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446 Posts
If someone can answer this, I will pay attention as well. :mg:
Getting Frustrated-Should I Be?
I have been shooting seriously since the first part of January, until then I had not picked up a bow in a long time (7-8 years at least). I started off shooting a Bear Truth2 at 5 spots and was scoring decent but not great, had one 300 46X game and that was it. Then a gentleman in our club let me borrow one of his older Darton target bows with a toxonics target sight and my scores started to improve drastically. I am now shooting a 294 36X average.
Lately when I have been shooting I have been getting horribly frustrated. Whether its right or not everytime I step up to the line I expect perfection out of myself always have and always will no matter what I am doing. When I played golf I was never happy with anything over par for the round and most of the time wasn't even happy with par because I always knew that I made stupid mistakes that caused me to drop strokes. It was no different when I pitched for my college baseball team, I was never happy unless I placed my pitch exactly where I wanted it and not an inch off. It has always been this mentality that has driven me to keep getting better. I would use that frustration to figure out how to get better and usually did.
Lately when I have been down at the range shooting I have been having 5-6 shots a round that feel perfect, the shot isn't forced, everything feels like it falls into place where it should but yet I throw the arrow. Yesterday I threw 4 arrows completely off the target but everything about the shot felt perfect and it frustrated the hell out of me.
On top of that I feel like I have leveled off lately my last 8 or 9 scores have been identical 294 34X with 18X's coming in the first half and 16X in the second half. I know that I should be happy with these scores since I jsut started but like I said before I am not happy with anything but perfection. How do you stop yourself from pushing to hard and going backwards instead of forwards?
Lately when I have been shooting I have been getting horribly frustrated. Whether its right or not everytime I step up to the line I expect perfection out of myself always have and always will no matter what I am doing. When I played golf I was never happy with anything over par for the round and most of the time wasn't even happy with par because I always knew that I made stupid mistakes that caused me to drop strokes. It was no different when I pitched for my college baseball team, I was never happy unless I placed my pitch exactly where I wanted it and not an inch off. It has always been this mentality that has driven me to keep getting better. I would use that frustration to figure out how to get better and usually did.
Lately when I have been down at the range shooting I have been having 5-6 shots a round that feel perfect, the shot isn't forced, everything feels like it falls into place where it should but yet I throw the arrow. Yesterday I threw 4 arrows completely off the target but everything about the shot felt perfect and it frustrated the hell out of me.
On top of that I feel like I have leveled off lately my last 8 or 9 scores have been identical 294 34X with 18X's coming in the first half and 16X in the second half. I know that I should be happy with these scores since I jsut started but like I said before I am not happy with anything but perfection. How do you stop yourself from pushing to hard and going backwards instead of forwards?
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359 Posts
what release are you using?
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9,767 Posts
Well, first things first:
Set "reasonable goals". Once those goals are reached "repeatedly", then up the goal a reasonable amount. No one is going to start out shooting 300 60x from the get go.
At the beginning of this indoor season, I set myself 2 goals:
(this was my 1st full indoor season)
1) on the 3 spot - 294 14x
2) on the 5 spot - 300 30x
I've shot thousands of arrows this season (for real). Just 2 weeks ago, I managed to reach my 3 spot goal with a 295 15x. I almost reached my 5 spot goal at the NCFAA championship with a 299 40x. Determined to reach that goal, I shot that target again last week (we almost always shoot 3 spot) and I managed a 300 42x. So, I'm happy (for this season).
Yes, it's frustrating to shoot a 9 on the 3 spot or miss an X on the 5 spot, but you CAN'T let that control the mental aspect of the rest of the game. Shoot and HAVE FUN.
It's kinda like my grand father used to say about fishing: "If you're going to base having a good time on actually catching fish, you're going to get disappointed - you got to enjoy everything from the preparation to the trip home".
Set "reasonable goals". Once those goals are reached "repeatedly", then up the goal a reasonable amount. No one is going to start out shooting 300 60x from the get go.
At the beginning of this indoor season, I set myself 2 goals:
(this was my 1st full indoor season)
1) on the 3 spot - 294 14x
2) on the 5 spot - 300 30x
I've shot thousands of arrows this season (for real). Just 2 weeks ago, I managed to reach my 3 spot goal with a 295 15x. I almost reached my 5 spot goal at the NCFAA championship with a 299 40x. Determined to reach that goal, I shot that target again last week (we almost always shoot 3 spot) and I managed a 300 42x. So, I'm happy (for this season).
Yes, it's frustrating to shoot a 9 on the 3 spot or miss an X on the 5 spot, but you CAN'T let that control the mental aspect of the rest of the game. Shoot and HAVE FUN.
It's kinda like my grand father used to say about fishing: "If you're going to base having a good time on actually catching fish, you're going to get disappointed - you got to enjoy everything from the preparation to the trip home".
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919 Posts
a zenith hinge
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6,045 Posts
Stop shooting spots.
Shoot blank bales and concentrate on your form and shot sequence for a while without aiming at a target.
Shoot blank bales and concentrate on your form and shot sequence for a while without aiming at a target.
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919 Posts
I usually shoot at least 50 arrows a day before I start but I know i need to do alot more.
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359 Posts
I think 10yd rounds with a target is the best way to practice.
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8,033 Posts
It sounds as though you are breaking one of the cardinal sins of the miss!
You are not letting that one shot go!! Al Henderson told me, "you have no control over an arrow that is in the target, no matter where it is in that target and you have no control over an arrow that is in your quiver. The only arrow you have ANY control over, is the one you are shooting at that moment!"
Basically, once an arrow is shot, good or bad, forget about it! And don't even think about your score. Even in a tournament. It just adds pressure. It's like when I used to play golf. I didn't worry about my score until the 19th hole.
And remember, it's not life or death! The other advise I will give is, don't try and hold your dot or pin dead center! Let the dot or pin float and just pull through the shot. Especially if you are shooting a back tension release (actually true with any release!). This will cause you to start and stop the back tension needed to get the shot to go off. The dot is in the spot, and you are pulling. The dot moves or you anticipate the movement and you stop pulling! This is the death of the shot! Let down and start over! Do this anytime you feel yourself STOP pulling during the shot. There should always be a continuous feel of back tension during your shot! If not, let down and start over. God bless
You are not letting that one shot go!! Al Henderson told me, "you have no control over an arrow that is in the target, no matter where it is in that target and you have no control over an arrow that is in your quiver. The only arrow you have ANY control over, is the one you are shooting at that moment!"
Basically, once an arrow is shot, good or bad, forget about it! And don't even think about your score. Even in a tournament. It just adds pressure. It's like when I used to play golf. I didn't worry about my score until the 19th hole.
And remember, it's not life or death! The other advise I will give is, don't try and hold your dot or pin dead center! Let the dot or pin float and just pull through the shot. Especially if you are shooting a back tension release (actually true with any release!). This will cause you to start and stop the back tension needed to get the shot to go off. The dot is in the spot, and you are pulling. The dot moves or you anticipate the movement and you stop pulling! This is the death of the shot! Let down and start over! Do this anytime you feel yourself STOP pulling during the shot. There should always be a continuous feel of back tension during your shot! If not, let down and start over. God bless
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