Practice Goals

***Edit*** 
A fellow archery club friend informed me that I will only be shooting at 70m at the State championship. Gulp-better move that sight soon!

I've decided to compete at my state championship later in August. This means more practice and more focus all around.

I've been working for so long on my form that I've haven't sighted in different distances. The competition takes place at 50m, 60m, and 70m. I have 50m figured out but not dialed into incrementally. The others will come as soon as the weather cooperates. Today it was raining off and on and the wind was just strong enough that I didn't want to risk any long distances. As soon as I have another day, I will work at sighting in 60m.

Apart from safety, the other reason for not risking arrows in the wind is I am low on them. Nocks have popped off and I may have lost a point or two to an arrow kiss with a target stand. Time to re-glue and in some cases I will have to re-fletch. Note to self-order twice the amount of spare parts you think you will need because you will inevitably use them up. I'm sticking to the cheap stuff for now because I really want my next major purchase to be new limbs. I've reconciled myself that it may not be as high as 34# but I will make the first jump by the end of the year. Still using Easton Apollo carbon shafts for now although I could see myself playing around with carbon ones, next time I order. I'm also interested in trying out a few other brands. No point in spending money on items I'll use up very fast. I am tempted to try these vanes but not until they cost less than my arrows. Lastly, I may need to invest in a jig for accurate vane placement and strings-ugh, I need to learn more about how bow strings are made and string count and all that jazz.

My shot sequence is coming along! The work will never end there but for now, I've figured out muscle position to align that tightrope of bones between my arms and shoulders. Remembering to shift my weight makes a huge difference. I couldn't figure out why my arrows were hugging the upper right side of my blank bale and I've realized there are so many planes that I have to line up between my bow and my body. If one thing is off everything will be off. My arrows were going to the right because my release was very sloppy and was my string alignment. It's tighter now but still evolving. I've watched so many archers now to learn form that I don't want to force my hand and shoulder to move a way that isn't natural to me. I tried out a few things today with my release that seemed natural and made my arrows fly straighter and group better. Once I'm comfortable with the release I'll make it tighter and repeat it over and over.

I'm hoping to have another archery lesson before state and show my coach major improvement from our previous lesson.

Watching and Waiting

Like most archery fans I'm keeping tabs on the USA olympic trials and all the athletes competing. One female recurve archer from my own club placed 9th at the Arizona cup. The final scores were very close which shows how much talent is on the field. Best of luck to my fellow recurve gal and friend Darcy in the next tournament!

Despite tons of rain, switching jobs and parenting and deciding to go back to school, I have not forgotten my own archery dreams. Most of my training right now is visual. I'm watching videos like crazy of the best to learn technique and reading resources through kisikleeinternationalacademy.com to learn more technical aspects of each shot. For example, "transferring and holding" was very vague to me. But once a friend pointed out how my shoulders should move and I practiced with my bow trainer, it became more clear and I practiced the motion to obtain that familiar feeling in my back muscles over and over. I could finally see the results of mimicking the motion after shooting my bow this past week. I could set up with correct shoulder position and load, transfer and hold much better. There are other technical feats to chase now, like my release, which although a lot smoother, is still really sloppy.

I can only get to the range once a week now so most nights after my kids are in bed, I plug in my earbuds with my favorite music and pull out my finger tab and bow trainer. Although slightly different, I try to stay as close to the form I use on the field and after a few pulls of the third band on the bow trainer, I feel much looser and my back starts responding as it should. For me right now it's about quality over quantity, resistance training, visualizing the shot process and also trusting the process. I am so impatient but I've been told 'time is your friend'. I won't be moving higher in weight until I master 30#s. It may happen by the end of the summer or in December. Whenever it happens, I will gladly make the jump into 32# or 34# winex limbs. I can't WAIT to feel that smoothness from the carbon foam again. Light as a feather yet strong and quick.

I've noticed that most risers jump out of the archer's hand and into the finger sling after each shot. Right now mine doesn't. I would put weights on the end of the stabs except my riser doesn't want to seem to move at all after the shot and I am not gripping it tight at all. I'm curious to see after this season of outdoor shooting if that will change especially if I can get higher limbs by the end of the year.

So here's to another week of waiting, learning, bow training, technical reading on the shot sequence, new job training and general life all around. I can see it will all come together eventually. Can't wait to get back to the range!

At a crossroad

So...I figured out two days ago that my unofficial "coach" doesn't really have time to coach me. Not what I was expecting at all. Aside from the occasional tip while shooting together at the range, it won't be the arrangement I was picturing.

I'd rather have someone else coach me anyway (just saying) so no problem, not a big deal. He recommended I find a Level 3 NTS coach. The problem is, the one he recommended is in Springfield. That's over 3 hours away. I sent her an e-mail and am waiting to hear back. I'm wondering if I can meet with her once a month and shoot on my own the rest of the time? I'm basically doing 99% self coaching anyway, and that's what they want. I watch lots of videos of the top archers and although they each have their own unique style, I notice patterns in their form and it clues me into my own sloppy habits.

That being said, I did have an official lesson with the former coach. He had me shoot blank bale in my garage after some fine tuning on my bow. He clued me into yet another aspect of my form that I have to change-my head position. Before I turned my head to completely face the target. He told me to turn my head so really only my eyes are in line with my body and bow. My line of sight=head turned about 45 degrees to my left, eyes in line with the target but peered down, string to the front right side of my nose, string between inside right of the riser (and to the left of the sight aperture?).

My clicker is back on my bow and not near the struggle it use to be. Since changing my anchor point to farther back under my chin, I've increased my draw length to 28". So now my arrows are too short but I won't order more until I'm ready for a new set of limbs. I can make due for now with the current arrows because my budget dictates it.

My homework is to practice 3 times a week, 50 arrows very close to a blank bale. It's the only way to know what I'm doing wrong.

So today at the range I tried to apply everything that I had picked up in my lesson. I watched my arrow dance around that elusive bulls eye. I did manage to zero in on it a few times but for the most part, there was always something missing in my form. After an hour, and I'm pretty sure more than 50 shots, I called it in.

This is where it gets hard. I've sort of hurtled through this summer trying to accomplish goals all over the place as fast as I can. I'm constantly reminded to master each stage before moving up in draw weight or equipment. I'm constantly frustrated with seeing how I should be shooting and trying it for myself and not being able to shoot that way. 

I'm not even going to mention what my job situation has been lately. Fingers crossed I'm headed to a better company soon.

I've turned my hobby into something more than a hobby. Just like I'm trying to figure out my form, my release and how to make the dang arrow go where I want it to, I'm trying to juggle multiple things going on in other parts of my life. It's pretty exhausting and overwhelming to think about it all at once.

I simply don't want to lose the enjoyment and the fun part of this sport even if I don't see leaps and bounds every practice. Archery has filled my life and given me lots of joy and fulfillment where my marriage used to, but I am not married to this sport-yet. Sometimes the practices are draining, other times they are empowering and up lifting. Today I really had to trudge through the practice and motions seeing incremental progress, rather than the leaps and bounds I'd rather make. I'm definitely getting familiar with the daily grind that comes with learning any sport out there.

Trying to find a way through it all, with my sport and my life in general. All that being said, I will be competing in an indoor tournament on January 9. It will only be at 20 yards but apparently that's pretty far as my crazy arrows remind me. It will be good to get some concrete feedback with scores to measure my progress. I'm planning a tiny reward for myself after completing my first competition.

New Equipment...again

I randomly bought a Kaya riser on eBay. It's a K3 and she shoots so smoothly. She makes shots with my yellow infinitec (brand?) riser feel all clumsy and heavy. There's something about the Kaya riser, since it's all carbon, that makes it shoot very quietly with more of a dead feeling in your hand. The arrows seem to fly rather than act like a shotput throw. Honestly it's probably all in my technique and the "magical" feeling of new equipment but I had one of my best practices ever yesterday.

Let me back up. On Sunday my informal coach helped me tune the riser a bit and he moved everything that he had already tuned on my old riser. The only thing missing from the riser is the clicker. Shooting without it is a lot more fun. My coach says the clicker is really a mental thing and that I am drawing back as far as I need to without it. I'll take that with the clicker! But this wasn't the best practice though. I'm still missing a few of my arrows argh. 

I went back by myself yesterday to shoot. It was a picturesque fall day and windy (which didn't turn out to be a big problem.) The range is surrounded by trees turning colors and the weather was cool but not too cold to numb my fingers. I put together my new rig and walked over to the public targets for some more practice. Apart from a bit of sight adjustment since I was practicing so close to the targets, i was shooting better than I ever have. I really focused on keeping my bow arm up and keeping my grip light on the bow so I could let it fall forward. And it made a huge difference! Everything seemed to flow better. Before long, I had been shooting almost 2 hours and i wasn't shaking at all. I attribute this to using the right muscle groups and all the workouts I do with my trainer. We're already a month in but I feel stronger already. Perhaps having a chest workout the day before helped me pull back farther? I am worried that I really only shoot my best when I am alone. I love being alone at a range and focusing only on shooting but I also need to show improvement when I'm with my coach. And after my coach left on Sunday there was this other guy who wanted analyze every single freaking shot I made. I should've told him to shut up because he was sucking all the joy out of it for me but after awhile he stopped talking to me and i was so ready for it. I'm a chatty kathy but when it comes to shooting I am very selective with whom I listen to for advice.

So I am ready for more practices like that one. Here's looking forward to my next day off and at the range with my new riser.

The Clicker Struggles

Granted, I have only had the clicker on my bow for a few weeks and have not been able to practice every week, but every time I get out the bow to practice, I remember-dang this is hard.

I'm gauging the safest place downstairs in my basement to shoot. Then I need to build a target that I can stand at and shoot all winter. Because I won't get better until I shoot every day. It's a fine balance that needs to be controlled by strength and I simply don't have either yet.

I workout twice a week with my personal trainer and once on my own. I am not sure if it's really the right strength training program for my sport but maybe it's too early to tell? I want to add pilates to the  mix to build core strength and maintain lean muscle. I think my PT thinks I know more than I actually do, since I told her I am taking an online course to become a CPT. Nothing like heading to the range to practice after a back workout with aching chest muscles from a previous workout. I am so much hungrier than before. And it's fall and I want all the fall desserts-boo. I have to get a grip on my diet to build muscle and strength. It's very easy to simply build frustration but I tell myself take my time, be patient and it's okay to get a hooked nose from repeated string pressure during my anchor point ;)

Clicker Practice

I managed to get out on my own 3 times to practice at my local range. I am trying to remember and pull together all the technical aspects I learned at my last lesson with my coach. There's a lot to remember.

1.) My stance-open with 75% of my weight on my back foot and my weight more forward on the balls of my feet.
2.) My bow starting open and as I draw pulling more to a close.
3.) My grip-lightly holding the bow with my pointer finger and thumb with the rest of my hand relaxed. With my weight balanced right I should be able to "push" my thumb towards the target.
4.)My draw-extending the time for the last .25" of the arrow to pull through the clicker to about 3-4 seconds.
5.) keeping my arm steady and not rushing the shot.
6.) release and follow through.

It's a complete balancing act. And I mess up a lot.

The good news is that I can feel when I'm warmed up and my left shoulder suddenly moves the way I envision and my release is better and my shots are more consistent.

The bad news is that it's exhausting using the clicker and I constantly have to remember to conserve my energy.

I am working out now with a personal trainer twice a week with the goal of gaining long and lean muscle. And to gain strength. I am also doing yoga inversion classes every other week because that will also help me get strong. And I am going to pay for archery lessons from now on. They are pretty cheap to begin with. I've nixed buying a better bow right now considering that I'm just beginning and have a lot of debt to pay off. It will come when I am ready and am in a better financial position. And to add to that I started a full time job this month and am taking an online course to become a certified personal trainer.

All I need now is some decent sleep and I'd be in good shape! I e-mail pictures to my coach after every practice and he says I'm making good progress. Just have to outweigh my fatigue with my enthusiasm ;)

The Ol' Clicker

I've received a few hand me downs from Rod White via my coach for my bow. One of the them included a Beiter clicker. I mentioned before that I bought new arrows, coach fletched them and put them together for me and that they were my correct draw length. Since all that is done I can now learn how to shoot with a clicker.

A clicker is a piece of metal that the arrow slides against during the draw. If the archer is at full draw the clicker blade will be at the point of the arrow at almost full draw. Once that happens, the archer needs to pull back about .25" more over a period of 4 seconds and then the clicker blade will snap off the arrow point. At that point the archer can release the arrow. It sounds easy right? I thought so too.

Using a clicker is actually pretty damn difficult. It's meant to help with consistency and help the archer achieve full draw every time. But it's hard enough to be pulling the arrow back. Add your coach adjusting your stance and your grip and your bow arm is already shaking before you are at full draw. At least I am. This is where quantity over quality really helps.

Using the clicker I could only get 2 or 3 decent shots off my bow. The rest would go all over the place. And my coach, having just fletched them all, looked a bit peeved when he had to get out the metal detector and dig one under the dirt, bless him. I'm trying to build a shot sequence now. It starts with looking at the direction of the wind, grounding myself through my feet in an open stance, with 75% of my bodyweight on my back foot. Then I raise my bow and pull my string back with my arrow at the same time. While trying to keep the bow steady, I try to remember the light grip and touch my coach demonstrated for me. Then there's the ol' clicker, sliding along my arrow till I'm at almost full draw. With a definite 'click' it snaps of my arrow point and I release the nock and string. It's important to remember not to anchor at my nose and chin until I've reached that almost full draw point. Also, I am trying to work on lining up my string with inside right side of my riser. Loading another arrow is the last step in the shot sequence. It's a lot of minute detail that you can't really see with the naked eye. Lots of adjustments and lining up and straightening. Lots of strength behind the scenes. Frankly, I need to be stronger so I joined a gym and am working on building long lean muscle for strength. My main machine is the rowing machine for my back. I am also doing some yoga classes that focus on core work.

My shoulders had spazzed out by the end of the lesson. They screamed at me all day long and well into the night. But wait! There's homework!

I have clicker drills to do. I'm supposed to stand 5 feet away from a target and practice using that dang ol' clicker. I have to develop technique and muscle memory and not fight the clicker. Lord help me, this is going to hurt for a little bit.

Last big piece of news. Due to a recent bad experience, I asked the guy whom I refer to as 'my coach' to let me pay him for the 2 sessions we shoot together a month. I want to continue it into the winter as we shoot indoors.

1 step forward and 2 backwards

Everything has come together for my first ILF rig. Today was the first day I shot it completely together (with all my own parts.) My arrows will come back to me with veins and knocks and pins and points in a couple days, hopefully.

I have noticed major progress:

Stabilizers make my shots much smoother. It's like the difference between shooting a handgun and a rifle. They do make the bow heavier but you can rest it on the long stabilizer before each shot which helps. If I move correctly and release the shot well it's as if I am shooting of a ledge and the arrow flies in a beautiful arc through the air. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing that followed by the thunk of the arrow in the target face. Only thing that could make it better would be hitting an X!

My new sight is a DREAM. It's built like a tank and doesn't move unless I crank the dials to turn it. Then it moves in tiny increments so it can adjust to the smallest change. Well worth the money and I can use it for 20 years.

My whole release has greatly improved. I still have to remind myself to use my shoulder but when I do, everything flows better. Hold straight, engage shoulder, pull to anchor point. My coach is helping me develop a checklist for each shot. It's a lot to remember!

Slippery new things to learn:

Since I shoot southpaw style I need to bring the string to my nose at the same time my anchor reaches my chin. Then I need to keep the blur of the string in my peripheral on the right side of my riser handle. And the aperture on the far right. So it goes riser+blurry string+sight aperture on my target=baddabaddabing a nicer shot. It's a lot harder than it sounds because I am trying to manage the limb weight and line everything up. By the time I get everything on line I'm already shaking. This is where slowing down and thinking through each shot before I shoot is really helpful.

Keep my elbow down, stay up right. And I'm sure there will be another slew of things to remember once I start using my clicker. I'm hoping to have my arrows back within a couple days. Then everything will change again. I've been warned not to fight the clicker. If we measured the draw length correctly and if I move correctly, then hopefully that won't happen.

Workouts are going well. I just need to keep doing them and follow up with eating right. I can already tell I'm stronger than 2 weeks ago when I started intense workouts. I was sorta letting my cardio go because I was focusing so much on my arms and core. But really I need to do that too, not only for keeping in shape and getting stronger, leaner legs, but also for the mental discipline. Lordy oh lordy...am I going to need it.

I had to stop shooting today, due to fatigue, much sooner than I wanted to stop. But I was only training bad habits and shooting very shaky shots, so there was no point in continuing. It's so hard to stop when I look forward to it each day of the week. But now since I have my own equipment I can shoot every week on my own. It's good to receive instruction but it's also good to shoot on your own with a quiet mind and without interference.

Maybe if I can get in enough practice, I can compete in the club tournament at the end of the season.

Equipment Decisions

Part of the fun of archery is picking out equipment!

I have so many questions....what's the difference between Hoyt grand prix gpx risers and gmx risers? Are they ILF or formula? Often the answer I get is personal preference. But I don't have a preference until I can try it out. Too bad I don't live in Lancaster PA-or taking a trip there soon-hah!

So until then, I am scouring the internet for sales, information and insight. A riser that will click with me when I pick it up and try it out-and won't break the bank.

I know it is well worth it, because it's one of the few things that make me happy these days. Nothing better than kicking my personal life and legal world to the curb right now and shooting in a sunny field with the blue sky and soft clouds above me. I can't wait for the day when I can merely pick up my equipment and go to the range.

Workouts keep happening. I keep working on my core and arms and shoulders. I consciously have to remind myself how to move my shoulder for the correct release. One day it will come, the muscle memory will kick in. Until then I'm a newbie working to get better every day.

Back to the drawing board...

Later

strand count? string length? strand number in my string? What's the difference between 1/4# and 1/8#? what do I need?

More Practice

I got to the range for the first time in 2 weeks. I am borrowing equipment from another recurve archer and he's coaching me a lot too. I've decreased my poundage so I can concentrate on my form, incorporating my shoulder mechanics into each shot instead of only using my arms. I switched from a 30# draw to 18# and then back up to 24#. It is so nice shooting an ILF rig instead of a traditional bow. The traditional bow has lots of pros and is great for beginners but I am somewhere between beginner and intermediate and an ILF better suits my style right now. I usually start with fairly tight groups and get frustrated when they loosen up to the size of a basketball. I got frustrated because it seemed to happen pretty fast today and I still wanted to shoot. I shot more for over an hour. It's amazing how tired I get considering how short a time it is. I've been doing quite a few arm exercises but I am going to increase them and make sure I eat enough protein to build more muscle. I also need to slooow down. I tend to shoot my arrows pretty fast and my fellow archer pointed out how much weight I am holding. He said, 'Give your muscle time to rest and take a deep breath and then shoot.' I really need to work on that.

These days I've been reading as much as I can and watching as many archery videos as I can to learn better technique. And I just may be drooling over my archery equipment wish lists online. But that will come when I have the funds. I have to get a few other ducks in a row before I can splurge on some equipment.

I also met some other recurve archers today and one who actually competes. It was great to talk more with another archer and get some more perspective, ogle her equipment and talk about how hard it is to test equipment physically yourself before investing in it.

On the exercise front, I've been waking up early to go running around my neighborhood. It keeps my weight down and is great for mental discipline. The actual shooting is a workout in itself. My arms are much more toned and have more muscle then they did 6 months ago. I can also notice more definition in my core muscles. Ideally I want to be doing daily weight lifting and programs like crossfit, barre workouts, yoga inversion classes to increase my strength and overall fitness. SUP is a great core workout and fun. I hope one day to complete an ironman triathlon. This is all in the hopes of improving my archery ability, remaining fit and taking care of myself.

I never want to take the joy out of archery that I feel now. I look forward to shooting so much and love the challenging process of each shot. I get super excited when I shoot a tight group and it's a plus when they are all in the gold. I must look like a 3 year old with how excited I get but honestly it's just sheer joy. And I haven't felt that in so long that I will never give up that feeling ever again. Here's hoping I can take it to the next level soon.

Little By little...

I've practiced a few more times since my last post. I am learning enough to make me realize I still have tons more to learn about archery. It is frustrating at first. Then I focus and work through each shot.

I am also learning that people mean to be helpful when they don't know a whole lot. And they jump on me after one shot when I haven't shot for a few days and need to warm up. You're doing this wrong and this wrong and you need to fix thissss....till I can't remember the beginning of what they said. If you have one bad shot they assume you don't know anything and that you need all  of their advice, which is honestly probably true. I am grateful to have the free coaching I am getting though, after I warm up after 15 minutes, 'mkay?

On a more concrete note, I got to shoot an ILF rig today for the first time! Another archer brought a Hoyt Excel riser for me to shoot with SF axiom limbs. It was difficult until he switched them out for lighter limbs. The lighter weight meant I could focus more on my form. I worked on sighting in the bow and moving my shoulder the right way. I saw progress. Just mentally tired from all the coaching and the shooting. It's pretty difficult to shoot from 9:15-12:30 as a newbie archer.

I guess I basically feel like I'm getting my hand slapped a lot, figuratively speaking.

Progress!

I met my fellow archers at our archery club this past Sunday and I ended up getting great tips from some recurve archers. they helped me improve my form and shoot a million times better. They actually brought my target very close and told me to ignore my score and just pay attention to my form. It made all the difference. Even up close my groups were still tight and by the end I knew I had made a breakthrough. One archer even filmed me in slow motion so I could see my draw and release. There are lots of things to learn, little things to tweak and I honestly still have a lot to learn. But now I have some pointers and a little muscle memory to recreate and practice on my own. I also learned of a new online shop called Alternative Sporting Services which has so much archery equipment to browse. Talk about being so glad I went between rain showers! Did I mention that one of the archers will bring equipment for me next week to try out? Not to buy, just to try out.

Off to shoot some more on my own :)

New Sights

I have a literal sight to talk about and a figurative one. The figurative one is simply this: I am going through a major personal life transition. Everything has changed and I am trying to figure out a more permanent set up. But I have not lost sight of what makes me happy and my own interests through it. Archery has been a lifeline for me. I have joined a local club, received a lesson or two from a good coach and some not so good advice from people who think they know things but really don't (thank the lord I can tell the difference.) Maybe I can't control my personal life right now but it's a great consolation to pick up my bow and know that if I nock an arrow, draw and aim it and let go-it will sink into the target or maybe the ground or the target stand. Such is life. But I am getting stronger through it.

I actually bought a physical sight and it has made a world of difference in my groups. I've only used it twice and it's a cheap beginner's sight but hey it works for me. My groups generally start fairly tight and I play around with my sight...a little more to the left there and a bit higher there, until my arrows are reaching the bullseye. As I get tired my arrows tend to loosen from the size of a baseball to the size of a basketball, just as my coach said would happen. Over time as I get stronger and more skilled it should take the groups longer to loosen up that much. Once the groups reach the size of a basketball I stop so I don't burn out. My right shoulder was protesting the movement towards the end of my shooting hour so I must remember to do some ballistic stretches next time. I also need to do some core work because I think that would help me.

It feels so good to be doing something for me and to see progress. It's coming at a glacial pace but I can see it. Looking forward to the shooting on the range again this Sunday.

I'm Back with a PLAN

Hello! (I know I am really just saying hi to myself which might be a bit narcissistic but this blog will eventually be public. Right now it's my journal.)

After some thinking, resting (aka lots of napping) and laying into my house for cleaning before some family guests arrived, I feel like I have a plan of action for balancing my re-discovered hobby with the rest of my life. I am still tired-what's up with that?-I literally have been taking a nap most days and with the help of my friend benadryl, fell asleep at 9 last night and slept good and deep! Yesterday I felt like biting everyone's heads off and was just in a panic to get.to.bed. Much better today.

I've started doing daily yoga. It's mostly in the morning after sending my son off to school and before my daughter wakes up. It's no more than 20 minutes usually but it really flies by. I do it for strength training and stretching, mobility and it clears my mind. I'm hoping to do some of it with my kids in the future. I incorporate yoga poses directed at my abs 3x a week and it seems to be paying off. I plan on running around my house or at a park in the mornings with my daughter 3 days a week and doing archery the other 2 days. If I feel burned out on one I'll switch to the other. I have PiYo dvds for when I'm snowed in and P90X for when I need variety.

I've been paying attention to my diet and can feel my belly slimming down. (YAY!) I've realized, yet again, the secret is really watching my complex carbs. I just have to eat smartly. This time of year I am switching from the summer produce to autumn inspired roasted root veggie salads. I'll share them in the future on the blog. I also am enjoying a green smoothie most mornings and my peanut butter custard oatmeal. I snack on almonds and some cheese too through out the day.

I am at a loss for what to do next year. I need to find a job but I don't want to lose my newfound hobby. I was talking with a friend who was able to complete the traditional process I was going for and share my fears and hopes and this blog with her. She was so supportive and admitted my situation is really different from hers but she also pointed out that this blog and the field of archery is a really cool niche that isn't saturated with information online, yet. I really want to build this blog, build my hobby, advance to different equipment when I'm ready and cross train and eat well so I can eventually compete on the world cup USA team. And I can share it all with my readers through my love of writing. That has really been the one thing which has always come naturally to me, apart from archery ;)

I'm still in a finger tab dilemma. Mine is falling apart. But my husband vetoed ordering the new one so unless I find a super good deal on it or another one in town, I have to make due. (My poor left hand :()

My goals-get going shooting again-which may not happen for a little bit considering my guests are still in town and the weather is turning. but I'll cross each bridge as I come to it.
Also find good finger tab for this southpaw archer girl. And build my blog!

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.