Directed Anger

[Shirt]

OK, so how's this work.

Shoot an eight.

Get very hacked off.

*missing bit*

Feel very hacked off at target.

*missing bit 2*

Put all six in the ten ring on a 60 cm face at 20 yards with a recurve.

Anyone got a clue how this suddenly happened? I reckon it's because I somehow managed to direct the general pissed-offness into getting six good shots down next end?

[Mark]

Shirt

Between getting hacked off and shooting the perfect end - due you vent your spleen or hold it in ??

Mark

[Shirt]

Hold it in. What, I'm gonna start screaming at other people around me at a competition? Don't think that would go down well.

Extent to which other people know I've had a bad shot - if it's been truly terrible, my followthrough modifies such that I whack myself round the back of the head...

[James Park]

Interesting thing here is that through having a nasty shot or end, we can then "try especially hard" or "concentrate especially well" and score wonderfully the next end. Why don't we then just "try especially hard" or "concentrate especially well" for every end? That is: if we can do it correctly because we are annoyed, why not avoid the problem in the first place?
It is similar to the problem: "I sort of know that this will be a nasty shot, but I will shoot it anyway, rather than start again".

[Mark]

I'm not suggesting that you would start screaming but there are certainly ways of venting without making a scene. I always found that releasing the anger and letting go of the shot or end "issue" let me return to a state of calm and approach the next end in a good frame of mind. This re-centering of self usually allowed for a much better following end. Bottling it up and not dealing with it makes you continue to dwell on the bad shot and this can only continue to harm your shooting from a mental perspective.

Mark

[baldmountain]

Because when you got mad at the target you stopped thinking about your form and let your subconcious shoot the next end.

I shot an indoor FITA yesterday. My very best end was the one after I shot an arrow off the shelf rather than the rest and put an arrow in the target diagonally below and to the right of my own target. :(

I firmly believe that the less you think while shooting the better you'll do. Getting MAD got you to stop thinking.

[Shirt]

Interesting thing here is that through having a nasty shot or end, we can then "try especially hard" or "concentrate especially well" and score wonderfully the next end.

Because then we'd concentrate _too_ hard, and end up overaiming and spending too much time on the line and fluffing the shot as well...

When you (well, certainly I) am pissed off, it's usually subconscious that drags it back in.

Aah, it's almost 5AM, I'm going to bed.

[Flex]

I think anger in any form will be a hinderance than than a help in any sport needing a steady hand.If I have a bad shot I know why 95% of
the time and simply try not to do that again."usuually find a new mistake to make"

[The One]

I generally find that if I shoot a bad shot + get angry, my next shot will inevitably follow. I think the key to it is converting your anger into concentration and drive. Remember, if you change your form as a result of a mental change, your arrows will most probably not go in the same place as you have been grouping.

I agree with you though, shirt - if you do manage to focus your anger, it draws away from your thinking about form, which allows the subconscious to take over and be more consistent.

[James Park]

I have a suspicion that archers like Clint concentrate properly every shot, rather than especially well after a poor shot. That is, a different approach to most of us.

[Marcus]

Essentially there is an optimal perferamce level that an athlete must sit in. Look back to your best ever performances and think about the state of mind at the time, think about how you felt before during and after the shoot. Often you will find:
* It was effortless
* You felt like you couldn't miss
* You maintained focus easily
* you were calm and collected
* You aim was rock solid
* when you did miss the centre, you felt like you could have put it in the X, you just didn't
* full of energy

Now think about time when you didn't shoot well, you may have

* felt tired or lacked energy.
* uncorfotabe
* not steady
* easily distracted
* uninterested
* flat
* in a bad state of mind
* stressed out

I wish I could remember the exact terms, but there is a state of being where you will be flat, non-emotional and lathargic. At ths state you will not shoot well, and getting angry can push you into the correct frame of mind. The emotional rush of getting angry can move you from flat and uninterested to focused and energy filled. You will never perform at your best, but you may well improve your scores. Of course this must be controled as it's easy to be pushed into the next level where you are over-excited and become stressed out and easily distracted.

I think it's important to realise your optimum state, analyse your currect state and then make the changes to move your mind into the area you wish it to be. Sometimes 'trying harder' is not quite right, in fact in many case strying harder is the opposite of what you want, you may in fact need to let it go.

[2Dogs]

where did I read that statement;

"The only difference between the Elite shooter and the average shooter is the way he thinks"

I think that was outa Lanny Basham's book......good stuff

[Zoe]

I agree with Marcus.

[Richard_Stock]

I don't know if any of you have shoot with Ed Elison but when he shoots a bad shoot he starts swering and cusing loud enogh for you to here if you are shooting next to him. I think it is hilarous and he is always able to shoot a ten after.

[Steve B]

Well I can understand Ed doing that , I tend to do that after a form collapse or bad shot, I use it to remind my self (In no uncertain terms to my self either :o ) of a) my correct shot sequence b) and the major thing I did wrong ie: didnt "push pull right". This seems to work most of the time as it reinforces the positives of what you should do , I will even go throught the motions prior to the shot....this sometimes helps me get back on track, but can be dependant on two things. The more important the shot the more nervous I am , and how is my mental state in regards to be positive, its normally not to bad though.

Otherwise I might need to work longer at lifting my game, mind you the other archers on the line have a good chuckle at me cause of my words to myself... :D

[clever_guy]

"I wish I could remember the exact terms, but there is a state of being where you will be flat, non-emotional and lathargic."

I think you are talking about the theory of "U - Arousal States", been around since the 60's - 70's to describe athlete's mental states

Personally I like the Directed Anger idea - it's like Angry Make-Up Sex...all good...

:P :P :lol:

-CG

[Kuru]

Man have you people no self control ! It's quite easy, even 2dogs could do it :lol: breathe deep keep your heartrate down and your thought procces will be alot clearer. You won't bee pumping to much blood thru your system and everything will be calm, take the shot and 11x it :lol: