# What is punching?



## newtobow (Aug 11, 2010)

I hear people talk about punching the release, but I can't tell what that really means? Could someone explain...
1) what is punching
2) what the common results are because of punching
3) how to fix the problem

Thanks in advance!!


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## subconsciously (Aug 22, 2009)

1. The conscious act of hitting the trigger which breaks the aiming process. A breakdown of the shot process.
2. Poor accuracy and bad habits. Not too mention wounded or lost animals and getting your butt kicked at the target range. 
3. Retrain the subconscious mind to take over the releasing of the arrow while the conscious mind aims. This usually takes 3 weeks to start.


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## [email protected] (Aug 3, 2010)

anytime your not totally free to aim and consciously leave the aim and command your mind to shoot now you are punching.some of the results from punching are snapshooting,inability to hold on target,freezing,flinching, this will all lead to target panic.the only way to predictable accuracy with a bow is to establish muscle memory and learn backtension.like sub told you it will take 3 weeks to establish a new habit but a few thousand shots to ingrain backtension.if you put in the work youll never be happier with the results.any anticipation of the shot is negative.statr on the bale learning bt and good luck


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## Stubby'smom (Mar 20, 2010)

punching is what I do lol! Results, arrow flies high and left. I'm getting better about it, but it has taken much longer than 3 weeks to see an improvement, shooting 5-6 days per week. I need someone to teach me BT! The mental thing mentioned above helps a ton, and it's alot of work to do. Sometimes I forget to do it and the results are obvious. I also have a couple other issues that cause my arrows to fly high and left such as follow through but I am to the point where I know what I did at the time to cause a bad shot.


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## Stubby'smom (Mar 20, 2010)

Sorry, didn't really answer all of your question. When I punch, unconciously I bounce my trigger finger on and off my trigger before I actually release the arrow and when I do release it's usually with the tip of my finger instead of the meaty part. This is how I know I've punched before the arrow even hits the target. Once in awhile when I have really good focus I can still be in the white with punching but not usually and it's still left of the x. Sometimes people punch by just jerking the trigger really fast instead of the slow squeeze you are supposed to do. I have a crappy release too so I don't know if upgrading would help or not. I want to upgrade but want to get rid of this bad habit first.


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## Bradley75 (Sep 25, 2010)

Im also new and i beleve this is my problem. Heres my dumb question i go low and right the two above bolth said they went left. Am i doing something else or are they just left handed? thanks


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## [email protected] (Aug 3, 2010)

get yourself a good back tension release i like the carter squeeze me,i think you can learn bt the fastest on these types on releases,also you dont have to worry about sending arrows flying prematurly.you cant learn back tension on a cheap index triiger release with a horrible trigger in fact all your doing is ingraining terrible habits.once you get good with a bt release then if u hunt you buy a quality index release with a trigger that lets you preload it to keep you from anticipating the shot.(carter rx1,lucky,quickie,etc).learning bt to me is a 6 month process it has to be ingrained along with a shot sequence and muscle memory.your goal in the end is to be totally immersed in aiming and have the shot go off subconsciously.for me len cardinale breaks the shot down the best but maybe some other guys can recommend what helped them or a coach.now it may take 3000shots to ingrain your new program but do the work its worth it.also practicing the right way makes perfect shooting 7 days a week and punching is the fast track to target panic.good luck


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## subconsciously (Aug 22, 2009)

There are many methods to overcoming target panic. Changing releases will only help in the tactile aspect of the shot. Whatever program you chooses you have to dedicate yourself to fixing it. Would you like to spend the next 10 years fighting it and being a mediocre shooter, or take 1 month out of your life and learn how to be a phenomenal shooter. I had target panic for seven years and finally dedicated my time to fix it. I now love the sport more than ever and I'm a pretty dam good shot. 

It's your choice. Dedicate the time to fix it........or just learn to accept it.


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## M7Archer (Oct 12, 2010)

When I started using the release, I had this problem. If you are pulling the trigger on this thing with your fingertip, it will be difficult to correct. Possible, but more difficult. I extended my release so that the trigger sat right at the main knuckle on my index finger. When I shoot, I just curl my finger back like you would to start to make a fist and get a pretty smooth release each time


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## Cheerioette (Apr 16, 2010)

Unintentional jerking on the trigger... I am finding out that hunting is a great way to acquire this bad boy, called TP.


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## Stubby'smom (Mar 20, 2010)

Not sure what you meant by preloading the trigger? I have a cheap crappy release that you can what I call preload the trigger on. It grinds too no matter how you clean and oil it and I feel and hear the whole process of pulling the trigger. I told my pro guy and he gave me a lil goose to borrow. What a difference! I still punch but it's not nearly as bad and I can't preload it. My definition of preloading is to draw, then half cock the trigger and then release after aiming.


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## [email protected] (Aug 3, 2010)

i doubt the release your using can be set heavy enough for back tension,if your serious a better release will help you learning back tension.(cater squeeze me true ball sweet spot etc) you have to have it set heavy to learn what it feels like to pull thru the shot,squeezing slowly is still just a controlled punch and you will go right back to punching the way you were before.there is no magic pill you have to learn back tension and put in the work it takes time but you will enjoy archery more once you learn how to properly execute the shot,


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## rab1 (Oct 3, 2010)

I was a part squeezer and part BT, that is to say a puncher. For the last three weeks I have been working on good BT. I shot an overkill release that I had set very light. After reading some post at AT I have set my release very heavy. I have shoot for many year and I know that the bad habits will take time to correct. I have found that when I practice,if I close my eyes I can feed the shot much better, no TP.


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## [email protected] (Aug 3, 2010)

stay on the bale for at least a month no sight just concentrate on feel,u cant learn anything if aiming.then start at 5yds shoot a paper plates anywhere you hit is fine concentrate on form do this for a month,if you feel panic come back or cant execute the shot you go back to bale.you can gradually increase these steps till you get to 20 yds.good luck and keep the release set heavy better for training.


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## subconsciously (Aug 22, 2009)

Over coming my tp i swithced to a hinge release. I took the fingers and thumb out of the shot sequence. Some people are scared of a hinge!? That's like being afraid of a pitching wedge. It is only a tool. People train themselves to control to much of the shot. If any part of the shot is not part of their conscious action - they feel out of control. Thats just it, you have to give it up! 

I bind baled at 5 yards for a week. Just learning the whole shot over.
On the 2nd week I put a target up at 7 yards or so and worked at target aquisitioning and bllind baled.
On the third week I would blind bale, target aquisitioning, and blank baled.
On the 4th week I stared shooting at a target at close range.
The rest is history. Now I cant force myself to punch it....

What is target aquisitioning?

When we set our shot sequence as a "puncher" we usally come in from the top "or" the bottom everytime. We train our subconscious that when the pin passes thru the center or stops (above or below the spot) its time to push and punch! 
In target aquisitioning you train your subcnscious that no matter which direction you bring the pin into the spot - You dont have to pull the trigger. I would practice this with a 5 spot target and coming into each spot from all directions.

later


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## fatboyshooter (Feb 9, 2010)

These coaches are trying to tell you that you are to allow the bow to fire WHILE AIMING do not let your mind leave the center of the target! I shoot back tension with a Scott caliper release! The blank bale is boring and takes a lot of effort and concentrating on every arrow to get to the point of a sub conscious release! I had TP so bad b-4 learning back tension I would miss the "X" by 14 inches at 20 YD. Buy Bernie and Jan's book Idiot Proof Archery and take the cure for TP. It worked for me. Don't shoot a cheap release that has a lot of creep in the trigger, save your lunch money to buy a "top of the line" release. Do not try to learn back tension and trying to hit a target at the same time! Move up to within 8 to 10 ft. of a 
back stop at shoulder height and start doing the drills these coaches are suggesting. Go to National Tournaments the release companies are there and will allow you to take different releases and shoot them, you will probably have to leave your credit card with the person behind the counter so they know you are coming back to either buy the release or turn it in.


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## fatboyshooter (Feb 9, 2010)

I agree with you 100%


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## J Whittington (Nov 13, 2009)

there are two theorys on this..about 50/50 of the pros agree/disagree

1 theory is to think about nothing but aiming/ sub consious release

2 to think about making a perfect release...aim subconsciously...

article I found:

Aiming is Highly Overrated….”


For anyone who may not be familiar with the name Dave Cousins, he is a professional archer with Hoyt USA. He either holds or has held numerous records and titles in FITA, FITA Field, NFAA, World Archery Festival in Las Vegas, the 3-D in Redding, California, etc. (I think you get the picture) and is one of the finest and most knowledgeable bow technicians that I have ever met. He was very personable but very firm in his opinion as to how things should be done. It is safe to say that being one of the world’s premier archers at the age of twenty-seven does not happen by accident. Being gifted will only take you so far because it also takes hard work and dedication to achieve to this level. As he said to us, he feels fortunate to have a job where he can dedicate his entire time to his sport.

There were 2 or 3 of us sitting around one day when, for reasons of my own, I asked him to explain how he develops his aiming process. He just looked at me and said, “Aiming is highly overrated . . . aiming is just a waste of time . . . time that could be better spent doing things that are more important.” After I picked my jaw up off the floor, I naturally asked him to explain such a statement. 

I will try to blend in and clarify, by example, his rationality for this statement. 

It is just like driving a car, the very first time that you get behind the wheel and take it out on the road, you probably will aim it. You are tense; you are overcautious and, as well as a few other minor flaws, tend to aim the vehicle. After all, you need to know where you are going, right! So, after you just about wipe out a few parked cars, pedestrians and what have you, you start to learn to look, to become more relaxed and to just steer the car. This ultimately results in a far better, more enjoyable ride, with far less stress. Now, with practice, all of the things that you need to know and pay attention too, start to become much easier and automatic. Tension causes you to aim . . . aiming causes you to over-steer, and to over-compensate for your mistakes. Tension causes you to jump on the brakes, turn on the windshield wipers instead of the turn signals and to focus so hard on the road that you missed the sign that said ‘School Zone.’

Archery is just the same. It is true, whether you shoot a recurve or a compound bow, after your alignment process is completed and you are comfortable that everything is ready, you must then train yourself to just let yourself look at the target. When you consciously aim your pin, dot or circle at the target, this is when you start to over-correct. When you start to see the pin falling out the bottom of the gold, or shooting out the top or sides, or even freezing, you are under tension. I can’t count the number of times that I have heard someone gasp or !*#@!!* After a shot.

Dianne just shot a FITA ll at Abbotsford this weekend and, after it was completed, I asked her how she shot. “When I just looked at the target and let everything come together, I did very well. When I found myself consciously aiming, that is when I got into trouble. Just like Dave said, I found myself fighting with my dot.” 

I have only touched on this subject very lightly, but I hope that it is enough to help make you think about the reality of your own shot. Does anything sound familiar and is there room for positive change. 

It is nice to be able to sit down with someone like Dave and get to know how they approach their game. Sometimes, you just may learn something that, basically, flies in the face as to how we have been taught to think and perform. New technology and methodology in teaching and understanding is available to us and it is my hope that we will be able to make this information available, in far greater detail, to everyone who wants it.

Charles Land
Master Coach 




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## aread (Dec 25, 2009)

I was able to sit in on a seminar with Dave and Jessie Broadwater. In that seminar, Dave said "I'm not an aimer". When I asked him what he did to convince all those arrows to bury the pointy end into the X ring, he said "I just stair at the X and visualize my arrow going there".

At another point in the seminar when asked what was going on with the back end of his shot, he said "I don't know".

He went on to explain "aimers" much like the he described beginning drivers.

IMHO, Dave is using different words to describe the same immersion in aiming that Len Cardinale talks about. He also has committed everything else about his shot to the subconscious level so that all he does is focus and visualize. Also he TRUSTS his form to operate subconsciously. 

This is exactly what [email protected] is describing.

So to answer your questions
1) what is punching - punching is when you don't trust your form to operate subconsciously while you immerse in aiming.

2) what the common results are because of punching - You consciously trigger the shot. Your mind moves back & forth between the target and the back end of your shot. Usually with poor accuracy and eventually leading to drive by shooting and target panic


3) how to fix the problem - Idiot Proof Archery lays out a pretty good program of blank bale and bridge. Of these two, the bridge requires the most work & discipline. IMO Shooting the bale is worse than useless if you don't also shoot a disciplined bridge.

Hope this helps,
Allen


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## Caboose (Nov 3, 2010)

Allen (aread), thank you for your post. It really put things into perspective for me and I know this is going to help me become a better shot.


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## mike 66 (Jan 21, 2010)

j whittington... has a very good example....here so does sub... good job..:bump2::bump2::bump2::bump2:


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## [email protected] (Aug 3, 2010)

I think AL HENDERSON also touches nicely on the aiming process.Al said to burn a ray a concentration into your target and above all STAY MENTALLY HOOKED UP to your target.Al"s book in my opinion is a must own.


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