Reverse Target Panic?

[Matt O]

Hi all,

I could really use some advice here. I've been shooting for about a year now, originally with a lighter weight recurve and more recently with a 54 lb. longbow. During this time I've worked on my form and seen my draw length go from 29" to about 31" (I'm 6'3").

Recently, however, I seem to have developed a weird case of what I am dubbing to be the opposite of target panic - I have to will myself to let go of the string and release the arrow because it just doesn't happen naturally anymore. More often than not, this is resulting in a bad release.

Any thoughts on how to fix this? With the wealth of knowledge and experience we have here I can't imagine I'm the first to encounter this issue.

Thanks in advance!

[Green]

Been a victim of this myself from time to time Matt.  I keep a picture in my mind of a slow motion  video of Park Sung Hyun's release.  Search her on Youtube and see if it doesn't help you as well.

[moebow]

Matt,

This is not the reverse of TP but just another symptom of it.  Rob suggests one "fix" -- that of simply relaxing your string hook a LETTING it happen (what you will see on the PSH video).  Sometimes that is easier said than done.  You could try  some blind bale work where you close your eyes and just "feel" the relaxing of the fingers until the string is gone.  Take trying to "hit something" out of the equation for a while and see if you can get back to what you had.

Try thinking about the shot and NOT the target to be hit for a while and see if that helps.

Arne

[Green]

Matt - Arne's right on the money as usual.  When I find myself releasing poorly I do plenty of up close work. Heck, I try to do it several times a week to prevent bad things from creeping into my shot routine....but they do anyway.    

[Matt O]

Thanks for the suggestions guys!

I'll do some blind bale work this weekend and report back.

[Kevin Winkler]

I had several friends years ago that had the same affliction. They used a clicker to solve the problem.