Anagail Hamby, April – Consistent thought processes can be everything to an archer. You can have the best form possible but still fall short of your goals if you cannot focus consistently. A stray thought, a bout of worry, an intense focus on the score you want and not the process you need can cause a stray arrow you can’t get back. Consistency is key in archery and that definitely includes our thought processes. How I battle against erratic and fleeting thoughts is forcing myself to follow a specific routine in my mind.
This mental routine consists of three simple statements. After claiming my stance and affixing my grip on my bow, I load an arrow. When I hear the click of the nock on the string, I think “Got one”. I have completed the first step and can move on. Then I swing my bow arm up into the pre-draw position and think “Got two”. Finally, after drawing and anchoring, I think “Got three” as I aim and then release. According to the original author of this technique, a “Got four” was supposed to occur upon the release of the string. I, however, found that to be too much to focus on, so I left it out.
This technique helped me tremendously. It has improved my concentration by forcing me to catalog the steps I have completed. It keeps me focused on the process and not my desired score. It helps me to control how much stress gets to me by blocking out everything but the required steps.This technique has also improved my scores.
Using this technique could increase your concentration, improve your form, decrease your stress, and up your scores. There’s no harm in trying, and implementing it can help an archer so much. I hope you will give it a try, and see if this works for you.