[Navan-James]

Hi,

I'm developing a serious obstacle to my archery enjoyment (and accuracy). I gap shoot (or at least I try to) and its now starting to become impossible for me to comfortably set my gap and then expand & release. As I approach my gap I'm simply releasing, I'm not coming to full draw, properly setting my gap or anything approaching real form.

This came to ahead yesterday, more poor shooting and I'm tired of tinkering around the edges. I want to try and tackle this problem. What advice can others offer to help me address this issue? I thought that concentration on my shot sequence would resolve this issue. It's helped but it's not really effective, or at least not yet. I'm still trying ...

What exercises can I use to minimise this problem? This evening I tried a drill that I saw Larry Yien use in the MBB series. I drew the bow and then counted ten and then let down twice. On the third occasion I counted ten and then released. It was hard to keep hold of that string ... physically not difficult (shooting 42#) but mentally tough. Once or twice the arrow went before I reached ten ... I decide before I draw that I'm not releasing but that's not what happens. What other drills/advice is there?

Regards, James.

 

[cecil]

Joel Turner has some videos on you tube that will help. drop down on your bow weight till you can gain control.

 

[J. Wesbrock]

This is the start of TP. The good thing is you've decided to do something now instead of months down the road when it's much worse. The sooner you work on it the easier it is to get a handle on things.

The best advice I can give you is to have an open mind and be willing to try anything. There are a lot of ideas, drills and items out there designed to help people with TP. No one cure will work for everyone.

Read that last sentence again.

Pick a thing/idea/program and give it a good, honest try. If it doesn't work for you, move on to something else. But don't, I repeat, DON'T feel like a failure just because something that worked for one guy didn't work for you. We're all different, and it does no good to pretend otherwise.

I went through an endless list of "guaranteed to work" cures before I finally broke down and learned to shoot with a clicker. For me it gave me my control back and made archery fun again. Last year I shot all outdoor season without one, and it worked out pretty well.

Just dive into something, anything, and fight like heck to get your control. back. And if that doesn't work, kick it aside and try something else. But never give up. The perfect cure for you may be right around the corner.

 

[dan worden]

This ^.


I have tried all kinds of things to get my shot to feel more natural to me. I just last month found something that is making my shot feel much like the competition shooting I did for 20 yrs.

 

[Mo0se]

Good post Jason!

 

[markliep]

Best result for me to date to minimize early release has been form that demands relaxation of both my hands during the expansion phase - feels like you're stretching/expanding along the line of sight into the target - that bit of a delay followed by inhaling to release once set up has decreased a lot of the shoot before being settled ... not sure if it'll work for you or not but might be worth a shot ... M

 

[John in NZ]

I use let down drills for this problem if it raises it's head.
To fully benefit from it stand two arrow lengths from a brick wall or some other immovable object you really don't want to shoot.
Your wife's new car would be ideal.
Knock an arrow then draw the bow and settle into anchor, if you haven't already shot the wall or car that is.
Then slowly let down and repeat and repeat ect.
No shooting of any kind until you can hold steady for a couple of seconds before letting down.
This is no doubt just one of many ways to work on the problem, but it worked well for me and I still do it now an then.
But I have a brick wall so it's pretty safe if I do mess up. ;^)

Good luck,
John.

 

[Dave Holquist]

James, if you follow John's advice and happen to put an arrow into your wife's new car, TP will be the least of your worries! Good luck finding a fix that works for you.

 

[bfisherman11]

Jason knows what he is talking about. I had TP as well and read all I could. Did the exercises and got better but not cured. I learned a couple things about me, my shot and how I had to be in control of it and not the other way around. I was almost there but not quite. I met Rick Welch and he taught me to have a shoot routine and a double anchor. That was what I needed and I am a better shot today than I was back in 2005 when this happened.

Good luck, your answer is out there. Just need to find what works for you.

Bill

 

[Navan-James]

Thanks guys for all the advice. I'll do some reading and start working on this affliction.

Regards, James.

 

[Harpman]

Thanks guys for all the advice. I'll do some reading and start working on this affliction.

Regards, James.

James...I have had this same thing off and on for about a decade...get on this thing fast, hard, and thoroughly....The sooner you get on it, the easier it will be to get control of it...I wish you Luck!....Take Care.....Harp

 

[Tharfin]

Whatever system you will try you must know that you must work for it (like Joel Turner says). Without your work for the system nothing will happen.
Best of luck!

 

[jerbearyukon]

go do this

http://www.marlinowners.com/forum/4...rea-wow-valentines-were-running-hard-out.html

 

[Bowmania]

I'm on Jason's band wagon. I used the clicker and after time it worked. I was very worried about falling back in the old habits when I took it off, so I worked a lot on the blank bail before I went back to shooting distance.

I once coached a guy on a clicker. He had tp for about 5 years. In one session I got him to hold at anchor. I saw him about 2 or 3 months later and asked him how it was going. He said, it didn't work and took the clicker off. Through the discussion that followed I found out he had on the clicker for a week. He had TP for 5 years and expected a clicker to cure it in a week!!!

According to Rod Jenkins and Dr. Tom Amberry it takes 21 to 30 days to replace an old habit with a new. I'm more inclined to think 30 - what's 7 days after you've been at something for 3 weeks? It's all habit.

Bowmania

 

[Navan-James]

Lads, for all the very useful advice and even more welcome encouragement. I'm feeling better about this already.

Best Regards, James.

 

[Danny Willoughby]

Being one that has nearly jumped off the cliff(and still think about it LOL) due to TP, I can tell you, I feel your pain. There are many different forms of TP and many different ways to manage it. There are also many different mental battles going on in archer’s minds, with some battles being more brutal than others. It is the mental battle, along with the level of brutally, that overcomes the joy of archery. For some, it even leads to quitting the sport.

I don’t think anyone who has never had TP will be able to fully understand those that do have it, although they may be able to help them. Also, those that have minor cases of TP will not fully understand the mental anguish going on with those that have a severe case. From what I have heard, there are not many archers that have not experienced some form of TP. Some are able to manage it and some spend years trying to mange it.

Do as others have said and be open minded. Depending on your condition, progress could be very slowly. Stick with it and focus on any progress you make. Do a search, as others and myself have posted some drills and concepts to try and see if they work for you. I would also strongly recommend that you fully commit to addressing this issue NOW! I would look for ways that help you manage YOUR TP. It will not necessarily be a cure, but some tools for you to manage it.

I wish you a successful experience that will regain the joy of shooting an arrow!

 

[DDD]

James I read a paper about being a "Spectator Shooter". To me that really hit home. I tried to 30 day plan and that was great for form changes and it should. But the way we think is all together different. Just like J said.
Dan

 

[steve morley]

I was having issues Gapping, just wasn't trusting the Gap, peeking to check the Gap and my back tension was either weakened or lost, this caused freezing above/below the spot.

I made the switch to Stringwalking and life became easier, as the arrow was nearly always in the spot I stopped peeking for the arrow tip and maintained better BT and a much stronger conclusion, no freezing issues. I still Gap on the longer shots but the Stringwalking has cured me of peeking and freezing so everything is good now.

I have had some issues with the Fita 18m rounds last few weeks, I was stuck slightly on the right of the spot or couldn't maintain a relaxed float, drove me crazy for a week, I figured out the problem, I had too much tension in my arms and was over aiming this allowing BT ease off slightly and not powering through the shot with my Scapula, I took the tension out of my arms, focused a little more on BT and everything is good again. Indoor rounds can really mess with your head. lol

 

[KeithinPA]

I'm not a frequent poster but a habitual lurker on this site. I too suffered with the dreaded TP for quite some time. Between the great advise I garnered on this site, information from Joel Turner, and bits and pieces from the MBB series I came up with a solution that worked for me.

I tell myself that my job is not to shoot. My job is to hit and lock onto anchor, allow my arrow tip to float where it needs to, and to slooooowly increase back tension. When I do that, the shot just happens. If I start thinking about my release or the shot itself, the wheels fall off the bus. I let my subconscious mind trigger the shot after I'm happy with my site picture and I have proper back tension.

Like others have said, you'll need to find what works for you. Lots of folks use Joel's mantra but that didn't work for me but doesn't mean it won't work for you. Just stick with it and you'll find the cure that blends with your particular shot sequence.

 

[kenn1320]

I was having issues Gapping, just wasn't trusting the Gap, peeking to check the Gap and my back tension was either weakened or lost, this caused freezing above/below the spot.

I made the switch to Stringwalking and life became easier, as the arrow was nearly always in the spot I stopped peeking for the arrow tip and maintained better BT and a much stronger conclusion, no freezing issues. I still Gap on the longer shots but the Stringwalking has cured me of peeking and freezing so everything is good now.

I have had some issues with the Fita 18m rounds last few weeks, I was stuck slightly on the right of the spot or couldn't maintain a relaxed float, drove me crazy for a week, I figured out the problem, I had too much tension in my arms and was over aiming this allowing BT ease off slightly and not powering through the shot with my Scapula, I took the tension out of my arms, focused a little more on BT and everything is good again. Indoor rounds can really mess with your head. lol

James Im with you. I have struggled with it in compound and again in trad. Ive competed several years now, never actually setting my gap. Its mentally frustrating to not even be close to where I want the arrow and off it goes into the 10. Granted it doesnt go there as often as I would like, but the point is Im not the one in control of when and where it goes off. The only time I can hold on a target is when Im locked off it. Well that is until now. I realized sight picture was a big problem of mine, cause I shot instinctive and my mind learned to shoot that way on autopilot. So I would hit anchor and before I consciously would see and set the gap, my subconscious could see the right sight picture and release the arrow. I did 2 things here. I changed to string walking like Steve Morely posted. This now changed my sight picture, so my subconscious didnt know how to run the shot with the new picture. I contacted Joel and went through the proper mental techniques so my mind doesnt release on the new sight picture. My scores have dropped slightly, but what a feeling to be the one consciously making the shot.
Good luck buddy, it sucks dealing with TP.