# Target panic



## aroelfs (Feb 28, 2018)

I noticed that lately it's been harder and harder to hold the pin on the X and I'm afraid I might be developing Target panic any recommendations to curb this thing quick?

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## Ellabellaboxer (Oct 13, 2018)

Go to a resistance release and try the double vision sight From specialty archery check it out on you tube.


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## crate572 (Jan 4, 2016)

Focus on the X ... don’t aim with the pin


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## Primehunter15 (Feb 9, 2017)

crate572 said:


> Focus on the X ... don’t aim with the pin


He is correct. Focus your eye where you want to hit let the bow float naturally and pull through your shot. 

When you try to aim the pin. You tend to push the pin to the dot. By the time you see your pin on the dot and tell your arm to stop moving you are past the dot. You will keep going back and forth causing you to move more. In return you will start to punch the trigger when the pin reaches the dot. 

Always look where you want the arrow to go and slowly pull through your shot.


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## Mgivy4 (May 9, 2018)

Practice aiming without actually firing the arrow. I have done this at times and tried to increase the amount of time the pin floats on the x over time. Also take this time to work on your full sequence. Feet/hand positions/checking in/anchor/breathing etc.


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## sandhillhunter (Mar 27, 2017)

Ellabellaboxer said:


> Go to a resistance release and try the double vision sight From specialty archery check it out on you tube.


I’m working on this now.

Back to the basics with stance, grip, form, and up close shooting working on back tension. 

Went from a wrist strap index finger release to a thumb release and now have a resistance release on the way. 


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## sandhillhunter (Mar 27, 2017)

Mgivy4 said:


> Practice aiming without actually firing the arrow. I have done this at times and tried to increase the amount of time the pin floats on the x over time. Also take this time to work on your full sequence. Feet/hand positions/checking in/anchor/breathing etc.


I am doing this as well. Drawing and holding on the spot with finger off the trigger, then letting down without firing. 


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## Hunter Hines (Mar 7, 2019)

Blind bale shooting is great for this.
Shoot at point blank range with eyes closed
Also the movement is what messes you up. 
Condition your muscles in shoulder, core and triceps!
A great exercise I do is draw bow and hold pin on spot as long as physically possible! Then after it gets completely out of control let down.
This will strengthen muscles and will steady your pin float and duration.
Learn and train brain that pin float is ok 
I can’t tell you how many times I have thought my pins were floating so bad I hit a 5 and pin wheeled the 12
Pushing forward with bow arm will help or reduce pin float which will help you to make sub conscious shot while squeezing trigger slowly or using back tension.
Which is impossible with a bow with draw length to long.
To short is better than to long. I see a amateur at every shoot who is shooting a bow 1/2 to 1 inch long. Have a professional help you set up draw length. It’s the most important thing period.


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## Mule04 (Mar 27, 2019)

I started noticing the same thing and started getting back to basics. I've completely rebuilt my stance and my shot routine, focused less on pins and also started shooting a resistance release. It's taking time but I'm already better than I was before. Still have plenty of room to improve though!


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## dcestnik (Nov 13, 2012)

i get it terrible. using a resistance or hinge release helps but also like to draw, aim, hold for 10s and let down. some attest to blank bale but for me it didnt transfer to being comfortable with the pin floating and not punching.


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## Vovchok (May 13, 2019)

start shooting the white sheet on the pile, then stick the x and 9 on the white sheet and shoot like that . then move the target


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## mcgregory80 (Mar 27, 2019)

reading all the posts here guys than you all for the advice


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## Verminaters1967 (Aug 20, 2019)

Target panic suck what helps me is to take a week or 2 off from shooting hit the gym really hard, maby not the best advice but it work for me.


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## Pintail76 (Oct 6, 2017)

This is one of the hardest thing I had had to overcome. Need to retrain the brain from the ground up. Stance, form, aim, release. All the post above are correct start with blind bail with eyes closed focusing on form, how does your body feel. Then focus on release. I did this for two weeks before looking at target. Then close range focus on dot or X at 5 yds, then 10 and so on. If it's still an issue at any yard start over. I lik the idea of holding on X as long as possible then letting down sounds like a step I should have done.


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## lcaillo (Jan 5, 2014)

Target panic, IME, is a a trained behavior. To disrupt that pattern you have to determine what the stimulus is that leads to the behavior. Change the stimulus to something that will lead to the response desired. For most the stimulus is probably internal thoughts of trying to hold steady and not release until sure that you will not miss. As said above, learn to accept the float and execute the shot without responding to the pin moving. You can train to minimize the float but trying harder to aim does not accomplish that. 

See the float, learn to not respond to it, and execute the shot. Timing drills, aiming drills, and blank bale shooting can all help but the best method will be very individual. The bottom line is that you have to separate your shot execution from the attempt to be perfect before your release.


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## kearneyhill (Aug 31, 2014)

Great advice! This is one of the reasons I come here.


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## subconsciously (Aug 22, 2009)

Has stated. Blank bake and blind bale work excellent. While aiming no other part of the shot “process” can be worked on. This is why blind/blank bale shooting helps. 

You need to define your process. Break it into steps. Define the steps. Write them down. Don’t variate from them. 

If the process is working properly you should be able to finish your setup, go to the target and stay on target till the shot has been executed. Going from setup to target back to the setup means you skipped a step. 

Do not try to control the arrow. Control the process. 

.02


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## Really_frosty (May 28, 2010)

Target panic is a mental issue. and by that I mean that your mind is the issue. TO curb or correct "target panic" you must over come anxiety. The concept of "target panic" is really just anxiety that the archer or athlete is having at the time of the practice or competition. 
For your situation there are a number of ways to correct that. But I would need more information and to see your shooting in order to diagnosis a proper solution. 
Other coaches and instructors like to talk about repetitive training and making your "steps" more defined and muscle memory more impacted. THis will not help your mental practice. your mind has to be clear to perform any sport. Professional athletes have rituals that they perform to assist them concentrate and focus and clear their mind of other anxiety causing personal issues.
Good luck and remember " breathe and Zen"


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## dschonbrun (Nov 14, 2012)

aroelfs said:


> I noticed that lately it's been harder and harder to hold the pin on the X and I'm afraid I might be developing Target panic any recommendations to curb this thing quick?
> 
> Sent from my SM-N920V using Archery Talk Forum


I spent the last week with Coach Kisik Lee, head coach of USA Archery doing advanced coaching training. We have a lot of studies and data through working with elite archers around the world, and in order to solve the problem you have to go to the source. The problem is mostly psychological, but there is a physiological component affecting arousal which one needs to also consider.

To alleviate target panic, first find a qualified L4 or L5 certified NTS coach in your area. If you have trouble finding one, pls PM me.

Here are the 3 basic steps you'll need to go through:
1a) Learn the 8 steps of the NTS shot process. [Set, Set-Up, Load, Anchor, Transfer, A-N-D (Holding), Expand, Follow Through] A Repeatable process is the first key to alleviating anxiety by occupying the conscious mind. Anxiety is arousal based on a fear of a bad outcome. If we think of and trust our shot process instead of focusing on the outcome, the source of the arousal is removed from consciousness.
1b) Get comfortable enough with the 8 steps through stretch-band practice so you can command them in front of a mirror: say each step before you do it. A coach will help you with some physical cues/positions so you can check yourself while you practice.
2) Invest time into mastering holding: After transferring 95% of the tension to your back (Transfer), take time to Calm your mind and steady your body before you Consciously choose to expand... this is called "Holding" and it's the most critical step in the entire shot process. Work on Holding with a coach, both the physical (scapular) and mental parts (still the waters). 
3a) Don't aim until expansion (after holding). This may sound incredibly unintuitive, but it's based in science... and it works. Believe it or not, Archery is not an aiming sport, it's a form sport.
3b) When you decide to expand, put a single thought into your conscious mind to keep it busy (e.g. the feeling of Finishing the shot) so you can enter your subconscious. 
3c) Complete Expansion/Release/Follow through in 3 seconds [a.k.a. "Archers Timing"]

This takes effort, but it's very achievable if you trust the fundamentals.

Best of luck,
David


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## HighwayHunter (Feb 21, 2018)

I find myself rushing shots before my pin comes off of the X from time to time and I have to hit reset and slow things down. If my shooting session sucks from the beginning and it’s all bad, I’ll pull out my trufire sear which is set pretty dang slow. I like to put a tiny piece of tape and put it on a black target at 40 yards. A piece so small once your pin is on it you can’t see any of the tape. Then I’ll aim at the tape, but let my pin float off of it and just focus on how slowly I can work through a shot without having jitters or anticipation. Do this for 20-30 arrows and have no intention to hit the tape. If it hits it, it hits it. For me, by the time I get to arrow 12 or 13 I notice I start naturally floating my shots toward the tape. I’m still just focusing on the tape, not my pin. The more you learn to focus where you want to hit and not where you’re aiming at that exact moment, the better your shots will be. So as you go through this you’ll see your arrows crawl towards the tape. If you get to a point where you can repeatedly hit the tape while aiming directly at it, then put up a target face and try to hit it. 


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## UTElkhuntr (Jan 14, 2020)

I too have had this issue from time to time, one thing that helped here other than what others have mentioned is to have someone else there with me and have them pull the trigger on the release. It really helped me focus on the target rather than the pin. Be safe when doing this, but it helped me. I am gonna try some of these other tricks as well, thanks for the thoughts! I lost my last elk on a rushed shot and do not want to repeat that again.


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## Powerman2.0 (Nov 1, 2019)

Been going thru this for a couple years now. Silly but finally found a program that is showing results. Shot IQ course has changed the way I control my chop sequence now.


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