# confidence rattled?



## JMJ (Jul 17, 2008)

IMHO, there comes a point in time where improvement will stop for all of us while shooting in our "home area."
Maybe one is on top just enough to win every shoot, or maybe we reach that point where when we walk to the range, we can tell what place we're gonna finish because of who is present at signup. (In which case we're "pre-defeated".)
In any case, for any number of different reasons, the improvement has come to a halt.

This is the time to venture out of the "home area."
And again, IMHO, in most cases our score is gonna drop.
New surroundings & new competition bring new excitement, doubts, concerns, anxiety... the list goes on.

It's going to take a bit for the "new" to wear off of all these new experiences.
But when it does, we'll all be better off for the experience. Including your friend.
He already knows what he's capable of shooting ... but doing it in new surroundings usually isn't going to come to him instantly.
But it will come!

A friend of mine shot indoors in KY last year, on the same target with a very well known Pro.
My friend is a pretty good shooter.
According to him, he was shooting a comparative score to the Pro, when all of a sudden out of nowhere he shot a 0!
At this point the Pro looked at him and said something to the effect of ...
"You can shoot locally with your buddies and win all you want. But most of the battle is within that 6 inches between your ears, and if you want to develop that, you MUST travel, shoot against other people and start winning under those circumstances."


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## wyoming4x4 (Mar 16, 2009)

*I agree 100%*



JMJ said:


> IMHO, there comes a point in time where improvement will stop for all of us while shooting in our "home area."
> Maybe one is on top just enough to win every shoot, or maybe we reach that point where when we walk to the range, we can tell what place we're gonna finish because of who is present at signup. (In which case we're "pre-defeated".)
> In any case, for any number of different reasons, the improvement has come to a halt.
> 
> ...


 Well we shot in billings, superior archery and things didn't go well at all for my friend! Target panic and other crazy stuff. He thinks that getting a new product will help. Maybe so but I think its a bandaid for the real issues. I shot under my norm but I know what I did wrong, got distracted and should of let down on 3 arrows. I knew better but I did not. My X count was decent but a little below norm. 23x 436. This shoot was great and lots of serious talent. Rob morgan won the shoot with a shoot off with Andy turnquist. I felt like a minnow being dangled over a pirana pool. This is my second season in target archery freestyle. Like the competition. Last year was figuring out what works for me, bow setup and working form. This year is working form and learning the line and all the distractions. I shoot well and personal best is 446 29x at a shoot/competition. Enjoyed the superior shoot and will be back to redeem myself of this below standard score. Watch out billings. Thanks for checkin in and talk soon.


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## wyoming4x4 (Mar 16, 2009)

*Don't watch the clock!*

At the shoot he was standing in front of the clock and maybe he was staring. Good shoot and we'll be back. Lots of awesome shooters their. Superior archery billings MT.


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## wyoming4x4 (Mar 16, 2009)

*He's on his way back to recovery.*

Well my friend is on his way back to recovery. His scores are down but coming up and he's happy with this. Shooting at our regular range and shooting competition is different. New people and noisy bows and everything else that can go wrong on the line type situations. Learning how to keep my head in the game. We don't have hardly any shooters at competition level and so its difficult to perpare for shooting the line. Some people say its no big deal but it can be sometimes especially if a shooter next to you has no respect or little concern for anybody else. Made a change this weekend and it was in the wrong direction and we won't do that again. Part of the learning curve I guess. Catch you later.


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## AT_X_HUNTER (Aug 10, 2005)

There is no substitute for tournament experience. Just have to get out there and get used to the waters. Eventually you get used to it and settle down. Tell your friend to concentrate on his shot and don't think that everyone is watching his target. Just do your own thing and do what you normally would. Forget the enviornment and don't try extra hard. Remember, the harder you try the harder it gets.


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