Lately, and following lots of changes over the past year, I feel like I have all the bits I need but have to put them together in a consistent, repeatable manner. So I wrote out my shot routine and the points I need to remember. Yesterdays practice session I stuck to 3 arrow ends, taking my time with each arrow and really concentrating on that shot routine.

Much to my dismay I was all over the place, not just arrows, but my hold over the target and sight picture. No matter how I tried I was below the target by the time I’d anchored, wobbling around, which was just made worse as I was needing to raise my sights up to the gold. Arrows not really grouping too well and way too many wild ones not even scoring on the 5 zone face.

I had the thoughts of “what am I doing?” and “gotta really figure this out” just as it hit me – I was applying pull tension with my back shoulder by raising the shoulder up to pull against the harness. When what I need to be doing is keeping that shoulder down also and apply the force back over rather than up. Once I sorted that everything steadied up.

It makes sense really and accounts for why I was below the gold after anchor and lost all the tension in the front.

Something else happened, I tightened the cord on my limb driven arrow rest as I’d spotted the blade was starting to pop up a little at brace. Following that, on my final end, my arrows had dropped drastically. I can only guess that the blade has been creeping up and affecting the flight of the arrow. Must keep an eye on that cord tightness and make sure there’s 1/8th inch stretch in the spring, as per Hamskea instructions.

Anyways, I shot 2 more ends to get my sight marks back and it was in those 2 ends that I figured out the shoulder thing. Otherwise I’d be sat here still wondering what is going on with my shooting.

So learnt 2 really good things yesterday and looking forwards to trying it out later.

At the weekend I shot a WA720 League Match, the first 50 metres round I’ve shot in a long time. My goals were to get onto the Whitburn Archers A team for the month and beat my PB of 552.

With a score of 537 I made it onto the A team but was a little off my PB.

Still quite happy with how I am shooting and how I’ve progressed since PB. When I shot 552 I was really settled in with the equipment and setup that I had, essentially shooting the very best I could. At the weekend I was still messing around with things during the round and have lots of wiggle room to improve the score just by being more consistent.

The way I saw the round play out:
– First 3 or 4 ends my sight picture/hold was all over the place. I put this down to nerves and persevered, concentrating on my mental shot routine.
– I then realised that it was due to me forgetting to apply the pull power at the back – pre load some tension as I settle into anchor.
– Once I started pulling correctly things really stabilised and my groupings tightened up nicely, relatively speaking.
– As I’d messed with sight marks during first 3 or 4 ends my groupings were unfortunately in the blues, 5, 6 points area. Gradually into reds, 7, 8 for an end. And then finally over the middle again.
– Last 2 ends I started to run out of steam on the last 2 arrows of each – so I have a good benchmark of where I am in terms of fitness and stamina – hopefully settling down with consistency gives some immediate gains in that area.

So overall I’m really pleased with what I have got to work with and can’t wait to get out and practice it all later today.

My focus is on the push / pull power that I apply, make sure I pull enough, and keep it all moving in positive direction throughout the shot.

“Rest Day Today” (in Arnie wash day today voice).
Taking a rest from shooting today as I’m shooting a WA720 tomorrow. Usually I would still get a cheeky practice in before a shoot, especially given how nice it is out today. But I know tomorrow my 12th end will be nowhere near as fresh as the first and want to save myself.

Strength training is Push day with rest day tomorrow, so that fits nicely for the 720.

Chatting with Steve James last night and got some excellent coaching tips and info around how to apply the push-pull on my shot execution. He described how to keep the power on, positively, during the shot process and as I move my head to anchor. Separate the anchor step and make it a deliberately precise movement, yet keep the power ON – sounds easy right 🙂 Trying it out I was much more steady when I got it right. I’m at a point where I’m figuring out this push-pull business and will keep on it.