# Where do you focus your eyes?



## jbw59 (Jun 27, 2010)

In the last two days, I have completely fallen apart. I'm looking up, scoring 0's on 5 spot targets. Now I have lost confidence. When you draw and put the pin on the target, do you focus your eye on the pin or do you focus on the x and block it out with the pin? I have no idea what the bleep is going on. It seems that I can't hold the bow still. Is that a muscle growing pain that will go away as my stamina and strength get better? I hope so. Thanks for your help. Dazed and confused.


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## Spotshooter2 (Oct 23, 2003)

I focus on the spot . You might want to do some up real close shooting for a while , like at 5 yards. It is possible you might have the beginnings of target panic. Target panic can come on easily especially when you are having a confidence problem.


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## capemaybowman (Aug 13, 2008)

I second what Spots said.


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## Unclegus (May 27, 2003)

And a third.


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## jbw59 (Jun 27, 2010)

Thanks for the advise. I will go short range for a while. I just have to relax and watch the arrow through the peep. I find if I keep that in my mind, I keep my head still. I also need to slow down. 4 minutes to shoot 5 arrows is a lot of time.


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## Monster X (Oct 19, 2010)

I take the dot and put it on the X. Then i just faze the dot out to a blur and look at the X. But i agree, it sounds like TP. Use a hinge and blank bail shoot. Dont worry about spots or Xs. But the Back tension is a plus. I use a TRU Ball Sweet Spot 2- 3 finger.


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## jbw59 (Jun 27, 2010)

Thanks for the help guys. I pretty sure you were right. So today, I shot a 5spot from 6 yards in my back hallway next to my screaming washing machine. I figured I'd do laundry while I was at it. Shot a 299 46. I know which one I jumped on and it really steadied my bow. I think I'll try it next at 10yds, then 15 then back to 20. It is nice being able to shoot in your own house though. I wish I had a 25yd hallway.


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## Monster X (Oct 19, 2010)

I would just shoot at a empty bail. I had a case of it. The blank target and a back tension helped a lot. I got target panic in the middle of a field shoot and it was bad. That was this past spring. I have been shooting a bow a little over a year is all. But with the help of some helpfull friends it got cured. Now I'm shooting 528 field and finally 300s indoor.


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## bishjr (Aug 1, 2008)

Monster X said:


> I take the dot and put it on the X. Then i just faze the dot out to a blur and look at the X. But i agree, it sounds like TP. Use a hinge and blank bail shoot. Dont worry about spots or Xs. But the Back tension is a plus. I use a TRU Ball Sweet Spot 2- 3 finger.


I agree with everything up to the back tension. You may just want to find a coach or someone to talk to you through the shot, as this will cause you to relax to a point and prevent you from thinking to much. As Don Ward says, shooting is a process and you just need to repeat it each time.


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## jbw59 (Jun 27, 2010)

I already have an archery coach, you guys. I've gone down that road before with golf lessons. I will never shoot as a pro and I'm gunning for the senior circuit in 4 years. At that point, I might actually be able to afford an actual target bow like a Mathews Conquest. Something a little more forgiving than a bow with an axle to axle lenght of 31inches. That's what I'm shooting now. A Parker Wildfire XP. Built for hunting not target shooting. If I can improve with the bow I have, it should get better with a bow that's actually built for target shooting. I'm probably a little over bowed as well. 55#s. I'm not getting any younger or stronger. I'll just man down to a 50 or 40 pound draw.


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## hockeymotocross (Dec 18, 2010)

*Target Panic*

Oh man, I feel your pain! I've had target panic since I was 11. Starting using conscious back tension and it helped. Then I saw a book in Cabelas by Bernie Pellerite called "Idiot Proof Archery". With his program, I shot 30-60 arrow per day into a blank bale for 3 weeks to program a subconscious release using back tension. Then, I shot 1 arrow at a time (meaning shoot it, then go pull it) at a 9" plate from 5 yds (30-60 shots a day). Every 3 days, if I wasn't panicking, I moved back 2.5 yards and decreased the size of the plate (or paper circle because I was too cheap to buy plates) by 1 inch. By days 19-21, I was at 20 yds with a 3" circle. It was tedious, it sucked not shooting at targets of any kind for 6 weeks, but I am a new man now! I still drop arrows out of the 5 spot from time to time, but it's never because I flinch or drop my arm because of panick, it's because I shoot a 30" ATA bow with pins and I get a little shakey, especially when I hold too long. I am so excited about my hold that I can't wait to shoot any chance I get! If you do it, though, you can't cheat or skip steps. Every time I tried to shoot a target to see if it was working or move back to 20, I could feel the monster trying to come back. Good luck!


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## Scott.Barrett (Oct 26, 2008)

This is why I shoot a circle or a TrueSpot....I focus on hitting that X and nothing else....


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## jbw59 (Jun 27, 2010)

I have decided that I will shoot at least 20 arrows at 5 yds every day. Keep my focus, imagine the arrow going through the target. I'll try to go to the range and shoot at 20 yds at least once a week. I did it today and had 19 x's out of 20. No target panic. all smooth. I felt good about it. We'll see what happens later this week.


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## Carbon Jack (Jan 1, 2011)

As with shooting a handgun, I pay less attention to the target and more attention to the sights. Get your sights lined up nicely and stay relaxed. Your brain will center the target by itself. You'll miss more Xs by failing to loose perfectly or having bad alignment than by not aiming perfectly. This sounds counter-intuitive but I feel it's true.

Jack


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## bfisher (Nov 30, 2002)

I try to concentrate on the spot, but as I get older the eyes don't focus too well. In fact, some times I think they don't focus at all. Maybe that's why I can't hit anything. LOL.


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## soonerboy (Sep 6, 2004)

Ditch the pin or dot. Get you a circle on your lense to look thru and focus on the X. That plus a back tension release is the best cure for target panic. I've been there and done that.


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