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????

 

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!

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.

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.

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

 

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