Dropping off after shooting well

[Purple Hats]

I find this happens to me on many occasions, and is something that is becoming extremely annoying. For example, I may start a shoot at 90m, and start off well for me - perhaps a 55 a 54 then a 56. After this, no matter what I do, the score almost always drops, down to around 53, 52 even lower. If it doesnt do it at 90, it'll do it when I come in to 70, and if not then, at 50 etc. However, it usually happens at some point during the shoot - I can be shooting really well, and will enter into a slump of sorts without changing anything in terms of form or feeling of shot. Often this will last 3-4 ends, although it can sometimes last for the rest of the shoot. I believe it is a mental issue, which is why I posted it here. The score drops may not be huge - instead of getting 335, I might get 327 etc but annoying none the less. By the way, I shoot compound, do not have problems with target panic/ gold shyness, and do not focus overly on score when I'm shooting.

Has anyone else had experience with this, or have any ideas on helping me with it?

[NOCK HUNTER]

I think it's listening to Chris (or me) while your shooting, it's enough to put anyone off.

[dbjac]

:o Yeh i know what you mean Alex, it sucks when you shoot 320+ at 90. :lol:

[Marcus]

:o Yeh i know what you mean Alex, it sucks when you shoot 320+ at 90. :lol:
Yep it does when you were on track for a 335.
I know what you mean Alex, hoping to hear a good answer. :lol:

[Powerpod]

It is to do with allowing yourself to achieve a greater score or something important to you. The mind says that you always do this so you do. You have to give yourself permission to do better or change. Get yourself the book "With winning in mind" by Lanny Bassham type his name in to google and you will find his website and you can join his newsletters as well. The trick is to beleive that you have permission to attain those higher scores. I use the the phrase "I enjoy shooting X's" as part of my shot sequence but find what works for you, the enjoy is are large part of the whole process for me. When you set yourself a target for each end have it realistic but without limit like " I am going to shot 340 or better".
Remember that we limit ourselves no-one else does it for us.

[Marcus]

Yeah good book
in stock
http://urbanarchery.com.au/product_info.php?cPath=33&products_id=596

[NOCK HUNTER]

I think it's got alot to do with starting to think about what you are doing, instead of trusting the form that got you the good scores in the first place.

The problem is once we try to control whats happening we bring extra muscles into play that aren't needed and they adjust your form and change how we are shooting!

[James Park]

I think that one problem is that we place artificial score objectives on ourselves, such as "my objective is 1300". That then becomes a barrier (and archers end up scoring 1299).
I think it is far better not to have any score objective at all but rather "I will shoot each arrow properly".
Also, most of us do have poor shots from time to time. I think it is necessary to learn to accept them and to immediately get on with just shooting good shots. I have found that the top archers do exactly that - they still have the occassional poor shot or poor end, but it is immediately straight back to just shoot good shots and accept whatever the score come out as.

[sharmanwolf]

cool hat dude where can i get one

[NOCK HUNTER]

I remember reading what Larry Wise said once " if he could leave his brain at home he could win every comp"


.

[dbjac]

Yep it does when you were on track for a 335.
I know what you mean Alex, hoping to hear a good answer. :lol:

True.

I would say its definately a prevalent problem.
I cant really think of a time when i have shot well, consistently.
Most of my PB's involve rather erratic ends, ie. at the recent QRE my 90 was 320 (which is ok for me) and consist of 51 55 55 57 51 51, which is quite inconsistent between ends.
I suppose this is similar, but not exactly the same as your problem Alex, i dont drop off, just "yo-yo" around... :lol:

[Marcus]

The other thing to remember though is that it all averages out in the end. No point stressing about shooting a 50 when you may drop a 58 a few ends later.
At the last QRE Alan Williamson shot a 328 @ 90m with a 48 on his first end. Good thing he did not panic.
I thinkthe danger is when it starts to bother you and you slow your processes down. This causes me no end of grief.

[Powerpod]

The Need to Win


When an archer is shooting for nothing
He has all his skill.
If he shoots for a brass buckle
He is already nervous.

If he shoots for a prize of gold
He goes blind
Or sees two targets-
He is out of his mind!

His skill has not changed. But the prize
Divides him. He cares.
He thinks more of winning
Than of shooting-
And the need to win
Drains him of power. Chuang Tzu

[dbjac]

The other thing to remember though is that it all averages out in the end. No point stressing about shooting a 50 when you may drop a 58 a few ends later.
At the last QRE Alan Williamson shot a 328 @ 90m with a 48 on his first end. Good thing he did not panic.
I thinkthe danger is when it starts to bother you and you slow your processes down. This causes me no end of grief.

Thats true also.
However, it would be a lot better for the stress levels if rather than 51's and 57's i just shot 54's.
I suppose like everything else in archery, it just comes down to the archer's ability to take what comes and not stress or worry about the score.
i wonder if this is a developed characteristic of a person, or something they are born with?

[James Park]

If you look at the statistics, it is most unlikely (though possible) that an archer will "just shoot 54's". It is inevitable that there will be some spread - you will have excellent ends and poor ends, to go with your average ends.
I have looked at this in quite a lot of detail in relation to the probability of winning matchplay events.

[gt]

I suppose like everything else in archery, it just comes down to the archer's ability to take what comes and not stress or worry about the score.
i wonder if this is a developed characteristic of a person, or something they are born with?


Both. Some archers learn it over time, some never learn it, and a very few seem to be "born with it" as you put it, though it is often is an outcome of some other life experience.

And remember, some of us are much improved at other things in life because of our archery experience and learning to deal with, for instance, the pressure of an OR, even if we are not particularly successful on the field of play. It can be a two way street.

Ego - and its associated demon, fear- is the biggest enemy for many archers. That can be overcome, but it can be a painful process.

One key to success seems to be to develop a shot form and execution that is less sensitive to the fear factor that kicks in (for evey human!) when ego, score or other things are on the line.

[NOCK HUNTER]

Yes, Archery can bring thing out of your personality you didn't know you had :smile:..........good and bad

[James Park]

One key to success seems to be to develop a shot form and execution that is less sensitive to the fear factor that kicks in (for evey human!) when ego, score or other things are on the line.
That is a really important point.

[Marcus]

Me and Erika were talking about this the other night. Under pressure I tend to lock up, she doesn't. Watching her under high stress situations and her process is identical to when she practises. So her scores in practise and competition are rarely different. My competition scores are way down on my practise scores at the momen due to ego and fear getting in the way. Worth working on.

[NOCK HUNTER]

That's really cool for Erika, it is a good disposition to have.

But doesn't help the mere mortal like you and me :roll:

[2Dogs]

Me and Erika were talking about this the other night. Under pressure I tend to lock up, she doesn't.

No wonder!,.......she'd squash you :rofl:

[Purple Hats]

Very interesting.

Powerpod, I have read both Lanny Bassam's book (found it absolutely excellent!) and the advice from Chuang Tzu. I believe the book bumped my rating up by about 7 points just before the Junior Nationals, it was fantastic, although I still haven't managed to get rid of this other problem. From what I've heard so far, the general advice is not thinking about it. I don't know about anyone else, but that's probably the single most difficult thing to do in archery. I find myself saying: don't think about getting the score, just worry about the shot. I try so hard to not think about it that it constitutes thinking about it! Invariably, telling someone NOT to think about something is probably worse than telling them TO think about it.

Oh, I got the hat from the Perth Royal Show about 2 years ago for $2. Was the best buy I ever made, can't get em anymore either :(

[2Dogs]

can't get em anymore either

Thank God! :D

[Powerpod]

Purple Hats it just goes to show that you are a work in progress. If we could all just work on the process of the shot (or life) and get it right by say our twentieth or so year wouldn't the rest of our life be really boring. In my job as a podiatrist I deal with the very young to the very old and the really interesting ones are the people that love experiencing life but don't beat themselves up when they don't understand it all just yet. So learn to enjoy shooting one arrow then do it again, enjoy the process and practice the process and learn to feel the good shot because we are all just junkies for that good feeling.