Author Topic: instinctive shooting focus (Read 8227 times)

arachnid · « **on:** May 06, 2015, 04:17:17 pm »

Hi guys.
I've come to realize that the main problem with my accuracy is my lack of concentration. So, I'd like to hear from the experts- How do you focus? What do you do to gain better concentration?
I've read about visualizing the shot or staring at the target but I'm not sure HOW it's done. Any tips would be welcome.

Thanks in advance.

Dor

Chief RID · « **Reply #1 on:** May 06, 2015, 04:58:40 pm »

No expert here. I will say, I never thought I would get to a point where I was comfortable "grippin and rippin" but it is coming along. I did a lot of gap shooting and learning what my arrow was doing at different distances, for a few years now since I started back shooting every day. I now can forget all that aiming stuff and just concentrate on picking a spot and maintaining form. I will check gaps every once in a while while shooting distances beyond 20 to 25 yds but I seem to be getting where I am increasing my distances that I can just grip and rip. All I know is it feels good to be hitting where I am looking. Still working on it.

Pat B · « **Reply #2 on:** May 06, 2015, 05:19:24 pm »

I think the most important thing about accurate shooting is to get your muscle memory chiseled into your body by shooting a lot, concentrating on your form and on every shot. Start out 5 yards from the target, close your eyes and concentrating on your grip, fingers on the string, pulling to a solid anchor and releasing. Do this 100 times until it is a natural feel. Then move back to 10 yards but this time open your eyes(safety first) but follow the above path. When you can hit your target consistantly move back 5 yards more and continue.
Shoot every day as much as you comfortably can(50-100 shots). If you don't really feel like shooting or can't concentrate, put is all down and come back later. Bad habits are harder to break than new habits are to learn. By doing this and by making your shooting style consistent you can eventually shoot consistently without thinking. Now, you can concentrate on your accuracy, you can concentrate on where the arrow WILL go, where it will hit that hair over the kill zone.
When I'm hunting, many times I don't remember the shot. I often remember putting tension on the string then seeing the arrow in the target but not the actual shot. I let my brain deal with all of that peripheral junk and just concentrate on where the arrow will go.

Enharrington · « **Reply #3 on:** May 10, 2015, 09:30:11 pm »

I am definitely no expert and only recently made a self bow I like and good set of arrows. But I had the same problem with focus as you. One day I used a paper Stewart's coffee cup as a target and realized if I concentrated on actually reading the word Stewart's while I was shooting my accuracy improved. I used something with a word on it I could read for a few weeks and it really helped me focus.

Pat B · « **Reply #4 on:** May 10, 2015, 10:33:49 pm »

That sounds like a great exercise, En. Once you get good at hitting the writing then concentrate on letters in the words.
Aim small, miss small!

PEARL DRUMS · « **Reply #5 on:** May 11, 2015, 04:32:14 pm »

You will be surprised to find that form far out trumps concentration. You can burn a hole through a target with your eyes and none of that matters until your anchor point is the same each shot, your grip is the same each shot, your elbow is level on each shot and so on. Most of us have adequate hand/eye coordination from the start.

Pappy · « **Reply #6 on:** May 12, 2015, 06:18:08 am »

Form and trying to keep my mind clear of distractions are the main things for me. If I do that I usually hit what I am looking at or very close to it.

Pappy

Chief RID · « **Reply #7 on:** May 12, 2015, 11:18:59 am »

Hey Dor. As usual I know I skirted around your question. My concentration varies from day to day and session to session. Limiting caffeine is one thing that seems to help me. My attitude when I go out to shoot, seems to be another. Surroundings and sight picture is another. I think hitting the target when these things are a factor during practice and in the field is what helps your memory of how to make the shot. Knowing you can make the shot and repeatedly doing it helps focus. Sometimes knowing when to abandon the shot or the session, if that is an option may be the only choice. I guess then you have to decide, do I continue to make the shot while shooting bad or do I change something so I am making the shot. We have to shot and miss while competing and hunting but we don't during practice. You know all that. How do I keep focus or improve it? I don't. It comes and goes. If I could stay in the zone I would have had a career in the NBA.

crooketarrow · « **Reply #8 on:** May 24, 2015, 03:33:41 am »

Don't even worry about the distance you shoot. Learn to get set up close, most people are pertty good at 12 yards.

I'll pick a small a spot as I can in the front leg crease or a feather on a gobbler. Never take my eye off that spot unitll I hear my arrow hits. I don't know how it happens But next thing I know the arrows in the buck or gobbler. All I remember touching my ankor.

Same with shooting across the lawn or stump shooting. Don't do anything untill you hear your arrow hit. Follow through go's along way,and thats what your doing lissening for your arrow to hit.

Nothing special it's all learned.

Distance I don't worry about it.

I set up close.

Works for me.

Chief RID · « **Reply #9 on:** May 24, 2015, 08:30:08 am »

Listening for the arrow to hit. I am definitely going to try that. I think it will help with my flyers. Most seem to be some breakdown of form or loss of the spot.

Pappy · « **Reply #10 on:** May 27, 2015, 06:52:45 am »

Shooting 1 or 2 arrows at a time helps also, hard to really focus on more than that at a time for me.

Try and keep the front arm rock solid until the arrow hits, same principle as crooketarrow said [listen for arrow to hit], you really can't hold your arm solid till it hits but if you try the arrow will have cleared the bow by the time your front arm moves and that will cut down on the fliers as we call them.

Pappy

crooketarrow · « **Reply #11 on:** June 05, 2015, 12:22:04 pm »

Not sure if this helps but I quit shooting groups years ago. I shoot one arrow at a time. I think this helps. Because when you shoot at a buck,gobbler or what ever you shoot ,cold ,no warm ups.

That one arrow causes a lot of exture walking has'nt killed me in 25 years.

I think PAT talked about mussle memory. He's right 100% of the time. It is as important as picking a small spot as you can. AIM SMALL MISS SMALL is totally true when it comes to shoot Useing a bow and arrow.

You have to get into your own click. It you shoot as natural as you can. Meaning what do what fells right for you. And do a lot of it remember mussle memory along with doing what comes natural.

Aim small miss small

I've use the KISS metod my whole life.
KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPIT. WORKS WITH MOST ANYTHING IN LIFE.
Exspecially good with bow( hunting) shooting.

punch · « **Reply #12 on:** August 14, 2015, 03:47:25 pm »

Like others have metioned getting your form down is key. For me its all about not thinking at all. I do my best shooting when I'm NOT checking my form, thinking, calculating distance, checking gaps, not tired. Your form has to be to the point that it just happens. The distances and not checking gaps comes from lots of shooting. When I was a teenager I built a archery range in the canyon next to my house. I shoot every day for 2-3 hours. I got to the point that I was in a 8" paper plate from 80 yards and in with 90% accuracy and I could hit the paper plate at 120 yards 9 out of 12 times. Now that I don't have that time to practice I am nowhere near that good. I found that visualizing a point on a target helps me more that trying to find a point on a target. What I did was I used a black trash bag to cover my target. Then I got those gun target stickers, the ones that come in multiple sizes. They are a bright orange. I use the ones that are about the size of a pencil eraser. I put one on my target and just kept focusing on it and practicing at close range. After awhile whenever I shoot I always visualized the orange dot on my target.

jayman448 · « **Reply #13 on:** August 14, 2015, 04:50:23 pm »

I am finding that everything has to be consistant. Even your mental state. If you draw up wondering if youll hit it you wont. Draw down, de nock and reset. Re do. Dont let that arrow fly till everything meshes. That way every practice shot is muscle memory and not just bad habits cuz your getting frustrated. If you find yourself looking at the bow or arrow while your drawing up just draw down again. You lost focus.

The hardest part about getting help with archery is everyone will tell you something different. You got to find what works for you

punch · « **Reply #14 on:** August 14, 2015, 06:30:11 pm »

Jayman makes some really good points. I usually visualize my point then bring my bow up. It took a long time to learn how to stay focused on the point and not "see" the bow and arrow.

Primitive Archer