It's a BOY!!

Well there hasn't been much archery going on the last two weeks. I just had my second son and I am spending most of my time hovering over the kids and trying to get everyone settled in.

[PICS] www.leodublin.archerylive.com

I have a brand new bunch of X10s on my desk next to the fletching jig begging to be fletch and aired out at 70M. I have just the spot to shoot them.

I am also working on my latest DVD centere around Shot Execution technique, I expect it to be ready in about a month.

So I am coming off of a back to back seminar tour, one in Seattle, WA and one in Bismarck, ND. I always have a great time giving these talks and I always meet many new friends. Many of the people I see in the seminars I actually recognize their faces from the national shoot tour, but never had the opportunity to actually meet them.
Though my seminar material and outline is always the same, it always amazes me how different each talk is. Such as is this situation; Bismarck and Seattle were completely different. Seattle was a smaller group with a larger sampling of styles represented and we dwelled mainly on making form consistent and using my techniques to draw, anchor, and address the target in a consistent manner. The were many in the crowd that showed immediate improvement with just a simple refresher in the basics. We also covered the full array of tuning techniques and special form and draw length tips to increase stability.

The Bismarck group dwelled mainly in the shot execution area. A large sampling of the group was interested in learning new release techniques and solidifying their approach to shot execution. We concentrated on techniques centered around stability improvement, and the separation of shot execution from sight movement. Most people are completely unaware of what that is doing to their game. We all worked together and took a step-by-step trip through my shot building routine and The Ten Yard Exercise. We shot two ends at each distance extending from about 3 yards to twenty in two yard increments. I also worked with each individual on their own specific release technique, and gave each one the tools to work out their own feel. I have high hopes for several in the class. If they stick to the program through to the finish they may realize their fullest potential quickly and next season may be their best yet. I can’t wait to see who reaches a personal best first.

Now about my own shooting. Because I have been traveling with the seminar so much. I have spent all my free time with Sarah and Quin. Quin and I made it to the range for some shooting and I have been working on my new 737 and considering what to do for outdoor season. I don’t think I will be able to shoot too many national outdoor shoots this year, but I will have my rigs set up and rolling at least for local outdoor matches and some alone time on the fita range. I am working on my FITA Field setup an I have a great scope power and dot combination to use on the unmarked section. I have a great field of view and a good fit at all distances. (I think) ☺

I am still shooting a hinge and have settled on a good clean technique that is working. I can tell that I have every thing working as I need it because the shot is getting faster and faster these days and it feels like it used to. Now all I have to do is practice hard and work on a little physical conditioning to increase my stability. The Pro38 and the Seven37 is holding well and I hope Hoyt leaves them unchanged for next year. I would like to try some 3000 limbs on the Seven37 and make it a Seven41. I bet that would Kill indoors with the big 2712 shafts

National Indoor

Well it has been a while since I changed my swing and I am proud to report that it is working fantastic. I am beginning to internalize the groove and I swung a great 60X on the first day. It was smooth, relaxed, and it felt easy. I started a tad rough but went inside out for the bulk of the game.

I learned a lot while shooting this shoot. It always amazes me that I have been shooting the Nationals over 20 years and I learn like a newbie every trip. I rocked the pro-am. Though Nathan and DIDIpoo shot 30X I feel real good about my 27X game.

I am liking the click feature of the release more and more. I think I am beginning to get comfortable with teaching the idea. I always advised that shooters avoid the click because it is too easy to shoot it twice. By that I mean - aim, aim, aim, CLICK! jiggle wobble, re-aim, aim, aim, DUFF. Total waste of time. However, I am using a method that seems to be working great.

As I reach full draw and align myself with the target, I allow my hand to relax and stretch into line. Once I reach that perfect spot... CLICK - peep aligns and dot settles Bam! just in time. I am loving it like ranch on a hot wing.

I missed a few on Sunday. I would like to say that it was through no fault of my own, but things happen. I got a little too loose with my first scoring arrow and misfired. I managed to keep it in the white but it was waaay out of the X. It took a couple ends for the disappointment to subside, so I dropped another in the second end for good measure. I went inside out and was strumming along when I sat down next to Jim Despart late in the game and he was scanning for dead soldiers with his binos and said, Ooh! someone missed one! who's that on target 20 bottom left?" I thought for a second and snapped to the conclusion that it was me! I couldn't believe it. I cruised through those five shots and they were so perfect that I didn't even look at them.

I was totally bummed but not mad. I was actually happy that my shot is coming along nicely and I am beginning to feel like my old self again. Wooohooo!

I got my new 737 in today and am excited to put that together and see how it does for me. I am thinking it is going to be an outdoor driller! I bet that bow would be killer with 3000 or 3500 limbs for indoor.

I didn't get to be in the shoot-off this time but I got some nice photos anyway.

Another great day

I just got two boxes of assorted hinges in today. Any day is a great day when you get a wad of new toys to play with. It seems that the word is out that I am shooting hinges. I am flattered that they care. :) Anyway thanks to those that sent and I will be sure that I send back what I don't need.

I shot a 59 today and the inner score would have been in the 90s. The good thing is that I am really feeling that smooth confident flow and I LOVE IT when it is working. Interesting though I was forced to take a break today with two ends left to finish the game. It was long enough for me to totally cool down and loose my train of thought. When I got back to shooting. I wasn't aiming right nor did my shot work. It was weird. I dropped my fourth arrow of the last end because I was just out in left field and thinking about something else. My release woke me up when it plopped. Something in my head was like, "aaaaaaHHHHH~! what are you doing"... the dot wasn't even close.

It was kinda funny. I was flailing about trying to swing it back into the center as I came to my senses. I bet I looked like I was having a apoplectic attack with a sprinkle of epilepsy.

BUT! :being as positive as I can: :)

It was another great day. Shooting a 59 with a dozen different hooks was an interesting feeling and It was cool to have a huge sample of releases to play with. If you live near wildwood and happen to catch me up there. You are welcome to play with them too. I share well with others. :)

:climbing up on my soap box:

Elliott Spitzer (my governor) got caught today with a $5000 hooker. How stupid does a guy have to be - to be who he is, and get caught with a high dollar hooker. I don't want him running my state anymore because hes a dumba$$. Besides the fact that I can't figure out what a hooker could do for me that would be worth $5000, maybe paint my house after I was done with my 15min. :) well... anyway thats all I have to say about that.... :)

I got a taste of the good stuff today

After a couple days off, then a trip back to the basics, and a good hard look at my bow setup I did a couple things. I shot my trainer like a fiend to convince myself that I have my hinge technique just like I wanted it. For some strange reason during my short range shooting I had a nagging feeling that my bow felt short. I thought it was just tension from apprehension over the new release. As it turns out I somehow got my bow nearly 3/16" shorter than my baseline draw length. No wonder I couldn't get it to settle in Georgia! I grabbed my trusty marked arrow out of the box and drew it back, and reset my bow to the baseline draw length. I marked that arrow some time ago when it was shooting its best.

I shot at 7 yards just because I didn't have the time to go to the range for a couple days. Today was the first time I was able to shoot from 20. I had my son with me and he had a blast running for arrows and shrieking from his stroller between ends. :)

I shot a 60X on the NFAA target and it was relatively trouble free. I had a few quick shots, but due to my new pre-aim procedure I managed X rings on those.The FITA Score would have been somewhere around 594 or so. All in all I was very pleased with today and feel like I am beginning to feel it again.

ready!? Aim! Fire!

Well I started off like a house on fire then started trying hard. Well you know what happens after that... the wheels come off the cart!

I ended up with a 580 during my first time at 20. It could have easily been a 95, but those little shots were just out. I still am very inconsistent in my form or at least my alignment. My zero was wandering all over the place. Thats a sure sign that something in the back half wasn't right.

We took a 10 min break at the half and that was enough to really blow any feel and momentum that I had going. I shot with Jedd today and he even blew it almost as hard as I did on the second half. We both were not happy with our scores.

Oh well there is always tomorrow. I will hit it with the same approach and take care to keep my hands soft and keep the back half tension free.

I figure I have about two weeks of hard work to lock this feel in. Hopefully I can get it working smoothly in time for nationals. I dropped two big tens today so I don't want a 58X round at nationals foshizzle.

Oh so nice when it works

Day three of the new swing and I am still trying to work out a few feel things. I went down to the shoot and got registered for the NAA Nationals. I shot a few practice ends while I was there and the shot still works even at 20 yards. The basement is only 17. (I actually measured it)The lighting is a little more dim in the shooting hall than it is in the basement, so the lack of detail in the X-ring is a little more comforting. My hold actually looks a bit more stable.

I was still having some inconsistencies in my shot timing today, but I was zeroing in on the right feel. I don't have my release trainer here with me so I am just having to shoot in the feel with the bow. A solid string trainer isn't working for me. Make sure it gets in my bowcase for the next trip for sure. My last several practice ends were feeling great and I stubled in on a technique that is working better.

I draw the bow, tighten, slip into anchor, stretch the line and relax my wrist. Just as the yellow comes into view, my stretch hits the click stage of the release. I fine up my aim and begin the inline pull and stretching my wrist straight. Bam! thats all it takes.

The feel is still more complex than I like, but I will continue using it until I can memorize the feel and commit most of it to automatic. I shot about 400 arrows today and my dads old rotten Morrell is holding up pretty well. Its and easy 10 years old and it has the old burlap bag on it. I tried to keep it rotated but I split the bag when I picked it up, The sun has rotted the burlap to the point that it cant be picked up without a bear hug.

Today at 17

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598

Now I know that its only 17 yards, but it feels great to have a flashy round. I shoot at 5:00EST so I will get to try it out for real then.

Until later....

GRIV

Oh one more thing.....

Mike I don't care what they say.... They are not right. There is way too much pressure on my release mechanism. With a rope on the release I could cut that pressure in half and my release would work even more slick.

Tim - Good to hear from you buddy. Get that bow out and shoot some.

Ok...Ok... I've learned my lesson

Mike Leiter came up to me in Vegas and wondered if I was ever going to post on my blog anymore. Well, I am back and I have some stuff to talk about.

First of all I am a little upset at the NFAA. I hear that the NFAA directors, during their annual meeting in Vegas, ruled that 23 size shafts were the largest allowed. I thought this would be a good idea. Getting in line with FITA rules, or at least a little closer would go a long way to standardizing archery for the world. Well... The rule was rescinded at the eleventh hour after a meeting called by Bruce Cull. Now I don't know any details first hand, and I won't presume to explain what happened, but something did happen which prompted the meeting and the subsequent hacking of the ruling. I have also heard that the rules passage went through the process virtually uncontested and passed with an overwhelming majority.

Now let me start by saying I don't care what size arrows we are allowed to shoot. Everyone will shoot the largest the rules allow, So the playing field is always level. The idea that smaller shafts save target butts is a little lame to me too. because the best pros drill one hole regardless of the shaft size anyway.

What bothers me is the fact that some outside interest has sway over our governing body. The directors made a rule that they thought was for the betterment of the sport. By the way... I am all for placing limitations on equipment to preserve the intent of the game (ie. Golf, Motor sports, etc.) This rule was thought to be a mistake by someone and Bruce thought it best to convince the Directors that it would be best to rethink the ruling.

OK, so here is what I think should be done. Number one, no outside party should have sway over a ruling - ever. If the NFAA can't accept donations from outside sponsors and then continue to govern themselves they way they feel is best for the sport, they shouldn't accept money from pressuring parties. In this case it seems the die is cast. Number two - Keep the rule but implement the rule with a longer lead time to allow proshops to rid themselves of stock and manufacturers to retool for the new ruling. So - Hear me NFAA... Keep the rule but don't enforce it until 2010.

:climbing down off soapbox:

Now about my abysmal performance in Vegas this year. I shot a miserable 895 with a ridiculously low X count. This weekend highlighted what has been wrong with my archery for some time now. I have been running under the basic assumption that once you figure out shot execution, it is yours forever. I was totally wrong on that one. It seems that we just borrow it for a while. If you let it get rusty or don't maintain it. It runs away from you. I think my shot has had one foot out the door for about two years. I have shot mediocre for about 3 years with enough of the little shining moments to keep me believing that everything is OK. Well - somethings rotten in Denmark. My shot groove totally left me high and dry. I probably shot 5 well executed shots all weekend. On the last day I shot with Jorge Jimenez The El Salvadorian World Cup King. I would have loved to have had a normal shooting day that day in hopes to ward off any embarrassment, but is wasn't to be. I struggled all day and Jorge could see it. I had one good end and as I turned off the line he nodded and mentioned that this end looked right. :) I was totally embarrassed. I was also so angry at myself for having to watch the "good shooters" from the other side of the room. Being accustomed to standing on or near the top butt for so many seasons really makes it sting when you find yourself all the way over on the other side. I was in good company. I was shooting with my buddy GillingHammer, Chris White, and Stevie Stark. They were also pissed to be so far away from the action.

I was glad to see Dave win. I think it has been ten years since he beat me in the shoot-off in the old sands building for his first win. I think it was '98... oh well it was somewhere in there. I have been trumped at the last moment in Vegas so many times now it all runs together. :)

So the good news is I have a plan..........

Here's the problem.

My aim is stable, but my shot execution is patchy. It is smooth one time and it rough the next. It almost feels like I am timid on the trigger or I am varying my grip on the release handle causing an issue with the right pressures. My release technique has been the same and stable for 15 years, but lately it seems harder and harder to catch the groove and do it with consistency. I think this is all stemming from my thumb injury in 2005. That dead patch on my thumb is right on where I hold the barrel. I have been tinkering with my swing ever since. I did win the world championship that year, but had to shoot off for it because I shot a crappy x-count. I should have cleaned it. Anyway... I digress.

Instead of continuing to tinker with the old thumb button and continuing to limp along... I have decided to take drastic measures. I switched to a Hinge Tuesday. Not only that... the hinge didn't have a rope knot so I am having... :gasp: to shoot a D-Loop. I hate D-Loops partially because I have to use the Hyphen when typing the word, but also because of the extra pressure exerted on the release mechanism, the nock tuning hassles, and the little tuning anomalies that are caused when it pinches or causes rise in the shaft. Theres more, but I don't want to bore you anymore with all of why I hate D-Loops. I also tried Tuesday to shoot a truespot lens. That was the most angering thing I have ever done. I actually got so frustrated on one end that I kinda hucked my release. yes... I did.. I hucked it. I took a second to calm down then did the walk of shame down range to go pick it up. Next I pulled out my good ol' dot lens. Too much changing in one day. Today (wed) I hopped a plane with my son G5 and jetted off to Atlanta. We left mom at home so she could have a break for a while before baby 2 is born. And I will shoot the NAA Nationals on my old home turf. I haven't shot a tournament in GA in 15 or so years. It felt great to get down in my old basement and fling a few at 19 yards. :)

Today my shot was waaaay better and the timing actually matches my aiming curve. OH! I almost forgot. I am shooting the hinge with the click! some of you who have talked with me about the click are dying right now. I have been the most adamant hater of click releases mainly because I never see anyone use the click correctly. Well I am no saint for sure and I am still trying to figure it out, but it is giving me an added layer of security that I need right now. Today I shot a 594 FITA I don't have my 120 breakdown and I am too lazy to go downstairs and look at the scoring stippling and figure it out. You'll have to wait until next time.

So what am I working on tomorrow?

I have to figure out how to raise my comfort level with the release. My back half is way too hard and tense. I have to develop a better face anchor to slow the sight down and work on the flow. It feels nice now, and I am getting arrows off with a consistency that I haven't seen in a great while. So, a little more water under the bridge and lets see how this shakes out.

If anyone is reading this... Feel free to comment so I know you are out there. :) or am I just talking to myself? ;)

Ok, its time for the new season!

I sort of fell off the posting wagon last season so let me get you caught up. I was hanging on by a thread in vegas and made it through to the shootoff. I actually finished well and cleaned the second half of the last day. I went into the shootoff with a pretty confident outlook and did well in the first two passes. When they went to inner X scoring the wheels came off my cart because I knew I wasn't hitting the X as well as the other guys. which was stupid because I just hit 15 straight minutes before... well - lesson learned!

I had the tournament of my life a national indoor. I didn't win but I shot the best shoot ever. I had one little shot that just squeeked out. I felt like I was about to win my second Nationals as a pro, but not this time. Murphy pushed one just barely out. Even though I was shooting better than ever before, those little squeakers come out everynow and then.

As of May I don't work for copperjohn anymore and am going out on my own. I plan to bring my wife, son, and baby on the way to Atlanta to be closer to grand parents and extended family. I have huge plans to start my dream shop and have all the plans laid out and ready to go. I just have to sell my house here in auburn. If you want it you can find it on Zillow.com. I'll make you a deal :)

Currently I am shooting the wheels off my bows and working hard on Archerylearningcenter.com and giving my new seminar program around the country. If you would like to have one in your town go to www.grivtech.com and select masters class. You can get all the info you need.

I left my notebook in the car so I dont have tonights break down, but it was a 589. the day before was a 590. I have been hunting for my shot that I left on the shooting floor at the national indoor. and I just caught a glimpse of it tonight.

the final ingredient was keeping my rear shoulder back and concentratng on the framework between me and the bow. I was able to shoot 3 clean ends to finish out my game and things became automatic. I am excited to feel that kind of shot and form control this early in the season prep. I am hoping for a great year this year.

See yall at the pressleys indoor.

Hangin' on by a thread

I am fighting tooth and nail here at the Vegas shoot. It is amazing what one year out can do to your tournament shooting mojo. I had a tough time with my last arrow today, and I am not normally a last arrow kind of guy. I guess I still have some shooting to do to gain complete confidence and control.

I am staying consistently mediocre... well... mediocre for me (22X) . I have been shooting in the neighborhood of 25X or so in practive. I feel pretty good about the last day and I hope to make the shoot off.

Well I am off to get some food and to rest my tired feet. More to come later.

Just Launched www.grivtech.com

I launched another website tonight. This will be my outlet for news and sales concerning DVDs and other cool archery gadjets. The idea is to make this site more like a "crutchfield" style archery catalog that is heavy on information about the products so archers can learn more and make better, more informed decisions on what to buy and how to best use it. I think the new slogan "Know More, Shoot better" pretty much sums up the idea. If you have any ideas about very cool under utilized products, drop me a line and I will see what I can do about including it in the catalog. I will be expanding this as I have time and adding new products as I come up with them, so keep your eye on it. Take a look here www.grivtech.com

CRUD!!!!! I didn't make the team......

I started off with a mediocre score during the qualifacation rounds, so I had to claw my way up to the top to have a chance during the round robins. I did a great job tightening up my score to a 594 during game 2 and that pushed me from around 7th to 3rd. I was feeling pretty strong. Interestingly enough, I felt a little mental shift going into the third round and I lost control of my game and couldn't pull out of it. The good news is I didn't slip below 4th and I am happy to have made up so much ground. However, I really need to get to the bottom of my issues. More to come later on what I am doing to fix the problem.

Eureka!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hello Watson!? are you there?

Watson! I think I have it. :)

What a great shooting day I have had. I have been changing my swing and really working hard trying to find the right feel, the right tune, and the right combination of all that plus execution. Today I added the final ingredient.

I have been adding weight to my stabilizers in an attempt to slow my bow movement down. I have had an unusual amount of jitter that has been plaguing me for months. I have finally found it.

Tension...

All the tweaking and shooting and weighting and tinkering had caused me to develop tension in my release hand and bow shoulder. This caused a soft float with sudden flicks to the outside of the ring. I could drop four big tens and shoot in the 580s or I could squeeze out something in the low 90s. I had lived with it long enough and was concentrating on other things for so long, that I didn't realize how bad it was.

So, back to my day... I have been taking advice from the folks at Hoyt and some of my Hoyt shooting buddies on tune and bow set up trying to get to the bottom of my little issues. I really couldn't decide if it was me, the bow, the arrow, or a combination of the whole lot. I have to say... It is amazing to me how helpful everyone at Hoyt was and they were spot on with their advice. It is also a testament to Professional Archery how my friends and competitors were so free with their best information to help me get my ducks in a row and my arrows in the ten.

Today, with a combination of the gear tweaks, arrow tweaks, and now my old school relaxed but steady flow of form and relaxed release hand, I had one of those days. One of those days that gives you a glimmer of what could be, or a tiny taste of how well your bow really shoots when you tell it the right things with your form.

WOW. What a great day.

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598! 300 28 / 300 30

some video time

Here is the results of my my form taping the other day. I thought some of you might be interested in seeing it. I shot a 593 during the taping, but I can see some small things that I should work on. I slowed down the actual shots so I could better see what is going on.

More later.


http://www.archerylive.com/Pic/Video/shooting_0002.wmv

You can't shoot a good FITA score with a baby on your back.

I was on baby duty tonight so the wife could have some needed adult time. So I got the big idea that I could carry on as usual with a baby on my back. Well... he was a total angel at the range and he didn't fuss hardly at all. HOWEVER, It is scientifically proven that you can't keep a 8X scope in the X while a seven month old kicks you in the kidneys.

I just resolved myself to the fact that I was out at WildWood for fun of it. Thanks to Keith, one of the owners, I was able to shoot my broadheads a few times to make sure my hunting rig is ready for the big hunt this weekend while he entertained the baby.

117

(I only could get in one game before G5 decided he was ready to go home)

It was well worth the trip.

Did a little taping today

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593 (299 27 - 299 26)

Average 118.5

I am still running down a few little hiccups in my swing, but I have settled into a feel and I have passed that invisible point of no return where you have to decide what you are going to do and what you are going to shoot and stick with it.

Some tiny changes to arrow spine through point weight changes and I went to the XT3500 limbs. The initial results are good and I am very excited for the new year.

Here is a close look at the rig I am shooting right now.

I also did a little taping of my form. As soon as I can get it edited I will post links to it today.

Be sure to check and change your nocks!

I have been having a heck of a time with my groups lately and I changed my nocks. My friend Jimmy Butts went from shooting crazy high x counts to missing 5 10s out of 60 arrows. We both changed our nocks and the issue that we spent a couple days on just went away. So, I declare today national scrap your nocks day. I plan to change all of my nocks often from now on. I think this may help my consistency especially when I get out on the road.

First shots with the new XT3500 Limbs

I have been tinkering with my setups trying to get more out of them and the guys at Hoyt have been a huge help. I just got a box in today with a new set of 3500 limbs and a set of Cam1/2 cams to match. I was hoping on some of the new C2 cams, but they are not ready in my size yet.

anyway... I set up the bow and used factory strings, eyeballed the rest and nock,
and just ripped off a round. I had to stop about half way through and retime the bow after the strings settled in, but It shot great.

the XT3500 limbs are well worth it. I feel like they are more forgiving and the bow seems to aim more stable that before.

Time to start a new practice average.

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592 (300 27X - 300 25X)

avrg 118.4

Oh Crud! I almost forgot the baby picture :)

His Royal Highness

George D. Ryals V

:)

"Swing Thoughts"

I can't say that I use swing thoughts in the sense that you imply. I read a lot of golf books so I know exactly what you are talking about. I had heard Tiger talk about swing thoughts before and often wondered exactly what that was... I did a little more reading and ran across this.

"Rehearse the shot with a purpose, then execute it

Before my most recent swing changes I didn't realize the importance of practice swings. They help reinforce swing keys and promote good swing thoughts. Rehearsal swings have helped me with one of my main goals this year: to commit to every swing. Before, I would make a cursory practice swing without that full commitment, and it was mostly a wasted motion. I see the same thing among my amateur playing partners. I also see players make practice swings that don't fit the intended shot. That's a real waste of time and energy......

......If I've made a purposeful rehearsal, fully committed to the shot and executed it to the best of my ability, it's easier to accept the outcome."

Putt to a picture on big breakers

I had only one putting coach in my life, and that was my dad. His concept of putting was simple: Putt to the picture. Whenever I had trouble with my stroke, he would reinforce the early lessons, and I'd regain confidence in my mechanics immediately. That mental technique remains with me in the heat of competition, especially on breaking putts, where visualizing the break and putting to a spot at the apex of the break are critical. I get a picture in my head and stroke the ball toward what I see in the picture while keeping my head perfectly still. Alignment is crucial. A lot of amateurs set up for a putt as if it's straight, then push or pull it back toward the line. Set the face of the putter square to your intended line, then align your body to the putter."

snipped from: http://www.tigerwoods.com/news/fullstory.sps?iNewsid=338098&itype=6273

I think what Tiger is getting at here is a dual concept that is referred to in archery as well. mental rehearsal and Total commitment to the shot.

I use mental rehearsal religiously. I do it while driving, working, practicing, and any other time I can be mentally free long enough to shoot a perfect shot. My changes to my swing have really involved the feel of the shot, the actual manipulation of the release, and the memorization of those steps so I can streamline the shot process. I am a believer in the fact that the more natural your style or "swing" is the more consistent you can be under pressure.

While changing my swing I am working through the shot in a very tactile manner. I am using the Morin Trainer to carefully establish my hand feel on the release, my thumb grip on the barrel, and the proper relaxation technique that causes the hand deformation needed to activate the trigger through the pull.

I have almost settled on a feel. I am shooting hundreds of shots with the Morin trainer every day, all day. In the afternoon I go to ten yards with my bow and try out the feel. This give and take between the bow and the trainer is proving to be the perfect combination.

I have shot a dozen or so 600 Fita games from ten yards grooving in what I think is the perfect feel. Tonight I shot 2 120 matches from 20 and that was the first time in a month and a half that I shot from 20. I cleaned both of them and the last 6 shots were pure heaven. I wanted to shoot more, but I was tired and had to head home. I also didn't want to over do it and loose all the head way that I have gotten.

Getting back to swing thoughts.....

The mental rehearsal part is seeing, feeling, and tasting the perfect shot mentally and then doing it. I think of it as a plan of action. In golf you would decide what type of draw or spin you will put on the ball, make up your mind on the technique you will use to attain that goal, and then take a practice swing using the technique and feel that you intend to make the shot with. Then commit to that shot and flow through it with determination and direct every ounce of your positive energy through it.

Shooting a shot in archery is almost the same thing. Here is how I do it. I feel the draw of the bow, align the peep, watch the perfect sight float, and right in time - with the perfect rhythm, kaploop! the perfect shot. Then I put my release on the string and then just recreate it.

Another part of "swing thoughts" for me is the committment to the shot. I have problems with this during 3D or in a very tense shootoff. Negative self talk, doubt, or mental fatigue can cause you to "drop the ball" and the most crucial moment. Sometimes even a negative self image like "i have never cleaned the second day at vegas" can cause you to not be fully committed even on an underlying level.

My swing changes are adressing each of the points that I am weak in and I am totally returning to the basics. I am also dabbling a little in some form changes as well.

Untill next time....