Starting again...

[Bowselecta]

Ahhh, right. If the first dozen(s) are weakest, it could be a sign that you take time to settle into your routine.
IF that IS the case.....( it might be something else)....then something to work on, as you sayl I have something to offer on that one.
I have to shoot a lot of arrows in my garage these days, as I can't shoot at the field as often as I would like.I tend to shoot a couple of dozen then have a job to do and go back to shooting later. In any one day, I might have five or six short shooting sessions.
This can be very useful!! I use the gaps between sessions as "change of distance breaks or lunch breaks". When I go back in to shoot, I try very hard to make the first arrows count! I try to get the shots to go as well as the ones I shot when I had settled down. When I started shooting in short spurts like this, I found it very helpful to write a quick note about what I needed to remember to get back into the rythme.Then, read the note before the first arrow. It is normal to leave out some of the subtle details in the first two or three shots. Getting those details in place from the start, boosts the score and the confidence.Many points are lost at the change of distance!

Hi Geoff,
Thanks for the tip and will try that out at home and at the club.
Paul

 

[Bowselecta]

Paul good to see that your scores have come up again. Has Geoff checked your shoulder alignment and bow arm elbow rotation. I had issues with my hand flicking away from my face but I don't recall ever having issues with the string then coming into contact with my bow arm. Maybe on a really erratic shot. I've been working on my shoulder alignment as I believed that part of the issue with my hand leaving my face was that I wasn't getting inline to behind the bow enough. Since I've been working on it my releases have improved. Most likely because I'm not collapsing so much now.

Bow arm elbow rotation is important for string clearance and should be as parallel to the horizon as possible, not facing downwards. Facing too much downwards causes the bottom edge of the arm at the elbow joint to come in contact with the string. Are you also making sure you are wearing tight fitting clothes. Fleece tops and baggy hoody tops are a no go for archery. See many people at our clubs wearing fleeces today while shooting a frostbite and I was cringing at the number of string clearance issues that I was hearing. If you do decide to wear something a bit baggy then get some tubigrip/truegrip or purchase some maneos/sleeves from Dixis as they keep the clothing out the way. Bracers/armguards don't always keep the clothing away as I've found out in the past when shooting in the wet.

Hi Darryl,
I think the elbow rotation is coming on pretty well but having not shot for a week or too may have something to do with it ?
Geoff kindly managed to take a video of me taking a shot when I was last down and from what I see and pickup from the video and feeling the shot it feels the same. Managed to get fully into it for the second round (not scoring) and fingers brushing the neck/jawline although I have to confess that I slow down too much at times thus making hard to go through the clicker (comedown I hear you cry !!) ....a working project that once I can practice at home I am sure every shot will be the same.
I wear a base layer and a polo shirt although I didn't put on the chest guard this afternoon....I forgot !!!! :duh:

 

[Darryl]

Hi Darryl,
I think the elbow rotation is coming on pretty well but having not shot for a week or too may have something to do with it ?
Geoff kindly managed to take a video of me taking a shot when I was last down and from what I see and pickup from the video and feeling the shot it feels the same. Managed to get fully into it for the second round (not scoring) and fingers brushing the neck/jawline although I have to confess that I slow down too much at times thus making hard to go through the clicker (comedown I hear you cry !!) ....a working project that once I can practice at home I am sure every shot will be the same.
I wear a base layer and a polo shirt although I didn't put on the chest guard this afternoon....I forgot !!!! :duh:

I wear compression tops (easton, nike) and a polo shirt but depending on the fit of the polo shirt I can get string clearance issues. I ended up having three misses at Telford Nat Indoors on a Fita18 which pushed me down from 6th in the morning session to about 22nd.

 

[Bowselecta]

Hi Darryl,
I wear Prostar and McDavid I think compression tops/base layer ?
The string clearances you mention....I take it you wear a chest guard..so was it a baggier polo as we know the guard should keep the shirt flat with no ripples etc. or maybe you were just unlucky.

 

[Bowselecta]

Paul good to see that your scores have come up again.

Hey Darryl,
How rude of me...thanks for the encouragement.

 

[Bowselecta]

Hi All,
Shot a Portsmouth tonight and not as good as before but still pleased overall.
Using Geoff's method of taking the best half dozen score in each dozen and then times it by 2 gave me a potential score of 538....BUT I was 30 points off scoring 508.
On first 6 of second dozen scored 45 (lowest throughout round) with one arrow in the 2.....:jaw-dropp........
but then scored a 59 on the next 6....?????

Only the second time I have shot a 59 half dozen by looking at the stats I keep and have never managed a 60 but it was worth shooting, if for only those 6 arrows..was pretty pleased with myself...just have to work on the other 54 !!!! :raspberry

Got to sort out my arrow fletchings as was down to only 2 arrows with three on...not bothered shooting with two fletchings at the mo but will need to get sorted for outdoors that's for sure.
Cheers,
Paul

 

[geoffretired]

Hi Paul,
One arrow in the 2 is a loss of concentration, unless you had some sort of accidental hitch of some sort. Ignore it for now.
You seem to have ignored it at the time when you shot 59 afterwards!! well done.

 

[Bowselecta]

Hi Geoff,
I think it was a twang on the arm and I was surprised when I went to the boss...there was no doom but a little banter with the 2 and just went through as before but was just as surprised with X,10,10, 10,10, 9.
Did have some distraction which played with my head after that for the next dozen and a half but got back on it for the last dozen.
Plus it was nice to shoot on a Tuesday and then on a Thursday.
Onwards and upwards...fingers crossed...but when holding the bow !!! :raspberry

 

[geoffretired]

Hi Paul, Glad you had a good time. Distractions can be difficult to handle. The best way I have found is to be too busy making sure I am prepared for making the next shot.If I listen and get distracted, I mess up when I try to shoot the next shot as if all was normal. I might, for example, simply run through the aspect of the shot, that I have been working on.

 

[Bowselecta]

Hi All,
Shot another Portsmouth this evening and I felt it went really well once again and hardly any twangs at all.
Using Geoffs method my score would have been 546 but I scored 532 but it felt more like 550, so it's coming I feel.
Scored the most 9's ever since I have started shooting this round with 33, previous was 30 in 2008 and popped in with 12 10's this time.
I did have a single stray 6 tonight but that will keep me focussed to keep the concentration for every shot....my eyes drifted off the gold.
Lost two fletching's due to the best tight groups I have ever shot before, all in a diameter of a 1p piece, really chuffed. ( by jove Geoff I think this boy is getting it !! :raspberry )

Tonight I was also shooting/facing someone who has always got to me in the past (No fault of them but me as I allowed them to get into my head and I'd shoot cr4p) but I tried to totally blank it out while I shot and for the majority it worked fine.

Feeling really good right now and want to remember this as I like it a lot..... some who know me will know how things have got to me the last few years and I know that it's peaks and troughs at this stage....but I feel on top of the world this evening.
Cheers for now and thanks for reading.
Paul

 

[geoffretired]

Good to hear that you are "moving forwards". It's a good sign, when you can stay busy with the shot and not get distracted by folks near by.