Aiming question (and answer)

Alina · Post by **Alina** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 10:03 pm

Russ Mitchell wrote:(Not in a very long time: those people think a hundred repetitions constitutes training.)

Well I think a hundred repetitions isn't a bad day's training. I try my best to shoot over 100 times a day, but my arrows are suffering terrible attrition.

Michal · Post by **Michal** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 4:21 pm

"Practice doesn't make perfect; only perfect practice makes perfect. If you practice crap for twenty years, all you'll be is a crapmaster."
Marc Fleischmann
Southern California SWAT operator/trainer

Stephen Selby · Post by **Stephen Selby** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 1:06 pm

"Practice doesn't make perfect; only perfect practice makes perfect. If you practice crap for twenty years, all you'll be is a crapmaster."
Marc Fleischmann

A nice quote, which could almost be a translation of Gao Shuying writing in China almost 300 years earlier.

Russ Mitchell · Post by **Russ Mitchell** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 2:16 pm

I have the same problem with arrow attrition, Alina. Counter-intuitively, I've found that the cheap nasty shafts tend to last the longest.

Speaking of which, Stephen, I've flipped down to a lighter-weight bow due to my surroundings, if you still have aluminum arrows hanging around.

Regarding the OT forum, I was actually talking about fencing... But since I train for speed/fluidity as well as accuracy (following the advice of pseudo-Maurikios' Taktika), a hundred arrows doesn't mean much when you can empty a twenty-arrow quiver in roughly a minute -- and that ain't even close to the speeds achieved by the folks Kassai teaches (though I don't care for their technique on historical grounds, you have to respect that kind of shot speed).

So, no insult was intended. For me, 100 shafts is more like "de-stress after work" than "training."

Michal · Post by **Michal** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 4:46 pm

For me, 100 shafts is more like "de-stress after work" than "training."

I agree Russ, and when the shooting is practised together with deep abdominal breathing, mind gets calm and fluent very quickly. That time becomes the best part of the day

Stephen Selby · Post by **Stephen Selby** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 3:04 pm

Speaking of which, Stephen, I've flipped down to a lighter-weight bow due to my surroundings, if you still have aluminum arrows hanging around.

Not really, I'm afraid.

I have two causes of arrow attrition. Breakage is one. The other is that wherever I go in China, people demand my arrows as mementos, and give me their beautiful but totally impractical arrows in return.

Russ Mitchell · Post by **Russ Mitchell** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 5:07 pm

Yeah, I've got some that would get me arrested, too. Gorgeous... not suitable for practice... btw, anybody else around here pulling from an arrowhead-up quiver set up, or am I the only one?

Bede · Post by **Bede** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 2:13 am

Russ,
I made one and have not had any trouble with it. One of the people I shoot with at archery practice also has one and handles it quite well. He uses three fingers and I use the thumb draw.

Russ Mitchell · Post by **Russ Mitchell** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 2:56 am

Great. Good to know I"m not the only one. My rhythm is "lift, (bowhand secure)+shift right hand to nock, pull+release (no hold). I average just under a shot every three seconds with medium-weight bows.

If you've shot without a hold, have you noticed yourself being indifferent about how far you pull the string, so long as your shaft hits the target, or does your aiming involve a set "always to here"+hold?

Stephen Selby · Post by **Stephen Selby** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 1:17 pm

If you've shot without a hold, have you noticed yourself being indifferent about how far you pull the string, so long as your shaft hits the target, or does your aiming involve a set "always to here"+hold?

I think that's a bit of a slippery slope. It may be ok to be indifferent if you and the target are stationary and you get enough penetration and not too mich drop off; but with a moving target/archer, you need the speed delivered by a full draw, otherwise you have to put in a bigger offset to allow for the sideways movement. And if you don't work from a full draw, how big will that offset be?

Reaching full draw doesn't necessarily mean that you have to hold, though.

Russ Mitchell · Post by **Russ Mitchell** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 3:17 pm

Obviously bigger. You're absolutely right, I haven't gotten access to a horse. Hrm... I have a nearby levee, though, and a friend with a pickup truck...

Bede · Post by **Bede** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 5:46 pm

I draw until the point of the arrow touches the the thumb of the bow hand. You can use that sensation like a modern archer uses a clicker and shoot immediately if you have aimed during the draw.

Alina · Post by **Alina** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 3:51 pm

I find that there is a pattern developing. If I do my kyudo form, or the mongolian form Stephen posted, I hit the target. If I shoot without concentrating on the form, I miss.

jiao · Post by **jiao** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 7:32 am

i'm interesting this topic, in fact , the feeling of straight line the god give our human, it on our hands, fingers,foot,it not need use eyes aiming, perhaps it is a secret of army

yestoday i am try this way but failed , some unstable reason happen caused i take a wrong way on arms and waist, the gesture and musculature must be stable

Uli · Post by **Uli** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 11:06 am

some examples of aiming techniques..enjoy

Uli

Aiming question (and answer)

training

de-stress shooting