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.