# Need some help with my back tension release.



## fgignac (Aug 21, 2014)

Welcome to the addiction! 😉

Lots of variables when trying to learn a resistance release. Angle of your hand will change the way it fires, position of your elbow will change the way it fires. Tension in the hand will change the way it fires. Angle of pull, back tension pre-load, posture, bend in front elbow, position of front shoulder will all change they way it fires. I would recommend spending a lot of time blank bailing up close to get properly acquainted with it. These releases will point out many form issues and you can not get them to work well without being very consistent. This is what makes them such a great tool. It's difficult to "cheat" with one of these so you have to do it right or it just won't work. Sometimes I will be shooting great, and then all of a sudden I have to start pulling like a beast to get it to go off. When this happens, I stop and try to figure out what has changed. Am I getting lazy and sitting in the valley? Am I letting my front shoulder collapse? Am I dropping my release elbow? 

A mistake many people make is trying to work on more than one thing at a time. The conscious mind can't concentrate on more than one thing at once. So while you are trying to shoot groups, concentrating on aiming, you are not concentrating on the things that will make the release work properly. 

Move up close, shoot a lot, concentrating on form details until you are able to build some good habits. And when you are able to make consistent shots, every time, then it is time to start trying to aim. 

Also, a release can not cure target panic. Only you can do that. Some releases are more conducive to forming good habits (the Silverback is a great tool for that) but you're the one that has to do the work. I recommend looking up Joel Turner at SHOTIQ. His online course will cost you less than a Nock 2 It and will have a greater impact on the rest of your archery career.


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## fgignac (Aug 21, 2014)

Also, contact Padgett on this forum. He's written some good articles on how to set up and learn to use these releases.


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## kenyounot (Nov 13, 2020)

fgignac said:


> Welcome to the addiction! 😉
> 
> Lots of variables when trying to learn a resistance release. Angle of your hand will change the way it fires, position of your elbow will change the way it fires. Tension in the hand will change the way it fires. Angle of pull, back tension pre-load, posture, bend in front elbow, position of front shoulder will all change they way it fires. I would recommend spending a lot of time blank bailing up close to get properly acquainted with it. These releases will point out many form issues and you can not get them to work well without being very consistent. This is what makes them such a great tool. It's difficult to "cheat" with one of these so you have to do it right or it just won't work. Sometimes I will be shooting great, and then all of a sudden I have to start pulling like a beast to get it to go off. When this happens, I stop and try to figure out what has changed. Am I getting lazy and sitting in the valley? Am I letting my front shoulder collapse? Am I dropping my release elbow?
> 
> ...


Thank you for the reply, I also reached out to Nock 2 It and they also suggest shooting at a blank target, and said not to worry about where my shots are going just yet as different releases will do different things depending on how you set up on them. I wouldn't really describe my issue as target panic, I wasn't punching the trigger it was way more shot anticipation. When I thought the release would go off I would relax causing me to let off the string would snap forward and I would accidentally hit the trigger in the process. It actually jarred me up pretty good after it happened for the third time and had a nervous feeling when shooting thinking it was going to happen again. If nothing else this release is teaching me to keep back tension on through the shot and I haven't noticed a nervous flinch in the hour and half session I had today so I'm thankful for that.


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## fgignac (Aug 21, 2014)

Target panic, shot anticipation, the yips. Call it what you will, it is all the same soup. And it comes from the same place. It happens because you are letting your subconscious run the shot. That is the reason you are seeing an instant improvement with the silverback. Not because the release is fixing the issue, but because it is different from what you are used to. This makes you have to concentrate on your shot execution, because you haven't yet developed and automatic motor program to do it. With repetition, your brain will develop a new shot activation motor program and if you start letting your subconscious run the shot the shot anticipation will return. They only solution is to only ever run your shot activation with your conscious mind. Once you learn to do this you can run whatever release you want to without shot anticipation.

Check out these podcasts and hear it from the man himself. This stuff will help you. You are at the beginning of your archery career. This is the time to lay a foundation of good habits that will stick with you in the long run. I had to fix my shooting after a few years of doing it wrong. That's way harder than learning it right the first time


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## kenyounot (Nov 13, 2020)

fgignac said:


> Target panic, shot anticipation, the yips. Call it what you will, it is all the same soup. And it comes from the same place. It happens because you are letting your subconscious run the shot. That is the reason you are seeing an instant improvement with the silverback. Not because the release is fixing the issue, but because it is different from what you are used to. This makes you have to concentrate on your shot execution, because you haven't yet developed and automatic motor program to do it. With repetition, your brain will develop a new shot activation motor program and if you start letting your subconscious run the shot the shot anticipation will return. They only solution is to only ever run your shot activation with your conscious mind. Once you learn to do this you can run whatever release you want to without shot anticipation.
> 
> Check out these podcasts and hear it from the man himself. This stuff will help you. You are at the beginning of your archery career. This is the time to lay a foundation of good habits that will stick with you in the long run. I had to fix my shooting after a few years of doing it wrong. That's way harder than learning it right the first time


Thanks again, archery has really brought out that fact that we don't have control over our mind as much as I thought. I don't think any other of my outdoor hobbies have brought that to light more. Crazy.


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## fgignac (Aug 21, 2014)

Once you start to learn how and why our brain forms habits you can start to apply that to all kinds of things. 

If you're interested in the subject, check out the book "the power of habit" it explains a lot about how we work


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