So, almost a month has passed since I wrote anything about my journey to reasonable success at my chosen sport. Obviously I still have a long way to go!
A few weeks ago I was celebrating a PB at 488 using 38lb Soul Black Flash limbs with my WNS riser. I mentioned in my last post that I was shooting over-bowed. After some searching and an agonising wait I finally received some lighter limbs. I went with KAP Winstorm Carbon Foam limbs at 32lb. I have now managed to shoot them twice - a two weeks in Scotland and the archery club AGM meant I missed half of the last six club nights, but, the new limbs, the weight at least, feels much better. I can hold the full draw longer, slow my shot down and actually aim at the boss rather than release and hope. As for the difference between CF and CW (the Soul limbs), I can't tell. Pfft. It's not important right now. What is important is that I can actually feel and tell where my form (or lack of) is letting me down.
I was shooting next to a much more experienced (Level 1 coach) archer last night and he was able to give me a couple of pointers:
Bad not great form and lighter limbs mean that I got nowhere near my 488 PB last night. Just a 463:
Which brings me onto digital scoring. The last few times that I have shot I have been scoring with another archer. One of the old boys in the club ripped into me for using my calculator to do the sums and I got embarrassed and started doing it in my head. I really wish I hadn't as the recorded score turned out to be wrong by between 8 and 10 points once I had inserted the round into the archery app on my phone. I am by no means awful at mathematics, but, when you get about 5 minutes to total up 60 arrows for two archers then I am going to rush a little and make mistakes.
To pre-empt some comments: the 5 minutes is a self-imposed limit. At the end of a shoot we do a chocolate challenge. I was skipping this to do the scores so that I could still assist with packing the bosses and net away at the end of the shoot.
Last one for now, I have my first competition (Link to Event Website) on Sunday 03 November. With the lack of shooting in the last three weeks and it being my first comp, I am really rather nervous. My intention is to go along and take in the atmosphere, shoot and enjoy the experience. I don't expect to place anywhere high up the rankings, I just really don't want to make a complete tit of myself!
A few weeks ago I was celebrating a PB at 488 using 38lb Soul Black Flash limbs with my WNS riser. I mentioned in my last post that I was shooting over-bowed. After some searching and an agonising wait I finally received some lighter limbs. I went with KAP Winstorm Carbon Foam limbs at 32lb. I have now managed to shoot them twice - a two weeks in Scotland and the archery club AGM meant I missed half of the last six club nights, but, the new limbs, the weight at least, feels much better. I can hold the full draw longer, slow my shot down and actually aim at the boss rather than release and hope. As for the difference between CF and CW (the Soul limbs), I can't tell. Pfft. It's not important right now. What is important is that I can actually feel and tell where my form (or lack of) is letting me down.
I was shooting next to a much more experienced (Level 1 coach) archer last night and he was able to give me a couple of pointers:
- Draw hand moving down at release occasionally - sending arrows high.
- Bow shoulder collapsing at release, pulling the bow left and screwing the shot.
- Nodding dog (only once!) putting a shot at the bottom of the Portsmouth target.
Which brings me onto digital scoring. The last few times that I have shot I have been scoring with another archer. One of the old boys in the club ripped into me for using my calculator to do the sums and I got embarrassed and started doing it in my head. I really wish I hadn't as the recorded score turned out to be wrong by between 8 and 10 points once I had inserted the round into the archery app on my phone. I am by no means awful at mathematics, but, when you get about 5 minutes to total up 60 arrows for two archers then I am going to rush a little and make mistakes.
To pre-empt some comments: the 5 minutes is a self-imposed limit. At the end of a shoot we do a chocolate challenge. I was skipping this to do the scores so that I could still assist with packing the bosses and net away at the end of the shoot.
Last one for now, I have my first competition (Link to Event Website) on Sunday 03 November. With the lack of shooting in the last three weeks and it being my first comp, I am really rather nervous. My intention is to go along and take in the atmosphere, shoot and enjoy the experience. I don't expect to place anywhere high up the rankings, I just really don't want to make a complete tit of myself!