# Never stop learning



## firemanbrown (Feb 17, 2005)

After 30 years of finger shooting I thought I knew just about everything to make a good shot. Even after many years of being a succesfull competitor and being sponsored i never realized how I was making mistakes. After a up and down season and getting frustrated all it took was a friend to watch for 2 shots to fix my anxiety. He noted I was canting the bow and I was big time dead releasing the string. After trying a couple of easy fixes man my shooting came back. Thanks God I never give up on listening and learning. Just a little reminder to some of us who have been around a while. Shoot straight and good luck, Dan.


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## dragonheart (Jul 18, 2008)

*You betcha!*

Video, it can do wonders for self awareness!!


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## Irish Archer (Mar 28, 2010)

Fireman,

By "dead releasing", I assume that you mean you were not pulling *through* the shot. Is that correct? I'm re-learning what I thought I knew. Thanks


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## bigbob29 (Sep 7, 2009)

Dead release as I know it is when the hand stays at the anchor point once the fingers have surrendered the string. In other words yes, the hand does not move back towards the shoulder to effect the release. I know I should try the normal manner of release but I'm happy to do it 'wrong' and put up with the occasional errant arrow from string torque or whatever.


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## Madlaz (Jul 4, 2008)

what is the correct release for target dead end or regular like never stop learning


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## dragonheart (Jul 18, 2008)

*Dynamic vs. dead*

Dynamic release refers to the increase in back tension and refusal to hold the string any longer. Dead release is when the fingers simply refuse to hold and the back tension is more static, so the fingers stay at the face instead of moving back towards the shoulder as in a dymanic release. 

A dynamic relaese is is considered by many coachs the preferred method. I have seen some really great scores shot with both styles. I think what is important is maintaining a sensation that you are "holding" your draw elbow back and maintaining tension in your back muscles. Refuse to hold the string anylonger and avoid the tendency to let go. In the dynamic relaese there is more of a sense of the draw elbow being pushed back as the tension increases and the archer refuses to hold the string.


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## arrowshooters (Jun 5, 2006)

I'm with bigbob. My tendancy was to pull my hand back and "away" causing way more problems. I am way more happy leaving it on my cheek.


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## shadowhunter (Oct 12, 2003)

*Dead release*

I use a dead release too and OK with that as long as you can do it consistently. My big problem is being left eye dominant and shooting right handed. Wasn't a problem for years then it and target panic along with age makes for a bumpy ride.


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## fuelracerpat (May 6, 2008)

I too, have to admit to a dead release...........I don't think the release has as much to do with the shot (unless it is severely plucked!) as the follow thru with the bow hand. Relaxing the bowhand, allowing the bow to "jump" into a sling and not trying to influence the shot after it has been released is paramount. With all that being said.....I have been known to "english" a shot a bit when the fingers release and the brain says "oh schitt!". Not the prettiest of scenarios. The ability to influence the POI after the shot has been released is one of the benefits or drawbacks, depending on where the shot landed, of the flipper-pressure button arrow rest setup.:mg:


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## firemanbrown (Feb 17, 2005)

I see that alot of people here are looking at the variables of their release. I guess my whole point of this post was to point out that we should never stop learning.I think alot of my problems started when I stared repping. In other words I was having mental issues.I used to practice a lot and shooting with a dead release worked just fine. I now notice that shooting more dynamic that I am getting a better flipper/button combo. Keep shooting straight, Dan.


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## fuelracerpat (May 6, 2008)

firemanbrown said:


> I now notice that shooting more dynamic that I am getting a better flipper/button combo. Keep shooting straight, Dan.


Would you explain what you mean about this?


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## fingers (May 27, 2002)

A dynamic release is cleaner thus less pressure is put on the flipper and button. I think a static release(dead) is ok for indoors if your're solid in your form but the dynamic back tension release is better for outdoors in my opinion.


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## firemanbrown (Feb 17, 2005)

Sorry about that I meant I was getting better arrow flight with the flipper/button combo.


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## fuelracerpat (May 6, 2008)

fingers said:


> A dynamic release is cleaner thus less pressure is put on the flipper and button. I think a static release(dead) is ok for indoors if your're solid in your form but the dynamic back tension release is better for outdoors in my opinion.


Now what data (facts) do you have to back up this statement? he he he (evil chuckle). Here we go!:fencing:


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## dragonheart (Jul 18, 2008)

IMHO A consistent release and bow arm are good for all enviroments of archery competition. :wink:


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## fuelracerpat (May 6, 2008)

dragonheart said:


> IMHO A consistent release and bow arm are good for all enviroments of archery competition. :wink:


I totally agree............consistency is everything. I think one's form can be totally "wrong", but, as long as one is consistently "wrong" one may shoot very well. Hell, just watch my form some time! But, when one shoots barebow, stringwalks and suffers from all sorts of strange maladies, AND shoots target archery the realm of consistency is seldom achieved!:wink:


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## dragonheart (Jul 18, 2008)

Just screw up the same way everytime! LOL!


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## fuelracerpat (May 6, 2008)

at least I was consistent...........and it felt good...........:mg:


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## fingers (May 27, 2002)

fuelracerpat said:


> Now what data (facts) do you have to back up this statement? he he he (evil chuckle). Here we go!:fencing:


While I did say "in my opinion" which is a fact, I'll also name drop a bit as most of the best shooters from the 80's and90's when I competed most, used a clicker or ,as Tim Strickland termed it, power shot, as in powering the shot by increasing back tension. Tim Strickland, Steve Gibbs, Eric Hall, Vince Herschell, Bob Gentry and the list just gets started from there, you watch their string hand and all of them moved back on the release denoting back tension. Out doors these guys were the top dogs but indoors others would sometimes step to the front and many of those used a static release and would just dump the string while holding form. This I witnessed and thus state ,"in my opinion". I don't think it is hard to understand why a power release might be more consistent at long distances as all the energy is aligned to and from the target and the release is executed at the same point of resistance. A static release rigidly holds at a certain point and that point might be more or less pressure as the tournament wears on yet, due to the short distance, it is not nearly as much a factor as would be seen on long distance.


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## fuelracerpat (May 6, 2008)

What makes you think a static or "dead" release cannot be shot with back tension? I certainly don't make much of a move with my release hand and very certainly will shoot a short or weak shot if I do not maintain back tension on the hold and release. I hold pretty hard into the stops and have to maintain that pressure to shoot a well executed shot. I can shoot about as well as anyone in the senior division of the NFAA barebow style now in competition. I am no pro by any stretch of the imagination, but I will shoot with anyone on a field course that wishes to un-bolt their sight!


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## fingers (May 27, 2002)

The difference between a "dead" release and a live back tension release is amazing and really hard to even get to as it is so far removed from the dead release. It's like magic when it all comes together and you find yourself asking "It can't be that simple?" but it is. The static release is the first that we learn and for many it is the only one that is learned. But I'm not kidding, the true back tension release is such a different way to shoot and can totally transform the way you look at shooting as it makes you conscious of a totally different set of values or skills. So what do you do on your shot sequence? You maybe set your feet the same, make sure of your bow and then raise it. Draw back to your face to a familiar place and allow your sight to settle on the spot and then dump the string without moving anything, good shot! How about, set your feet, relax, raise your bow. On the inhale you draw your bow and start looking at the bull as you go from draw to forcing your back forward and continue this motion until you hit that point where it is all good and "boom" the aiming took care of itself as you aimed from moment one by simply looking at the center of the bull. The continuance of the draw was automatic and the relaxed arms allowed full follow through at the explosion. The explosion was preordained, no doubt about it as the forward thrust of the chest created the full hard resistance to holding the string. All the loading of the resistance was at a recognizable pace due to practice and building of muscle. In the end it is simply a correct start and then let the sequence happen in a real aggressive but controlled manner and it then drills the center of the bull. Until you let go of the static release and go for a dynamic power release you will never understand what I'm talking about. And thus you can ridicule me all you want.


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## bigbob29 (Sep 7, 2009)

Gee fingers I 'let go of the static release' every time I shoot ha ha but you do raise some very interesting points, and I may just bring myself to play around with the dynamic release at some stage but it's hard to let go of thirty years of habitual ritual.:darkbeer:


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## dragonheart (Jul 18, 2008)

fingers said:


> The difference between a "dead" release and a live back tension release is amazing and really hard to even get to as it is so far removed from the dead release. It's like magic when it all comes together and you find yourself asking "It can't be that simple?" but it is. The static release is the first that we learn and for many it is the only one that is learned. But I'm not kidding, the true back tension release is such a different way to shoot and can totally transform the way you look at shooting as it makes you conscious of a totally different set of values or skills. So what do you do on your shot sequence? You maybe set your feet the same, make sure of your bow and then raise it. Draw back to your face to a familiar place and allow your sight to settle on the spot and then dump the string without moving anything, good shot! How about, set your feet, relax, raise your bow. On the inhale you draw your bow and start looking at the bull as you go from draw to forcing your back forward and continue this motion until you hit that point where it is all good and "boom" the aiming took care of itself as you aimed from moment one by simply looking at the center of the bull. The continuance of the draw was automatic and the relaxed arms allowed full follow through at the explosion. The explosion was preordained, no doubt about it as the forward thrust of the chest created the full hard resistance to holding the string. All the loading of the resistance was at a recognizable pace due to practice and building of muscle. In the end it is simply a correct start and then let the sequence happen in a real aggressive but controlled manner and it then drills the center of the bull. Until you let go of the static release and go for a dynamic power release you will never understand what I'm talking about. And thus you can ridicule me all you want.


That is freakin poetry, dude! No kidding! Wow what a wonderful, description of a shot sequence. makes me want to go shoot my bow.


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## Bulletpusher55 (Sep 24, 2009)

Yea, my problem is every time I start reading here on AT I get the itch and want to go shoot one of my bows.

Ain't life wonderful in that when every thing is in perfect sequence and the release comes and then that little skinny shaft with fletchings goes downrange and cuts the heart out of the X in the center of the target.

fingers, description is excellent and gives me that itch all over again.

I just love that feeling.

Bulletpusher55


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## fuelracerpat (May 6, 2008)

No ridicule intended at ALL! Just try that when you walk the string....
I probably spend more time trying to determine crawl than you do on your whole shot sequence. This sequence you describe sounds a great deal like you are shooting an Olympic style recurve, it doesn't mention much about a sight picture thru a peep or an anchor point. It may be a little like why, when people ask me why I ride a motorcyle.....if you have to ask, you probably wouldn't understand........:wink:


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## fingers (May 27, 2002)

The "Olympic style" is simply a recognition of a truth by some really smart guys like Henderson and Strickland. They replaced all those questionable concerns with a definite plan of "flow". All you have to do is learn it and then get strong in it and then be confident to do it aggressively in competition and let it take care of the rest because it will. No guess work just pull hard into it and drill it!


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## firemanbrown (Feb 17, 2005)

After re reading this crazy post I started I have to agree with Fingers. I have been shooting for 31 of my 37 years and it was strange to reboot my shooting style. The explosive release of a dynamic loose is a neat feeling. It felt strange at first but just like Fingers stated when you look at the bull and watch that arrow seamingly go on it's own is just plain cool.
Shoot straight, Dan


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## dragonheart (Jul 18, 2008)

firemanbrown said:


> After re reading this crazy post I started I have to agree with Fingers. I have been shooting for 31 of my 37 years and it was strange to reboot my shooting style. The explosive release of a dynamic loose is a neat feeling. It felt strange at first but just like Fingers stated when you look at the bull and watch that arrow seamingly go on it's own is just plain cool.
> Shoot straight, Dan


Dan, I think it turned into a great post! Thanks for the post.


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## firemanbrown (Feb 17, 2005)

Thanks I really appreciate that, Dan.


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