[Reika]

Hy! ;)I have this one question about archery.When you hold the bow and aim at the target and your hand starts shaking of emotion or just.. when you can't hold it straight.. how do you calm yourself down and make your hands stop shaking?And one other question.. how do you hit straoght in the middle?I mean where do you set your base of aim.. left.. right?
Be seeing yeah!
Reika

[rrt69]

Just think of something that would make you calm down Every person is different so I really can't tell you have make you calm down. It would be a lot like baseball when they say keep your eye on the ball instead keep your eye on the bulleyes.

[Saker]

I agree with rrt69, it is an individual thing, you have to find out what works for you. I've heard various theories about it though. This is for Olympic Recurve archery, so you'd proably have to do something different for barebow or longbow, but the basic techniques are the same.

The human mind/eye is very good at lining up concentric circles of its own accord, so if you let your sight wander around the area of the gold, then take the shot when it feels right, it should be more or less in the middle as long as your physical technique is good.

Personally, I look away from the target and steady my breathing before drawing. I draw, let the sight wander slightly circling the gold. I take a breath and let it out slowly when I reach full draw. I take the shot when I feel my lungs are completely empty and keep on breathing out until I lower the bow after I hear the shot has hit.

Hope that helps.

[oldcoach]

Concentrating on the bullseye focuses your mind away from missing. And away from other distractions.

Looking away and taking a deep breath releases tension.

A shaking hand can be caused by a too powerful bow, improper technique, or adrenaline release. First check your technique. If a more experienced bowman or coach tells you your technique is fine, then look at strength. Exercise the muscles used in drawing and steadying the bow. They may simply be overpowered by the bow size. If those two things are good, then it's concentration. Your body may be releasing adrenaline for various reasons. Maybe you have a subconscious fear of someone seeing you miss. Maybe just having someone watching you makes you release adrenaline. Whatever the reason, this adrenaline is bad for the quiet steadiness required to aim well. A meditation technique can calm the body and mind by regulating the release of adrenaline. Just breathing won't do it. Try this:

1- Before drawing the bow, position your body, look at the target, close your eyes, relax your shoulders, take a deep breath, and hold it.

2- While you are holding that breath visualize yourself slowly drawing, aiming, and releasing the arrow to the bullseye.

3- Open your eyes, let out the breath while you draw the bow aiming high.

4- Breathe in and then level the bow at the target as you slowly breathe out.

5- Keep breathing out as you aim and release the arrow.

6- Continue breathing out as the arrow flies to the target.

Doing this routine each time you shoot will improve your concentration and slow the release of adrenaline. This combination should help the shaking if it's from concentration alone. If you release adrenaline for some other reason there is a very old and little known martial arts trick that might help.

Most people think that the little bow they do before fighting is just to show respect. Long ago, when fighting matches were serious business a martial artists could calm his or her adrenaline release by bowing a certain way. Here's the trick:
1- Stand with your feet together, take a breath in and hold it.
2- Press your fingers firmly into your solar-plexus and bow as you release the breath.

This works for most people.

It worked for me in billiards. My hands would shake while making shots. It caused me to miss longer shots especially. Then I remembered the old, old trick. I did the motion and breathed as I should. So it didn't draw attention I did it pretending to check the alignment of a shot.
It changed my game forever. You can do something similar.

If you are in competition you can just bow to the target while doing the trick. It will be a psych-out for your opponents. They might even try it, but they won't know the trick.

Oldcoach

[MOWERMAN2468]

I recall what got me over the shakes many, many years ago when I was a young lad. The string rode the inside of my forearm from just below the elbow to right up above the wrist. After that shot, after a few minutes of watching it change different shades of red, I held steady, positioned my arms out of the strings path, and have acquired quite a tight pattern over the years. Good luck, you will get it, stick with it.

[Whackmaster]

For the utmost in Archery how to and to understand the mystical flight of the arrow. Come over to TedNugent.com/hunting/forums. We have many hunting and competition shooters over her that can help. After signing up. Introduce yourself and tell them the Caliwhackmaster referred you.