Problems with release

[Avalon1]

I nvere had porblem like this now. I cant release the arrow, I cant shoot it! This problem grows with distance I shoot. At 10m I dont have problems, I through over the clicker easely, and than I cant shoot the arrow. Please help me somebody, what can I do to make it better? Will it be better if I shoot more long distances(70m)?

[Milkovitsch]

Ahhhh, the joys of archery!

Take a break for two weeks. Then shoot at a distance you're confident with - say 20m, then 30 and try 40. Shoot at these distances for a few weeks, then work your way back.

It will go away, probably just a.....what do some of you guys call it.....a brain fart?


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[KAJ]

what do you mean? do you have problems just getting through the clicker or do you have problems with your release?

[Quackor]

Don't shoot on a target face, try covering it with a blank piece of paper or something.
If it helps print out a big pictre of G.W. Bush and shoot at it.
Or just take a break, imagine shooting :)

[reversehaven]

Don't shoot on a target face, try covering it with a blank piece of paper or something.
If it helps print out a big pictre of G.W. Bush and shoot at it.
Or just take a break, imagine shooting :)


hmm. to imagine shootin might end up making it worse, depending on your mental strength. if you can't end up imagining shooting but you end up imagining not being able to shoot, the problem might get worse. It happened to me once when I was unable to level my sight pin right onto the yellow without releasing by reflex (and hence a slew of other problems.. like bow arm dropping drastically, and unprepared release.) I tried doing the imagining, and it almost got worse. Thankfully the clicker solved my problem. but i'm unable to shoot without the clicker. totally dependant on it. But otherwise i'm shooting better than almost anyone else.

oh. yeah i'd advise just uh.. aiming at a random part of the blank board(nothing on the board), and focus on clicking and letting go. :)

having a pic of GW Bush might help :D

[Thing]

The problem could originate in form or the mind.
In form you could have a very tense drawing arm and hand this could make it impossible to acheive a smooth follow through. You might be at full draw with a tense arm wanting to release, and trying to release by relaxing the arm. This would make both hard to release, and flinchy when you do release. The solution would be to draw with the back and not let the arm and hand to get so tense to begin with.
The mind is harder to pin down I find. It frustrates more, because really people overestimate the control they have on their own minds. It requires mental training.

Either way definitely do some barebutt shooting.



When I have release problems it's usually to do with the mind, in the setup and draw, or in the release itself.

When you shoot with the clicker the idea is for the release to be completely natural, no thinking involved. Just something you do, like a baby letting go of a persons finger. Or a drop of dew falling off a leaf after reaching critical mass. One smooth motion.

Firstly try barebutt shooting for a while, with a clicker. If I still have trouble then I shoot some arrows without the clicker (sounds weird?).

Trying to shoot with the same natural feeling without a clicker is harder but there is no pressure. I get to the anchor and sometimes flinch anticipating the clicker. Like I'm scared of it. The idea is to relax.

When I shoot without a clicker, the release is naked. All it's flaws and/or beauty are felt at once. I find it disconcerting sometimes, I might feel so unconfortable releasing at all, that the problems of the release are greatly amplified without a clicker. But the key is to relax.

When you can shoot without the clicker like you have nothing to be afraid of and nothing to lose, take that feeling and hold while you shoot with the clicker again.

Definitely do it with a barebutt. Then if you still have trouble with the clicker on a target, try shooting without it again with a target, and work back into it slowly.

There's nothing wrong with spending a whole day shooting on a barebutt.

Disclamer: This works for me, but obviously it likely wont work for everyone.

[c3]

This is 100% related to the fear of missing. The more you fret over where the sight is sitting and where the arrows might go, the less likely you'll be able to relax and become still while freely moveing through the clicker.

The first thing to do is mentally take note that you are afraid. You have to admit where it is comeing from before you can solve it.

From there you have to work slowly from up close to longer distances while mentally confronting your fear as you move back.

Remember it took you a while to get into the mode of being afraid and it may well take twice that long to overcome it. It's not something that just dissappears. You have to train yourself to control your fear.

No one wants to admit it, but we're all afraid at some point and the reason we get tight and nervous before shoots. It's no big deal to get there, but you have to start with the realization of what it is first or you'll never get it sorted out.

Just a little $0.02 from someone who was there all last winter :)

Cheers,
Pete

[zanshin_archer]

Avalon1.. Brah, it's called "TARGET PANIC" and like some mentioned it's a learned response to TRYING to hit the X. The term, "Don't Aim, Shoot Form" is the fix. Take a deep breath, I know you're frustrated.. go through the "Nine steps to the ten ring" and do it blind folded five feet from the target. Pay attention to your form and repeat it.. you have to build muscle memory/neuro-pathways. Remember, it took a while to get to your target panic mode and it will take some time to 'forget it'. The thing is you will, it can be fixed.
It's about having fun.. relax and you'll enjoy yourself.. it's the same for most of life.
Z_A

[reversehaven]

well, i've experienced this before though.

oh i recently read an article before about how to choose a good sight pin and it's all about choosing a sight pin that helps you estimate where to point your arrow, but not to FOCUS on it. What you should be focusing on is the rest of your form.
what i'd say is to shoot without sights. for awhile. build muscle memory.

it's gonna be tough. but don't worry. you'll get back into the game soon enough.
good luck with it. how's the progress though?

[Robin Dud]

Call it what you like, but I have been plagued with this problem for a few years and I know that changing equipment is a temporary fix. The real problem is the equipment between the ears. You need to learn all over again begining with patience! Buy a book called "With winning in Mind" by Lanny Bassom, available from Marcus and read it more than once. Learn to shoot by sequence and repeat the sequence on every shot. Check out your form and if necessary, change it. I am at last getting back to my original form, in fact better but I know that the chance of slipping back is all too easily done. I shoot compound but the rules are the same so good luck and be patient.

[Tegs]

I believe it's a mental problem, your mind might be scared to release, to over come this you just need to practise at short distances blank but., also practise at home rleaseing 20 times every night for 2 weeks then keep practising at home.

[Tegs]

Sre you scared to look at the gold through your site?

[Black Shadow]

i went through something nearlly the same on my compound it got so bad that i couldn even get back to full draw before i would release.

it took 3 hours of just pulling back comin to ancor and sighting then comin down, before i could stop fliching.

i would suggest shootin at 10m with ur eyes shut just to get used to releasing the bow correctly then try it with ur eyes open still at 10m before you try going back.don't aim at anything just shoot a blank butt till you can release corectly. make sure ur ready to go back cause it will only start all over again if you try to rush though it these sort of things take time and alot of work to fix trust me i know how annoying it is.

Good luck