# What to do turning 10 into X



## nuts&bolts (Mar 25, 2005)

Find your magic training distance, where EVERY shot is the 18m x-ring...for 30 shots.
Can you shoot 90-xrings at 9 meters?
If not, can you shoot 90-xrings at 4 meters?

Can you shoot 90 xrings at 4 meters, with only 1 arrow in your quiver?
Why only 1 arrow in your quiver? To slow you down on purpose.
BUT, that means I have to walk 4 meters 90 times in a row? Yes, absolut.
BUT, that means I have to address the target 90 times in a row? Yes.
BUT, with only 1 arrow in my quiver, I have to shoot 90 arrows, just ONE at a time.
Yup.

You will develop BETTER muscle memory for that PERFECT shot using only 1 arrow in your quiver.
BUT, anybody can shoot an xring at only 4 meters.
Yes, maybe, but YOU are going to shoot 1 arrow diameter groups, at 4 meters.

4 meters is roughly 4,37 yards.



This target was shot with 1 arrow, for 30 shots in a row, at 2 yards, about 1,8 meters.
You can start at just 1,8 meters, with only 1 arrow in your quiver. Purpose is to have a DEAD simple shooting distance,
to make you develop NERVES of steel, meaning absolutely effortless mentally. Become a mindless robot, a mindless robot zombie machine. A human shooting machine. Emotionless. Stressless. An automaton. It's only 1,8 meters. 

Can do this in your sleep. Almost. Absolutely boring...on purpose, so your subconscious mind takes over,
because shooting 30 shots, with only 1 arrow is mind numbingly boring. PERFECT. So, shoot 30 sessions of 30 shots,
and you have 900 arrows of mind numbingly boring shots at 1,8 meters. 900 PERFECT shots all in the same hole, drilling a tunnel in your target.

BUT, after maybe 40 shots in the SAME hole, the arrow will run through your target up to the vanes.
Probably, so you need a hanging backstop behind your target.



This hanging backtop will keep your arrows from running through your target in front. So, continue drilling that tunnel.
Shoot 1000 shots, 30 shots per session, and maybe in a month, you will hit 1000 shots in the same hole at only 1,8 meters.

Then, increase the distance to 2 meters. Same cardboard face. You can use your 18 meter sight mark, and shoot your 30 shots in the Same Hole. Another 1000 shots, 30 shots per session, and in a month, you might have another 1000 shots in the same hole, shooting from the 2 meter shooting line. Lots of muscle memory. Your BRAIN starts to expect ONE hole accuracy...when shooting at 2 meters. SOOO easy. SO relaxing. SOOOOO boring. PERFECT.

You know how this goes. So train at 3 meters. BUT, now you need to shoot 2000 shots in the same hole a 3 meters.
WHY soooo many arrows? The difficulty is increasing so you need MORE TIME, more SHOTS to BURN in the new muscle memory for 3 meters. 30 shots at a time, and maybe in 2 months, you will hit 2000 shots in the same hole at 3 meters.

HOW long will this take? As long as you need, to get to THIS level.



My absolute best student, is also my oldest student at 70 years young. 20 yards, a bit more than 18 meters.
ONE arrow in his quiver. He stopped his test after firing 21 shots in a row, in the SAME hole.


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## nuts&bolts (Mar 25, 2005)

This training program is not for the faint of heart.


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## Fernlicht (Mar 14, 2021)

Wow! Ok, I started to shoot 600-1000 arrows per month during last winter months at 6m and 7m at a 20cm face yellow sticker... I had to replace a lot of stickers at the end of the winter I achieved a round of 60 arrows inside out into the X. But only 1 time. Your program sounds fantastic and I totally get it and should have known it when winter arrived. So, I will incorporate this for my morning session. Thanks for your valuable input!


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## Fernlicht (Mar 14, 2021)

Hey Alan and Folks,
its been a great time shooting in the basement since beginning of Nuts&Bolts Programm.
Just wanted to share some thoughts and things. My routine starts in the morning after 1st coffee with one arrow per end.
-30 arrows in around 15min. 25sec for one arrow. Same again after or before lunch (thanks to Home office, and another 30-90 arrows in the evening after bringing the kid to bed. It really takes not a lot of time in the end

1st of all: Man I have plenty of time to see me with the inner eye, since it is so so boring. It started with the stance,
I thought I‘m doing it repeatable bit I could improve it a lot. And from here I can go through every detail in my shot cycle.
I had so much time, I even draw the cycle and commented it (its in german So I lost the pic only)








Black line is breathing, blue line is the intensity that I try to control better. On the left its percentage for both.











Here is todays result after 120 arrows form 3m. It’s not 9mm in diameter but it is close
more later.


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## nuts&bolts (Mar 25, 2005)

Fernlicht said:


> Hey Alan and Folks,
> its been a great time shooting in the basement since beginning of Nuts&Bolts Programm.
> Just wanted to share some thoughts and things. My routine starts in the morning after 1st coffee with one arrow per end.
> -30 arrows in around 15min. 25sec for one arrow. Same again after or before lunch (thanks to Home office, and another 30-90 arrows in the evening after bringing the kid to bed. It really takes not a lot of time in the end
> ...


Would like one more category.

Setup
R
Draw-anker
FD
Execution - split this into two sub categories: a) TRANSFER and b) EXPANSION
FT

The Breathing is excellent.
'intensitat' is excellent...allow the "water" to flow out. Energy should be like water flowing. SMoooth. Powerful. Elegant.


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## nuts&bolts (Mar 25, 2005)

Fernlicht said:


> View attachment 7394667
> 
> 
> 
> ...


1) use two layers of cardboard, so the cardboard is stiffer, and you will get cleaner holes, better, more accurate representation.

2) try 2m, or 2,5 meters, so the hole is much closer to 9mm.
The point of the exercise is for energy to flow and get one arrow diameter, at an EASY training distance,
an effortless training distance, so you develop the requisite motor control (fine control)
and develop the neural pathways that burn into your brain, the what, the how.

Like playing classical piano. Technique comes from repetition.
The new pianist will need to look at the keys, will train endlessly on the scales, glancing back and forth
between the music and the keys on the piano. Finesse comes much later.

The finer points of execution will come in time,
and while at 3 meters maybe your hole at 90 shots is 1,5 times the 9mm arrow diameter,
then, better to train at 2 meters, so your hole at 90 shots is only 1,1 times the 9mm diameter.

As the repetition count grows,
you build fine motor control AND you build the mental focus energy skills as well.
You learn to listen to the inner voice, telling you that something is not perfect in your setup to full draw,
because HOW you position your feet, will affect your shot
because HOW you set the height of your chin, will affect your shot...chin too high, miss high, chin too low, miss low
because a HIGH bow shoulder will affect your shot
because a LOW bow shoulder will also affect your shot
because a HIGH release elbow will affect your shot
because a LOW release elbow will also affect your shot.

BUT, u say, you cannot SEE yourself, your setup to full draw.
That is correct. So, you must learn to "SEE" your setup to full draw with no eyes, solely using proprioception.
After thousands of shots, your sense of proprioception will become sub-millimeter.
You do not try to SAVE the shot and adjust your setup to full draw.

Setup to full draw should be one SMOOTH move,
and the flow from SETUP to full draw, to TRANSFER to EXPANSION to RELEASE to FT
is all seamless.

So, if SETUP to full draw is not perfect, you let down and start again.
THIS is the path to a 9 mm hole pattern, at only 2,0 meters.

The progression from only 2,0 meters, to 2,5 meters, to 3 meters
is a slow, steady path. STay the course,
and you will arrive at 18,0 meters like this fellow.



Now, this was only 21 shots in a row, at 18,0 meters,
but can you blame my best student, for stopping the test SHY of the 30 shot requirement?


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## patrickbraziel (Mar 30, 2021)

nuts&bolts said:


> Setup to full draw should be one SMOOTH move,
> and the flow from SETUP to full draw, to TRANSFER to EXPANSION to RELEASE to FT
> is all


Forgive my ignorance. Can you elaborate on what you mean here? I’m very new to archery and trying to be a sponge. Let me know if my question is to vague or if there is already a post I can read. Thanks in advance.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## nuts&bolts (Mar 25, 2005)

patrickbraziel said:


> Forgive my ignorance. Can you elaborate on what you mean here? I’m very new to archery and trying to be a sponge. Let me know if my question is to vague or if there is already a post I can read. Thanks in advance.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


So, to GET to full draw, you must use the arm muscles AND the back muscles to pull the bowstring, the d-loop to full draw and anchor.

But, once you get to full draw and anchor, the EXECUTE phase is two parts. To fire the release,
we need to TRANSFER the work, the load, the energy away from the arm muscles (relax)
and switch over the work, increase the work more towards the back muscles. The forearm muscles relax,
the upper arm muscle relaxes (release side), and the back muscles work HARDER to "pull through the shot".

So, how to SIMULATE the FEEL of this TRANSFER?
Easy Peasy.

I call it the PUSH your elbow through the wall exercise,
using a practice loop of paracord.


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## nuts&bolts (Mar 25, 2005)

Tie a loop of paracord, that simulates your bow draw length.
If you wish, use smaller diameter paracord, to tie a "d-loop".



Hook your bow hand through the front end of the paracord loop.



Get to full draw and anchor with the paracord practice loop.



Now walk backwards towards a wall, so the paracord loop is 90 degrees away from the wall.
Your release elbow will touch the wall behind you.


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## nuts&bolts (Mar 25, 2005)

So, whatever your draw weight, 40 lb max bow, 50 lb max bow, 60 lb max bow, 70 lb max bow,
you had to use your back muscles AND your release arm muscles to get to full draw and anchor.

The paracord loop SIMULATES your full draw and anchor position.
So, the INSTANT you get to full draw and anchor, with your release elbow touching the wall behind you,
you are going to PUSH your elbow through the wall, to simulate PULLING through the shot.

If you holding weight is 14 lbs, then, PULL your hands apart, pull on the paracord loop, pulling release hand away from bow hand, and PUSH your release elbow with 17 lbs of force, yes, 3 POUNDS MORE force than your holding weight.

I have a 60 lb bow, with 24 lbs holding weight, so I will pull my hands apart with 27 lbs of force, I will try and PUSH my (elbow) release side, THROUGH the wall behind me with 27 lbs of PUSH. BUT, I am going to SQUEEZE my release hand SOOO TIGHT, my release hand fingertips go WHITE. My release hand is squeezing the handle SOOO TIGHT, my release hand is shaking. I am SQUEEZING my release side forearm SUPER TIGHT, my release forearm is vibrating.
I am also using my back muscles to PUSH my elbow THROUGH the wall with 27 lbs of force.

So, this simulates GETTING to full draw, but exaggerated.
Arm muscles AND back muscles are trying to push the elbow through the wall.

AFTER say 3 minutes of ALL this tension, in your release arm AND back,
suddenly completely relax the forearm, and at the SAME TIME keep pushing your elbow through the wall.

Like rubbing your tummy in a circle and patting your head with your other hand.



When you are SQUEEZING the release to death, to SIMULATE getting to full draw, to really LOAD UP the arm muscles,
your release hand is THIS shape.



So, after 3 minutes of squeezing the release to death, to work the arm muscles (not suggesting this is how you hold a release)... and the arm muscles are SOOO tight and starting to fatigue...

to simulate RELAXING the arm muscles, we must RELAX the back of the hand, we must RELAX the wrist,
so allow your RELEASE hand to YIELD, to FLATTEN, to STRETCH. Nope, the release will not go FLYING OUT your fingers. We must maintain enough work in the fingers, to keep the HOOK. Like this.



When the palm relaxes, when the palm and the back of the hand FLATTENS and stretches,
the forearm muscles will also RELAX, especially if you RELAX the thumb muscle.

FINGERS are still hooked around the release,
but the FIST shape is gone, the fingers has flattened, and the THUMB is allowed to drop and go soft.

If the thumb goes as mushy as a goose down pillow, then, the upper arm muscles will be relaxed.
If the palm is relaxed, and flattened, the upper arm muscles will also be relaxed. THE sudden relaxation
of the back of the hand, and the thumb, is designed to give you a HUGE CONTRAST
so you can FEEL your back muscles doing 99% of the work, to CONTINUE pushing your elbow through the wall.

HOLD that pushing the elbow through the wall, with only your back muscles doing 99% of the push work.
THIS is TRANSFER (from the arms+back) to ONLY BACK muscles.

Looks like this, when you string it all together.











This is the perfect FT.


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## patrickbraziel (Mar 30, 2021)

nuts&bolts said:


> But, once you get to full draw and anchor, the EXECUTE phase is two parts. To fire the release,
> we need to TRANSFER the work, the load, the energy away from the arm muscles (relax)
> and switch over the work, increase the work more towards the back muscles. The forearm muscles relax,
> the upper arm muscle relaxes (release side), and the back muscles work HARDER to "pull through the shot".
> ...


Does this transition of muscle groups that you’re using increase the stability(less pin movement) of the overall shot? Or is it to create a repeatable action for your release? Or potentially both? Also it seems the way the hand needs to be positioned at full draw it would be beneficial to invest in a hinge or thumb button release instead the of the index that I’m currently using, is that something you would recommend?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## nuts&bolts (Mar 25, 2005)

patrickbraziel said:


> Does this transition of muscle groups that you’re using increase the stability(less pin movement) of the overall shot? Or is it to create a repeatable action for your release? Or potentially both? Also it seems the way the hand needs to be positioned at full draw it would be beneficial to invest in a hinge or thumb button release instead the of the index that I’m currently using, is that something you would recommend?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Yes. A hinge or a thumb button, because of the metal handle, allows you to curl your fingers around the handle more consistently. The wrist strap (leather stretches, or a velcro nylon strap you get a different size around your wrist each time) is harder to get super consistent.


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## nuts&bolts (Mar 25, 2005)

patrickbraziel said:


> Does this transition of muscle groups that you’re using increase the stability(less pin movement) of the overall shot? Or is it to create a repeatable action for your release? Or potentially both? Also it seems the way the hand needs to be positioned at full draw it would be beneficial to invest in a hinge or thumb button release instead the of the index that I’m currently using, is that something you would recommend?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


The bicep is a TINY muscle.
The back muscles are massive, many times larger...rhomboid, upper and middle trapezius. So, using the larger back muscles to pull through the shot, while relaxing the arm muscle (tiny bicep) gives you THIS kind of accuracy at 20 yards, and beyond.



My best student, doing my STRESS test at 20 yards. That means one fletched arrow in the quiver.
Usually a complete stress test is 30 shots, with ONE arrow. Yes, this means you have to walk back and forth to the target, pulling out that ONE arrow, and walking all the way back to the shooting line, and firing again.

Newbies pass my STRESS test at 2 yards.



More advanced shooters/students pass my test at six yards.



I told this student to do at least 100 shots with one arrow, at his training distance of six yards.
He hit 40 shots total in one hole on Day #1.
He hit a total of 90 shots in the same hole on Day #2. Told him to stretch the test over multiple days, to increase difficulty.

He did not stop to count his total, until he reached 140 shots in a row, same hole.

But, my BEST student, is also my OLDEST student at 70 years young. He is the first student to ever try my STRESS test at 20 yards.



He stopped at 21 shots in a row. Can ya blame him?


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## nuts&bolts (Mar 25, 2005)

patrickbraziel said:


> Does this transition of muscle groups that you’re using increase the stability(less pin movement) of the overall shot? Or is it to create a repeatable action for your release? Or potentially both? Also it seems the way the hand needs to be positioned at full draw it would be beneficial to invest in a hinge or thumb button release instead the of the index that I’m currently using, is that something you would recommend?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


To get LESS pin movement,
must experiment with bow draw length down to the 1/16th inch. To get to NEAR ZERO pin movement,
must learn to balance the PUSH force on the bow arm, with the PULL force on your release elbow,
must balance the push and pull forces within less than an ounce. The bow arm does PUSH, to prevent the bow from smashing into your face.

If you are a leaner...meaning you lean backwards, and just don't realize you lean backwards,
then, you are locking out the back muscles, and makes it physically impossible to push your release elbow through the wall, with mostly...99% of your back muscles.





Perfect FT, because there is ZERO lean in his upper body.
If you want to try to master the leaning backwards style, you are making things MUCH much more difficult.
Most newbies, cannot master the lean backwards style, so I don't teach the lean backwards style.


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## patrickbraziel (Mar 30, 2021)

nuts&bolts said:


> Yes. A hinge or a thumb button, because of the metal handle, allows you to curl your fingers around the handle more consistently. The wrist strap (leather stretches, or a velcro nylon strap you get a different size around your wrist each time) is harder to get super consistent.


Thank you so much. Wealth of knowledge. I will strengthen my muscles with the exercise you suggested and then work on shooting those consistent holes. Sorry for hijacking the thread there is just so much to learn and every bit of information I see seems to spark more questions. Thanks again. 


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## Fernlicht (Mar 14, 2021)

Patrick, you are most welcome 

PS. Alan, yeah I play the Piano since my childhood until today. So, I really understand your program. What I discovered at the piano, when repeating new, hard stuff after let‘s say 3 days of that I gave myself a rest, so my brain could process the new learnings and muscle memory for 2 days (no playing). After that period I got back to the instrument and it was liked I cracked it and suddenly could play it without any flaws. hehe just my 2 cents.


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