# blank baling



## strapassasin (Feb 7, 2011)

Try using a back tension and just keep aiming and squeezing... Are you using an index finger release?


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## rsarns (Sep 23, 2008)

strapassasin said:


> Try using a back tension and just keep aiming and squeezing... Are you using an index finger release?


FInger shooting forum.... 

Big, try taking the sight off... shoot barebow and blank bale for a bit.


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## mike 66 (Jan 21, 2010)

sorry big c, blank bail alone will not cure TP........


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## strapassasin (Feb 7, 2011)

rsarns said:


> FInger shooting forum....
> 
> Big, try taking the sight off... shoot barebow and blank bale for a bit.


Ooops.... Sorry guys


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## jcs-bowhunter (Jul 7, 2007)

strapassasin said:


> Try using a back tension and just keep aiming and squeezing... Are you using an index finger release?


I recognize this is the finger shooting forum. However back when my finger shooting was with a compound verses a recurve I would use a BT release whenever I got a case of the "yips". It helped to settle me down and allow me to get used to the target/sight picture at full draw without succumbing to the "NOW!" reflex to shoot.

My shooting is now 90% recurve and 10% compound and I beleive that using a BT release with the compound helps my finger shooting with the recurve.


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## b0w_bender (Apr 30, 2006)

strapassasin said:


> Try using a back tension and just keep aiming and squeezing... Are you using an index finger release?


I'm obviously a finger shooter and I have a carter evolution release and it is a great tool to improve back tension and aiming patience. Both are important form characteristics.


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## big cypress (Jul 31, 2006)

thanks i appreciate your help . i can't imagine me with a release i'd be like giving me a loaded gun ....be best if everyone dove under a table . . .i'm not highly skilled .


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## biblethumpncop (May 14, 2004)

Try a clicker and an aperature sight.


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## aread (Dec 25, 2009)

When you are shooting the blank bale, what are you working on?

Where is your mental focus? 

Allen


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## big cypress (Jul 31, 2006)

initially i was being sure i came to full draw and was anchoring . then was leveling bubble . when i became confident in these i realized i was looking at bubble . i then started sighting and imagining i saw the 5 spot in target and i do realize i should be imagining the ''x'' . ''aim small miss small'' .


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## aread (Dec 25, 2009)

First, the bale is just there to catch your arrows. It's not a target. The only part of arrow placement that you should be doing is to keep your arrows on the bale and avoid hitting your other arrows. If you find yourself trying to hit a spot on the bale, get closer.

Next, focus your mind on one and only one part of your form on each arrow. Your shot sequence is a good place to look to decide on what you focus on. You do have a written shot sequence, don't you?

When you are focusing on this part of your form, the rest of your form is operating subconsciously. You want to shoot a good shot overall, but concentrate on only one part at a time.

Continue doing this until you can trust your form to hold together without doing any part of your shot out of sequence.

One theory of target panic is that it is some part of your shot done out of sequence. Blank bale until you can't run your sequence out of order. This should take at least a month. Then gradually work back to full distances, but that's another post. Practice sessions of 20 to 30 arrows done twice a day are more effective than hundreds done once or twice a week. You are building new habits and this takes a lot of time. 

Hope this helps,
Allen


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## big cypress (Jul 31, 2006)

i appreciate that sir . ironically i have at least one part right , i do shoot 20 to 30 arrows twice a day .


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## AJ the TP Guru (Jul 29, 2011)

big cypress said:


> my target panic became so bad my already poor form had gotten really , really bad . i've been blank baling for 6 weeks or more to try to improve . it has helped and form was better but i realized it was only better when i was watching bubble on sight . when i look through the sight at the bale i still have target panic . the only thing i've accomplished so far is now i at least come to full draw before panicking . . . peace


You have observed what most guys observe after a while - blank baling is only a patch, same as any BT release. Most guys who have come to me for help (link below) have tried this as well as many other approaches - laser sighting, opposite side bow, any number of things which only help temporarily. Get your minds - conscious and subconscious - back in harmony, and you'll be ok again.


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## ia bhtr (May 22, 2002)

aread said:


> First, the bale is just there to catch your arrows. It's not a target. The only part of arrow placement that you should be doing is to keep your arrows on the bale and avoid hitting your other arrows. If you find yourself trying to hit a spot on the bale, get closer.
> 
> Next, focus your mind on one and only one part of your form on each arrow. Your shot sequence is a good place to look to decide on what you focus on. You do have a written shot sequence, don't you?
> 
> ...


Some pretty solid advice here , only thing I would add is that when you are working on one part of your form , stay with that item till you have it down then switch to the next item on your shot sequence , at 1st start with the 1st part of your shot sequence that is giving you problems , then the next etc.


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## big cypress (Jul 31, 2006)

so after blank baling for 4 months today a shot a few arrows at a target . my form is better . i still have TARGET PANIC . not a complete waste of effort but not what i'd hoped for . guess i can console myself knowing that some people my age can't get out of a chair by themself let alone shoot archery , bike , jog , do all the outside work and most of the inside work . guess i need to be thankful for what i can do not angry because of what i fail at . . .peace


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## deanap (Jul 6, 2012)

Have just recently got a handle on a long time target panic curse. What worked for me might not work for everyone but it's worth a shot. I tried to separate the act of aiming from the release. I pulled a bail up to 10 yards and used a large bulls eye target, aiming carefully and not worrying about the release. I increased back tension and very often would achieve a surprise release triggered from the sub-conscious mind. Blank bailing never worked for me. Some days all I did was shoot close. I was amazed how technically correct the shooting felt and that transferred to longer yardages a couple months in. Your mind knows how to execute a perfect shot, you just have to let it. Easier said than done I know all too well. Good luck.


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## big cypress (Jul 31, 2006)

thank you sir , shooting is about the only thing recreational that i do and lack of ability and control of my shooting is frustrating .


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## Supermag1 (Jun 11, 2009)

One thing I do from time to time that helps control my snap shooting (my personal version of TP) is to draw, aim, hold for as long as I can and then let down and repeat several times. You can't let yourself shoot the shot even if it feels perfect and in control or you'll completely negate the drill. This can even be done in the middle of a shoot just to calm yourself down and prove to yourself that you're in control of your own shot.


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## 2413gary (Apr 10, 2008)

Big C don't know if you have tried this but it worked for me. Frank Pearson told me that I needed to retrain my brain to aim. And I didn't get it at first and I cried and whined like a baby. But I tried what he said . I went to 40 yds my point on this is where it was the worst. Pull to full draw aim and don't shoot. And I mean don't shoot it was very hard. Once I realized I wasn't going to shoot I got to where I could aim again it wasn't pretty at first but it got better. So I would load an arrow draw aim as long as I could then let down. The next arrow draw and aim longer than I wanted then shoot it wasn't pretty . But it got better I would do this twice a week. The biggest thing is when you are aiming and not shooting DON'T CHEAT and shoot!!!!!you are just aiming. After a couple of weeks Frank called and asked how it was going I said terrible I shoot and it feels awfull. I am hitting the spot or close but it feels bad Frank said I had forget what it feels like to shoot a good shot. So then I added shooting with my eyes closed so I could feel a good shot without the aiming getting in the way. I did this for about three weeks and still do from time to time . Shooting with my wife who beats me regularly one day and I said it is still scary when I am aiming she said hold through it then shoot. So when it gets a little scary I hold through it and as it starts to com down I shoot. Most of the time it works not always but thats what the 3 down rule is for to help me get through the scary stuff. Frank yelled at me lot but it worked I owe him and my wife a ton. If you try this method remember don't cheat when you are aiming. My panic never go's completely away but I am able to control it instead of it controlling me. Hope this helps
Gary


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## mitchell (Mar 5, 2005)

Listen to Gary. It works.


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## 2413gary (Apr 10, 2008)

Yah Baby that's what I am talking about
GARY


Supermag1 said:


> One thing I do from time to time that helps control my snap shooting (my personal version of TP) is to draw, aim, hold for as long as I can and then let down and repeat several times. You can't let yourself shoot the shot even if it feels perfect and in control or you'll completely negate the drill. This can even be done in the middle of a shoot just to calm yourself down and prove to yourself that you're in control of your own shot.


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## big cypress (Jul 31, 2006)

i understand your instructions and appreciate your help and the time you've all given me . in the past i tried just holding and not shooting , both while aiming and while just at full draw and seeing a blank bale . my lack of control is amazing as more often than not the arrow shot itself , well any way it fired . wishing the arrow would shoot me rather than ''the arrow shot itself''' . . .thanks and peace


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## 2413gary (Apr 10, 2008)

Big C I understand I would at times shoot the arrow even though I didn't mean to Thats when Frank would yell you can't belive what he would call me. He was right the biggist thing I had to realize was I was in charge. I did not do this on a blank bale there was a target. just remember you are not shooting you are just Retraining your brain to aim without shooting. I fought this for at least 10 years. Besides GOD and family ARCHERY was and is my life I am living proof you can teach an OLD DOG new tricks.
Gary


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## aread (Dec 25, 2009)

BC, if you uput up a 30" diameter target, moved up to 5 yards and told yourself that the entire 30" target is the bullseye, do you think that you would still have TP?

I owe you an appology. I told you how to blank bale, but failed to tell you about how to take your bale shot to the target. I appologize. I am sorry.

Start at 5 yards with the 30" diameter target (or whatever size it takes to shoot without TP) Shoot it at least 3 days. If you've been able to shoot that with no symptoms of TP, move back to 7 yards. You have to have 3 full days of shooting without TP in order to move back. 

Every time that you can string together 3 days of shooting w/o a bad shot, move back a couple of yards. 

Now here is the hard part. The first arrow with sypmtoms of TP, stop shooting an put your bow away for at least a couple of hours. Until the next day would be better, but a couple of hours is sufficient. The reason for this is that a bad shot usually doesn't just happen on that arrow. It starts a few arrows before but it is so subtle that we don't see it. We should never let ourselves shoot a bad shot. This is true if we have TP or not. Often, you will hit a distance where you will shoot a bad shot two days in a row. When that happens, go back to the previous distance where you were able to shoot all good shoot and spend a few more days there. 

Once you get to 30 yards, start reducing the size of the target by a couple of inches every three days. Keep up the no-bad-shots rule. 

This is a highly disciplined and time consuming approach, but it is the only way to control this problem. The principle behind this is that added distance and smaller target increase the mental pressure that we feel when executing the shot. This added pressure caused muscle tension and that leads to TP. Gradually increasing the pressure allows us to control the muscle tension and focus on the execution of a good shot. 

You can do this. It will take time and discipline, but it will work.

Good luck,
Allen


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## big cypress (Jul 31, 2006)

sounds good to me . i only shoot in my basement which is 59 1/2 feet so at least initially i won't get to 30 yards but think program is worth trying . by the way , i belong to a club which is about 15 minutes away . . . .by bicycle . shot there about 3 times in last 5 or 6 years as i have zero self esteem and am very ashamed of my lack of ability . used to go shoot there about 6:30 in morning and leave if someone else came to shoot . again i appreciate both your time and time that others took to help . peace


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## 2413gary (Apr 10, 2008)

Big C I totally understand have been at the top of the game and at rock bottom one year at Darrington shooting on the top target and leading came to a 15 yd target shot the first two in the X ring sent the third one over the bale and stuck about 15" over a guys head in a tree. There were about 18 guys watching picked up my bow and headed off the range. I was going home and my buddy stopped me and asked where I was going home I said ( Bakersfield) he said no you ain't you came with me in my truck. That was Tom Daley he saved me twice from quitting . There are a lot of us in the same boat some times it's rocky. Just know that we are in it together I am rooting for you.
Gary McCain


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