Trad Talk Forums banner

A tale of silver and mind games...

2K views 13 replies 10 participants last post by  buejeger 
#1 · (Edited)
This years Norwegian indoor national champs are done and dusted, and I came away with silver in barebow and some valuable lessons...

I havnt really shot that much the last 12 months, and it really has shown in my form, but a few weeks intensive training before the nationals and I was ready as I was going to be with so little time....
Day one Saturday, 7 barebow shooters lined up.... A couple of new faces which was great to see! One who has switched from sighted recurve... Good stuff.
During warm up one guy was shootingb10,10,10, and 10,9,9 series the whole way... I was like WHAT? Where YOU come from! But once the start buzzer went...so did his form... Just amazing to see,,,, I ended up beating him with well over 100 points.... Now that said, my shooting was not up to par at all... I should really shoot at least 500... But ended in first pace with 477, 7 points over the next man... Last year I beat him by 50 points.. Any how... On to Sunday, today and finals... The cut is made at 4... So straight to semi finals.... I win the first two sets and I need one set to win... At this point the guy I was shooting against ( mr perfect in warm up) has obviously decided that he has lost.... And proceeds to shoot 10,9,9 winning a set.... I stil need a set... Next set I shot 28,,, the begger shot 29!!!! Then we were at match point... Either of us needed one set to win... Pressure on... I nailed it... He went to pieces... Through to finals after an amazing battle of wills....
Then the TV people decide to come late.... So the finals are put on hold... In total an hour between semis and finals and in true FITA style.... No warm up...
To be honest I have never shot so badly in my life...(and luckily true to form, the tv crew only filmed the wheelie finals ) I won the first set, but after that I just fell apart... Literally... I even missed! I should have nailed it... But the pressure got to me... I missed on the next found with one arrow too... (anything less than 6 is miss in finals on triple 40cm face) final set was a fiasco too...so that was that... Looking at the scores I should have easily taken the gold... But that old enemy adrenaline got me big time... Not enough high pressure practice... Last finals round I shot was at indoor nationals last year! How bad did I shoot... 66 with 12 arrows? :sbrug:

What did I learn?

The power of the mind is not to be underestimated...
More competition practice is needed.
More competition practice is needed.
I need to work as hard on my mental game as I do with other aspects.


So sitting in hotel room thinking over my mistakes.... And looking forward to setting up my 3D rig :)
 
See less See more
#2 ·
Great job bud...no reason to hang you head at all....just praise the other ppl for holding it together.

THE MIND.....yes I know..this morning I tried a 300 round with my longbow..54# at my draw.

I was just thinking SHORT warm up to save my arm.

Then I was thinking...can I even shoot 60 arrows at that weight.

next was WOW does this bow shoot different....

SO I shot and did a pathetic job..not because of the bow..just the difference in bows and I am not really taking any time between shots.....Yeah I know...take MORE TIME and BREATH.

But what was funny was this:

WHEN I REALLY REALLY CONCENTRATED...I shot real close to the 5 ring or right in it.

Then I did one round during the set and thought my way through it (and I took more time between shots).

I kept repeating..THIS IS YOUR ONLY SHOT...YOUR ONLY SHOT.....

I scored a 4-5x-4-4-3 for 20 points..my best round.....not great but the 4's were only about 1/8 to 1/2" LOW of the 5...

so YES I thought that was great that if I could REALLY CONCENTRATE I can actually shoot pretty good.

So CHIN UP my friend.....you did great and most of us can hold a candle to you ok
Jer
 
#6 ·
I had the same experience many years ago.
On the fist half I beat national champion by 13 point but as soon as I realice I can win, he beat me bi 10 points.LOL
Mind can be tricky.
Martin
 
  • Like
Reactions: buejeger
#7 ·
Thanks for the honest report Nathan.

It's only lately I've come to understand why it's reckoned that archery is 90% mental.
 
  • Like
Reactions: buejeger
#12 ·
Thanks for the kind words folks... I am still in shock really at just how badly my final shooting went... a total collapse of form it must have been...

I went out in the garden this morning, 18 meters in a STIFF BREEZE and with no warm up nailed the target first time 10,9,9 go figure.... yep I need to compete more often... not easy living where I do...
 
#14 ·
Life is not easy.... What distinguishes greatness is the degree of resolve to overcome!

If archery is where you choose to do battle, then go and do what is necessary with persistence and without hesitation. In time, the gold will come.

Tom
Tom. what makes this irritating for me, is the gold has come... 6 times... so to drop down to silver is hard to swallow.... especially when it is down to stupid nerves! my desire to win was my down fall....
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top