Sharing a great tip for when you get the 'yips'

[slinkymalinky]

I got a great tip from Bill Watson on the weekend that I'm sure he won't mind me sharing.

If you're like me, your brain might sometimes get in the way of shooting well. The more I think when I shoot, the worse I get and on Sunday I shot a paper round... BADLY.

After a reasonable start, I missed a couple of shots and started to think about everything. I started holding at full draw for ages, second-guessing my aim point, thinking about the target, the distance, the angle, the trees, etc, etc, etc. My arrows went everywhere. I started hitting my arm guard, I was shooting left, right, up, down. The more I tried the worse I got and the worse I got the more I tried.

With a great deal of sympathy, no small amount of good humor, and with a wealth of experience Billy told me that when its happened to him previously, he's deliberately shot fast. Just pick an aim point, draw and release instantly.

Well I tried it. With no time for thinking I started hitting the targets again and more importantly, my arrows went back to flying straight. With no time for settling I certainly wasn't dead on but it got me over the yips and once I started slowing down a bit to my normal speed I had gotten over the dramas. I still scored woefully but I was relaxed, shooting straight and everything was feeling fluid again. And what's more I was back to enjoying myself instead of getting stressed.

So if you ever get the yips, try switching off your brain and fast shooting for a few targets. Not saying it will work every time but it sure works for me.

Thanks Bill!!


Cheers, Tony

[Fraser]

I haven't tried the snap shooting solution, but I had noticed that the more I think about things the worse I get.

Fraser

[lanky]

I will be trying that one!!

[perry]

When you started second guessing yourself Tony you added another step to your established Shot Sequence and things kept going from Bad to worse. Cant argue with the results you got from Bills method and Bill has acheived more than your average Archer by a looooonnnnnnnnnnnnggggggggg way but to my mind it is fraught with the Danger of changing the Rythym of your Shot Sequence. Best to go back to perfecting your Shot Sequence and focus on it as in the end getting it consistent is the path to good shooting. Annalize Bills advice and incorporate which ever part does not upset your natural Rythym, shoot at your own pace

regards Jacko

[looseplucker]

When I did my weekend warriors last century I consistently got high scores on the sneaker range and gallery shoot - these were intended to test you ability to shoot 'instinctively" and make the weapon and extension of your arm.

When I started shooting skeet and field and game an old bloke I used to shoot with would maintain "Your first look is your best look" and whenever I missed a clay he would either say "you stopped your gun" meaning I didn't lead properly or, more importantly "you talked yourself out of that one".

While no Robin Hood with the bow I've tried to apply those principles to shooting the trad bow and I've found that "your first look is your best look" gets better results - of course there is that balance between good snap shooting and shooting wildly

[perry]

Shooting Shotgun is very good Archery practice for all the reasons looseplucker has mentioned. It uses very similar Hand Eye coordination and rely's on developing a Rythym and good execution of Form. I was given very similar advice by seasoned old Shotgun Shooters also

When I was shooting Archery Comp as part of practice. I often shot a few Rounds on the Trap Range, especially good practice for shooting moving Targets at Trad Shoots as it got ones Eye in Rythym wise and shooting when things felt right. I absolutely love Field and Game Shotgun, closest thing there is to a Trad Archery Coarse of moving Targets, just so expensive as at least here in Queensland you had to pay for each round and each round could be a couple of Boxes of Shells.

Shooting my Crossbow was very helpful for the same reasons outlined above. Cross Training and participating in seemingly unrelated Shooting Sports might be the Edge some people need to Shoot their Bows better

regards Jacko

[Aeden]

I have noticed the same thing- if I'm in a bad head space then nocking and shooting fast always makes me shoot better. Some times when I'm not as frazzled, but not as clear as I'd like, I do better when I hold for three seconds. But when my mind is clear and I'm shooting my best I shoot almost as fast as I do when speed-shooting; holding on average about one second or less. If you have very good mental acuity though, I think one can anchor and shoot slowly just as well, it's just a matter of being able to keep your mind clear of conscious thought. Meditation practice has definitely been the best thing for my shooting accuracy, possibly more important for me than consistent form.

Another thing I think someone mentioned in this thread about some people having good accuracy when hunting while they shoot badly at targets. This is mentioned in Saxton Pope's book, he says that everyone shoots better at animals while hunting, and especially Ishi: he was an amazing hunter, but totally hopeless at target shooting, particularly at the traditional big round targets with brightly colored rings. I don't know how it makes sense, but I think it's true. I once started shooting at an old garden stake stuck in the ground, a little over an inch thick, and I was very surprised at how often I hit it considering how big my groups were when shooting at my usual big, flat target. Also when I go field shooting (not at a range, just shooting random marks in the forest), I tend to shoot a lot better, although that might also because I feel better being in the forest. I've never gone hunting yet but I'm sure animals would have the same effect; it seems that targets that blend in to the surroundings, look natural and don't look abstract are easier to hit for some of us, at least.

:Edited for clarity

[Ronster]

Best to go back to perfecting your Shot Sequence and focus on it as in the end getting it consistent is the path to good shooting.

Hi all, I am with Jacko! Back to basics, has to be the long term fix. short term fixes short life! On the other hand_if it works, keep sharing the tips.

Ronster

[wishsong]

Best to go back to perfecting your Shot Sequence and focus on it as in the end getting it consistent is the path to good shooting.

Hi all, I am with Jacko! Back to basics, has to be the long term fix. short term fixes short life! On the other hand_if it works, keep sharing the tips.

Ronster

I 2nd what Ronster said and third what Perry said ......