RE: How do you practice and how much?
Assuming my equipment is tuned, I have a weekly shooting practice routine. Keep in mind, this is more geared towards training for 3D specifically.
2-3x a week I will use the following routine:
20-30 arrows of perfect shots. I don't worry about where they go andI am usually aiming at a 40 yard target butt. I worry about setting up the shot, maintaining proper front bow shoulder position, keeping my head straight and not dipping into the string to find the peep,getting the tension into my back before I start to draw, and relaxing my bow arm and shoulder in the bottomed out spot while executing. All I care about on this exercise is setting up and executing perfect shots, doesn't matter where they go at all. Even though I am not shooting to really try and get small groups, you should see the arrow carnage that happens during this drill at 40 yards. I am down to 20 or so pin nocks out of a pack of 100 that I bought roughly 2.5 months ago. [8D]
10-15 aiming drills. Focus on setting the shot up properly as described above, but once coming to full draw just focus on floating on the X ring without worry about shooting, I will hold for roughly 6-8 seconds or so and let down. This gets me comfortable with just floating in it and helps seperate the aiming part from the execution part.
20-30 minutes of walking the field archery course trail at my local club with no bow in hand. Only a range finder and a piece of paper. I try to pick out 30 random objects in the woods during this time from distances of 25-50 yards in distance from me and judge them. If I am 3 or moreyards off, I mark -2 on the paper. If I am 2 yards, I mark 0 on the paper. If I am within 1 yard, I mark +1 on the paper. My goal is to add all 30 up when Iam done and try to average 0. If I am off by more than 3, I will try to find a 20 yard mark between me and the target and then look at it again in reference to that 20 yard mark to try and burn in what 20 looks like. I need work on this past 40 yards..........[:-]
This usually takes me 2 hours or so in total. I also shoot one 3D per week on Sundays, and I am going to add one indoor 30 arrow vegas game a week to the schedule as well with my 3D bow.