I made it back to the range yesterday, Friday evening. I only shot 30 arrows intentionally because it was the first time I had shot much I two weeks. I did well. No problems no pain. I went back to 10 yards thinking maybe I need more time here because I am not making progress at 20 yards.

Thanks for your comments. It means a lot to me when you take time for me. Well I am taking a break from Archery but it was forced on me. Monday morning after I returned from the level 3 workshop I slipped on some water on the stairs in the parking garage on my way to work. I landed on my left butock and slid down five steps on my left side. I’m OK but very very sore. I tried shooting last Saturday but it hurt a bit so after 12 arrows I went home. I plan to try again tomorrow which will be Tuesday.

George Ryals  

Aug 27

Take care of yourself. Save the stair surfing for the kids.

I am at the Easton Archery Center in Newberry FL. I was able to shoot 27 arrows after class Monday, class ran long so I only had 30 minutes to shoot. I found out they were going to be here at 8 and class did not start until 9 so I came in early and shot for forty five minutes. Between the two session I got in 60 arrows. Feel like I am miking tiny bits of progress I was at 20 yards practicing form and routine with the SweetSpot.

Longer practice time on Wednesday so for the first JOAD session I practiced and adjusted the sight and where I a-line the bow string with the riser. I made some progress. For the second JOAD session is got for score and shot pretty well. I shot a 240 and needed a 230 for the pin. I guess all the changes I made to the bow helped. I have been shooting for this pin for five months. Now I need 250 for the next on.

Tuesday night I shoot my recently modified Olympic Recurve bow. Since I did not get to shoot for a pin last Tuesday at the outdoor JOAD they are going to let my shoot my Olympic for a pin. So I am getting familiar with the bow. I am getting the sight sighted in and getting the feel on the bow.

This is the video you shot of me at our last session. I edited out the beginning where you had me let down so you could change where I drew back to because I do not need to watch that. I have put it here because I watch it often to remind me of how I am to draw and release. Having it here will make it easier to find for review and I like the ability to slow it down and go frame by frame.

Yesterdays target. You suggested I should shoot at different patterns this is my attempt. It does not really seem to affect the way I feel when I’m shooting so maybe this is a good thing. I’m a bit frustrated due to a lack of progress. I’m finding it difficult to get myself to practice but I’m still trying. I’m at 20 yards working on my shot routine and form with the SweetSpot. I shot 30 arrows tonight the ones not in the yellow were not mine. They were from someone else missing their own target. This coming weekend I travel to Florida for my level III coaching workshop, I’m looking forward to it. They sent me the book about a week ago. I have been reading and studying it. Some new information but a lot I already knew. One thing they talk about that I disagree with is that archery is 90% mental. I have heard this before and I believe it’s good for Larry Basham I just don’t think it’s true. Also I have never seen anybody spend 90% of the time working on their mental game. Mental is very important. I believe it’s about 50%. I also believe it is not something you work on mostly separately but is to be worked on as you’re working on your form while shooting. I do believe that visualization is very helpful and needs to be part of your practice but you also need to do a good bit of your mental work while shooting. I have taken your advice for part of my mental game. I am no longer working on Don’t drop my bow arm because it is a negative and a thing not to do. What I have replaced it with is Follow through which is positive and means to me to hold my arm up after the release at least until I hear the arrow hit. This dose seem to be working. Thoughts?

Went to do an outdoor pin shoot Tuesday. Due to traffic I got there 5 minutes late. Then while shooting practice shots and sighting in I shot through the bail and buried an arrow in the frame. The arrow was destroyed while trying to remove it. So ends a $65 arrow. Due to being late, the stuck arrow and searching for others arrows I only got to shoot three ends so no chance to go for the pin. My score on the three I shot was not good enough to to get my pin anyway but I might of made it if I had had the chance. This and my apparent lack of progress is really annoying me. I keep working and working, investing time and money but I am stuck shooting two to three years inch groups. I should be able to shoot all Xs by now. I took Wednesday off, just did not feel like shooting. I do plan to practice this evening.

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George Ryals  

Aug 27

Stick to it. But perhaps just a little break may help freshen things up. Lay off shooting for five days and don’t even think about archery. Reset your brain and come back strong and fresh.

This is the stabilizer mount.

I am a little behind with my journal. This targeting from Monday’s practice. I had my rear stabilizer bar come lose at my last arrow for the tournament Saturday and I made a comment about it at practice. John told me since I shoot a Hoyt bow I should have a rear stabilizer mount that uses the extra screw hole on the riser because it would prevent that from moving again. I did not know such a thing existed. So I got the Dead Center rear stabilizer mount for my bow because the Hoyt did not come with a quick release. Once I had it installed I shit 30 arrows while the JOADers did a pin shoot. It was strange. I would shoot well on target one height on target two and right on target three. I tried shooting them in reverse order but this did not seem to matter.

Bull Run Summer Shoot

Saturday I shot the Bull Run Club Summer Tournament in Centerville VA. 6.5 hours from home. I came up the night before. It was a 720 USA Archery tournament. I was out of state so was in the out of state 60 plus group. I had a good time. It was hot but then it is August in the South. I shot fair. Sort of poor first round I shot a 275. Made a come back second round with a 316. For a 591 total and first place in my division. 🙂.

Good practice last night, 72 arrows working on form/ routine with the SweetSpot. I got the replacement scope from UltraView and wanted to replace the damaged one. With the changes too my sight from Tuesday’s shoot outdoors and the replaced scope it took a bit to get sighted in. The battery hold in the new scope is different from my original and should not have the contact issues the original did but the battery covers come off so easily one or both fall off every time the position is switched. This is very annoying.