Rest Time

I have to admit, I've started pretty heavily into recurve archery. I shot 6 out of 7 days last week. I took Wednesday off because it was raining and I didn't feel like drying my bow off after shooting along with bow string and arrows. Also I just needed the break.

I love every minute of shooting even when my arrows still fly too high over the target and into the woods. There's always more to learn, something to polish and never a dull moment. That being said...I need to remember that as much as I wish I could commit more time to it, this is just a hobby for me right now. In my dreams I can practice with a coach on a real archery range and see major progress each day and be shooting an ILF rig. In my dreams I am a professional archer and compete against other archers in world cup matches.

But let's face it. I am not anywhere near that yet and I have 2 very little kids, a husband and house to take care of. I work out a lot too, or use too, but lately I've been giving that time over to shooting my bow. I think I need to alternate a day of working out with a day of shooting. (And really that's only an hour devoted to each when I do.) I get burned out easily and frustrated when I see myself making the same mistakes over and over and I don't know how to fix them. Or I maybe I do know how to fix it but I am waiting for a better piece of equipment to come in.

So this is just a reminder to take breaks, and not forget my other interests and responsibilities too. I am by no means stopping but I may not shoot as much next week which is a shame because the weather will be super nice and perfect for shooting. Yesterday I shot in 88 degree and muggy weather and I only lasted 20 minutes. It's okay to take days off, to make you remember why you love it again.

72 degrees and sunny outside, absolutely beautiful and I don't have a problem enjoying it inside today one iota.

The Lefty Dilemma

Time flies when I'm shooting my bow. I am concentrating so much on repeating each aspect that gives me bulls eyes that before I know it I've shot for an hour. I'd like to shoot more but I do have a house and family to take care of-they definitely come first!

I'm definitely hitting the target a lot more (knock on wood!) And I get several bulls eyes each session but I am still pretty close to the target. But I want to get 2 more hay bales, one to raise it off the ground and another to put behind the back. I rarely go into the woods now to hunt for arrows.

I'm having a hard time squaring up to the target. Maybe it's because it still moves a little with each arrow. The ground slopes, the hill slants off another way...I don't think my husband would be to interested in grading it for me. But he does need to mow-the grass is pretty long back there thanks to all the rain a few weeks ago.

Until I can shoot there, hehe, or at a decent outdoor range, I'll just close my eyes dream that everyday I wake up and shoot for hours on end at this place.

I've realized that I am most likely shooting with a right handed finger tab. Just inside out. Brilliant I know. I realized that in all the pro pictures I see, they have a spacer between their pointer and middle fingers and mine was on the inside of my tab...while theirs is on the outside. So it's not a shelf for my chin at anchor point. It's a spacer for my fingers which would probably affect the flight of my arrows for the better. I already asked my husband for this tab and he wasn't too happy to cough up more money. But it could last me years. And I could order the lefty version. I think I'll tell him about my right handed tab dilemma tonight and maybe the fact that it is the wrong one can help him understand. This world makes everything right handed by default and us lefties fly in the face of default! I didn't choose my left handedness-I just live with it and I wouldn't change it if I could.

Back At It

I didn't shoot yesterday because I was very tired but, I did buy 2 hay bales to stabilize my target. It helped immensely when I shot today. I have two bales stacked horizontally behind my foam target and it keeps it from swiveling between each shot. Before my stance that was right for one shot would completely miss the next time. Now I just have to adjust the target between sets of arrows. I still miss sometimes now but not near as embarrassingly as  much as the first few days ;) Granted I was much closer than yesterday but right now all my training is all about technique and not about scores.

I am working on my anchor point. It needs to be to the side of the chin and should my release be a surprise when I let go off the bow and the arrow flies? I've heard that with firearm target shooting. But you sort of need to deliberately let go of the string. Maybe I just don't have the hand strength of the dexterity to do that yet.

So for now I am going to keep working on my anchor point and my release. I am happy to say that the 30# draw weight is not near as hard to pull as it was last week. Getting stronger already. But man does the string cut into my fingers even with the finger tab. I am adding this tab to my wish list right now! Left handed version please!

A little under 30 meters

I started shooting at a little under 30 meters from my target today. And yet again, my first round of arrows was my best. I focused first on squaring my feet (my preferred stance), then pulling a mental string up my legs through my spine, sucking my navel in and rolling my shoulders back and down. Then I tried to find my back tension between my hand on my bow and along my arm to my opposite shoulder. I would then let my focus shift to the aim of my arrow. It sounds long and tedious but it really took all of of 5 seconds.

I've figured out why my string was slapping my chest and chin. I was pulling my bow string back too far. It's supposed to be right along the front side of your chin...not back to your ear haha ;) Made for much cleaner, streamlined and pain free shots.

Also remember how I mentioned that I thought the opposite fletching of the arrow should be pointed away from the bow for a cleaner shot? I was right! I'm thanking the archery gods right now because I found an archery blog run by an amateur archer in Canada who confirmed this. She has a great blog, similar to how I want mine to be. (Ugh horrible grammar I know but that's the best way for me to express it.) She gives a list of basic archery info like stance, anchor point etc...I realized I had to twist my arrow nocks so the opposite colored fletching could face out from the arrow and the fletching is not only NOT grazing my bow anymore, my arrows are flying straighter and grouping on the ground if I miss the target and not going helter skelter into the woods.

Why I am I missing the target? Well I need a hay bale to stabilize my target because it's a big foam target and shifts with every arrow I mange to sink into it. So the stance for one shot that hits makes the next arrow miss. Also, my depth perception isn't the greatest-not horrible but not the greatest and I still do not have a sight. I think I need one sooner rather than later? Oh how do I explain this to the financer (aka my husband) of my archery endeavors? My christmas already came when I got my bow and he just ordered me the iPhone 6. I think next year I'll say-no new phone-I just want an ILF rig and I'll be super giddy giddy happy like a kid in a candy shop ;)

This is the blog I found that has helped me sooo much. And I did the math. I shoot on average 16 arrows in 10 minutes. And I can only shoot for an hour each day right now so that makes 96 arrows a day. I just need to make every shot count!

So for tomorrow-anchor point to front side of chin. And get a dang hay bale to stabilize my target. Now please excuse me while I do some drooling over this beauty of a sight.

Shooting at 20 meters and some Bulls Eyes!

I made progress today! I measured out 10 meters from my target and shot my first round of arrows. All 5 hit the target and 2 hit the bulls eye! I'm finally doing something right here I thought! (You bet I took pictures! Sidenote: I sent one in a text to my husband and he'll think I'm strange ;) Then naturally my next 10 rounds were not as stellar but I was hitting the target more often. Really beats hunting arrows in the woods since my fletching basically blends into the leaves.

Then I thought, what have I to lose? I'll go out to 20 meters. So I measured it and finished my hour of archery with 2 more bulls eyes and lots of groupings on the ground on the hill. Super beats hunting arrows in the woods!

What did I do differently? I think that everything was so fresh in my mind when I started shooting that I wasn't thinking specifically about all the little points to remember. I don't even remember checking my feet or even noticing my peripheral vision when I shot my first round. It all just came together in sort of a tunnel vision. Then I think I missed more as the hour went on because I started thinking too much about what I was doing. That is not say I don't need to concentrate but I should allow the correct muscle memory to take over and simply aim.

My anchor point is bugging me-sometimes my bow string slapped my chin, even my chest. I'm trying to figure out if it's better to curl my fingers after my release like Khatuna Lorig does or if I should keep them straight like one of the top female Chinese archers. I don't remember what I was doing when I hit the bulls eye and maybe I should keep it that way for now.

I definitely need to remember to aim lower. I have a traditional bare bow right now. I can't see my way to shelling out more money for a sight to take the guesswork out of aiming but it really affects my aim. I have to consciously remember to aim lower than I am inclined in order to hit the target. Until I get a sight and it becomes part of the muscle memory to aim down I am going to be shooting over the target or hitting the ground a lot.

I think when I first meet this recurve coach I've been e-mailing, I'll ask him to tune up my bow. I'm curious if the brace height is correct and if it's affecting the flight of my arrows. I also need to know which color fletching should be up when I nock my arrow. I remember hearing something specific in some video on you tube but I can't find it now and it doesn't seem to matter when I shoot. But it is rubbing against my bow creating marks.

So next time-aim lower, lower, lower!

The Search for Control

I forgot to mention yesterday that I started shooting much closer than 10 meters away from my target. I eventually took out a measuring tape to see where I was and I backed up enough to start shooting at 10 meters. And I was still hitting the target albeit not often in the rings.

I think something I'm struggling right off the bat is control. I have a 30# bow because that's what I read in some chart online that that weight should be right for me. WRONG! I actually wanted a 35# bow because that's what the chart said. I asked my husband for a 35# bow, he raised his eyebrow at me and ordered a 30# bow saying 'to be safe'. It wasn't until later after chatting with a recurve coach through a local archery club that I realized I needed even less poundage. Along the lines of 25#. But I already had my bow at this point. And my arrows were too short too-talk about total rookie here :)

It all comes down to control. If there's too much poundage right off the bat then you sacrifice form. And if I remember anything from my archery class, your form determines 90% of your shot. I am not afraid to a do little golfer shuffle and go through every kink in my body before each shot to get the right form but 30# is hard to pull. I have done some upper body strength training but I need to do a whole lot more. I simply fatigue very quickly trying to maintain the proper form and pull the bowstring back. I also am taking too long to shoot. I need to fire my shots more quickly. But I know it will come, it's a process. One day I'll step on the line and I won't be thinking of the proper form or how heavy the pull of the string is. My body will naturally stand with perfect form, I will pull the string and without thinking fire off a shot that will land in the center of the target. At 70 meters ;)

Visualization is a strong tool for me if you can't already tell ;)

My release needs work. Everything needs work at this point. And shoulders down too.

Some progress

Today I bought more Gold Tip arrows and a Vista finger tab. Have I mentioned how hard it is to find left handed equipment for archery in stores? I have to buy everything online. Just makes it difficult to replace equipment. Speaking of equipment, I created a wish list on Amazon.com and LancasterArcherySupply.com. For my ILF rig, I am interested in the Hoyt Horizon riser or the Win and Win Sebastian Forged Plus riser. I hear they are good risers for beginner to intermediate archers like me. And the Samick Privilege limbs seem to be popular for these risers at this level too. The problem is you can't just go try them out in a store or range. You have to order them online. I e-mailed the recurve coach I've been talking to and he has a student who can let me try out the SF riser. I have a whole list of equipment for the ILF rig....just a matter of time :)

So I shot today. And I hit the target much more! Even made it into the blue rings twice. I hope I can look back one day at this post and think why was I so excited to hit the blue area? But it's a big thing for me right now.

I keep going for a square stance, navel sucked in, pelvis tucked under, straight back and head up. I have an actual finger tab now with a shelf that I can rest my chin on for an anchor point. That made a huge difference in my arrows hitting the target. But my fingers still hurt from pulling the string back, just not as bad. I won't see real results without a sight. My groups are too high and 2 of my arrows are still lost in the woods behind my target ;-) I want to get hay bales and make a better and safer target set up. Until then I'm training my eyes with a bare bow.

I also need to get stronger. I'm going to get stronger simply by shooting but lifting some weights for my arms and back would definitely help me keep fatigue at bay longer. Core work too!

First Day-Refreshing the Basics

I finally shot my bow today. I lost 1 of my arrows in my woods but I can find it later with my kids ;) I bought a cheap Vista armguard from a local range but they were out of lefty finger tabs. Buying a finger tab is a must for me this weekend. I can't shoot again without my fingers protesting the draw weight of the string.

I'm working on my form-feet comfortable shoulder width apart, standing straight, sucking in my navel to spine, tilting my pelvis under. I watched a video with Jake Kaminski explaining how to draw the bow. Basically use body mechanics as if you were starting a lawn mower. So I'm trying to use my full body strength to pull the string back-saves me a lot of stress and fatigue on my upper body. I also have to remember even with an arm guard to rotate my right elbow (my bow arm) down. Otherwise my bow string wants to slap it and if I didn't have several layers on I would have had a huge welt there. Yup I am in basic, basic, basic mode but that's the only place to start so I don't hurt myself. I also need to work on follow through with my left hand and get a finger tab-did I mention that?-so I can concentrate more on aim and less on how much the string hurts my fingers even with a glove on and a makeshift finger tab.

Sight! I need a sight-badly! I am aiming way.too.high. Even when My arrow looks like it's pointed at the ground. About half of my arrows hit the top of my target but the rest fly into the woods. Speaking of arrows I am using Gold Tip, 28". I have only 3-need more!

The weather is pretty overcast today with the occasional rain misting and upper 50 degree temps so it was actually very pleasant. I could feel my heart rate dropping as my body relaxed and tried to achieve the form I had down so well 6 years ago in class. Then when I hit the target the first time, albeit nowhere near the bulls eye ;), I could feel the excitement shooting through my body.

Once I get that darn finger tab and more arrows, and ideally a quiver, I can make a resolution to start shooting for an hour a day. Then when I am snowed in I can shoot in my basement.

Beginnings

Hi, I'm Madeline. I'm a twenty something wife and mother of 2 kids. I have always enjoyed watching recurve archery and after taking one class in college, I am taking the plunge and starting it again.

The internet is saturated with food blogs, lifestyle blogs, fitness blogs and interior design blogs and although I peruse those daily, I find very little available for the beginning archer apart from youtube videos. I am in contact with my local archery club and have picked the recurve coaches' brains about where to start, equipment, actual coaching and they keep telling me that they think they are overwhelming me. Not the case! I am absorbing all the information easily and want to document my experience going from beginning archer to hopefully a competitive recurve archer. Why recurve specifically? Because that's what I enjoy. Hence the blog. Why the blog name? Because I am a lefty and left eye dominant, that's why ;) I love writing and have finally found a niche of interest to me that isn't supersaturated with information already.

I shoot a 30# Samick Sage recurve bow. You can see it here.

I am still trying to find a finger tab and arm guard. I have cheap arrows from Gander Mountain until I can afford nicer ones and have a reason to shoot them. My target is cheap bullseye target from Walmart. I can shoot in my backyard with the target against a hill for safety. I can shoot as far as 40m away at my target. But naturally I will start much closer until I can back up little by little.

I have taken 1 shot with my bow-laugh all you want-and got royally slapped by the string. This means my form sucked. I need to fix my form, build upper body strength and shoot and shoot and shoot to get better. Until I have all my equipment to safely shoot, I am researching technique and learning from the pros and other amateur archer blogs, via the internet, in both compound and recurve archery.

Archery is a lot more than just standing and shooting.You need not only the mental discipline to train but correct body mechanics so you don't get hurt shooting. You don't have to be super athletic although you don't want to be so big you have a hard time getting the bow near you. I do workout a lot-running throughout the week and biking, total body training with free weights, body weight moves and yoga and pilates and p90x. I would love to do triathlons too. It's the daily discipline of exercising and the actual accomplishment of finishing the goal that makes me mentally strong. I also tend to eat in a 90:10 clean, whole foods to not so clean food. I know in order to perform at my best, I have to eat the very best food I can. I also try to eat 90% plant based diet simply because my body tells me it likes it. And I don't feel sick even if I have a little bit more than I really needed. Strong body + strong mind = happy Madeline :)

Lots to learn-let's get shooting!