By Dan Meadows, The Shooting Channel
Many years ago while researching “Target Fixation” in relationship to marksmanship training sports like archery or firearms, I came across numerous writings and articles describing target fixation. Most of the articles related to cycling sports, road races, aircraft pilots, and even law enforcement (to name a few). Seldom though did one ever read about how to overcome target fixation as it relates to archery skills development, or while practicing on an archery range or in our own backyards.
And then there are those times that you would either hear or read about horrific crashes involving cyclists, race car drivers, fighter pilots and even more recently, crashes involving motorists striking police vehicles, as they were out on traffic stop violations, wrecks, or even road blocks. Even more recently, stories about target fixation have been revealed by our newspapers and our news channels. Of course, many of you have heard about people texting on their cell phones while they are walking or even driving, resulting in people walking into walls or barriers, or by crashing their vehicles into the back end of other vehicles?
Target fixation you might ask? You might just be right!
So now let’s clear up the mud about this topic. Let me define what “Target Fixation” is in the first place:
“Target Fixation is a process by which the brain is focused so intently on an observed object that awareness of other obstacles or hazards can diminish. Also, in an avoidance scenario, the observer can become so fixated on the target that they will forget to take the necessary action to avoid it, thus colliding with the object.”
“But how is it that an archer can be so drawn to “Target Fixation” in the first place?” OK, that’s a good question, so let’s set the stage for our discussion here today!
Archery Shooting Steps or Sequence of Events
The following sequences or steps are this author’s own method of teaching a new shooter on how to shoot a bow. For some of you, this “Art of Bow Training” may or may not be all inclusive or even be complete. However as an archer, you will find that there are some teaching methods out there that are much more detailed in structure than others. And yet there are some methods out there that are even less detailed than the ones we have listed below. In some cases the end results may or may not be the same, or possibly could even be different in nature than that of your own. Like many of you, I have heard of the “(10) Step Method”, or the (8) Step method, or even the (6) Step method (just to name a few). This particular article is not necessarily designed to correct what works for you. However its sole purpose is to merely communicate another practiced method, another way, or another archer’s sequence of events, which are used to shoot their respective bows!
So with that disclaimer aside, let me take you on a journey here for just a moment. For this exercise, I ask for you to become a traditional archery student for me, and for our shooting practice session here today.
Ok everyone, so here we go!
Practicing multiple shots with the Longbow.
Here’s your first bow training scenario: You are out at on archery range. Indoors, outdoors, it makes no difference (unless it’s cold outside, right?). Being that you are a new archery student, you will now be going through a series of instructions for archery shooting techniques. These are known as “steps” or “sequence of events” and will be explained to you further, and in greater detail on the next page.
Next, the point-by-point instructions
A.
1) First, please read and support all safety rules and regulations for your archery range.
2) You should insure that the archery range is clear and safe to shoot on, and that all archers are off the archery range.
3) You should mount and apply any and all safety gear (i.e. arm guards), as required for your safety.
4) You should pick up your bow and quiver and then secure your quiver as appropriate for your archery shoot.
5) You should position your feet and stabilize your shooting stance platform according to your target and your shooting line area.
6) You should now identify and establish your target, thus recognizing its range and its current location.
7) You should further align yourself (your body) towards the target as is required.
8) You should establish a proper bow hand grip with your bow hand.
9) You should secure an arrow from your quiver or stand and then nock your arrow onto your bowstring.
10) You should establish your finger shooting positions around the arrow (3 below, 1 up and 2 below, etc.) as suited for your personal shooting practices. If unsure, I will show you further.
B.
11) You should address your body, head, shoulders, hips, stance and bow towards your target area.
12) You should position your bow arm at an appropriate angle to minimize or to eliminate a bowstring slap to your forearm or wrist area.
13) You should now draw your bowstring to a full draw.
14) You should anchor your bow string as demonstrated or instructed and then check your anchor location for consistency.
15) You should now set up your aim with your bow sights (if any), or use an instinctive sighting method for target alignment.
16) You should now take aim and adjust your sight view or orient your sight alignment towards your intended target and point of impact.
17) You should further refine your final sight adjustments towards your targets point of impact zone.
18) You should now maintain patience, and hold your full draw until it is time to release your arrow.
19) You should check, maintain and control your breathing patterns for shot optimization and steadiness.
20) Once ready, you should now release (loose) your arrow downrange and towards your target.
C.
21) It is important to maintain a follow through throughout your shot release.
22) You should continue to view downrange and towards your intended target area until the arrow has impacted your target area zone.
23) At this time, begin to self analyze each shot (arrow) placement from the shooters line. You should also begin to adjust your shooting pattern, positioning, or your aiming point as needed for future shots.
24) If you are shooting alone, I would suggest that you send a total of (3) three arrows downrange, and when safe, step up to your target area for your target review. If others are still shooting, continue on with your shooting sequences until it is safe to go downrange.
25) Once you are ready, repeat your shot sequences again and again, until all of your arrows have been released downrange and towards your intended target.
26) Once the range is safe from all shooting activity, you should announce to others of your intentions to go downrange to check your target.
27) Once you have arrived at your target location, you should assess your arrow placements on the target, and then record your shot results into a journal (if applicable).
28) Upon completion of your shot assessment or journal entries, you should then gather your spent arrows and return to the shooters line.
29) Once you have returned to the shooters line, and with the range having been cleared and safe, you should resume your practice shot sequences downrange.
30) And finally, you should repeat your shooting sequences as often as your time allows. (Practice Often)
(*A Special Note: For our veteran archers, the shooting sequences listed above may be similar to the ones you already use. You may elect to add to, or eliminate from, your own shooting sequences based wholly or partially upon your own; archery shooting skills, your years of archery practice, or to suit your own specific archery shooting styles).
So as you can see, this sounds like a lot of events, or steps to go through, just to put an arrow downrange, right?
And you will also find that once you have become a practiced or veteran archer, your sequence of events will be even less thought about and more unconsciously acted upon, without any detailed realization or conscious forethought added to this shooting sequence of events. The Japanese would call this “mushin no shin,” translated literally as “the mind without mind” or “no-mindness.” Of course this doesn’t mean that as an archer you are out there shooting your bow without knowing what you are doing. It simply means that once you have attained a certain level of familiarity with your art (in this case archery shooting), and by having knowledge of the sequence of events it takes to put an arrow downrange, then your mind, body and spirit simply takes over, and then guides you throughout these steps or sequence of events, while shooting your bow.
Next, target fixation in archery
Target Fixation in Archery
We spoke briefly about target fixation earlier and how it relates to events outside of archery. Then we went through our checklist of archery shooting sequences, as described above. So now, how does target fixation relate to me, the archer?
If you take a moment to review your own archery shooting sequences, you will notice that each and every segment of your shot is a collection of steps, which are necessary to achieve the end results of putting an arrow downrange, and ultimately onto your target. Sometimes an archer will allow distractions to enter into their shot sequences, thus causing the archer to lose focus. And yet oftentimes an archer can concentrate so heavily on what it is they are not suppose to do, in relation to shot sequences, that they cannot focus on what it is that they need to be doing for a successful shot. In some cases, an archer can get so fixated on a target that they will quit, ever before they have had a chance to experience real success in archery.
You will even find that sometimes your steps or sequence of events can become quite blurred to a new or even veteran archer. As a result, there are those times whereas an archer can stare so hard at a target, that it can in fact become blurred and out of focus to that archer. Eyes begin to water, breathing becomes rapid, hands begin to sweat and their body and arms starts to tremble. Either that or our archer friend is suffering from the beginning stages of the flu. If this is so, please see your doctor, quickly! Now let’s continue…
Many archers don’t realize that target fixation can also occur in their own “Archery Shooters Mindset.” Archery Shooter’s Mindset? How’s that, you ask? How is it that most archers never hear of this? Never speak of it. And in fact, many would ask “Does it even exist in archery”? OK, you decide! The very topic of “Archery Shooters Mindset” has been discussed more widely and more openly by competitive archers around the world, in more recent times. More so than your average day-to-day archery shooters ever speak of, on a more local or geographic scale. Similar to that of firearms shooters, and in other sports such as basketball or golf, shooting mindsets are very hot topics openly discussed in their respective circles. But it’s there, even within the mindsets of our very own day-to-day average archery shooters.
So if you had to pinpoint by definition, if you will, of what an “archery shooters mindset” is, what would that be? Do I have any volunteers?
Ok, here goes. An “Archery Shooters Mindset” is broken down to specific generalizations, and in its simplest form as an individual mindset, whereas the idea, attitude, method, assumption and notations by which a person approaches a certain task or situation will do so, with a fixed state of mind. Factors supporting ones mindset, or in this case, an “archery shooters mindset” involves; awareness, confidence, mind conditioning, readiness, perfection, planning, problem solving, knowledge of the sport, skills development, and by having a healthy, positive mental attitude. Now some of you might say that this definition, though raw in its delivered state, is a bit over the top. And most of you would probably be right! Now you decide!
Although our targets could be the same or even different makes, models and styles, or even a 3D target displayed, our picture above is giving us (3) three distinct target views or reference points, and has been illustrated for reference purposes only. You should begin your archery practice sessions by setting your targets up at different distances and angled locations. Practices targets at shorter ranges first and then extend to your maximum safe shooting distance accordingly. Now Shoot Away!
Thanks to Dan Meadows of the TAP3X Group of Companies and Co-Host of The Shooting Channel. Dan is an an expert shooter in multiple platforms. Visit http://theshootingchannel.com