Clicker Commandments

Laurie

New member
It does seem to be the case for many, that the clicker is put on hold until fuses blow... whatever the clock says.
On a more serious note re clickers and at the risk of boring some witless...for I have enjoyed your commandments!!....today at the range, with the clicker, I resolved to concentrate hard and take my time for a PB attempt for 30 arrows.... All was going very well with 12 arrows all in the gold (gold not 10s!!!) which is good for me. The next doz had 2 arrows outside the gold, still good and I was still way ahead. The last 6 arrows I could have lobbed over my shoulder with more accuracy!! I lost my PB by a few points!!! On advice it was decided that I was taking too long to draw through the clicker and knackering myself hovering on the target, and that I would be better shooting at a bare boss for a while.....and lo! the clock struck true, but I was still aiming too much with no target. So next club night, a good 1/2 hour will be spent shooting at the boss, eyes closed?? Apparently in order to think of matters more spiritual than anything so base a aiming? Zen and the art of the clicker......?
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
I can see the funny side of all the clicker commandments. Some are very clever and poignant.
Of course, there is a serious side to clickers; but only during discussions, I feel.
Once we are shooting with a clicker, the picture changes.
It has to be forgotten!!
In any shot, barebow, long bow, compound and any others I may have missed, there is one vital ingredient,apart from drawing the bow; an execution.
That is what all the rest has been building up to. All the preparation will be wasted if the execution is messed up. How often do we hear an archer exclaiming about their shot and moaning about that last bit?? Usually along the lines of, " I that that one was never going to go!"
It is very easy to imagine that the delay was caused by a weak setting up of the posture etc. so the draw to the face, was a bit short from the start.
It can be observed by those watching, that the last part of the draw had stopped and become a sawing action.( like the front of the arrow is sawing through the arrow rest)
I believe that a good execution requires a smooth/confident draw through to the release, whether or not a clicker is there.
I also believe that one of the most common causes of this hesitation at the end stage of the draw, is over focus on the sight and what it is doing. It robs the archer of any feeling regarding how the draw is progressing.
Shoot at a short distance without the sight, and find out how you can draw through the clicker with no distractions. Then use a big sight ring, made from a paper clip if needs be. It helps only a little compared to no sight, but in the same way, it detracts only a little from the task in hand( drawing the bow)
Gradually, the ring can be made smaller so the work done in the early stages, can be used to move on slowly to better things; without the sudden shock of having a target face and a sight after having neither.
 

Laurie

New member
What you say makes eminent sense, and endorses what other peers have said. Thank you. (I think I'll sail round to Poole with the bow, if Mohammed won't come to this mountain!!)
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
Hi Laurie, you will be most welcome.
Clickers are simple to use, I am told; set it and forget it, I hear. I feel that is the truth, too. However, the simplicity is a disadvantage for some as it is just as simple to get it wrong with the wrong advice at the start. It is possible to get the right advice and misinterpret what was said and then make a mess. It is also possible to start off well and see the scores climb and then slowly fall into "bad ways".
Too often, I believe, the clicker is put on, set up( rightly or wrongly) and the form that underpins its use is gradually neglected. I think it is important to get it right and keep tracks on what we do in the days/weeks that follow.Declining, into a sight dominated style of shooting, can be such a slow, undetectable process, that many never realise they are drifting into bad habits.
 

Bowselecta

Supporter
Supporter
What you say makes eminent sense, and endorses what other peers have said. Thank you. (I think I'll sail round to Poole with the bow, if Mohammed won't come to this mountain!!)
Hi Laurie,

You won't go wrong in seeing Geoff, I found him to be a great teacher and a great bloke. :thumbsup:

Paul
 

Laurie

New member
Hi Laurie, you will be most welcome.
Clickers are simple to use, I am told; set it and forget it, I hear. I feel that is the truth, too. However, the simplicity is a disadvantage for some as it is just as simple to get it wrong with the wrong advice at the start. It is possible to get the right advice and misinterpret what was said and then make a mess. It is also possible to start off well and see the scores climb and then slowly fall into "bad ways".
Too often, I believe, the clicker is put on, set up( rightly or wrongly) and the form that underpins its use is gradually neglected. I think it is important to get it right and keep tracks on what we do in the days/weeks that follow.Declining, into a sight dominated style of shooting, can be such a slow, undetectable process, that many never realise they are drifting into bad habits.
I think this is very true .........I am still persevering with my clicker , but as I was struggling, things started going VERY wrong and my scores declined, latterly even missing the scoring target!!! as an arrow was loosed prematurely through the clicker. I was feeling very tired despite only shooting about 60 arrows a week, and yet being a great big "Henry", that swims and trains. I had developed into the habit of drawing with the very tips of my fingers, thinking it would smooth the release. Wrong. Once my attention had been drawn to the error of my ways, it became immediately obvious. I am still tired after 30 -40 arrows and taking too long to draw through the clicker, but not as tired as I was! I now, again, double check the string is in the crease of the first joint of my fingers, etc., and am now loosing a far faster arrow, insomuch as I have had to raise my sights quite a lot. Slowly...very slowly, because I cant shoot enough, I'm getting there. (Occasional use of my beautiful longbow may not be helping!!)
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
One of the things a clicker can do for an archer is to encourage him/her to be drawing further at the point of release ( maintaining back tension). It does not guarantee it; as the archer can draw; hear a click; stop or creep; aim; release. If it seems that the " click " is releasing the string, then things should be working well.
That final drawing stage needs to be done with confidence.... the aim is good during that draw and the drawing is happening without hesitation.
Hesitation in that draw leads to a shaking sight and tired arms. Tired arms makes the sight shake even more and the downhill spiral sets in. It is easy to fall into that rut. All we need to do is to concentrate only on the sight; forgetting how important the drawing is.
It is good at times,to shoot in conditions where a score is not so important, and where the aiming can be relaxed enough for the drawing to be given pride of place.
 

Laurie

New member
Again, so true, especially the second paragraph, for that is me. I am sometimes, too long on the draw as I come through the clicker. Occasionally I have to put it down and start again. I have on occasion been practising on a bare boss, closing my eyes just prior to the clicker, for your very reasons. As I say, it is slow progress, but progress none the less, much of it due to your excellent contributions on this thread. Thank you.
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
Hi Laurie, the eyes closed and bare boss work can be useful to allow the archer to feel what they are doing. That work needs to be used to improve the next stage where the practice is done at a target face with eyes open and aiming. That stage needs to match what happened with eyes closed; and not become slower or more hesitant. When that is working well, increase the range and later start scoring. A gradual increase in difficulty, getting success at each level, is far more likely to work, than a sudden jump from blind shooting to competing. It pays to return to the practice work, as a slow drift into slowing down, is always possible.
 

Rabid Hamster

Well-known member
Ironman
introduced an established archer to her newly and correctly trimmed arrows last wednesday ...

... this wednesday the long ignored and feared clicker will be brought into play.

I can hardly wait to torture the poor girl! :D
 

Laurie

New member
I have just introduced a newbie (on the theory that it may be better to get use to one now) to her clicker, and trying to spread the thinking of "geoffretired" which has been of great help to me, although slowly slowly does it. Anyway....why should I suffer in solitude!!
 

Dr. B

New member
At my club, whenever a beginner starts to make real progress and start to shoot well, one of the more established members usually asks "He/she's a bit good, isn't it about time we introduced them to the clicker?" ;)
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
I guess that thinking is probably quite common. It makes sense, in some ways, to wait until the archer isn't struggling too much with the very basic aspects.
Perhaps the time taken to reach that stage depends on how much help is given, or how quickly they learn, or how frequently they shoot.
When progress is left to chance clickers can be more troublesome than they deserve to be.
 

Dr. B

New member
Actually geoff, it isn't suggested to help them improve, it's a jovial reference to the fact that introducing a clicker will no doubt screw up their shooting for a good few months at least.
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
Hi Dr B yes, I got the funny side of your post. The clicker is used quite often in archery fun; a bit like compounds in that sense.
I just saw the other side of that situation as well.
I think there is a need to see the lighter side of archery,so that we don't just focus on form and details that give a one sided perspective.
I know a couple of long bow archers who talk, in jest, about sights as a form of ruination. There is also an element of truth in what they say, that is worth exploring.
 

Laurie

New member
Actually geoff, it isn't suggested to help them improve, it's a jovial reference to the fact that introducing a clicker will no doubt screw up their shooting for a good few months at least.
Still going backwards with my scores with a clicker. Provides many behind me with endless amusement!!:hyper:
 
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