Advanced Shooting Technique Part II (1978)

[Music] [Applause] w anyone who wants to become a top-notch Archer probably already knows that the first job is learning the basic steps of a good shooting sequence next comes the process of refining and adapting those basic skills to suit an individual's own physical characteristics or personal preferences but most important of all is developing a positive mental approach to shooting good attitude is as important as good equipment in good form so only when you've developed a positive metal approach will you be able to refine the basics into the shooting sequence that's best for you a shooting sequence you'll be able to repeat consistently each and every time you step up to the line the first half of that sequence includes taking the proper stance knocking the arrow positioning the fingers on the bow string raising the bow to pre-draw position position the draw and positioning the elbow the second half of the sequence begins with the draw includes holding the anchor aiming and concentrating on the center of the target releasing the arrow and following through so let's take a good look at the second half of that sequence and examine the aspects of it that must be perfected nearly every Archer has learned that the draw should be accomplished by pulling the string back with the muscles of the back and shoulder but not everyone knows that the easiest way to achieve that goal is simply by bringing the elbow back in a straight line so instead of worrying about the muscles in your back concentrate on bringing the elbow back in as straight a line as possible as the draw ends the point of the elbow is in correct position slightly above the arrow and during the draw it's also important to relax the string fingers by keeping the back of the drawing hand relaxed from the third knuckle back through the wrist and forearm as the hand comes back to Anchor the third knuckle back of the hand and wrist all should be in line even during The Anchor You must maintain the tension between the back and shoulder muscles the anchor itself varies from one Archer to the next some Target Shooters anchor under the chin others to the side of the face and mouth whichever of the two you prefer you'll achieve a good solid anchor by holding the forefinger tightly against the Jawbone not only does this bone to- bone anchor keep your head eyes shoulders and bow arm in proper alignment but it maintains the pulling forces of the back and shoulders while you aim either anchor helps a shooter align the string accurately because the string itself is visible in the aiming eye a good anchor also helps Shooters bring the string back to the same point every time and keep their heads in good position the under the chin anchor may be difficult for some people to master because of certain physical characteristics such as a short neck and both under the chin and side anchor are usually used by sight Shooters on the other hand instinctive shooting requires the use of the hunting anchor in which the hand fits along the cheek with the thumb underneath the jaw this is a solid anchor that's easy to duplicate rapidly with any anchor it's important that all archers avoid some common faults that destroy the accuracy of their shots opening and closing the mouth throws the anchor off and causes high or low strike patterns locking the string hand on the face relaxes the muscles in the back and causes a dead release and low arrows Goose necking bending the neck toward the bow results in a shorter draw and low arrows and if there's a lack of solid reference points between the hand and face the anchor FL floats from shot to shot other common faults include changing the angle of the head from shot to shot overdrawing and not using the string alignment properly finally if you fail to relax the muscles of the neck and face during the anchor you'll become fatigued far too quickly but if you can avoid all these faults you'll develop a solid anchor that gives you a good platform from which to aim the first important point to remember about aiming is this your aim is only as good as the form directing the arrow if the arrow is to hit in the Target Center you must give it a positive direction the target the sight and the bow string must be aligned and the sight picture should look like this with the Target in focus and the sight and string out of focus there's bound to be some slight movement of the sight on the target that's virtually impossible to eliminate don't worry about it and don't strain your muscles trying to correct it instead stay relaxed and let the sight float on the center of the target throughout the aiming process keep your concentration on the Target and your eyes focused on it adjusting the focus between the sight and the target not only breaks the concentration but causes rapid eye fatigue only when you feel everything about the shot the alignment of the bowring center of the sight and the target is right is it time to release and every good Archer maintains his concentration after the arrow is released keeping the center of the Target in Focus throughout the follow-through when shooting without a sight the aiming process is instinctive and becoming a good instinctive shooter takes a great deal of time practice and experimentation and to become a good instinctive shooter you must follow three vital rules first the anchor must be constant next your concentration must be directed on the spot you intend to hit and third you must shoot soon after raising the bow into position there must be no adjustment of the bow arm whatsoever naturally only through practice and experimentation will you learn how to use the instinctive aiming method successfully of course all emphasis on preparing the shot will be wasted unless you have good form at the release now let's look at what should happen remember that the word release actually is an inaccurate way to describe how the arrow should leave the hand in truth the muscles of the back of the hand relax until the shot explodes out of the shooter's fingers and the key point is to time that relaxation of the hand so the release or the explosion occurs when everything else is right when the string sight he and Target are in line and when you're mentally ready so a good release must be preceded by several other checkpoints a relaxed bow Hand firm hold on the string wrist of the string hand relaxed bow arm elbow rigid string and sight aligned with the center of the Target and shoulder and back muscles feeling the pull of the Bow's weight then as the pull tension increases when you get the feeling that everything about the shot is right the back of the hand relaxes and the arrow explodes from your grasp your fingers should feel as if they're pulling through the string not letting go of it to improve the consistency of their release many shooters use a small device called a clicker at full draw the clicker rest on the last eighth of an inch of the arrows point after aiming and when ready to shoot the Archer applies pressure on the drawing elbow until he hears the sound of the click and then releases instantly the follow through begins immediately as a simple and natural pull of the fingers without unnecessary or exaggerated movement the tension in the back and shoulder muscles pulls the fingers back and into contact with the Jawbone and along the neck the Bow hand moves forward slightly to the left as a result of the explosion of the shot even as you hear the arrow Hipp the target you should still be holding this follow through position and mentally reviewing the entire sh sequence this is the time to make a metal note about anything you'll want to correct in the next shot only then do you relax and prepare for the next shot sequence all the time you should keep thinking concentrating on exactly what you're doing trying to understand any shooting problems you may have obviously you can't let your mind wander or let yourself be distracted as a result of your concentration and mental discipline you'll develop a personal shooting form best for you the shooting form that again and again will put your arrows right in the center of the target [Music]