[sdpeb1]

I had to start a thread that I consider myself an expert at, being a beginner.
I think "peaking" is the word that is used. I think it is difficult for a beginner to stay into the shot untill the arrow has hit the target, this causes the bow arm to drop or do all sorts of things that causes a bad shot. I suppose you could include this into "burning a hole" where you want the arrow to hit and maybe a drop in concentration. But if you don't keep the bow in the same spot at release then nothing good can happen. I can get by with a so so release, not perfect alignment, but I have to make sure my head does not move(look up) untill that arrow has hit the spot I'm looking at.
I might be wrong but about this, I really havn't shot with any new shooters but it seems be the thing I really have to concentrate on. - Steve

 

[Gurn]

I think your right on the money as far as peeking. The same thing happens to compound shooters. This is really a problem for some when you include the excitement of hunting. I always told my son "don't let anything change until after the arrow stops". Pretend you can still control its flight until it hits its target. Some call it follow through.

 

[RCL]

My #1 problem when starting out in the Trad world was my ego getting in the way of my learning.......:embara: :noidea:

 

[SteveB]

2 major problems I see for many begginers - overbowed and thinking there is your own personal "trad" form that will find you if you shoot enough.

Steve

 

[SCS]

Mine is anchoring, or lack of. Now that I moved my point from the corner of my mouth to the jaw bone, it seems to be getting better, though.
Steve

 

[Viper1]

sdpeb1 -

I have to go with SteveB on this one, while the "peaking" is a textbook mistake, I've seen it a lot les often than most folks would believe. The two biggest "trad" issues are over-bowing and mistaking style for "form".

RCL's statement is SOOOO true and relates well to the above!!!

SCS -

When I'm teaching new folks. until I can get them to find a reproducible anchor, we don't go any further it's THAT important. Assuming that the overbowing and "style" things have been avoided, I can get most people to "find an anchor" during the first session.

Viper1 out.

 

[bowhunterprime]

Really?! I'm a beggining trad shooter and I'm still trying to establish an anchor point that I can hit just right on every draw. I shoot with a tab, with one finger over the nock and two under. One thing I've been trying is to put the tip of my thumb on the tip of the nock and the base of my thumb aginst my jaw bone as my anchor. What do you guys do?

 

[junker]

i've been a victim as well. i been shooting for a couple of years now....doesn't seem that long. the 2008-2009 deer season was my first season to bowhunt. i practiced 6-7 days a week...hours at a time. about 2 months before opening day; i was on fire. 2 weeks after that; i couldn't hit the ground. as opening day got closer; i got worse...and worse......and even worser.

i was trying to many things at once imo. one day i grabbed my bow, walked outside, and didn't think about anything....form, anchor, etc.

i decided to just pull the bow back without thinking....just did what was comfortable. i noticed my bow was extremely canted but it felt good. havent changed a thing since then and i'm shooting great right now.

 

[kernoonus]

what is over bowing?

 

[junker]

what is over bowing?

too much poundage. many people think its best to start with low poundage to help in the development of your form. i was way overbow....started with a 63# recurve; but i worked it all out

 

[elk country rp]

what is over bowing?

thinking that because you shoot a 70# compound, you can accurately shoot a traditional bow within 20# of that. the lighter traditional bow you start with, the more likely you are to develop good form & avoid bad habits.
:darkbeer:

 

[fxdrider]

what is over bowing?

Overbowing is the practice of using a bow with a heavier draw weight than one can comfortably handle and sustain good form with. Many of us who take up traditional archery are either total archery novices who pick an arbitrary poundage to shoot because a lighter poundage number doesn't seem as manly, or we heard you absolutely need "X" number of pounds to kill a deer - or we come from the world of compound bows - where we know we shoot a 70 lb. bow and assume the same weight can be handled with a traditional bow. Not a good plan in either case. Trying to work on proper form while shaking under the stress of a higher-poundage bow than you can comfortably handle can be an excercise in futlilty - and you can injure yourself. Nothing wrong with using a lighter-weight (30-35 lb. bow) to start with, then move up in weight when you're physically ready for it.

 

[campdad011]

striking left

any ideas what would cause some of my arrows to fly one to 2 ft left of aiming point? been shooting compound for three yrs but just started with martin x-200 45lb, GT 5575 w/ 100 gr tip, 3finger glove under arrow. thanks

 

[junker]

any ideas what would cause some of my arrows to fly one to 2 ft left of aiming point? been shooting compound for three yrs but just started with martin x-200 45lb, GT 5575 w/ 100 gr tip, 3finger glove under arrow. thanks

Had a similar problem. arrows could be to stiff. i was shooting some goldtip5575s out of a 45# bow bc that was all i had. bought some 355's and that was it

 

[kernoonus]

Cool. I'm about #40 at my DL. Started at 30 and worked my way up. So I think I'm OK.

Thanks!

 

[Viper1]

campdad -

Assuming you're right handed: 2' is pretty severe, if that's happening at close range (like 10 yds) make sure you're not cross eye dominant and aiming with the arrow and using the wrong eye! Tape the LEFT eye shut and see what happens. You can also test the "lefts" by shotgunning or aiming right down the arrow and see if the arrows are pointing left or deviating left.

Viper1 out.

 

[campdad011]

thanks

viper1 and junker,

thanks. i'll try those tips. it seems that the leftys kick out a little from the shelf. could it be related to my release? i try to be consistent.

 

[kegan]

2 major problems I see for many begginers - overbowed and thinking there is your own personal "trad" form that will find you if you shoot enough.

Steve

That certainly slowed me way down!

Not so much being ovrbowed, as I had to build the stronger bow if I watned to shoot it, and I was still learning how to do that too, and usually wound up only a couple pounds stronger than the last one.

But not realizing that there was only one proper way to shoot cost me... five years of practice?

 

[rraming]

I think the number one problem beginners make is not reading a book or finding the information online and they just joining a forum and start learning that way - we see it all the time. 1st post asking about arrows flying all goofy and asking what brace height is and how to adjust it. I am no expert and over the last few years I have asked some questions but I don't believe I ever asked some of these "beginner questions".

 

[bradd7]

But not realizing that there was only one proper way to shoot cost me... five years of practice?

Please keep this for future questions on learning 'trad style'...lol

I went from a 346 on 600 'trad-style-burn-the-hole-and-shoot method to a 408 in less than 2 months (4 tourneys-2 regional). I 'learned' at 6 yards inside the house blank bailing, and shooting for a couple of hours the past 2 weeks outdoors, when the temps hit a balmy(rainy, snowy or sunny) -6C. I did this with the generous help of all the contributors on this site and the TT site. Why not take world class advice from world class archers?

Why the jump in score? Because that 2 months was spent undoing everything I thought I knew, and learning detail by detail, step by step what I needed to do! In that time, I not only learned about my own ego and inadequacies but also re-membered and utilized GAP, plus learned string walking - which I now use with confidence! Every day now there is a new Ah Ha experience as shooting, physical and mental 'training' improves. It may not be a miraculous jump in scores to many, but it's a real confidence booster for me. One which encourages more training! It's soooooooo fuuuuunnnnnn!

That 2 months of 'proper training', just saved me 5 years of 'practicing'!

I could have stayed mediocre, but chose better for my Self.