# What is "Target Panic"?



## bell47 (May 20, 2011)

OK, This may seem really elementary but what is "target panic"? I keep hearing the term, and not sure exactly what we are talking about here. Is it the feeling of needing to punch the release trigger, shooting while floating all over the target? Shooting 15-20 years ago I don't think I ever heard this term. I'm just getting back into shooting so alot's changed, I'm just trying to catch up!


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## rodney482 (Aug 31, 2004)

it is the fear of missing which leads to trigger punch. Some folks get it so bad they cant even get the pin on the target.


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## scottranderson (Aug 9, 2009)

Its got a few differnt forms to it. 1 commin form of it is you are ment to squize off the release and you aim through the time untle it happens. but if your sharking you will stop it from being a suprise and make a effort to force the shot off as your pin shakes throw the zone you wanna hit. punching does not mean smacking the trigger it just means forcing the shot off even if its a controlled squize its still target panic. AND IT SUCKS!!!!!


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## scottranderson (Aug 9, 2009)

Another kind is being at full draw aiming with back tension and the shot Just wont go off. thats kinda the opersite of the last type of target panic casued by the same problems. so the last reply is punching this type is freezing. freezing is the subconious mind not happy with the hold pattern and it says to the other part of you mind IM NOT FIRING THE SHOT GIVE ME A DECENT HOLD PATTERN AND I WILL FIRE THE SHOT.


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## scottranderson (Aug 9, 2009)

now the type rodney is talking about is another form of it again. but i carnt tell you about that one i have not expernced it my self. I beat it but i had to correct somany other parts of my shooting style to get rid of it. took me years 2 key parts to beating it is understand what you are really doing when you are aiming. witch is everything to do with your form to very fine detail, 2nd thing is you need to devalope a good clean consistant shot tempo. and this is only scartching the cerface.


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## SpotShy (Mar 14, 2005)

I posted this in a earlier thread in this same forum.

Target panic is basically the failure to develop a trusted shot sequence. Which in turn results in doubt which then results in a fear of missing. That fear of missing soon triggers an anxiety that may result in either not being able to get the shot to go or forcing the shot to go as soon as the sight gets close to the target. Most cases develop from not acquiring the target immediately and also not knowing what to do when you do acquire it immediately. Typically the archer either raises or lowers the sight pin on to the target waisting valuable time. Then they have a tendancy to time their release as the pin comes up to or down to the target. As soon as the pin crosses the target center, "BANG"! This will work superbly for a while, that is until you reach a point where the pin gets epoxied at 12 O'clock or 6 O'Clock above or below the target. Then the timing is disrupted. The result will be hitting low or hitting high. Soon the archer gets frustrated and forces the pin on to the target and forces the release to fire at the instant he thinks the pin is where it needs to be. Finally everything gets so disconnected and the axiety of aiming and timing the release cause the archer to completely discombobulate.


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## aread (Dec 25, 2009)

SpotShy said:


> I posted this in a earlier thread in this same forum.
> 
> Target panic is basically the failure to develop a trusted shot sequence...


Exactly right! 

All of the various symptoms like freezing, flinching and punching come from a shot sequence that's not trusted.

Now, this was the easy part. It's a little more difficult to figure out how to ingrain a trusted shot sequence into our subconscious. Fortunately, there is a lot of information on it in this forum.

Allen


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