Anna C. April – When you first start shooting, I think one of the best drills to start out with is to flip your target around to the blank side, then start shooting. This helps you focus on your form more than what you’re scoring. Even if you have been shooting for a while, this is still an amazing drill. If you want to get the most out of this drill, you need to really focus on your form. For me, my release can get sloppy sometimes and that throws off my whole shot. I take a little break if I need to, turn the target, and then really try to focus on all the eleven steps, not just my release.
If you have someone near you, go ahead and ask them to watch and make sure you’re shooting the best you can! The best way we can learn is from our mistakes. You can ask your coach, or maybe ask a friend to video you so you can see for yourself what you might need to improve on.
The second drill that I like to do helps with being able to move your aiming point around if you need to. I take a little target and put it on bigger target, but I try not to put it in the center. I want to move it around so I can practice where I need to aim when I’m shooting at a new target, or if I just need to change my aiming point. When we have practice at my school, and it’s a special occasion or we’re just having fun, sometimes we tape balloons to the targets. This is another fun way to practice aiming somewhere else that’s not in the middle of the target. This drill will be helpful if maybe one day you want to shoot the 3D targets, or if you’re already shooting them, then this would be a fun way to practice.
Another drill to practice is a resistance band drill. All you need is a resistance band and you pull it back like you’re pulling the string back on your bow. When you do this, try and hold it for as long as possible, then let down easy without letting the band snap back. This drill will help strengthen your back muscles. You can do this if you’re at a lighter draw weight right now, and want to work up to a stronger weight.
These are just a few of examples of drills that I have done. If there is something specific you want to work on or need other ideas, you can find a lot of other examples on the web!
