Stickbow Target Archery Forums

My standard competition is an exercise in debugging -- shoot some good shots, then a flier, fix what went wrong, shoot some good shots, then a flier, fix what went wrong -- repeat for the duration of the match.

Figured I would go back to an exercise Martin proposed some time ago -- logging my shot sequence. Maybe I can concentrate more on doing the shot right, and less on analyzing and fixing the fliers.

Wrote down my sequence, then went to the range to confirm it -- turns out I had a couple steps out of order -- wow -- no wonder I am inconsistent.

Anyway, have been repeating the logging and confirming for a couple of weeks, refining and expanding, ending with a personal best in a league competition.

Went to the next step -- identify some nice keywords that evoke images of all the right things -- competed again -- shot a personal worst

Went to 'pure feel' and shot very nicely.

So, do I throw out the analysis and go with pure feel?

I don't think so -- I think the analysis was incomplete -- and by concentrating on important things that I normally take for granted, I inadvertently ignored other important things that I never think about.

Next step -- identify what got ignored and add it to my list.

Eventually, my conscious knowledge of my shot will be in alignment with the best of my unconscious. I hope.

During practice, I can then try to do all the right things. During competition, I can revert to pure feel -- but it will be pure feel drawing on what I have been practicing.

This is for whatever it is worth rrandall. On a fairly regular basis my wife and I will do some practice sessions prior to a tournamaent that for what ever reasons we hold to be important to us personally. The practice is often hideous, and we finish the sessions rather bummed out. Then come the day of the tournament we seriously kick a$$. This sort of thing happened on a pretty regular basis, but it took a while to figure it out. The practices often showed poor results because we were purposefully studying and analyzing individual aspects of our shooting that we felt needed attention. That which received analysis did improve. Then at the tournament we would be with our friends and laughing and joking and having a good time. Under those relaxed cicumstances, the "flow" of all elements coming together properly was reestablished, thereby yielding results that seemed rather astonishing at the time.
So anyway of course it is good that you are subjecting your shooting to analysis. However when the time comes to shoot, it is somewhat like the stupid commercials, "Just do it."
I'm sure you recognize the horrible oversimplification of the reality, but I feel that this relates to the mental aspect of the game.

It sounds correct to me. Analyze, correct defects, learn the steps, hone the skills- during the practice sessions. At the match allow the subconscious to execute what you have trained to perform. Keep the conscious in the background observing and perhaps intervening briefly to make an adjustment.....then back into the subconscious. Zone out and zen in. As in other sports, music and other skill activities. - lbg