From the Lions' Den - A freestylers' journey.

ThomVis

Active member
...Yet it was all going so well - right up until the final stage of assembly when I looked in my sight-bag to not find the attachment screw. Gutted.
Happend to another archer over here. I taped a plastic teaspoon thingy to his sight mounting block. He had to gap shoot to get near the gold, but his shot process didn't change.
 

LionOfNarnia

Supporter
Supporter
OK, so I can't post the video coz a young person ran across the shot twice.

- I understand the reasons for 'safeguarding' even if I think it's been taken WAY too far. That's a whole different convo.

But I did promise some bow porn so....

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The sharper-eyed & better-memoried amongst you may have noticed that Magaera is sporting a conventional right-eyed sight atm.

I just fancied finding out how how much worse my shooting is using my weak eye. Even doing some practice aiming at home it's already apparent that I'll have to close my left to shoot 2moz, so I'm not anticipating this being this becoming a permanent thing.

It's just in my character to 'test my beliefs' every now & then. So it'll be 1st hour with the left eye, 2nd hour with the right & compare results.
 

LionOfNarnia

Supporter
Supporter
WELL COLOUR ME CONFUSED!


Worcester single-face target @ 20 yds, 5 arrow ends.

Hour one, 2 sighter rounds & 6 ends with X-Dom sight....

5-4-2-2-m * 4-4-2-1-m * 4-4-3-2-1 * 5-5-4-2-2 * 5-4-3-3-2 * 5-3-2-2-1 Total 86

Hour two, 1 sighter round & 6 ends with 'normal' sight....

5-3-3-2-1 * 5-4-3-2-2 * 5-3-3-2-m * 5-4-4-3-3 * 4-4-3-3-1 * 3-3-3-2-1 Total 89

- and that was the first time I'd shot with my right eye since about the second day of the beginners' course 🤔

This experiment will continue on Sunday!
 

AndyW

Well-known member
Hi, Apologies if it's a dumb observation and the scores have been reordered (I know nothing about target archery). The scores drop off beginning to end - might be worth dropping the poundage a bit and seeing if it tightens things up.

Edit - Just read back a bit and it looks like that's not a road you want to go down but maybe have a rethink. I haven't shot much this year and had to drop back 5lb to tighten things up again - the poundage I've been shooting for years just killed my scores. I didn't want to because of the knock on with arrows etc. but I had to bite it and drop the weight and spend the money.
 
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LionOfNarnia

Supporter
Supporter
know nothing about target archery
LOL in proper archery ;) the scores are always recorded in descending order, dude.

*****

Due to my 'joyous solstice' package/present arriving sooner than expected (Well done Archery Shop, 3 days from order to delivery) I had a few changes to evaluate on Sunday in addition to what feels right now like a decisive shift from left-eye to right-eye shooting...

- I didn't even attempt to do any clicker training, I already had a headful of mush to solidify.

Firstly, a new string - Flex Pro Series Fast Flight, 18 strand, in pristine white, served for large-groove nocks.

- Looking at the bow-porn I posted last week I'd noticed that the grey/black string was looking 'a bit tired' so a spare/replacement was a justified excuse to go shopping. My current 'spare' (Currently on the #50 SPT bow) is small-groove. I bought a spare for that too, a Flex - 8125 Supra 16-strand in solid red. Hey, why not?

Secondly a new tab - WNS SF-200 Cordovan, XL.

- Still needs trimmed (what are the best implements for this?) and a bit more 'running in' ofc, but the big change was the switch from my old 'chin-fin' mod to a new version that I've been considering for quite a while. Announcing the 'TwinChinFin'!

All that said, I had a relaxed session on a Pompy target, no scores recorded, but an interesting & enlightening afternoon nevertheless. Mageara felt & sounded 'crisper' with the new string to me. I shot the first hour with the 'old' (chin fin) rest on the new tab, and with the modified Tec-X pin fitted with the green fibre on the sight. I lent the Tawant with the red fibre to our scores officer to try, he's waiting for the arrival of the same this week. He was impressed!

I did lots of experiments to try & find my 'perfect anchor', it feels like I'm almost starting from scratch again! ...but I'll get there, sooner rather than later I hope. I've been watching a few YT vidz today about 'aiming theory' (starting with the one linked in this thread)

However, my groups are already tighter - much tighter - than I've been shooting up until now. Although there is so much more to concentrate on (So THAT'S what 'sight picture' means!) I feel more in control of the shot now, and it's easier to 'feel' when a less-than-perfect arrow has been loosed. Even the shots which caused a mental 'that was terrible!' proved less errant that feared.

Second hour, a switch to the Tawant pin & the TwinChinFin rest on my old (Rugbii) tab. I can feel the difference the TCF makes in getting a consistent anchor, it really cups the jawbone nicely. I didn't worry too much about fine-tuning the sights, but the average end saw at least 3/4 arrows nearly if not actually touching. I even wrecked a nock!

So, rather than practicing for the boxing day Worcester with my old method, the next two sessions will be spent refining my 'conventional' method. I honestly feel that I'll score better scores that way.
 

AndyW

Well-known member
If my scores this year were recorded in descending order there probably wouldn't be much re ordering going on. :cry:
GL on your continuing journey.
 

LionOfNarnia

Supporter
Supporter
Durham City Archers Post-Xmas Worcester 2019

Well, after today I think I can confidently state...

"I am an ex X-Dom."

It was my first compo shooting 'conventionally' so (despite a severe attack of painful spasms after the round) I'm delighted to report that -

a) I shot a +19pt PB of 227
&
b) I experienced my 1st top-ten finish, coming in 8th & winning a tube of Smarties 😋


Although I can't claim to have my sight settings nailed down yet (I'm still about an inch low), generally my groups were a lot tighter than previously - on my best ends down to maybe 2 inches, almost touching. I must be getting a pretty consistent anchor/string picture/draw even without the clicker. I feel so much more 'connected' to the shot now too.

The sole 'downer' on the day was the discovery that the sat-nav on my tablet is actually useless in the car - I can't set it anywhere useful/visible, and the volume is too low to hear audible instructions properly. Hence I only arrived 15 mins before shooting started, having had to take a few map-reading breaks (& missing 2 junctions) on the 51-mile trip to Durham - a place I've never previously visited voluntarily. But that's a long tale & a wet one. Maybe one day.

So Lion is a happy, if sore, chappy tonight :D

May even treat m'sel to a wee dram after the evening dog-walk.
 

LionOfNarnia

Supporter
Supporter
So that Worcester PB lasted precisely..... Three Days :LOL:

- I beat it by 3 at the club this afternoon, despite being TOTALLY mush-brained from lack of sleep...

...Totally self-inflicted ofc, I stayed up til 5am watching the college football semi-finals.

Plus we shot 2 hours earlier than normal due to xmas hours at the leisure centre.

But I'm now happy with my sight settings at last. Next chance to test them 'in combat' will be 19th Jan, at the Green Lane Open (RS) Worcester in exotic Newbiggin-by-the-Sea. With 5 practice sessions to go b4 the event I'm daring to hope for something close to 240 by then.

...and YES, I'm still amazed by how much better I'm shooting & scoring since switching to 'normal' shooting!
 

LionOfNarnia

Supporter
Supporter
So 2020 begins much as 2019 ended -

- with my 3rd consecutive Worcester PB 😁

Only increased by one point - to 231 - but the highlight was my first-ever 'all-white' end (verified by 2 club members). Yes, 2 of them were very close line-cutters (praise be to the great god X-Buster 😉 ) but they all count, right?

I ended the day with a few ends of clicker-training. Feels like I still have it a mill or two too close, it's just a wee bit of a stretch to expand through & retain control, but I'll get there.

Only downer is, I'm yet to have it confirmed that there's a place for me at the Green Lane Open, but with 2 weeks to go I'm not panicking yet.
 

deaglesuk

New member
I'm a very new archer (hell I'm not even officially an archer yet, I'm only 1 session into my beginners course) but I'm currently reading / watching almost everything I can find. I've really enjoyed reading this whole thread this afternoon, thanks for posting the thread.
 

LionOfNarnia

Supporter
Supporter
...really enjoyed reading this whole thread...
It's always gratifying to read comments like that. Hoping you survive the mandatory hell of the beginners' course at least relatively sane, and go on to become a Happy (if poorer) club/AGB member.

***

I've just had it confirmed that there is a place for me at the Green Lane Open on 19th, that'll be the 8th venue I've shot at (counting indoor & outdoor separately) in DNAA. Ultimately I'd like to see them all!

...but next month I'm going to 'risk' going just a little further afield - The Cumbria County Open (Portsmouth) in Penrith.
I have a friend I can stay with in Carlisle the night before, so on the day my drive will be about 1/2 that of a trip to my club, which is a bonus.
 

deaglesuk

New member
It's always gratifying to read comments like that. Hoping you survive the mandatory hell of the beginners' course at least relatively sane, and go on to become a Happy (if poorer) club/AGB member.
Thanks. I'm enjoying it so far (even with the big welts on my arm because I suck at keeping my arm out of the way) and think I'm pretty much sure to be joining the club. It seems from looking around / reading that I'm being spoilt in my local club, 16 mile drive away but has it's own permanent indoor 20yard range and 100 yard range outside. 24/7 access for members so if I want to go shoot at 3am on a Wednesday morning I can just pick up my bow and go (obviously indoor only in the dark!).


Good luck on the 19th, we may end up meeting somewhere at some point as I'm not THAT far from you (I'm in Leeds) and I think I fancy taking up the same bow type and I'll no doubt be out embarrassing my self at competitions eventually
 

LionOfNarnia

Supporter
Supporter
If I said I wasn't very, very jealous of the facilities you have on tap, I'd be a damned liar!

It's not impossible that we'll cross paths, I'm looking at the possibilities of shooting in Thirsk in late April - but it would be a major expedition for me.

Arm-slap is something I think we all go through in the early days, but I'm sure your coach will help you deal with it before you get to poundages that REALLY do damage.
 

deaglesuk

New member
If I said I wasn't very, very jealous of the facilities you have on tap, I'd be a damned liar!

It's not impossible that we'll cross paths, I'm looking at the possibilities of shooting in Thirsk in late April - but it would be a major expedition for me.

Arm-slap is something I think we all go through in the early days, but I'm sure your coach will help you deal with it before you get to poundages that REALLY do damage.
The facilities on tap are a MASSIVE part of why I've picked the club. Who doesn't want to cook themselves a bacon butty and make a steaming cup of coffee and then shoot a few ends?

I'm not sure I'll be anywhere near competition worthy by April but if at all possible I'll try and get up to Thirsk as it's a town I know well (and someone has to come last right?)
 

Emmadragon

Supporter
Supporter
AIUK Saviour
Speaking as a regular 'last' person in my category (in my defence, for some reason, the recurve female field is always small indoors), I find it doesn't matter. It's just fun and nice to talk to other people who 'get' it.
 

LionOfNarnia

Supporter
Supporter
I won't embarrass you by asking about what those super-facilities cost deaglesuk
- but I'm guessing the bacon isn't included ;)

As Emma said, where you come in your early competitions is the least important thing about them - just take the plunge as soon as you get an AGB card, then you'll understand.

*****

I knew long before I arrived at the club that today was not going to be one to brag about. The demon that is Fibro has been having its' evil way with me (more than usual) for most of this week, I could have happily crawled back into bed this afternoon & ignored the things I wanted to try out before 19th.

However, that said, it wasn't anywhere near as bad as I'd feared.

In fact, had it not been for half-a-dozen loose shots, I could have smashed my PB!

Here's my face, it was brand-new when I started....

Worcester Newburn 10Jan.jpg

I shot an acceptable 226 with 15 'whites'. The loose shots were one miss, three ones and two twos. (The rest were during sighters). If that's how I can shoot when I'm nearly falling asleep & with a head like mush, I'm encouraged by what I feel I can shoot when I'm not 'under attack'.

The first four ends were with the clicker, then I stopped using it because it felt like I was struggling too much to expand through, despite backing it off a mill or two. Those ends averaged 3.7/arrow, the following 8 averaged 3.8/arrow so point proved - but only just!

Had those loose shots even been threes, I'd have hit 237. If they'd been 'average' it would have been 243. Next time mudderforker!

Oh, yeah - the new things I was trying out....

'Hardware' -wise, I added an ounce to each shortrod - before the dampener.
'Wetware' -wise, it was concentrating on having far greater hook pressure on the first finger, but rolling into the joint from the pad.

- Both as a result of absorbing the excellent new videos by Jake Kaminski, whom I've long developed a great deal of respect for. Before becoming a professional archer, he was an engineer - I like the way his mind works.

Roll on Sunday 🏹
 

LionOfNarnia

Supporter
Supporter
Sunday - Final Practice for the Green Lane Open (for some strange reason we're having our club xmas party on Friday night - hoping for the badges I was promised months ago).

Didn't shoot particularly well, as it happens, probably due to a combo of lack of sleep & the amount of Tramadol I'd had to take to mute the pain in my lower back. No PB for sure! Still felt like a productive day though. Something satisfying about fighting against the fatigue & pain to still shoot competently - if inconsistently - for perhaps 100 arrows.

I'm ready for whatever next Sunday brings. No targets, no goals, no expectations other than to enjoy the day.

- As it should be?
 

KidCurry

Well-known member
AIUK Saviour
I'm ready for whatever next Sunday brings. No targets, no goals, no expectations other than to enjoy the day.
- As it should be?
Ummmm... I think it's always good to have goals and targets, or at least a reason for shooting. But that's me. I shoot to shoot the very best I can, whether it practice or tournament. Now I think about it I don't think I have ever shot, in over 30 years, just for the fun of shooting. My approach is learn, practice, improve. When you shoot next week you may shoot a blinder, but if you put an arrow out in the 2 or 3 post back here what your instant reaction was :) If it's 'Damn' you went with expectations :) and that's fine. If it's just 'Ok' you did go with no expectations and that's fine to, and I will take my hat off to you. But I think you will go with just a little expectation.
 

Whitehart

Well-known member
For example a FITA 18 I now shoot 1 arrow 60 times the best I can (as I do in practice) rather than shooting 60 arrows for a round.
The score I get reflects how good I was on the day, it may not be how good I really am, but it is a reality check. I also review so I understand why some days are good others not so. That way both physically and mentally I can continue to work on having more good days than bad days. If you go with score expectations they need to be credible - ones that your subconscious believes you can and have achieved/exceeded in practice.
Good days are where the shooting was effortless and the score replicates or exceeds current average practices scores not a PB which is an exception.
However, if you do go without expectations you can never fail (fear of failure for many seems to be the reason many beat themselves up at shoots when things are not going well) for some this lack of pressure results in a better performance, for others it makes them lazy and heading for the cake stall.
We are all different the only common denominator is how we control what is going on in our heads to bring out our best performances.
 
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