Stickbow Target Archery Forums

Well, back to the drawing board.

Just finished an indoor shoot yesterday, and was sad to see my old habits come back.

It's been about 4 years since I used the swing draw method, but have been happy with the practice results of the last few months with it.

But once the competition started, I could not get to full draw.

What exacerbated the problem was that I was hitting the targets quite well. That just reinforced the bad habit.

So I came away very frustrated and angry with myself, and considered canceling future competitions. If I can't feel in control, and shoot well at a local competition, what chance do I have at a World Championship?

But I'm stubborn. And as usual, I've contemplated the problem and have come up with yet another solution. It's a vicious cycle. Train hard for months, shoot poorly at a competition, think of possible solution, train hard for months, etc.

SO, my latest solution is thus: use a "clicker"...but not one that attaches to the string. I firmly believe that those target bow clickers that Olympic shooters use are more effective for a reason--if you shoot before it clicks, the arrow and/or clicker will be damaged. This makes it more imperative in your brain to pull through the clicker. The ones that attach to the limb and string have no consequences for failing to pull through.

So today I rigged one up with a piece of lexan and electrician's tape and it's working quite well. We'll see what a few months of training this way will do for me.

Major bummer Todd. I have never actually had the TP problem much. But I have studied the swing draw form of the man himself, Howard Hill on every DVD I could get my hands on, and I try to duplicate his form with my hunting bows. I'll make a couple of points about my thoughts as I do it that may be of interest to some hereabouts.

I am struck mostly by the way his back elbow always flies back and around, bringing the string hand with it. It comes back several inches, up to 8 or so, and farthest when he is shooting rapidly and movers and fliers.

The form thought I use when shooting is to make a strong draw, and a powerful pull-through to end up with a thump as my upper arm and shoulder reach the end of their range of movement. For quick work this is mostly a continuous movement. I let my subconscious mind do the aiming and the shooting. I give my conscious mind the task of monitoring the pull-through and the thump. This pretty much ensures a full draw and a strong shot. But f there is no thump, anything can happen.

For target work I still use a semi-swing draw, for economy of effort and less fatigue in a long session, but I break it up into steps. I still make a strong draw, but a bit lower to engage bigger muscles in the back, and draw to below and perhaps a fit behind my anchor. Then I come up to anchor and settle my cheek into it as I would on my favorite shotgun. I pause to allow the aim to settle. When it has I set my mind to the same powerful pull-through and thump. No thump? shot goes low at a distance and probably left as I didn't generate the power to fully flex the arrow.

Think power, pull through and get the thump = equals strong shot at any speed. It may miss, but it will be strong. - lbg

lbg,
Thanks for the post.
I thought I had a technique that was TP proof, after ingraining it over the last few months.

I would swing draw, be on target before anchor, then pull into my anchor, and (here's the secret) let my face peel away my fingers from the string as I continued to pull strongly, so the release really was a surprise, and the reaction was a perfect, uninhibited follow-through. It felt very similar to using a mechanical release. I was able to mentally disconnect from the shot, telling myself that once I'm on target, all I need to do is push and pull until the shot goes off. Just be a robot.

I never have TP problems in practice, and was convinced I had it licked going into this shoot. Boy, was I wrong.

TP is all about aim. When I got on target, my brain knew it, and refused to let my body change position....which meant no matter how hard I tried, I could not pull to anchor.

And my brain was right. I was on target. And when I let go, the arrow went where I wanted, as long as I didn't fight the TP too much. If I fought hard to get to anchor, the shot would go astray.

I really was amazed every time the arrow hit true with such terrible form. So the second round I decided not to fight it as much, and scored even better, and ended up with a score that was 5th out of 70.

But I'm very encouraged with how my latest regimen is going.

So once again, I'm merrily on my way.
Happy just to journey,
Though I lead myself astray.

Don,t beat yourself up to much.
Fifth under those lights and tough competition isn,t shabby by anymeans.
I have been anchoring then aiming latley.Not the way I would prefer to shoot but the only way I've found to help my short drawing and freezing on target.I picked up a 68"Hill 41# and have been enjoying the smoothness of draw,can't wait for the good weather.
One arrow one shot -good shooting Todd.

Attaboy, Ray. Anchor then aim. As much as I love the aim-as-I-draw technique, I just can't find a way to beat the demons. I think I might find a way if I competed every week, but that can't happen.

Everybody is different but draw/anchor/aim does really well for me. As a gap shooter though it is just about mandatory to do it that way. I can't have the arrow changing how it looks in the sight picture while also looking for the cues that I need in order to find the appropriate gap.