Is that really a target?

Over the past several years I have worked on the mechanical form elements that go into shooting the bow, you know, the things we all hear about like front shoulder down, back arm at shoulder height, and 'watch how you are gripping it'. Lately I've made the admission that I'm satisfied with my form and want to work strictly on aiming.

I understand that some people never take the leap where they are saying to themselves that their form is complete and it is time to work on just aiming. These shooters are still thinking (at some level) about their form execution even on the tournament line - and the surprising thing is that this works for quite a few of the shooters like this. I also know people who aim, aim, aim and tear through the shot. Seems to me that these kinds of shooters have the ultimate confidence in their back tension execution and tend to become the best shooters among us.

The other day I realized that for myself the aim, aim, aim approach is simply too un-nerving. I found myself fighting to hold and tensing up when I drifted. Not being relaxed when shooting a bow causes many bad things to happen, sometimes seemingly unexplainable things, but the end result is always the same - low scores and frustration.

What got me jumping the other night and has me a little pumped (only another archer would understand this) is that the target is simply not the issue, and is forever a blank bail. To my new way of thinking this is because it is the releasing of the arrow that gives up the real joy of target shooting. To me there is nothing more satisfying than a simple and clean release, a release that is relaxed and that is a surprise. Where the arrow goes is not the point - how it felt when it left to go there is.

Great thing about this is that one does come before the other (no chicken and the egg controversy here) and so therefore the first does serve up the second. If you are enjoying the shoot, the release, and the day, your arrows are hitting the target right where you want them to.

I also think and want to caution that some competitive tension is required to shoot well. This competitive tension in my opinion keeps a shooter focused over the long haul of a shoot and helps to keep the dot a little closer to the middle. So the next time when you are on the line and feeling tense do not try to conquer it, use the tension to focus, add the tension to your arsenal. Chances are only a fraction of your competition has harnessed the tension and knows how to use it, join them and your scores will most likely improve. But the competitive tension doesn't excuse the fact that shooting the bow should be a relaxing endeavor and that before you score you have to actually shoot the arrow.