlds in RU, and also shot the outdoor archers cup.
It was a good ,fun, summer season. But it is now time to get back to serious business...compound indoor season. I still haven't tuned or gotten sight marks for my "outdoor" Xpression 3D.
Why go back and fourth? Well....I am the only compound coach for our JOAD club, everyone else has been trained with recurve as the focus. this is cool and I can dig it, but compound does have some minor differences that need an experienced compound coach to see.
I shot the recurve for the season to become a better coach, along with a little personal challenge. I feel it was a productive season on both respects.and it is likely I will shoot recurve some next year for the outdoor season. not totally, as I have compound goals that need attention as well.
So for inside this year my goals are Silver and Gold Olympian pins. I have only NOT gotten a pin at one compound shoot and it was missed by 2 points for silver. so I should be ok this season. my focus will be on a effortless hold and release. I wont worry about scores I will just execute.
have a great archery filled day!
It was a good ,fun, summer season. But it is now time to get back to serious business...compound indoor season. I still haven't tuned or gotten sight marks for my "outdoor" Xpression 3D.
Why go back and fourth? Well....I am the only compound coach for our JOAD club, everyone else has been trained with recurve as the focus. this is cool and I can dig it, but compound does have some minor differences that need an experienced compound coach to see.
I shot the recurve for the season to become a better coach, along with a little personal challenge. I feel it was a productive season on both respects.and it is likely I will shoot recurve some next year for the outdoor season. not totally, as I have compound goals that need attention as well.
So for inside this year my goals are Silver and Gold Olympian pins. I have only NOT gotten a pin at one compound shoot and it was missed by 2 points for silver. so I should be ok this season. my focus will be on a effortless hold and release. I wont worry about scores I will just execute.
have a great archery filled day!
Wednesday, July 12, 2017
The PSE Theory **quick thoughts and mini review
thanks to Jon Brown of PSE for helping me acquire a Theory to review.
first thoughts .....
WOW nice lookin' bow! it is a a mid range / perhaps slightly higher than beginner ILF recurve. I think it is better than a Samik cast riser that is similar in price point, i like the riser more than Sebastian Flutes of similar price as well. the cartel Phantom and Mybo Rio are probably good comparisons. it is a clear step up from the PSE Summit G2.
some things i like are
1. nice finish, a two tone riser, mine is black and red. It is also available in Black and Blue.
2. comes with a glossy manual, my X Appeal came with a seemingly photocopied leaflet.
3. comes as a full set with limbs ,riser, tools, and a string.
4. stainless bushings for all accessories, although i will be using it for Barebow Pinshoots it is nice to have good attachment points.
I don't dislike anything on the bow, it has good limb pockets, tiller and alignment were both good out of the box. the grip is plastic and it is pretty basic,but comfortable , serious archers will likely cover it and or build it up.
It is noticeably heavier than my X Appeal, this I think is good as I will be shooting it Bare.
thats about it, i have not fully tuned it yet and have only blank baled a couple dz arrows to see how it feels....and it feels good.
Stance and its importance in the coil.
While coaching I have noticed several archers are having a hard time lining up with a open stance.
This is slightly odd since we teach NTS at JOAD, NTS suggests an open stance is best for the system. While I don't agree with all of what KSL says I do agree on this point.
When lining up slightly to a little more than slightly open it is actually setting your posture to help get a good coil and in turn good alignment, especially the bow arm.
When we set the bow arm alignment when getting into set set up by pulling your bow shoulder into position you get a little "precoil" then there is room to get the final coil when bringing your release arm into alignment. both become harder from a neutral position, worse in forcing the shoulders into alignment while neutral it can(not for everyone) cause the bow shoulder to pop up. we all strive for perfect alignment and a low shoulders. Proper care in the set setup ,after a good stance, will help everything come together.
Remember that NTS is a system, every facet needs to be done correctly, and if the last step was done correctly it should make the next step easier to do.
Thursday, July 6, 2017
wholly moley...traditional is FUN
I have been playing with a PSE Ghost traditional hunting recurve. what a hoot!!!!
ya ya I know its ILF so not a trad as purist like....I am not a purist!all the bits that matter are in the bow, crowned shelf, no berger button hole, no stabilizer or sight holes....so in execution it is no different than shooting a self bow., I shot some 3D with my wife over the weekend, and I shot about 200 points lower than my compound.....but I had an X worth of fun on every shot!
My good buddy JB of PSE helped me get into a PSE Ghost, it is great!!!! he also got me into a new barebow, a PSE Theory. this turns out to be a very nice choice for competitive bare bow. it a slight bit heavier in the riser than my X Appeal. but for a non stabilized bow this is a benefit.
......more on that later!
ya ya I know its ILF so not a trad as purist like....I am not a purist!all the bits that matter are in the bow, crowned shelf, no berger button hole, no stabilizer or sight holes....so in execution it is no different than shooting a self bow., I shot some 3D with my wife over the weekend, and I shot about 200 points lower than my compound.....but I had an X worth of fun on every shot!
My good buddy JB of PSE helped me get into a PSE Ghost, it is great!!!! he also got me into a new barebow, a PSE Theory. this turns out to be a very nice choice for competitive bare bow. it a slight bit heavier in the riser than my X Appeal. but for a non stabilized bow this is a benefit.
......more on that later!
SPEED and why it helps left and rights......
I was speaking to a JOAD student last night and they mentioned wanting to go up to 50lb limbs on her compound, but that she would wait until after a selection event this weekend.I mentioned that it should gain her a couple points providing she can handle the weight without her form changing to another coach. This was overheard by another parent and a conversation ensued. They thought highs and lows would maybe benefit but not so much on a know distance event, but absolutely on unknown(3D /FITA Field). I said it would help a little on left and rights and they thought I was out of my gourd.
As it turns out....I am completely inside my gourd. Left and Rights should be helped for EXACTLY the same logic as Highs and Lows. lets start with the traditional view that speed will help in the vertical, and I DO believe this is mostly a benefit for unknown distance. If you have a faster arrow it simply has a flatter trajectory solely due to being under the influence of gravity for less time.
This is really for apples to apples comparison, say a Easton Fatboy cut to 28.in 80gr tip should be somewhere around 312gr. out of a 40# it will be going slower, out of a 50# it will be faster..(and probably fly better due to being closer to optimal spine) I think the real benefit to having a very fast IBO rated Bow is you can shoot a heavier Arrow at the same speed as a slower bow. but for now we will stick to a 312gr arrow. now a 312 gr arrow will fall at the same rate as a 500 gr arrow, this is where speed comes in for distance, the faster the arrow the less time it falls.
ok, so how will a faster arrow be better for left and rights? simply put it is under the influence of wind for less time, and as I said a heavier arrow at the same speed as a light one would be better than lighter arrow, because a heavy arrow resists the wind better than a light one.
so , perhaps minimally, a faster arrow should group better ALL other things being equal.
so for the earlier mentioned student going up to 50# limbs should help overall score, since she is so light in DW now she is shooting a good arrow for 50#, of course 10# more of energy being produced will change the feel and feedback of the bow. a heavier arrow would tame this but her current arrow is more than adequate for the job.
isn't Physics fun????
As it turns out....I am completely inside my gourd. Left and Rights should be helped for EXACTLY the same logic as Highs and Lows. lets start with the traditional view that speed will help in the vertical, and I DO believe this is mostly a benefit for unknown distance. If you have a faster arrow it simply has a flatter trajectory solely due to being under the influence of gravity for less time.
This is really for apples to apples comparison, say a Easton Fatboy cut to 28.in 80gr tip should be somewhere around 312gr. out of a 40# it will be going slower, out of a 50# it will be faster..(and probably fly better due to being closer to optimal spine) I think the real benefit to having a very fast IBO rated Bow is you can shoot a heavier Arrow at the same speed as a slower bow. but for now we will stick to a 312gr arrow. now a 312 gr arrow will fall at the same rate as a 500 gr arrow, this is where speed comes in for distance, the faster the arrow the less time it falls.
ok, so how will a faster arrow be better for left and rights? simply put it is under the influence of wind for less time, and as I said a heavier arrow at the same speed as a light one would be better than lighter arrow, because a heavy arrow resists the wind better than a light one.
so , perhaps minimally, a faster arrow should group better ALL other things being equal.
so for the earlier mentioned student going up to 50# limbs should help overall score, since she is so light in DW now she is shooting a good arrow for 50#, of course 10# more of energy being produced will change the feel and feedback of the bow. a heavier arrow would tame this but her current arrow is more than adequate for the job.
isn't Physics fun????
Monday, June 19, 2017
my first 70m recurve match
I have been shooting recurve only for a couple month now,I shot my recreational barebow at an IBO Qualifier and qualified for Worlds a couple weeks ago. until a couple weeks ago i had never shot my full sighted rig at more than my 30m pin distance. my plan was to not shoot any compound for the summer, tow do 2 things, one, try and become a competent recurve archer, and to build on my experience to make me a better coach.
I decided to try an out door match, Ace Archers in Foxboro Ma holds an event every year called The Ourdoor Archers Cup.i signed up. it was a 1440 single distance event over 2 days.
I had a GREAT time, and 10 of my JOAD kids shot as well, our head coaches were there for support.
I am pretty new to recurve and I must say 70m was eye opening, my form is still sorting its self out and 72 arrows a day is more than I have ever shot. the shooters on my bale were very kind and patient with me and supportive on my first day. I started out ok and representative of my experience level.
There was supposed to be open practice from 8-8:45, this didnt happen and we got 2 official ends.
What was NOT expecting was to find my string alignment had settled down and gained some consistency, honestly up to this point it was all over the place and had my aperture way out.this started about half way through the first 6 ends.
This settling in to a rhythm started having my string/nose/chin become way more consistent. unfortunately with the sight so far out i started hitting to the right..way right. I gave it some clicks and was still way out. so I started aiming off and brought them in. so between ends i moved my sight. here's the funny bit.....i moved it to where i was holding off so yup? more out. so naturally i was still to the right....so i moved it more....dirt.dirt,dirt. then i realized what i had done. it was a rushed brain fart, nothing more, the damage was done, so i moved it back and things were good.
this is about the time I got tired, it was very humid and it dragged me out, I started making weak shots and hitting low right, a few more in the dirt, with just a few ends to go i aimed at the edge of the bale at about 10 o clock and hit closer to the center. long day lessons learned. a good experience, I was happy all things considered.
day 2. we got the half hr or so of practice, sight was moved WAYYYYY in. didn't miss a scoring ring until ends 5-6 where I still hit the face but was just out of the 1. shot was feeling good, hit some 10's and a few yellows. I was 43 points higher than the first 6 on Saturday.
second 36 arrows were not quite as good, it was a long weekend, and I had a couple weak shots, then I concentrated on only making a strong back tension release and I didn't have to aim off at all. the second half was about 55 higher than my dismal second on Saturday.
I can see what recurve is gaining popularity , it is immensely challenging, thoroughly frustrating , highly rewarding , brutally unforgiving and FUN.
as always I was shooting My trusty PSE X appeal with Xpression limbs, and Easton Carbon ones, thanks to Morses Sporting Goods in Hillsborough NH and Jon Brown and PSE for making the dream possible.i have also strated using AAE 's excellent line of recurve accessories check em out!
Tuesday, April 25, 2017
stagnant....
its been a while since I blogged.
I have two new bows set up and ready, 2017 PSE Xpression 3D's for me the string angle and feel of the 3D's are better for me, i sold all my beloved Dominators.
JOAD is going well, we had some attrition but gained some new kids.
i will be running....
indoor
Xpression 3D 28.5" 57 lbs white
CBD 3D ML 1.5/8 scope small ring 4x CBE Flatglass
Easton Fatboy 500's
Tophat LL Apex 120's
Blazers
Stan Jetblack hinge
Vibracheck 30" Pro Carbon 5 oz w 15" 8 oz on the side
outdoor
Xpression 3D 28.5" 60lb Platinum
CBE TekTraget 1 5/8 scope large dot 4x CBE Flat /3D up pin (no lens 3D)
Easton Carbon one 450 120 OR 110 up front depending
175 Easton Diamond vanes
Stan Jetblack
VibraCheck 30-5/15/8''
still messing with stab weight. Xpressions feel heavier than the doms.
for Olympic recurve i will be shooting a
36LB set of long PSE Xpression limbs
25" X appeal Riser, no clicker yet
30" front w 5oz
15" v bar w 4 ox each side
larger AAE KSL brass tab w codorva
660 Easton carbon one w a wrap and 110 upfront and 175 easton diamond vanes.
I personally feel a bit un inspired at the moment, this is an ebb and flow with me. I will be taking my level 3 NTS Coach cert next month.
i was lifting weights 3-4 times a week, and shooting the other days, my shooting was very much more consistant. i need to get both going again, i feel crappy.
we had some issues with my wonderful dog Berger getting bored and digging holes and chewing rocks, so i made a concious decision to walk her in the mornings, and then we chuck it in the afternoons with the occasional evening walk as well.
snow shoeing was great this winter, and was my only saving grace exercise wise. i got an impinged nerve in my shoulder/pec and it made benching impossible and was weal with squats and dead-lifts too so stopped lifting, i am now feeling i should revisit. but am very scared about pinching my nerve again as it was impossible to sleep.
it is time to pull my head out of my ass.
I have two new bows set up and ready, 2017 PSE Xpression 3D's for me the string angle and feel of the 3D's are better for me, i sold all my beloved Dominators.
JOAD is going well, we had some attrition but gained some new kids.
i will be running....
indoor
Xpression 3D 28.5" 57 lbs white
CBD 3D ML 1.5/8 scope small ring 4x CBE Flatglass
Easton Fatboy 500's
Tophat LL Apex 120's
Blazers
Stan Jetblack hinge
Vibracheck 30" Pro Carbon 5 oz w 15" 8 oz on the side
outdoor
Xpression 3D 28.5" 60lb Platinum
CBE TekTraget 1 5/8 scope large dot 4x CBE Flat /3D up pin (no lens 3D)
Easton Carbon one 450 120 OR 110 up front depending
175 Easton Diamond vanes
Stan Jetblack
VibraCheck 30-5/15/8''
still messing with stab weight. Xpressions feel heavier than the doms.
for Olympic recurve i will be shooting a
36LB set of long PSE Xpression limbs
25" X appeal Riser, no clicker yet
30" front w 5oz
15" v bar w 4 ox each side
larger AAE KSL brass tab w codorva
660 Easton carbon one w a wrap and 110 upfront and 175 easton diamond vanes.
I personally feel a bit un inspired at the moment, this is an ebb and flow with me. I will be taking my level 3 NTS Coach cert next month.
i was lifting weights 3-4 times a week, and shooting the other days, my shooting was very much more consistant. i need to get both going again, i feel crappy.
we had some issues with my wonderful dog Berger getting bored and digging holes and chewing rocks, so i made a concious decision to walk her in the mornings, and then we chuck it in the afternoons with the occasional evening walk as well.
snow shoeing was great this winter, and was my only saving grace exercise wise. i got an impinged nerve in my shoulder/pec and it made benching impossible and was weal with squats and dead-lifts too so stopped lifting, i am now feeling i should revisit. but am very scared about pinching my nerve again as it was impossible to sleep.
it is time to pull my head out of my ass.
some thoughts on back tension....
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.
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.
Monday, January 9, 2017
being in the moment, practice with a purpose
I am shooting a Vegas face 30 arrow game everyday before work, and as my start of the day on the weekends. It has occurred to me that from time to time i start "going through the motions".
I will have a couple good ends, then all of a sudden I have a rushed shot, or other breakdown.
my home shop area is heated just enough to keep things from freezing, then i open the door to my unheated garage where my Morrell outdoor range bag hangs. it is pretty cold at the moment, and i have to say that sometimes i am thinking about how cold it is instead of being fully in the shot (moment)
I will say that i have been a bit lazy in my practice as of late, until I started this 100 days of vegas face thing, and sure as can be ...my groups are shrinking a ragged hole is the norm....until I lose focus then boom a wild 9 or worse.
i am shooting these with improvement as my pay off. i was speaking to my wife about this and she suggested that i clear my mind before shooting, visualize several shots before picking up my bow. i did this and it id help. yesterday i said to her as i was walking to my shop " i am just going to try and make 30 perfect shots today".
her reply was AWESOME!!!!! she said i should "scrap that idea and just make 1 good shot.then start over" I feel this may be the best advice I ever got.
i may have mentioned in an earlier post that i am shooting the USAA AAAP program, i have not had to practice for tis up to this point, just show up once a month and shoot a 270 and i will get my pin. it was working well a pin every time. sometimes even if i didn't shoot for a month i still hit it pretty good. things are changing. a new year is upon us and it is time to walk how i talk, i don't accept not practicing from my JOAD students.....i should not accept it for myself either.
cheerio
Handsome
I will have a couple good ends, then all of a sudden I have a rushed shot, or other breakdown.
my home shop area is heated just enough to keep things from freezing, then i open the door to my unheated garage where my Morrell outdoor range bag hangs. it is pretty cold at the moment, and i have to say that sometimes i am thinking about how cold it is instead of being fully in the shot (moment)
I will say that i have been a bit lazy in my practice as of late, until I started this 100 days of vegas face thing, and sure as can be ...my groups are shrinking a ragged hole is the norm....until I lose focus then boom a wild 9 or worse.
i am shooting these with improvement as my pay off. i was speaking to my wife about this and she suggested that i clear my mind before shooting, visualize several shots before picking up my bow. i did this and it id help. yesterday i said to her as i was walking to my shop " i am just going to try and make 30 perfect shots today".
her reply was AWESOME!!!!! she said i should "scrap that idea and just make 1 good shot.then start over" I feel this may be the best advice I ever got.
i may have mentioned in an earlier post that i am shooting the USAA AAAP program, i have not had to practice for tis up to this point, just show up once a month and shoot a 270 and i will get my pin. it was working well a pin every time. sometimes even if i didn't shoot for a month i still hit it pretty good. things are changing. a new year is upon us and it is time to walk how i talk, i don't accept not practicing from my JOAD students.....i should not accept it for myself either.
cheerio
Handsome
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