August 29, 2007

from P.K. of Germany:

"Dear Coach Lee,
 
First I want to say, that I am full of respect to your work. Now to my question: I think my technique is ok at the moment, but when shooting on 70 metre target I have a big problem. When clicker going off I can't release the shot (I am afraid of the clicker). Instead of releasing the arrow I let down. Sometimes I force myself to release shot, but in most cases I lose back tension. The only possibility for me to shoot some prober shots is shooting on short distances without a face. What shall I do now? Please help me, I have no idea, how to resolve the problem.
 
Thank you."

This sounds like a big confidence issue and is a kind of target panic. This can be common with archers who don't know/understand the KSL Shot Cycle and use continuous drawing, rather than committing to the Loading/Transfer phase coming to Holding, prior to the Aiming phase.
 
I don't know what score level you are at, but by the sounds of it your total focus seems to be on the clicker, whilst it should be on the back tension, Loading/Transfer and Holding, rather than on the aiming and the clicker. Please read carefully Step 8 Loading & Transfer to Holding and Step 9, Aiming & Expansion and in particular, "The activation of the clicker is a phase in the shot that must be sensed or felt, not listened for. This may be a difficult concept to grasp. However, if the archer waits to hear the clicker go off to allow the release, conscious thought goes to the clicker and again the connection with the core muscles will be lost".
 
I would suggest you get close-up to the target, blank butt, about 10M. Follow the KSL Shot Cycle, especially "At the beginning of the Loading phase, which commences during the slight overlap towards the end of the Drawing phase, (just prior to anchoring) it is recommended to have a quick visual check of the clicker position on the arrow to achieve greater consistency". You must commit to come to the Holding phase every time, no matter what.
 
Try to focus on the process and forget about getting through the clicker, but focus on your back tension and Loading/Transfer to Holding and expansion and the clicker will go off automatically. Do this some 10 times, but don't release, just let down and start again. Once you are comfortable with the clicker going off because of your back tension and not you pulling with too much draw hand tension, then try very third time to release when the clicker goes off. If this is successful put a blank piece of paper about A4 on and incorporate aiming. When this work start moving back 5M at a time repeating the process. Once you are really comfortable use a large target face, but only shoot for form not score. Your main objective has to be focus on back tension and the clicker is really incidental and must NOT be the focus of the shot.
 
Good Luck.