So I posted the other day about improving my shot at distance and after shooting again today I came to the conclusion I am not shooting properly. So I am going back to step one I took my sight off my bow and spend the evening blind bale shooting and finding a consistent anchor point, I think I have found one now it is just pulling through on my shot. Another problem I was having was not being able to settle my pin or even float it, I was always aiming low and releasing the shot. So my question is once I have my anchor point and shot execution down where do I go from there? my idea is to draw and hold the pin on the dot for as long as I can without shooting and just letting down, is that the right move? Thanks, Paul
You are going about things the proper way. You have a case of target panic, (holding low) it is a dirty ..... I struggle with holding low and / or once I get my pin to the x, dropping out of the bottom of it. I will do the aiming drills. Draw and aim at the x for 10 seconds or so and let down. Keep repeating. I would not suggest holding more than 10 or so seconds each rep because once your muscles start to fatigue your form will collapse. Its pointless practicing with improper form and shakey arms. If you have the discipline, don't shoot an arrow for a week... Only do aiming drills and you will come out better from it. Another thing that can cause the pin to be stuck below target is having your release hand shoulder scrunched up toward your neck. If that shoulder is up, it forces your bow arm down. Stand up tall, have both shoulders in their relaxed position. Raise your bow to your target, (keeping your shoulders down) and draw straight back. Hit your anchor point (keeping both shoulders down) and see if that helps you. If you havent been shooting this way it may feel awkward at first and take a little bit getting used to the new form.
Paul, What kind of release are you using? I was having very much the same problem and from time to time struggle with it if I dont shoot often. I got a Stan Just X release. The great thing about this release is that it comes with a locking pin. You can set the release. Settle in for your shot and pull though till the release fires. With the lock in place the release doesn't fire. This helps you training on follow through all the way through the shot sequence. Just a suggestion that helped me. Good luck buddy I know its frustrating but you will get through it.
It isn’t always target panic when holding low. If your holding your draw shoulder up it will force the bow arm down and you ll set there fighting it. Without seeing your form it’s hard to know what’s going on. I had some help from nuts and bolts on archery talk and he edited my pic to show me what I was supposed to look like I’m not saying you have a form issue but if you’re going back to step one to try to improve, form is step one
So I had taken into acount my form and found my form was flawed and once I fixed that shooting at 20 yard improved tenfold I am going to continue work on shot execution still until I feel one hundred percent I still had a few shots that I pulled but I knew I pulled them so that is a start!
I used to shoot and shoot and shoot and keep trying different things. Then, I watched a George Rayals IV seminar on Facebook live. I’m not saying he’s the saving grace of bow teaching but I try to pick things up where I can. Hashtag John dudley’s Podcast hashtag George Rayals IV YouTube channel. Anyway...in the seminar he talked about left and right misses and up and down misses. I’ve found the more you expand and “bigger” you shoot, the arrow will be left. The more hunched up you shoot it’ll be right. The more face pressure you have on the string, arrow will be left, if you shoot with the bow string down the center of your nose, the more pressure you put on the string with your nose, the lower the arrow will be. I hope this helps. Those GRIV vids and John Dudley stuff helped me, a bunch, because I didn’t know what I was doing wrong every 3rd or 4th arrow
I’m not trying to come across as a know it all or a pro lol because I’m far from it. But I’m trying to share the resources that made me shoot better with little short cuts.
I few years ago I got to he point that without my finger on the trigger my body would jump as soon as the pin hit the target. The draw - hold - let down worked for me. I did it every day for 3 weeks and never launched an arrow. Now I regularly do that.
Alright guys how does my form look? I feel my elbow is a little to high! After reading this was the best form I could get with the release I have.
Looks like you’re holding your right shoulder up and not letting it relax. Try to be level across the shoulders and make your torso more up and down. Notice your left side is kinda kinked? Kinda aiming down hill. Straighten up, expand through your chest a little more. Like this picture I stole off of google images
When you straighten up and also relax the shoulder then your right elbow my end up dropping down a little more. If you can’t “expand out” then you may need to start with adding a 1/2” of draw length. Anchor point looks decent though.
Shoulders look better. Weight your front foot with about 60% of your weight by shifting forward a little. (Green arrow). Raise your bow arm up just a tiny bit so your arrow is parallel to where the wall meets the ceiling. (Red arrow) Then post another pic.
