# Tournament Nerves HELP!



## Ford Truck Man (Mar 18, 2011)

By no means am I an authority on this but I would suggest forgetting about the last shot fired and concentrate on the shot to be made now. I shot one of my best scores this past Sunday and all I could say at the end was "I think I,m up".


----------



## 1denogean (Jan 9, 2009)

anything else?


----------



## aread (Dec 25, 2009)

Don't judge a shot by the score. Focus on the process of the shot. Judge each shot by how well you executed the shot and NOT where the arrow landed.


----------



## 1denogean (Jan 9, 2009)

thanks aread, anyone else?


----------



## jonas111 (Nov 27, 2009)

I read an article in the only tournament archer magazine I received and Levi Morgan was the author. He said in his article that most 3d tournaments are lost in the first five targets. 

I am not good enough at 3d to give you my opinions on this but I have competed at a high level in a few other sports. I have taken my life experiences and am now focusing on archery. The mental preparation I did for pool and golf have helped me for archery. Now in pressure situations I get better. It boils down to confidence for me. If I know I can make the shot I usually do. If you are guessing yardage that well then the rest is you executing under pressure. 

Maybe keep a journal of all your shoots and each time you shoot a 5 or even an 8 right in the journal why you missed. It will take time but i am willing to bet you will see a pattern in your misses. Then focus on that pattern and practice it until you never miss. It worked for me with both pool and golf. 

Good luck and have fun.


----------



## mike 66 (Jan 21, 2010)

ok ill help.what you are doing is , your shooting out of our comfort zone. there are 2 known comfort zones#1 is physical, the other is mental sounds like you got the mental zone which is your ego....planted in your subconscious where its comfortable for you to perform, when you shoot a higher score your sub.kicks your butt. and says you are not good enough.then you start dumping shots.you must expand your comfort zone by tricking your sub. that you are a real good shoot. jay barrs explains these methods very well.but how ever you do this brain washing it wont happen over nite.eventually you will shoota few high scores and raise the comfort zone.you must trick your sub. so that you BELIEVE your a great shot .better than everyone else and be comfortable with it.:shade:


----------



## 1denogean (Jan 9, 2009)

mike 66 you couldnt have said it any better im gonna print that and put it in my room, jonas will do also thanks for the help guys


----------



## Ft. Jefferson (Apr 11, 2011)

I live for 3D and shoot about 35 matches per year. When I start to go bad on the course I try to stay calm and not let the bad shot stay with me. Just like golf. Archery is shot mostly between your ears once you have a basic ability you have demonstrated to satisfaction in practice. This means if you know what you are capable of when all alone and shooting in the backyard and cannot repeat this in competition, you have an emotional, call it mental problem when under stress.

This is normal and my biggest problem too. So I say forget about your final score while shooting the course. Don't keep score in your head. Don't fixate on a bad shot and don't get too excited for making a good shot. Stay calm. Breath deep. Think boring thoughts and don't get excited about anything. 

I shoot best when on the verge of needing a nap. Honestly, to let yourself relax while shooting is, for me, the biggest asset to shooting in competition. Experience may, or may not, help. Many will tell you that shooting many contests desensitizes you to stress. Maybe, but not for me. I have to work at being bored while competiting. Mostly this helps me. 

I've struggled with anxiety in archery for years and find taking a dead-brain approach to be the best approach.


----------

