Tackling Target Panic(Here We Go!)

[hunter4christ7502]

Looking for upper level coaches or Pro Shooters advice. Please keep this thread on topic. Thanks!!


Choosing to totally clean the slate and start with a fresh canvas in terms of form and shot execution.
Gonna approach this as if I'm picking a bow up for the first time. I wanted to see what you guys thought would be a good training plan for a little while. I was trying to find a old article from John Dudley which consisted of about a month of training which could be stretched to 2 months if wanted.
He mentioned it was a good idea for the first few weeks to just focus on fundamentals, no sights and up close.
Once you were confident in the basics steps and shot excecution then try to hold pin on target and then let down for a week or two till confident in that. Then actually shooting at short distances and progressing from there.
I have choosen to commit the whole summer to working on this. Taking pictures, progress videos to get critiqued, no field shooting or hunting,etc... Just progressive training and discipline.
If you where to put your self thru a rather extended regimen to reinvent yourself, how would you approach it?
I've just finished my first whole week of just focusing on the nine basic steps, no sights, no outdoor shooting just 3-5 yards away and working on everything from stance to anchor to mental process thru the shot excecution.
Also so you know of any good links or possibly the article in question. Just trying to get a good idea of a training plan for this summer,kind of like a workout plan. Just in need of direction.


It's not the bow it's the Indian-My archery coach

 

[hunter4christ7502]

Also it might help to know that I am using good releases as well. I am mainly focusing on the wrist release for right now, although I do have my other bow set up for a thumb release.

I have my Carter Quicke Plus set right around 3-3.5lbs and proper length to have a comfortable "hook" on the trigger.
Also have both the Nock On edition Carter Wise Choice and Just B Cuz set at 3.5lbs as well as the Carter Evolution if ever needed.
I'm honesty trying to avoid the Evolution unless it's really needed, I'm confident thru a good training regimen, I can correct my target panic as well as refine my form with my other releases before I need to resort to the Evolution.



It's not the bow it's the Indian-My archery coach

 

[5MilesBack]

Gonna approach this as if I'm picking a bow up for the first time. I was trying to find a old article from John Dudley which consisted of about a month of training which could be stretched to 2 months if wanted. He mentioned it was a good idea for the first few weeks to just focus on fundamentals, no sights and up close.

I can't help you. I'm the total opposite of what you describe above. I picked up my bow for the first time at the shop and shot it at 10 yards a few times. Within that first week I was shooting 60 yards comfortably and never looked back.

I feel for the guys with TP as I've seen a couple guys just about give up on archery over it. The best thing I've heard for it is blank bailing with your eyes closed for several weeks, just to get a feel for the shot.

Good luck.

 

[hunter4christ7502]

Thanks yeah I've been shooting for about 10 years and just noticed a increase in TP and my scores have plateaued so I decide on top of ridding myself if target panic to just go ahead and reinvent myself. Thank!


It's not the bow it's the Indian-My archery coach

 

[Jason Snyder]

It's a two pronged process. You have to develop a feel for how to use back tension to achieve a surprise release if you're a trigger puncher. You also have to condition yourself mentally to let the pin float on the target. It'll never be still. The movement of the pin freaks a lot of people out, and they start trying to time the shot and punch the trigger.

You might look up Joel Turner's website, Ironmind.

 

[hunter4christ7502]

Thanks! Sadly my shot execution is great, really solidified on the nine basic steps from one my coaches, but mostly my target panic revolves around fear of putting the pin were I want it in the first place. It's as if I can't mix the two process together...aiming and shot execution.


It's not the bow it's the Indian-My archery coach

 

[jmez]

Not a pro but have a suggestion. Get a release that can be pinned so it will not fire. The Stan releases do this, not sure which other do. You put a thumb screw in them and they function and will click when they would have fired but they don't release the bowstring. It takes the actual shot completely out of the process.

It may help you to be able to get and hold on target when your mind already knows from the start that you aren't going to be shooting the bow. It will allow you to go through the entire process naturally without firing the arrow.

 

[charvey9]

When I get a case of the yips, I practice holding the pin on the target with a Tru Fire draw check tool. I don't know anyone else that does this, but it helps for me. It lets you work on getting that mental picture of the pin floating on the target, and can safely do it in your garage, basement, yard, etc.

http://www.amazon.com/Tru-Fire-27987-Trufire-Draw-Check/dp/B003DQU0RG

 

[Nick Muche]

ALL in your head.

 

[Craig Van Arsdale]

ALL in your head.

Lol no kidding....

 

[tater]

Thanks! Sadly my shot execution is great, really solidified on the nine basic steps from one my coaches, but mostly my target panic revolves around fear of putting the pin were I want it in the first place. It's as if I can't mix the two process together...aiming and shot execution.

So do you "drive by" the shot (pass pin over/near desired POI and release) or do you "freeze" and then lose the sight picture?

Solid visualization techniques (without even having a bow in your hand) can help reduce both types of TP. Take ten minutes a day to sit quietly and visualize your shot process as you would normally carry it out while slowly and steadily breathing in a slow cadence. Then transfer the focus of visualization onto the sight picture. Visualize the pin steady on the POI while imagining what the full expansion of back tension feels like. Breathe steadily and then visualize the release/follow through of your sequence. Repeat, until it feels seamless in transition.

You are mentally "mixing the two processes" before getting to the shot. Use a breathing sequence as a point of repetition while visualizing, and then while actually shooting use the same focus on your breathing, not the shot. Your body already knows what to do. Just breathe and focus on the sight picture while steadily following the breathing cycle.

Target panic is losing sight of process and being fixated on outcome. If you suspend the focus on the outcome, and trust the shot (once it is integrated into sight picture) the rest follows.

 

[hunter4christ7502]

Oh it's completely a gangster drive by lol


It's not the bow it's the Indian-My archery coach

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Have ya tried shooting one arrow a day and making that one shot count? If you have trouble holding at full draw, you might need a bow with more letoff. An Elite bow improved my groups immensely. I can hold that sucker at full draw all day.

 

[hunter4christ7502]

Actually I sold my Elites for exact opposite effect, I'm a back wall shooter and the problem really isn't form, it's mental state while aiming, but it turns into target panic.


It's not the bow it's the Indian-My archery coach

 

[tater]

Oh it's completely a gangster drive by lol

Make you a deal: If you try the visualizing techniques for a month and you still keep "Fiddy'in in the hood", i'll refund all of the money you paid me

 

[mtluckydan]

Your only solution is shooting with a full back tension release except when you are hunting. I have a carter solution with a built in safety that has worked very well. Less likely to punch yourself when drawing. If you have a bad case of target panic, you are very unlikely to solve the problem without a back tension release. Being able to put the pin where you want it will come easily with the back tension release because your brain will not know when the shot is going to go so therefore no flinch or other bad reaction.

 

[jpolson]

Your only solution is shooting with a full back tension release except when you are hunting. I have a carter solution with a built in safety that has worked very well. Less likely to punch yourself when drawing. If you have a bad case of target panic, you are very unlikely to solve the problem without a back tension release. Being able to put the pin where you want it will come easily with the back tension release because your brain will not know when the shot is going to go so therefore no flinch or other bad reaction.

This

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 5:16 KJV

 

[Gumbo]

I dealt with extreme target panic for years, and it stemmed from my pin freezing then trying to force it on target and time a trigger punch (and me being a pretty anxious person in general). I ended up not being able to even get the pin on an animal before hitting the trigger. I considered giving up but couldn't do it. I spent a couple months shooting blind in my basement with a wrist strap and back tension. I thought I had it down but it didn't come together in terms of accuracy at the range. I switched to a thumb release and back tension which increased my accuracy and totally cured the target panic at the range and shooting at animals. The pin now has no trouble sitting where I want it to within my natural float. Really all I think it took for me to get over target panic was to do away with the conscious triggering of a release. Just simply letting the bow/release shoot itself and focusing on maintaining a controlled pin float was enough to cure the problem. BUT it took a lot of discipline to NEVER consciously trigger a shot when practicing.

I'm not a pro shooter, but I can tell you target panic CAN be cured. For me the keys were persistence/dedication/discipline and focusing on a surprise release, which freed me up to aim and hold the pin steady. Given a couple months, you will figure out what will work for you, but I would strongly suggest a thumb/hinge/tension activated release. I like the thumb because it seemed like the best combination of qualities for hunting purposes, i.e. I can trigger it if need be. And I might get slammed by some real shooters on here for saying this, but I realized that everybody, even pros, shoot with different forms and release techniques, and back tension apparently means different things to different shooters. Some pull through with the elbow, some squeeze the back muscles together, some stretch the hand, etc. For me I simply come to full draw comfortably in the valley/slightly on the back wall, aim, rest my thumb on the trigger, and keep aiming waiting for the bow to go off (I have a pretty light trigger set). It usually takes about 1-2 seconds, sometimes 3 for the bow to go off. I don't pull through, relax, or add tension to the trigger, all of which were pretty inconsistent for me in terms of accuracy. But this is for later, the first step is to learn what a surprise shot feels like and how to achieve it (blind bale). Then combine that with aiming at very short range (maybe 3 yards or so) and watching your pin float while you wait for the shot to break. Then you can start shooting at targets and work on developing a release technique that is the most accurate for you. And remember, NEVER TRIGGER A SHOT CONSCIOUSLY WHILE PRACTICING!

 

[5MilesBack]

Thanks yeah I've been shooting for about 10 years and just noticed a increase in TP and my scores have plateaued so I decide on top of ridding myself if target panic to just go ahead and reinvent myself. Thank!

By scores, do you mean paper punching at 20 yards? I have always said "If anything would give me target panic, it would be shooting at a dime sized dot over and over at 20 yards". I don't shoot indoors, and I rarely shoot much at under 40 yards.

Back up to 60 and see if you are more relaxed and able to execute shots. I much prefer shooting longer distances, less stressful.

 

[Bramk]

Few tips
-Shoot only a hinge for a while.
-Blank bale non stop
-Shoot at only a few yards at a dot to feel the release and work firing engine.
-Slowly work back to linger yardage in time
-Try to relax while you shoot, like your a third party watching the shot
-Breathe.. Don't stop throughout shot.
-Tie a dloop on bungee cord and work on looking at a spot and breaking the shot. Do this nonstop
-Practice aiming at a dot without shooting.. Do this till you find comfort when your in the x

It's all about making the shot subconscious and letting the bow do its thing.



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