getting in the right frame of mind

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woozle
Junior Poster

Posts: 64
No Commercial Interest
Location: hampshire

Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 6:11 pm Post subject: getting in the right frame of mind

I think im ready to compete in my club, but just knowing others are better gives a feeling that i will let them down. When on the line sometimes i feel i will lose, then again what they hit makes me try harder. How do you ignore whats happing around you!. This has to be a state of mind that has to be overcome, but how. Woozle

Club: talisman bowmen
Bow: win & win
Sight: bifocal
Arrows: pointy
Accesories:

wife, daughter & grand daughter

CaptainBeaky
Apprentice Bowman

Posts: 179
No Commercial Interest
Location: The Green and Pleasant Land

Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 6:26 pm Post subject:

Concentrate on the eye of the fish, Grasshopper _________________ I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed, or numbered! My life is my own!

Club: Bridge Woods FAC
Bow: Marksman Portland
Sight: 20/20, thanks
Arrows: Stuck in a tree
Accesories: Knife for digging arrows out of trees

Ancient Marksman TS4

BTS
Apprentice Bowman

Posts: 103
No Commercial Interest
Location: Nottingham England

Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 8:53 pm Post subject:

Archery is a sport where you are, principally, cometing against yourself or maybe even competing _________________ BAZZ

Club: Burton Joyce Archers & Black Arrow FAC
Bow: OK Match + Merlin TM5 Comp..
Sight: K Sight + Toxonics 1400
Arrows: X7's & AFC Exacta+ Easton 3-28/500 A/C/C's
Accesories: all sorts

old KG1 in cupboard bottom!

Desert Archer
Junior Poster

Posts: 64
No Commercial Interest
Location: Mesa, Arizona USA

Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 11:05 pm Post subject:

The lesson to learn, or perhaps I should say the point to remember, is that no one else there is going to be worried about how you shoot. They will be too busy worrying about and concentrating on how they are shooting. When you get right down to it archery is a very lonely sport, even on a crowded shooting line. You are only competing against yourself to master your equipment and direct the arrow to the target. Forget about everyone else...until the shooting is over. Then you can be a jolly fellow, well met. (smiley face goes here) Dave _________________ Barebow Recurve Shooter Bring Back Field Archery

Club: Usery Mountain Archers, Papago FITA Archers, Arizona Bowhunter & Field Archery Association
Bow: 2 Spigarellis, 2 Best of Italy, 1 Bernardini Nilo (in route)
Sight: Barebow Recurve
Arrows: All are aluminum/carbon Eastons.
Accesories:

madhatter
Apprentice Bowman

UK N/W Area Rep (NFAS)

Posts: 140
Club Committee Member
Location: Cheshire.

Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 8:12 am Post subject:

You should just remember what you have been taught. stand up to the shooting line/peg and be as relaxed as you can.........just concentrate on your target pick the smallest point kill area or gold whatever, do not rush, think yourself into a calm state [if your were hunting and you rushed into a shooting position this would alert your prey and could put you off balnce...it's the same with the sport] look at your target...breath slower.......nock your arrow......look at the target...slowly bring up your bow to your shooting position.....aim and in your own time gently release......it's gone now you cannot bring the arrow back so don't drop your bow arm to look for the arrow...slowly lower your bow arm and enjoy the moment. Just shoot with these basic principles in mind...you will adapt and develop your individual sytem..........see you on the podium soon eh GOSHAWK ARCHERS _________________ It wasn't me....... honest

Club: Goshawk Archers
Bow: Bow Tech Constitution,AFB,Recurve,Bamboo Longbow
Sight: Viper 5 pin
Arrows: POC & Light Speed 400
Accesories: sweets

CaptainBeaky
Apprentice Bowman

Posts: 179
No Commercial Interest
Location: The Green and Pleasant Land

Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 4:12 pm Post subject:

As madhatter says: Ignore everyone else - for the duration of the shot, they are irrelevant. Riflemen talk about being "in the bubble" - you on the inside, the rest of the world isolated outside the bubble with all it's distractions. Prepare your equipment for the shot, then concentrate on the kill zone (hence my 'eye of the fish' comment). Keep it slow and easy - don't rush, but don't hang onto the shot to make sure. Time your draw and loose with your breathing - slow your breathing rate down, breathe in, breathe out as you draw, loose in the gap between exhale and inhale. Stay on aim until after the arrow hits - the follow-through - the quiet bit between the shot and bubble opening again to let the world back in. 2 big things - 1: your main competitor is the one you see in the mirror. 2: Don't forget to enjoy it _________________ I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed, or numbered! My life is my own!

Club: Bridge Woods FAC
Bow: Marksman Portland
Sight: 20/20, thanks
Arrows: Stuck in a tree
Accesories: Knife for digging arrows out of trees

Ancient Marksman TS4

Celtic Dragon
Apprentice Bowman

Posts: 121
No Commercial Interest
Location: Bedfordshire

Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 8:28 pm Post subject:

A trick I use and I know some top flight Biathletes use is not to think about it!! Sounds daft but let me explain. I get myself ready on target getting my stance right, then turn my head and draw. This is the point where I dissenge my brain!!!! Once the bow is drawn, I try not to think about the shot. I sing songs in my head, think about my next holiday, anything but archery!!!!!!!! I do the same when I'm shooting rifles. If I could, I'd listen to my ipod on the shooting point to take my mind off things. From personal experiance, the above works for me. My brain /eyes /fingers know when to pull the trigger, so I leave it up to them. A good shot for me is 1 I cant remember. The eye sees the crosshair / pin on target and the finger pulls the trigger. No brain intervention is required.

Club: Avalon
Bow: CSS Challenger / Horton Edge
Sight: Apex / something 'orrible
Arrows: CX200
Accesories: A tab / carter Target 3

woozle
Junior Poster

Posts: 64
No Commercial Interest
Location: hampshire

Posted: Tue May 20, 2008 5:57 pm Post subject:

Many thanks to all of you for your response to this, i can only try, see you all in in china! woozle

Club: talisman bowmen
Bow: win & win
Sight: bifocal
Arrows: pointy
Accesories:

wife, daughter & grand daughter

Ratfighter
Global Moderator

Posts: 772
Staff Shooter
Location: the Ratcave

Posted: Tue May 20, 2008 7:47 pm Post subject:

You mean there are other people shooting on the line Woozle, once you are stood on the line, there is just you and the target. I'm sure that after a couple of dozen you'll feel the same and be rushing to the line the second the whistle goes just like the rest of us. I wouldn't worry too much about scores, leave that for the others, just work on pb's or any other standard you care to set yourself and have a great time!!! _________________ MERLIN ARCHERY CLUB GETTING RATTIER BY THE MINUTE

Club: Merlin Archery Club
Bow: Merlin XS x2
Sight: Axcel 3000 Viper Scope
Arrows: Navigators & Gold Tip Ultralight Pro's
Accesories: Apollo launcher, CC Porter release, Merlin Triad stabiliser

Bows now sporting my own strings!!!! yummy!!

pafc1886
Apprentice Bowman

Posts: 178
No Commercial Interest
Location: Devon / Cornwall Border

Posted: Tue May 20, 2008 8:45 pm Post subject:

I like Celtic Dragon's idea of blotting out everything. All I hear is this 6'6" bloke shouting "Keep Your Head Still" I know he means well dear of him and he has got his work cut out with me !! _________________ Toad Hollow Archers - Loud And Proud !!

Club: Toad Hollow Archers
Bow: Blackbrook Zeta
Sight: Yes Thanks
Arrows: Self-made Woodies
Accesories: Wife

Devon Archer
Cub Poster

Posts: 25
No Commercial Interest
Location: Devon / Cornwall Border

Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 10:17 am Post subject:

That is a downright lie I am only 6ft 5 _________________ yes it is me from the other place www.toadhollowarchers.org the home of Scraesdon Fort 2008

Club: Toad Hollow Archers
Bow: Spigarelli Riser Border Limbs
Sight:
Arrows: Lightspeed
Accesories: