forkhorn04

The hardest part of shooting traditionally, at least for me so far, is being consistent. Anchor point, drawing method, just by repeating the shooting over and over you gain the muscle memory and the process becomes ingrained. Picking a small spot is extremely crucial. Aim small miss small! Shot cross dominant for awhile, and became proficient. However, contrary to what Duane said, sometimes I would catch myself gap shooting. Of course I also canted the bow to nearly 45 degrees so the arrow was in line with my dominant eye. The main thing is don't get frustrated, it takes time.

Good luck

Rhody Hunter

I am cross dominate,right handed but left eye dominate. so how should i be sighting. i'm not sure i understand just being instictive. i think i understand the gap method but am open for an explaination on how

bigcountry

I shoot right handed and left eye dominant, and I do close my left eye on a shot. I tried for a long time to shoot with my left eye with extreme cant, but was smacking my lip on the shot.

SteveBNy

What Arthur said!
Combine developing a consistant, repeatable form with a conscious aiming system will shorten the learning curve considerably.
A gap or split vision method will soon develop to where you do not have to consciously aim for it to be succesful.

Steve

Rhody Hunter

is there a particular degree of cant to the bow that is appropriate 5* or up to 45* ?ordoes it not matter

bigcountry

Depends on your face shape, anchor point, and your stance. If you hitting to the left, keep canting, until you don't and your eye is lined up over the arrow. My cant is like a 1:30 cant.

Rhody Hunter

OK that makes sense. do you just quickly release your fingers or are you suppose to slowly let them ride off your fingers ?

bigcountry

Thats something I still have not mastered. You hear people say relax the back of your hand. But I keep my elbow going back shifting all the wieght to my back, and when the time feels right, I try just relaxing the back of my hand. This is where bale shooting up close is essential just concentrating on this.

Arthur P

Release isa big'un fora lot of folks. I think the best way to describe it is to do nothing. You're already doing something, you know... You've got the string back, you're at anchor, concentrating on your aimand continuing to apply back tension to keep at anchor while pushing the bowhand at the target. Then, when you're ready, youkeepthe push/pull going butyou simplyallow the string to leave your fingers.No throwing the fingers open, no conscious thought of relaxing, just zip and it's gone.

I never practiced my release much on blank bale. Instead, I found my point-on distance - the distance where I could aim by putting the point of the arrow in the spot I wanted to hit, just like a sight pin - and shooting arrow after arrow at it.It's also very good training for establishing a consistent draw length. Once you've got a solid draw length and consistent release, you can shoot very good groups at that distance. Of course, it's important that all your arrows are exactly the same length to do point-on shooting.

The bow I had and the anchor I used (index finger at the corner of my mouth)when I was a really good shot gave me a point-on at 60 yards. I could easily hold 8" groups or better out there. I've actually robin hooded more arrows at 60 yards with my recuve than I have done at 20 yards.

oldschoolPA

Forkhorn04 mentioned muscle memory, and that's a big deal for me. The only way you get it is through practice. I do believe in visualization as well... both in the moment and beforehand. I have heard that many pro athletes are coached to do this. For some reason it seems to help me in tracking, too, though perhaps it simply helps me to focus and I end up noticing signs that I might not otherwise.