# Aiming



## aread

There seem to be some pretty knowledgeable posters on this forum lately.

There is one question that a couple of us have discussed that might be of interest and provide some insight into shooting a bow.

What is aiming?

Not how to do it. Though that might be part of you answer, but what is it?

Anyone brave enough to take a shot at this one?

Thanks,
Allen


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## jackshot

Here is your book answer:

AIM 

1. To direct (a weapon) toward an intended target.
2. To direct toward or intend for a particular goal or group: The publicity campaign was aimed at improving the eating habits of children.

1. To direct a weapon: a gunner aiming carefully.
2. To determine a course or direct an effort: aim for a better education.
3. To propose to do something; intend: The historical society is aiming to restore the town hall.

a. The act of aiming.
b. Skill at hitting a target: The shooter's aim was perfect.

a. The line of fire of an aimed weapon.
b. The degree of accuracy of a weapon.

Maybe too general of a question even for insight in shooting a bow. Try again more specifically


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## SpotShy

I view aiming as the process of establishing & maintaing total visual focus on a target. I aim with my eye and I calibrate my bow & arrow in reference to the target with my sight. 
I have learned over time that if I stare a hole through the X and trust my shot execution I do not have to be consciously concerned with the sight pin. The mind will center the pin in the peep in the line of sight with the eye automatically. The prime reason for the majority of target panic is over obsessing about the position of the sight pin on the target. Human nature is to control our environment. When we can't control something (sight pin movement) we fight it tooth and nail. If we can accept that movement is inevitable and move our focus to what we can control, our visual focus, we find that we gain more control on the sight pin with less not more effort. The perfect archery shot has and will always exist, we just have to get out of our own dang way and let it happen.


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## slicer

SptShy is spot on in my book.

I look at "aiming" as a result of my shot cycle. A commitment to the process of relaxing and expanding with no conscious attention on my pin or the spot itself. My eyes only look at it....like I am driving through a long dark tunnel and the end is a small spot of light.

I shoot my best when I feel like I am blank bailing through the shot. Only difference is a target is there and I happen to be looking at it.....If I can tell you where my pin was when the shot breaks my focus was on the wrong end of it. 

When I first messed with this it was like jumping off a cliff. But simply, "trying less" has lead to a huge leap of improvement for me. At the same time I am as relaxed as I have ever been while shooting. The times I get tense and have pin awareness I say...."F%^$ the pin" I'm just going to shoot my shot"......instant X's and freedom.


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## [email protected]

After getting on target(calibration)pin being my front anchor,kisser being the rear and settling in.I then call my shot to order and if im good start my motor and try to burn a hole in the target while the shots breaks.Its a funny scenario and i agree with both spotshy and slicer you must be totally focused but do not control the pin.The purest shots just happen,acceppting pin movement and just focusing on target.When focused it doesnt matter when the pin is when the shot breaks if your focused on target.Pin watching to me is one of the easiest ways to ruin the aim and start overcontrolling.I guess im trying to say aim hard but accept movement and let shot happen.Holding the pin rock steady or trying to will certainly lead to panic and drive by shooting.


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## aread

Mental aspect to aiming?


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## slicer

aread said:


> Mental aspect to aiming?


Don't do it.


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## mike 66

I NEVER AIM.... NO POST NO PIN NO DOT.... my subconscous does this for me.....:scared: not scared here aread..lol:cool2:


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## Ray Ray

Aiming starts befor you draw your bow. You pick the spot you want to hit & don't take your eye off of it till the arrow hits there. While staring at that point you draw & come to anchor. Move the sight into place ( this is sighting) & release & follow thru.


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## drtnshtr

visualization


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## HOYT_ARCHER_23

when i "aim" at a x for example i look so hard at it that i try to find the wrinkles on it from the paper, then in the wrinkles i try to see the angle of the wrinkles on the paper, ect ect. at this point i have no conscious thought of where the dot or pin is but i know if im looking at the spot that hard i know that the pin or dot is there. never take your eye off of the spot is what im getting at. the dot or pin is a reference, once the dot or pin is settled on the target i dont even look at it. on your scope try a circle instead of a dot, then there is nothing blocking your vision to the x.


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## 12sonly

would it be better to practice with a scope with just a lense and no pin?


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## oldgeez

everything in this post is helpful, but that slicer quote about "not knowing where his pin is when the shot breaks" bears a little more explanation. aiming is definitely overreated, but a little aiming is required in every shot. even though i'm focused on the "x" and pretty much ignoring the float, i still pretty much know where my circle is with relation to the "x" right up to the point of release. i'm not forcing it, but i know where it is, pretty much, when the shot breaks. without knowing this, it would be hard to figure out what is going on with a bad shot. maybe i'm missing something???


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## slicer

Not sure I can explain it but I'll try.

Early on in my shot I am aware of it...enough so that it's a green blur floating around the "middle area" of the target. I trust my eyes 100% and believe wherever they look that's where the arrow will hit. It has happened before I even shoot the arrow. I don't do anything with the blurry green light, so it does it's own thing hovering on the X. The more I focus on my pin, the more I will try to hold it there (bad) or will have a hiccup in execution. 

Later on as my hand is relaxing and the shot is going to go I may see some green light, but have no idea what it's doing or where the precise center of it is. My focus is on steady never-ending execution. By the time the shot breaks the pin is completely gone. I don't really focus on the X very much after the string hits my nose. About like spacing off, looking at a window, noticing an odd colored leaf.

Try it....just look at the X and shoot an aggressive shot down there without a care in the world.....like you are blank bailing. Your mind will center everything up for you extremely well if you don't notice it.


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## oldgeez

well, that is about the craziest thing i've ever heard, but i thought ignoring the float was crazy, too. after about 6 months of total concentration on the "x" the float is barely noticeable. the green blur is your fiber optic, i assume, or your lp light. my circle is very clear and sharp and so is the 4 ring on a 5 spot. the "x" is slightly blurred and floating around inside the circle, but i am physically trying to hold the "x" in the middle. if you're not seeing the pin, but just the "x"..i don't get it??? if you are totally zoned out, what is the conscious mind doing???..i've tried shooting pure form, but there still has to be some aiming involved??


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## slicer

oldgeez said:


> well, that is about the craziest thing i've ever heard, but i thought ignoring the float was crazy, too. after about 6 months of total concentration on the "x" the float is barely noticeable. the green blur is your fiber optic, i assume, or your lp light. my circle is very clear and sharp and so is the 4 ring on a 5 spot. the "x" is slightly blurred and floating around inside the circle, but *i am physically trying to hold the "x" in the middle.* if you're not seeing the pin, but just the "x"..i don't get it??? if you are totally zoned out, what is the conscious mind doing???..i've tried shooting pure form, but there still has to be some aiming involved??


Biggest mistake right there. Look at X...pull through shot. Your arrow has nowhere else to go. 

Conscious mind is ensuring my shot continues from anchor continuously until it breaks. Execution is non-stop, no matter what. Physically trying to manipulate the sight ring or hold it steady interrupts that process. Also introduces tension in your bow arm and even more unsteadiness.

Your mind will align circles and center things just fine without you trying. If you shake like hell at first from giving up control don't sweat it...keep looking at X, even if shot breaks and you're in the blue arrows will still hit white. Sound crazy?

Your shot makes the aim, target, and POI your bi*ch.

don't let the target and sight picture make your shot the bi*ch.


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## oldgeez

this whole thing is getting weirder and weirder. i've always been told that the "execution" is done subconsciously and the aiming is the only thing done consciously. this is really getting crazy. i've always concentrated on the "x" or whatever i'm aiming at, but i've always aimed pretty hard. i've tried what i call shooting pure form with little emphasis on aiming..more concentration on relaxing and follow through. this worked ok, but as this works its way into the subconscious, i went back to aiming harder. so specifically, what is the conscious mind doing?? you say execution...once you run your mental program and go into the "shoot" mode, my conscious mind starts aiming..what is yours doing?? the conscious mind will always try to screw things up somehow, so it has to be occupied doing something??


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## [email protected]

You have to accept your natural arc of movement watching the pin and saying oh no im out of the x is goin to ruin your shot process.This will actually lead to more movement.stay focused on the x and run your program.if your pin is falling out all over are you concentrating hard enough?Plenty of x's are shot with the pin not on the x.let the shot explode dont worry where pin is.Let the shot control the aim not vice versa.


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## slicer

oldgeez said:


> this whole thing is getting weirder and weirder. i've always been told that the "execution" is done subconsciously and the aiming is the only thing done consciously. this is really getting crazy. i've always concentrated on the "x" or whatever i'm aiming at, but i've always aimed pretty hard. i've tried what i call shooting pure form with little emphasis on aiming..more concentration on relaxing and follow through. this worked ok, but as this works its way into the subconscious, i went back to aiming harder. so specifically, what is the conscious mind doing?? you say execution...*once you run your mental program and go into the "shoot" mode, my conscious mind starts aiming..what is yours doing??* the conscious mind will always try to screw things up somehow, so it has to be occupied doing something??


Occupied by shooting my regular smooth release....keeping into the wall, hand relaxing....bleeding down in pressure....POW. Keep it simple, my eyes just look at X, no special intense focus on it though. Pin will float wherever your eyes look, or for you the ring will center itself and float if you just look at the center of the gold or white circle.

Make a circle with your fingers and look at a door knob through it, please don't try to center it. Just look at the doorknob and relax. Tell me what happens.

Now, make a circle with your fingers and focus hard on a tiny little spot. Obsess over trying to center that tiny spot inside your circle. What happens both mentally and physically compared to the first way?


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## oldgeez

this "zen" stuff is verrry incrusting. i've been at this a long time and shoot pretty well, but i have never been able to really shoot with complete confidence. i'm very confident, but there is lways a tinge of doubt. you can't lie to yourself..i know the occasional hiccup lurks in the far back of my mind. it drives me crazy, wrestling with the aiming process for years on end. the better i shoot, the more the anxiety builds, and i shoot a lot of big tournaments. this will be a turn around for me, sure enough, but i'm willing to give her a try. i've kinda started reinventing myself with griv's new video on release tactics..and it's hard when when you find out, you've probably been doing it wrong for so many years. i am glad that you have taken the time to give "specific" details on this procedure. a lot of guys would figure us folks aren't worth the time, or that we wouldn't understand. i like to keep an open mind...and i KNOW WHAT DOESN'T WORK. i'll give anything the ole college try..and from past experience, this is going to take a lot of time and effort. i just hope it works out. my scores have really taken a beating, just by changing my release procedure..focus on the process, not the result sounds good to me...doing it will be quite another thing


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## slicer

Remember, continuous pulling through/relaxing until the shot breaks and beyond. If you ever stop that or even slow down, the shot is at the mercy of your old controlling ways. Let us know how it goes.


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## oldgeez

well, that didn't take long, did it?? got the ole driveway target out, and i am AMAZED already. how couls something this simple have taken sooo long to discover?? the 1st new thing i tried was never taking my eye off of the target from beginning to end. this helps a ton in itself..there is only a slight blink when i acquire the x in my peep, but it is barely noticeable after about 20 shots. by the time i really start concentrating on the x, i'm already much more focused than usual. it's like a jump start..very nice. the 2nd thing i noticed is the ease of the execution..i'll bet i knocked 3 to 5 seconds off my holding time. the 3rd thing, and this is the icing on the cake, is a lot , and i mean a lot, of anxiety is gone..like adios amigo. the little float that i've been fighting is there, but barely noticeable, this is cool stuff... the only thing that held me up a while was i found out i had to get the x inside my circle before i start really zoning out. the concentration on execution really does keep my conscious mind occupied. the shot is so much faster (actually a little too fast right now) and smoother with the new technique. the 4th thing is that just like you said. a bad shot is more apt to be a good shot. i only shot about 50 arrows, and shots that seems a little low in the circle, went right in the middle a much larger percentaqe of the time. i can really get used to this stuff. i noticed in the past a bad shot would "luckily" go in the x, but now i know why. this will take some more refinement, but i can see after only about 50 arrows, there's hope. seeing and feeling is definitely believing. thanks slicer


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## oldgeez

sorry about the lenth of the dissertation, but i get excited when i find out stuff. one more quick note..i had taken out my clarifier, so i couldn't see the x but just the 4 ring to help ease anxiety. the 1st thing i did was put the clarifier back in and made my circle much larger. this helped a lot because if i'm going to burn into something, i want to see it CLEARLY!! this is just a little hint that works for me...after all you can't hit what you can't see. the smaller circle was getting in the way ok, enough said


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## Doc

Aiming is nothing more than your mind via your eyes concentrating on a miniscule spot.


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## slicer

You got it Oldgeez! where eyes look arrow hits....execution never stops once started. Simple as that. We make it to hard on ourselves don't we?


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## oldgeez

well, the premise is simple enough, but like my old boss, don greer, used to say "if it was easy, we'd have monkeys doing it!!" it's just like anything else new, you make a lot of progress really fast, but the devil is in the details. this change-over was rather easy because the conscious mind did the changing. it just had to switch to a new set of priorities. the conscious mind still can only do 1 thing at a time..there are still a bussillion things going on that have long since been relegated to the subconscious thru shear repetition. the aiming "anxiety" is the main thing that has radically dimenished and holding time is shortened. this makes for a much more relaxed and steadier shot. i hope things continue to get better, but only time will tell


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## swhipple

Complete archery noob here but I've been struggling with trying to hold the pin on the X myself... I can't wait for it to stop raining so I can try it myself..

Thanks for the info

Shawn


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## steve peterson

the guys are telling you the right way ,but this might be easier for you to do, buy a 2x scope no dot in it just a large or medium circle look at the center of the x and trust yourself it will go there, once it is sighted in. good luck steve


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## oldgeez

it is working great, but i use a 6 power..dumped my 8x, but i still got it..just in case, lol!! i'm shooting 3d now, and definitely having problems!! can't use a circle, have to use an lp light. it's coming around though..same principles apply. looking at the target before i draw, concentrating on the spot and working on execution. the blue light is getting in the way because i'm kinda watching it..i'm waiting on the light to fade like slicer's


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## slicer

I think sometimes my mind just trusts the location of the pin in relation to the sight ring and just positions the spot I look at in that area of the sight ring. More of a "feel" for the spot. The more you focus on shooting like you're blind bailing....good feeling shots, smooth steady until it goes off...no care for the result, the more you start to "feel" the aim of the shot. You just get into an invisible slot and shoot free and aggressive.

I heard the Ranger Sniper trainer on top shot last night tell one of the shooters when faced with a 1,000 yard shot, "Accept the movement in your sight and execute a smooth trigger pull". I said, "you bet!" Wife looked up from her book and gave me a funny look. If it's precise enough for a sniper at 1,000 yards it's precise enough for me.


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## bfoot

This reminds me of a question I was going to post which was, " is improvement in archery gradual or does it happen in bursts". I agree with all the archers who replied but I think that at first we struggle with aiming, working on form, not punching the trigger, relaxing release hand, etc. etc. After doing this for some time improvement comes in a flash or a leap. At least this has been the case for me.

I have studies Zen for 25 or so years (practiced it as well) and an ago old question was, "Is Enlightenment sudden or gradual". There were various schools of Buddhism that argued each side until a brilliant Zen Master with no formal training yet highly enlightened, stated, "It is both". That is it is sudden after years of hard work.

In science they call it a paradigm shift when enough knowledge is acquired to burst out of the conventional wisdom of the time. So, now though I do remember the basics I attempt to get out of the way as much as possible and let the bow do the shooting as a Zen person would say or rely on muscle memory. When I release a shot I know immediately if it is going to hit the bulls-eye. I do not have to look I can feel it. Generally, the next shot for me is poor as I try to recreate the shot rather that remember to stay out of the way.

Hope all this is not too out there but I am sure many have this experience. If you read sports figures accounts they say the same thing that they are "in the zone" and actually appreciate their "opponent" as he allows them to do what they do and often describe an euphoria of not doing anything but just letting it happen.

bob


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## [email protected]

you have to remember 99.9% of new archers start out wrong.they get into archery buy a bow and then the day its set up they are on the range trying to hold the pin as steady as they can,and then they punch their index finger release.at first this seems fairly easy and they have no idea they are doing things wrong.they have no shot sequence,no concept of the shot process or back tension etc.etc.then after awhile the monsters starts to rear its ugly head and bad habits are ingrained.its a lot of hard work to tear down these bad habits and some archers dont even believe in what you are trying to tell them is going to help them.Its a funny thing besides serious archers who truly want to learn about the shot the average archer looks down on taking lessons and getting a coach.when and if they do feel the proper shot this is a great feeling to them and then the desire to learn really kicks in.


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## mike 66

:shade:THAT WAS PRETTY GOOD COME @TAKEIT,


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## P.L. Archery

Post of the day material.


[email protected] said:


> you have to remember 99.9% of new archers start out wrong.they get into archery buy a bow and then the day its set up they are on the range trying to hold the pin as steady as they can,and then they punch their index finger release.at first this seems fairly easy and they have no idea they are doing things wrong.they have no shot sequence,no concept of the shot process or back tension etc.etc.then after awhile the monsters starts to rear its ugly head and bad habits are ingrained.its a lot of hard work to tear down these bad habits and some archers dont even believe in what you are trying to tell them is going to help them.Its a funny thing besides serious archers who truly want to learn about the shot the average archer looks down on taking lessons and getting a coach.when and if they do feel the proper shot this is a great feeling to them and then the desire to learn really kicks in.


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## Blutick

I know that this is way far into this discussion, but I had a pro shooter tell me when I was starting out shooting spots the same thing everyone else is saying " just focus on the x and let the shot happen" I said but the pin isnt centered when I do that. He told me in simple terms that it I just focus on the x and that the body is an amazing machine and is capable of making the millisecond adjustments nessesary to put the arrow where you are looking. So I tried it... I tried to remember after the shoot the last place that I was looking.... White, Blue or the x ring. It goes right there everytime..... its the crazies thing to me , but amazing that it happens. So what I did was use a more powerful lens to really blow up the x so that I dont have anywhere else to look, but at the x.... Bingo! no blue. Only a little white and the x ring. Just what works for me. I do use a ring for spots because I would find myself almost peeking around the green blur so to speak. So with a ring I can see the x unobstructed.


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## Peteyur

Ok I am going to try this but is there anything to help me remember to stair at x. i have some trouble getting my self to keep that amount of consentration for any legnth of time. I have had concentration problems all my life so it is going to be a challange! But I dont think at this point it can get any worse so I am willing to try anything.


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## recurvist22

Yes there is Peteyur, make a pre-shot routine. Mine is Stance, Grip, Draw, BT(back tension) Anchor, Focus, Relax, Pull. I wrote this down on a piece of paper and taped it to the bottom limb of my bow so that every time i load an arrow, i see it. The BT part reminds me to keep tension on the back wall, the focus part reminds me to do nothing but stare at the x. The relax part reminds me to keep tension out of my hand(a personal problem with torqueing) and the pull is when i've started the engagement process after all else is done. Write it down and tape it to your bow, tape comes off pretty easily


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## aread

Peteyur said:


> Ok I am going to try this but is there anything to help me remember to stair at x. i have some trouble getting my self to keep that amount of consentration for any legnth of time. I have had concentration problems all my life so it is going to be a challange! But I dont think at this point it can get any worse so I am willing to try anything.


recurvist22 is right, the shot sequence is a major part of being free to aim. But before that, you have to have a shot execution sequence that you trust to operate subconsciously. The best way to do that is to start on the bale and train your shot execution to operate the same way every time. Then run a disciplined bridge to make it permanent. On the bale you practice focus by focusing your mind on one part of your form at a time. This is one of the hardest things for me. I will begin a shot focusing on one thing, but part way through, I catch myself switching focus to something else. It's a recipe for mediocre shooting. Once you trust your shot execution to run subconsciously, you will be able to focus on the target. 

Most can maintain total focus for only a second or two, so you probably aren't as bad off as you think. Daryll Pace, one of USA's greatest Olympic archers, said that he only needed to aim for a fraction of a second. It just had to be the right fraction.

Allen


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## DFA2008

Oldgeez so Who's your bi*ch? LOL....I have to chuckle when I read that post. Kind of like Who's your Daddy? 


Quote: 

Your shot makes the aim, target, and POI your bi*ch.

don't let the target and sight picture make your shot the bi*ch.


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## Peteyur

Thanks all its only been a week and allready i can see that a shot sequence is helping alot even though I have only been blank bailing and shooting a 10 yard exercise. We will see how things go but so far so good. Jusst need alot more time on the blank bail i think.


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## [email protected]

If ur blank bailing to learn a sequence you do it one piece of form at a time,I.E.Grip-while working on bale you would concentrate on grip only until the proper grip becomes ingrained.Until your whole sequence is ingrained and subconscious do not shoot at any targets.It might take 5000 shots to trust your release but in the end its worth it.If your bailing a little and then going to a target you are defeating the purpose.Hopefully AREAD chimes in and he will type you a mountain of good information on this.GOOD LUCK


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## aread

Already did it 

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1456268&p=1060458953#post1060458953

One thing that Len Cardinale made a point of is that you should practice each part of your form at each practice session. Emphasize one thing at a time but keep the other parts from getting worse. 

[email protected] is definitely right about not switching from bale to target. If you switch back and forth, you will take much longer to become an accomplished archer, if ever.

Hope this helps,

Allen


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## bustn'nocks

SpotShy said:


> I view aiming as the process of establishing & maintaing total visual focus on a target. I aim with my eye and I calibrate my bow & arrow in reference to the target with my sight.
> I have learned over time that if I stare a hole through the X and trust my shot execution I do not have to be consciously concerned with the sight pin. The mind will center the pin in the peep in the line of sight with the eye automatically. The prime reason for the majority of target panic is over obsessing about the position of the sight pin on the target. Human nature is to control our environment. When we can't control something (sight pin movement) we fight it tooth and nail. If we can accept that movement is inevitable and move our focus to what we can control, our visual focus, we find that we gain more control on the sight pin with less not more effort. The perfect archery shot has and will always exist, we just have to get out of our own dang way and let it happen.


That is great insight. I'm kinda ticked I hadn't read it until now. Good stuff.


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## STUDENT-ARCHER

aiming is surrendering control of the arrow to the brain.


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## aread

STUDENT-ARCHER said:


> aiming is surrendering control of the arrow to the brain.


Conscious or subconscious?


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## STUDENT-ARCHER

aread said:


> Conscious or subconscious?


conscious before release, subconscious after release...


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## slicer

Before you even shoot, believe....*know* that arrow is already sticking in the X....hear it, see it, *feel* the shot. Nothing to worry about now is there? It's already done.

From this point my shots feel like I'm just blind bailing. Just a matter of making the bow go POW with a calmness and smooth rhythm shot for shot.


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## aread

slicer said:


> Before you even shoot, believe....*know* that arrow is already sticking in the X....hear it, see it, *feel* the shot. Nothing to worry about now is there? It's already done.
> 
> From this point my shots feel like I'm just blind bailing. Just a matter of making the bow go POW with a calmness and smooth rhythm shot for shot.


Slicer, 

I think you've expressed this better than anyone else. :thumbs_up

How did you learn to separate aiming and execute on a target "like I'm just blind bailing"? 

I think that this is the most important aspect of aiming, to focus your eyes and mind on the X and execute like you're on the bale. Easy to say, but difficult to do.

Thanks,
Allen


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## slicer

There are two ways I can shoot a bow to my standards. IF I was only an indoor shooter I would use this method:

1. Draw back, pour 100% of my focus on the X, pin is already there when I look through peep. Start relaxing release hand as I continue to burn a hole in the X. Shot goes off in 3 to 5 seconds typically. This is a pure aiming shot cycle for me, release just happens once my hand and arm have softened enough and the hinge has traveled to slip off the loop. It just feels like I am practicing aiming and letting the pin float on the X. Bow happens to go off.

2. The above shot can be trouble outdoors for me unless it's calm. So I go through the same process initially, except I start the release rotating and my elbow moving back the absolute second I hit anchor. There is more travel with the hinge here. No conscious calibration or aiming at all. There is more "good tension" with this shot, I can hold better in a breeze and I find my subconscious aim is better when I get some movement in the hinge. With this shot I feel like a recurve shooter, there is a feeling of continuous movement (external and internal) from start to finish until the shot breaks. Never any static feeling. If you get static you WILL focus on aiming/calibration. Which is kind of the beauty of the first method. 

These are the two styles more or less that make me a conscious aimer-Jesse Broadwater, or a subconscious aimer - Cousins, Gillenthiene. If I mix and match the two I will bounce back and forth and try to think about both. We all know how well that works...NOT!

Like I said, these are just ideas I've discovered while tinkering and finding what works and what doesn't work for me.


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## STUDENT-ARCHER

another thing I try and accomplish is imagining the arrow is already in the X and I am trying to pull it out with my elbow...must be relaxed and perfectly aligned for this shot to happen.


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## archeryshooter3

To me Aiming is simply a part of the shot sequence. If you try to make it something on its own then you are trying to do two things at once. This leads to target panic. If you put in with your shot sequence in the same point every time then you trust it, you don't think about it and your brain takes control of it. Here is my shot sequence.

1. Feet position
2. Nock arrow
3. bow hand position
4. attach release
5. raise Bow arm toward target
6. draw
7. anchor
8. find peep
9. stare at center of spot
10. begin back tension (notice this is NOT pull the trigger or set off the release, just start your back tension let your subconscious do the rest)
11. follow through

Some of these steps are done simultaneously.

As with the other posters just stare at where you want the arrow to go. The pin will float all over the dot and thats ok. Just like driving, you don't tell yourself to turn, you just do it. Aiming is the same way. You have to stay focused. If you break focus, let down and start over. If at any point anything in your shot sequence gets interrupted then start your shot sequence over.

Hope this helps a bit.


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## birddawg

Man this is great reading guys!


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## subconsciously

Unlike many I don't start to "burn a hole" into the "x" until Iv'e gone thru about 90% of my shot sequence. The mind can only "super focus" for a very small amount of time. After my pin has dropped in to the "x" and just has back tension starts I then "super focus". During this time my mind is only on the "x" and nothing else. If my mind drifts off the "x" to any other part of the shot - its time to let down.

Thats how I do it....some may differ.


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## ksp2089

Ray Ray said:


> Aiming starts befor you draw your bow. You pick the spot you want to hit & don't take your eye off of it till the arrow hits there. While staring at that point you draw & come to anchor. Move the sight into place ( this is sighting) & release & follow thru.



I've read about this method of aiming in "Core Archery", and it has worked for me to an extent. However, I could use a little clarification. I can see my pins in my secondary vision with no problem, but I find myself breaking "eye contact" with my target to check my level, especially when shooting on unlevel ground. Should I also be seeing my level in my secondary vision?


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## nopayne

Slicer, I so see what you are saying.....the door knob analogy brought this topics point of aim into focus for me...interesting read. So what I have gathered here is that one may more easily focus on the large diameter of the 12 or 14 ring as opposed to to the difficulty of holding the green blur perfectly still and centered.....


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## 83mulligan

How does this work when you have multiple pins? 

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk


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## aread

archeryshooter3 said:


> To me Aiming is simply a part of the shot sequence...


Good point!! 

Every great coach that I've heard of emphasizes that aiming is no more important than any other part of the shot sequence. 

Thanks for bringing this up,
Allen


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## subconsciously

I shoot BHFS, here is how I do it. 
Go thru my shot process.........say at 40 yards......I bring my pins in from the top...65, 50, 40....pin stops.....focus on the target.......focus harder....shot breaks....follow thru.....do this three more times and go score your 20.

One thing I have not seen mentioned here is what your mind is "saying" to itself while aiming. While aiming I am saying "aim, aim, aim, aim, aim, aim.....". This allows my conscious mind for those few seconds of super hard aiming to do nothing but aim. If your telling yourself to do nothing but aim......then you cant be telling yourself to squeeze the trigger, because then your not aiming!!

Tell yourself to "aim" during your aiming moment......keeps the mind form drifting to other parts of the shot.


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## jimmyk

Great thread! I agree, sometimes less is more!


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## SpotShy

A bit long but I thought I'd share. Hope it helps someone.

Personally I believe improper aiming is the root of 90% of what prohibits folks from reaching their potential. What I have determined is that we rely too heavily on the correlation of a sighting reticle with the target as the confirmation of our achievement of aim. Too often the position of the dot, pin, or circle is the end all be all and if it doesn't create the visual image that was preconceived in the mind, the entire shot process begins to break down. Being visual beings we have total faith on what our eyes tell us. This can be good or bad depending on how we use the sense of sight. If we allow the eye to do the aiming it very seldom fails us. But if we expect the eye to aim while at the same time trying to retain an exact calibrated position of an aiming tool at the center of a target, we are setting the eye and ourselves up for failure. The way many of us were taught and how some are still being taught basic archery is why we often struggle. You can hear it at any shop or club when a new archer is being shown how. "Just put the pin on the bull’s eye and squeeze the release." There are so many things wrong with that direction but we will focus on the first portion, "Just put the pin on the bull’s eye". Pretty straight forward easy to understand instructions, right? Not to mention it works to some degree. But are we really aiming here? No, we are putting the pin on the bull’s eye. This is aligning a sight pin and a target so that they intersect our vision but it isn't aiming. This simple method works well for the novice. They are soon hitting a generalized area in, on, or around the bull’s eye. But soon they find that if they try real hard they can get the pin to hold center a bit better on the bull’s eye. They also realize that when they do this they hit the bull’s eye more often. Furthermore they also quickly learn that if they time the release at the right moment when the pin is consciously and physically held dead center, the accuracy improves 10 fold. You all know what happens down the road, this system breaks down because the timing gets off and soon our archery enjoyment becomes a nightmare.
How can or could have this been avoided? When instructing young archers I make it a point first to do all I can to put the majority of emphasis and praise on things associated with achieving proper form and execution of the shot itself. This can be a challenge because it is human nature to rate our success by the end result. A 9 year-old emphasizes this measure time a thousand. So the next thing I try to incorporate is extremely large target spots at close distances. Although I try to play down the importance of result, a large target builds confidence quick and maintains interest. From here I explain that what we want to do is a bit of imagining. I tell them to pretend the dot (target) is a swimming pool and that we are going to take our sight pin swimming. It doesn’t matter where the sight pin swims in the pool as long as it doesn’t get out of the pool while we are shooting. Next I tell them sight pins are shy and don’t like to be stared at so we will stare at the center of the pool while the pin swims. Again just don’t let the pin get out of the pool. Once we draw and put the pin in the pool, I tell them to stare at the center, let the pin swim, and release the arrow. We do this repetitively and reduce the spot size over time as well as the distance. I use stare instead of aim since most I have found relate aim as something that requires increased effort. What I find is that these kids miraculously begin shooting awesome groups for one, we put a high emphasis on form and execution and secondly we do not create an anxiety over the sight pin’s relation to the target. Is it in the pool? Yes! Well let it swim and stare at the spot and shoot the arrow. I often ask them where the pin was swimming when the shot broke and they usually tell me, “Where I was staring!”
So given the above, I encourage everyone to approach archery without the concept of control. Aim with the eye, trust the eye and trust your shot sequence. If you do not have a trusted shot sequence you must start there first. Keep the pin in the pool but let it do its thing while you do yours. Keeping the pin in the pool calibrates your body and the bow so that the arrow goes where the eye is staring. That’s how I teach aiming. Simple but effective, now if I only could forget that I was taught to put the pin on the target and squeeze.


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## aread

Excellent post SpotShy!!

Thank you!


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## rdj-pencilart

'Aiming'.. in the 'Ryan Jacque' dictionary= focusing all your attention and making one tiny spot meet another tiny spot.. arrow tip to intended point..... there is nothing more
when we all use our own minds dictionary, we get tons of different replies... this was just how I look at it


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## rdj-pencilart

[email protected] said:


> you have to remember 99.9% of new archers start out wrong.they get into archery buy a bow and then the day its set up they are on the range trying to hold the pin as steady as they can,and then they punch their index finger release.at first this seems fairly easy and they have no idea they are doing things wrong.they have no shot sequence,no concept of the shot process or back tension etc.etc.then after awhile the monsters starts to rear its ugly head and bad habits are ingrained.its a lot of hard work to tear down these bad habits and some archers dont even believe in what you are trying to tell them is going to help them.Its a funny thing besides serious archers who truly want to learn about the shot the
> average archer looks down on taking lessons and getting a coach.when and if they do feel the proper shot this is a great feeling to them and then the desire to learn really kicks in.


 this was really what archery is all about.. absolute genius response


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