MN/Kyle

I love whenever I hear that AI quote, so funny.

I don't practice hardly at all. When I go home on the weekends, from school, I shoot as much as possible. I better shoot more, turkey season is around the corner. Not to mention THIS LEAUGE.

GMMAT

Matt:

I probably need to keep on the BB for a while. I'll keep doing that.

Buckeye......GREAT read. Thanks.

GR8atta2d

Hey Guys I see all the talk about blank bales..

Never having had a coach at Archery, I'm trying to understand what this practice teaches. The only thing I could see is if you made some significant change like in a release or anchor pointand you are trying to learn the feel instead of concentrating on a target.

So if you made a change ... I guess, I get it.

What about shooting at 10 yards? Just a confidence builder?? How? I mean if I want short shots to be easier I'd shoot farther in practice. I do this all the time when the season is near..I shoot more at 50-60 yards to make the 20-30 yarders chip shots.

Hey I'm like you guys I wanna get better....I'm not slamming the methods, but I have to understand the methodologyto believe in them.

Thanks

Rick James

Gr8, I've got a demo for a prospective client in a few minutes but off this afternoon. This answer won't be short, but I will get to it when I get home later today. It's a great question, and the short answer to it is that this type of practice is what seperates those that fling arrows from those that specifically train to become a better shooter. I think Jeff can attest to this as well as Matt / TN because I know both of them have been following it for a while, and both have seemed to make some noticable improvements in a very short amount of time, and with probably less effort than what it would normally take otherwise.

GMMAT

When Matt and I were discussing the validity of the 10 yd games.....I gave him an analogy that he understood perfectly.

When I was playing a lot of golf.....(A LOT)....I was never in my "comfort zone" until I was under par. the only way to get there and be comfortable....is to be there a lot. I can't tell you the number of times I used to get to 3-4 under and start thinking about how low I might go.....and then I'd get back to my comfort zone (at that time) by getting back to a score I was more familiar with. I also saw this in my fellow competitors. they'd get to (___) under.....and feel out of sorts.

So.....I figured out a way to combat it. Give in. I used to play a round or two a week (back then) from the ladies tees. You're reaching every par 5 in 2. "Some"par 4's in 2. Every par three is a chippie 3....and sometimes a great birdie opportunity. It wasn't unusual to get to some very low numbers.....and 6-8 under was the norm.

By getting under and getting in my comfort zone....it made being OVER par seem out of sorts. Under was where I was most comfortable....AND....when I got to a (seemingly) ridiculous minus score.....I'd been there before.

I see the 10yd games in Vegas the same.

I hope this makes sense.

GR8atta2d

Yeah it makes sense maybe more-so in the golf game than Archery..ladies tees you say.[:-] I can get a 1-2 under and be comfortable, I can even shake 3 under to the house. I was 5 under with only a tough par 4 to finish and you bet your butt I doubled it.( 9 hole League Rounds)

Gundeck

That makes perfect sense, Jeff. I need to start employing these methods. I have been a flinger for the most part. I understand the mechanics of making a good shot having been a long distance shooter for many years. Now that I have the time to devote to my bow, I want to improve to the best of my ability.

GMMAT

But I agree with GR8 when it comes to distance shooting to prepare for hunting season. I shoot a LOT from 50-60 yds to prepare for hunting situations......and I didn't take a shot over 27yds, this year.

GR8.....do you always know where you're at to par when you play golf? I mean....if you get under....do you always know how many?

I could RARELY tell you how many I was under....but I always knew if I was over....and exactly how many. When you can get to 2-3 under and not try to bring it to the house (i.e. keep playing your regular game).....you'll know youve found your comfort zone. It took me a couple of years to get to that point......and I was playing 4-5 rounds a week.

Golf (TO ME) is SO much like archery. That's why I guess I love this. It's different.....but the same. The key to golf, for ME....was not caring. Once you set up to a shot...you gotta let go. I see archery (targets) no differently. You gotta not think about it.....and let go. trust your practice....and live with the outcome. Repeat.

GR8atta2d

Yes Jeff..I always know where I'm at, be it over-level-under par.. I wish I could turn it off. It's just the math is so easy I don't know how to not know.

If I'm playing you...I know where your at.. and most likely everyone else in the 4-some.

GMMAT

That would change, believe me...if you played a lot. I used to be the same way. I then got to a point to where I honestly didn't know what I shot until we added them up at the end of the round. I COULD tell you every club I used on every shot....what the yardage was for that shot....etc...for my last 4-5 rounds. But....score....I let go of.

I then went through a phase where I'd get mad when someone would say "Dude....aren't you 5 under?". Then...that passed, too.

The mental aspects of these games (golf and archery) are strikingly similar. Scary.....and I don't ever want archery to get to that point for ME. It's still fun, now. Golf was fun....but playing to a (______) level is a lot of work (mental and physical). If you asked me.....MORE mental.....MUCH more mental.

There's a Mathews commercial where the guys are giving tips on how to be a better target shooter. If you turned off the picture...and related it to golf....it would be spot on.