[Ram_n_arrows]

I have a good friend of mine that is following my lead into the world of competitive target archery.

At times he can be an excellent shot, and go arrow for arrow with me out to 50 yards.
Most of the time he is the most inconsistent shot I've seen.

We recently just started doing some indoor and he is not pleased with his scores.
His bow is in tune , has a side bar, good accesseries, and good arrows.

There is no rhyme or reason to where's he is missing either. His last indoor score was a 249 8x.
He claims pin float is good but I don't see that being possible.

Can anyone throw out some ideas?

 

[nuts&bolts]

I have a good friend of mine that is following my lead into the world of competitive target archery.

At times he can be an excellent shot, and go arrow for arrow with me out to 50 yards.
Most of the time he is the most inconsistent shot I've seen.

We recently just started doing some indoor and he is not pleased with his scores.
His bow is in tune , has a side bar, good accesseries, and good arrows.

There is no rhyme or reason to where's he is missing either. His last indoor score was a 249 8x.
He claims pin float is good but I don't see that being possible.

Can anyone throw out some ideas?

Form photo, head to toe, wearing shoes.
Take a photo of his target, 20 yards, three fletched and one bareshaft.
Take a 5 minute video of him shooting arrow after arrow.

 

[Shogun1]

Have him focus on the process. When he gets that fixed solidly in his mind, he will execute well and then the scores will come.

If he focuses on the score, then he is focusing on a future outcome without addressing the fundamentals that will create a better future.

 

[ppkaprince98]

I highly doubt its his equipment, so do Like NnB said and get some form pics.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[azscorpion]

Listen to Nuts and Bolts......dude is a straight up Archery Guru

 

[dtrkyman]

form and shot execution, or lack there of.

 

[dnv23]

What kind of release does he use? Could be target panic. I hope that isn't a 5 spot score.

 

[Dale_B1]

Sounds like it is a head game. By that I mean he has already talked himself out of a good shot process before he even drew the bow.
I think he needs to blank bale shoot for awhile to get the shot process fixed.

 

[Ram_n_arrows]

I have a video and a vegas face he shot at today.

And yes those scores were 5 spot.

 

[Ram_n_arrows]

Here’s a score. I gutta find how to upload videos.

 

[Ram_n_arrows]

https://youtu.be/6EvAtF-0F2g

Here’s a link of him shooting today.

I did not film him, I had a friend film him.

 

[nuts&bolts]

https://youtu.be/6EvAtF-0F2g

Here’s a link of him shooting today.

I did not film him, I had a friend film him.

Bottom line, the "HOW" your buddy is currently shooting, is not working for him. Your buddy wants to shoot better (higher scores, tighter groups). So, you and your buddy have to do the DETECTIVE work, to figure out what to change, to get better results. Not what works for some famous pro shooter. Not what works for the local pro. Not what works for you. Not what works for folks on a particular website. You and your buddy have to find out what helps YOUR BUDDY, and nobody else, helps your buddy shoot groups at least 50% tighter. 50% tighter groups is a good goal, to start with. So, what I have my students do, who like to shoot target faces (whatever target face..NFAA or Vegas), find the magic training distance where YOUR buddy...not somebody else, find the distance where YOUR buddy can shoot a 300 score on the vegas face. Build a target on wheels, so that the target face (x-ring) is at YOUR BUDDY's shoulder height, so your buddy can take training shots with a DEAD LEVEL arrow.

Another training technique I use with my students. I call it the STRESS test. You could call it the DRILL a TUNNEL exercise. This training exercise is multi-purpose. It's is obviously PHYSICAL training, cuz your BUDDY will shoot ONE fletched arrow in his quiver. Only one arrow in the quiver. Helps the student to focus, cuz there really is ONLY one arrow. So, use that new target on wheels and get the target x-ring (pick one target), at HIS shoulder height. Have your buddy stand tall and arms horizontal, palms facing the ground, and shoulders DOWN and in the natural position. Walk towards the target, have his fingertips touch the target and position the x-ring at THAT exact height. Now, make a duct tape shooting line that is only 2 yards from the target face.

 

[nuts&bolts]

So, now what? Now, your buddy will shoot ONE fletched arrow, from a 2 yard shooting line. Easy peasy. THIS is on purpose, to calm the brain, cuz this is soooo close, the target looks HUGE. Use a fresh target face and poke a hole in the target. No need to sight in for shooting from 2 yards...you can, if you like. So, your buddy fired the ONE fletched arrow. Now what? Your buddy puts down his bow and walks to the target and pulls out the ONE fletched arrow. The target face has ONE hole in the target. Now what? Your buddy returns to the 2 yard shooting line and fires his ONE fletched arrow again. GOAL is to STUFF the ONE fletched arrow in the SAME hole. Now what? He puts down the bow and pulls out the arrow. REpeat for a total of thirty shots. THIS is too darn easy. Nearly anybody could do this. THIS is BRAIN dead easy. Yup. Exactly. This is sooooo mind numbingly boring. Exactly. Why, if anybody did this 30 shot test, again and again and again, their brain would MELT. Exactly. Why this is so mind numbingly boring, a shooter would develop MASSIVE muscle memory for how to execute a shot. Exactly. This exercise not only builds massive muscle memory, but also trains the brain to TURN off, trains the brain to GET OUT OF THE WAY of shot execution.

 

[nuts&bolts]

Sooo, how many times do you do the 30 shot stress test. Is ONE time enough, to shoot amazing groups? Will shooting one arrow 30 times, be a one and done? Not exactly. Keep a log book and do at least 1000 shots. 1000 GOOD shots. So, that means, when you miss the single hole in the target, you don't get to record that bad shot. Want 1000 GOOD shots. For folks who prefer "blind" shooting....I have them put up a sheet of cardboard, and use a sharpie pen, to make a cross hair. This training teaches shot discipline..so, if you are NOT focused, your brain is wandering, and you are tired, and can barely pull back your 100 lb draw weight bow...but, you muscle it anyway, and take the shot anyway....tHIS happens.

Actual student. Fella was way over-bowed. Most folks are easily able to do this, at 2 yards.

 

[nuts&bolts]

Spend a week, even better, spend 2 weeks shooting just ONE arrow at the cardboard, aiming at the cross hair, using your 20 yd pin. Doesn't matter where you hit. Just do the 30 shots, with one arrow, again and again and again, to build that muscle memory. Some of my students call this DRILL a TUNNEL exercise. But, what about pass throughs? Put a 2nd target behind the target in front, so you don't get pass throughs. GOTTA aim at the same cross hair, for the full 30 shot exercise. So, after logging 1000 shots at just 2 yards, now what? Try 3 yards. Log another 1000 shots. This will take months. BUILD on success. ONE hole accuracy at longer and longer distances. If your BUDDY is not happy with the 20 yard groups, then, reverse the training, and shoot a HUMONGOUS amount of arrows...at 2 yards. Spend way too much time at 2 yards. Fire way too many arrows at just 3 yards. Build that foundation. Do not rush. Have your buddy fire a 300 Vegas game at 2 yards. Hit little goals in sequence. Keep extending that training distance, for perfect 300 games on the FULL SIZE vegas face, at longer and longer distances.

 

[nuts&bolts]

https://youtu.be/6EvAtF-0F2g

Here’s a link of him shooting today.

I did not film him, I had a friend film him.

Have your buddy fire three fletched arrows and ONE bareshaft at the Vegas target 20 yards away, and LEAVE all four arrows in the target. So, have your buddy fire all three fletched arrows at the TOP vegas target, and then, fire one bareshaft at the same TOP vegas target. Take a photo with all four arrows IN the target. This is a diagnostic test. Example photo of a diagnostic test at 20 yards. I want to see group size for the THREE fletched arrows, and I want to see his consistency, for shot #4, which is a bareshaft.

The photo of the four arrows tells me a lot of information.

 

[ruffme]

Listen to N&B but if you want a tip from a hack like me....start with his feet. He shifts his feet and they are in a different position on every shot.

The only way you can compensate for that is to open or close your upper body and then I would guess he torques to get everything lined up. Then he moves his feet again on the next shot, rinse and repeat!

 

[nuts&bolts]

Freeze frame from the video. Form is reasonable, but OBVIOUSLY, his form is creating this result.

So, if your buddy is not happy with THIS RESULT...duh, your buddy has to change his shot. The shot sequence your buddy is using, is not creating results he likes. So, the question is WHAT to change, to get better results. Answer. Whole bunch of things.

OBVIOUSLY a right handed beginner shooter target. Notice that top row is the lowest accuracy (largest group size, radius away from x-ring). Notice that the bottom right, right hand target is the highest accuracy (tightest group, radius away from x-ring). There is a reason why bottom right target is tightest group, for your buddy.

 

[Ray Ray]

In the video, it appears that he is not using back tension to fire the release. His fingers go front then back twice, then the release fires. Not a constant pull thru to fire. He is anticipating the release firing, & timing the shot.

 

[nestly]

OBVIOUSLY a right handed beginner shooter target. Notice that top row is the lowest accuracy (largest group size, radius away from x-ring). Notice that the bottom right, right hand target is the highest accuracy (tightest group, radius away from x-ring). There is a reason why bottom right target is tightest group, for your buddy.

IMO, the group is too large/erratic at 20yds to start doing individual target cluster analysis, .... nevermind that Target#3 is not the "best accuracy". I only count 8 holes inside your yellow circle, and you forgot to include the zero out the bottom....

To the OP, I think I'd have a good look at your friends equipment and arrows (have someone else shoot it) He does not seem to be pulling very hard, so I wonder if he may be very inconsistent against the wall (possibly causing rest drop / arrow contact inconsistencies). His form seems good enough, and he sure seems steady enough to be scoring much better than that.