So, archery has gotten a bit tough; off the rails, so to speak. What next? First things first. Why do you shoot? For the vast majority of us, it is a pleasurable pastime. So let’s keep that in mind when times get tough. Having said that, competition shooters are competitive and it is frustrating to shoot poorly. So what next?

Get a second pair of eyes on your shot. Your coach should be part of this process.

Get some video of your shot and compare it to prior videos of when you were shooting well. We’ve taken video of when we were shooting well, right???????? Compare the two and pay close attention to both your static positions and dynamic movements. Has anything changed? Things do change in our shots and sometimes it is so gradual, we do not notice.

Make a mental shift. Get over yourself. You are not entitled to shoot well. Get humble and work towards improving. The mental hindrances we place on ourselves when not performing well can be debilitating. Bring a good attitude to every practice and tournament.

In my case, I am not at all sure my shot has appreciably changed. I will confirm that with the camera and another set of eyes. My expectations are high and that may be part of the problem. Every athletic endeavor demands freedom. Physical and mental freedom while shooting is extremely important. Making strong confident shots demands both mental and physical freedom. A certain ‘not caring’ about result is necessary. When an athlete is performing well, they are not concerned with outcomes, only the execution of their skill. When outcomes become the overriding concern, lapses in performance are sure to follow. Perhaps this does not happen right away, but in time it does.

Well, there is much to digest and I hope if you are in a shooting slump, some of this will be helpful.