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My excuse, what's yours?

1310 Views 12 Replies 10 Participants Last post by  13033, 
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My shooting skills have suffered greatly recently. With that, so has my confidence. I never was a great or natural shooter but I would take a deer each year and not embarrass myself too much at 3d shoots.
In January I had gone to the gym, came home and proceeded to shoot some arrows. I didn't quite feel right and then my jaws started hurting. I went to the emergency room and 7 days later left with about a 12" scar in the middle of my chest. Heredity caught up with me and I had 5 heart bypasses. Talk about depressing! On the bright side, there was no major heart dammage.
I was finally released by the doctor's on April 14th. Weak as a baby I started pulling a 25# bow to build strength and stamina. The pain was constant and intense. I've since shot 4 3d courses since then and am up to my old bow weight. My shooting been inconsistent, but I will not quit. I have basically started from square one and the going is slow, but steady. My confidence had suffered til I realized I'm only competing with myself at this point. May the best man win. So what's holding you back? Excuses are like a-holes. Getoutthere and get th job done.
I'll be at Cloverdale next week and again in July. Just competing with myself is enough for now.

Jim Compliment
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vabowdog
Jim, I embrace a good challenge...I've never had a serious setback like yours but as of now I take it all on the cheek....I know the only person that can beat me is me...every time I screw up whether it's a shoot or something less important I make sure I learn from it.


Hope you're better and feeling just a little stronger everyday..I met you last year at the Trad Worlds..youre a good guy...keep your head up.


God Bless


Dewayne Martin
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starrider
Hope to see you at Cloverdale next week. Glad to hear that your on the upswing.
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rusty craine
Well I can write several pages on this. Five by pass and two shoulders that need to be replaced, does not help your form.

The funny thing is that I revamped my shot sequence. Bring bow up. String vertical to chest. Push bow with bow arm, holding string vertical to chest. Now pull string drawing hand to about full draw. In separate step acquire anchor. Settle to anchor. Extended bow arm to start expansion.

It looks ridicules but it is working. Can you believe how shocked I was the other night when I watched the 2012 Olympic final Italy v USA? Michaela exactly the same style???? Hmmmmm????

If you have not watched it, it is on YOUTUBE. Have no idea why he is doing it. Must have had a spy watching me :) LOL
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rusty craine
BTY he had the win in his hands on his last shot and last shot of the match. Very exciting match. If he shot a 10 Italy wins, a nine and it is a tie an 8 and it is a lose.
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I
Jim

Good to here you are you doing well. I looking forward to catching up with ya at cloverdale.
My Confidence has been like roller coaster since i started but at the end off the day meeting and shooting with guys like you and all the other guys out there that always lend encouragement is why i love this sport. But to your question of what holds me back. I think its comes back to confidence, when im lose and shooting relaxed i seem to execute pretty well, then i go to a shoot get all worked up and shoot a shot with a hole different sequence and second guess everything im doing. But there is no excuses here just another thing to work on and try to get better at.

Cya soon bud
Jim Roher
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rsarns
Been there... Blew out my bow shoulder 2 years ago or so (ac joint froze), then Thanksgiving of 2012 (3 days after) had a bad heart attack, lost 40% of my hearts function ability. Scared the bejeezus out of me, next day they took me in for surgery. Got lucky and they put in 2 stints, my cardiologist is a leading proponent for stints over open heart.... In April I blew out my left knee (tore LCL) ... Still waiting to see if I'll have surgery. Won't go back to 2005.... That put me in a hospital in Germany for two months"...but I keep coming back and am sure you will also. Good luck and shoot straight!
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It's refreshing to hear of people overcoming adversity. I am my own worst enemy. Also In Jim. I think you're going in the right direction by going to theTripleCrown shoots. The experience your gaining is priceless. I love the fact that no one has blamed equipment for any short comings. I always know that with me, it's always operator error. I'm disgusted when I see someone throw a tantrum, through their bow down, and use the excuse that their equipment is to blame.

Jim Compliment
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J
Jim,very happy to hear your recovering and getting back on with your life.
My father in law resently under went a triple by pass and watching his recovery has given me a whole new understanding and respect for anybody that has to go through that.
I've also resently returned to shooting after a back op that's left me with permanant nerve damage that prevents my legs getting the full message when I do any exersize.
The result is that my legs don't respond to exersize by getting any stronger and I often end up hurting myself without realising it at the time because I don't feel the damage as it happens.
On our club field course I only get about 10-15 targets shot in full control before it all starts falling apart and by the end of the round I'm always completely trashed.
The funny thing is none of it really bothers me that much anymore because it ain't going away,so I just carry on happy with the fact I can still walk and shoot at all.
The other thing is that now I'm pretty much non competitive I've become more involved at other levels within our club which has actually improved my over all enjoyment of the club as a whole as well.
The old saying that if something doesn't kill you it will make you stronger has certainly been true for me.
Anyway,all the best and I hope it keeps getting better for you.

John.
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John,
It's amazing the things we take for granted and overlook each day. My point of the post was not "woe is me" but to illustrate what we can overcome when faced with adversity in our lives and our sport. We must look inside ourselves for the strength we need to keep going. In the scheme of things, what I went through and my recovery is nothing. What really matters in life has become so much clearer to me. If I shoot poorly, my wife still loves me, my dog doesn't bite me, and life goes on. It is as Nitchze said, "what doesn't kill me makes me stronger". There's a Chinese saying that helps me alot: "In all of nature, no matter how violent, no storm lasts forever".

Jim Compliment
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UrbanDeerSlayer
Jim and others,

Its good to hear that you refuse to let a setback in your health keep you from getting back on your feet and putting the energy forward to accomplish something. In my line of work, I see the worst of the worst, and I encourage them every day to get up and go. Many of them lack the motivation or the will and resign themselves to a sedentary life of weakness, pain, and depression. So never give up, do what you enjoy to the fullest, life is to short.

Personally, I make no excuses for my inconsistent shooting which seems to be worse lately. I'm sure I would shoot better if half my body didn't ache, but I refuse to lay down and quit.
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T
Jim, I had open heart surgery 3yrs ago… aortic valve/stem replacement… and it was a bear for me too! I had been shooting 70lb @ 30" all my life (I was about 65 at the time). When I got to the point where I could even think about pulling a string I struggled with 25lbs, but kept up the bale work for weeks! I gradually worked up in weight never overdoing it and now am back up to over 60lbs.

PERSISTENCE! Never quit! Keep on working to whatever goal you choose! It's worked for me and many others.

I'm happy you're doing well, All the best!

Tom
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rusty craine said:
The funny thing is that I revamped my shot sequence. Bring bow up. String vertical to chest. Push bow with bow arm, holding string vertical to chest. Now pull string drawing hand to about full draw. In separate step acquire anchor. Settle to anchor. Extended bow arm to start expansion.
Click to expand...
Dang!!

Been doing it that way forever!!

Have I been rght/wrong all these years?? LOL

Only difference, I go from low wrist to high wrist to start expansion.

I leave my 60+ recurve strung and pull it and slowly realease, every day.

Only way I can stay at 70# at my age.

Kind of like weight lifting..
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