Archery education - the tater chip method

I love archery because it is a calming sport. Even when you are target shooting in a 3D competition you have to stay smooth and collected. Your heart may be racing but you can’t shake or flinch. You have to remain still even after the shot, so as not to drop your bow too early and deflect your arrows. It is a sport that is both gentle and strong, fast and slow, all at the same time.

Sometimes when I am shooting I get caught up in the moment and I clench my fist around the bow. This always messes with my accuracy. When you clench the bow handle you are rarely holding it straight. By holding it so tightly you can deflect your arrows and screw your target. If you have this grip on your bow, when you release the arrow, the bow will twerk in the direction you are gripping it. 

Enter, the potato chip method. I am not sure where James’ dad heard of this technique or if he came up with it himself, but it has helped me tons. Remember when you are holding your bow you are pretending to be standing and leaning against a wall with your outstretched arm? Well, now imagine, in that hand is a potato chip. It is between your thumb and fingers, which are curved around the bow. You can’t crush the chip! It is a light grasp, just enough to keep the chip in your hands, but not enough to smash the chip. Imagining this will keep you from death-gripping that bow handle. 

I have watched several professional archery competitions and one of the things that I have noticed is that the pros actually let their bows drop from their hands after a shot. This lets the arrow follow it’s path and the bow to follow through. This also ensures their grip is just right every time. They will shoot, and, while maintaining their posture, the bow will quickly spin up and around from out of their fingers.

While I have never tried this, and I don’t necessarily recommend it, there is one thing that may help in this area. James has a wrist strap on his bow. This is so that, if he does drop it, it doesn’t go very far. I think it is more the peace of mind that the bow will not fall, no matter how loose his grip, that helps.

For the love of God, don't try this at home...

Let me know if this helps! I know it has helped me, as I would have a hard time following through after releasing my arrows because I twerked the bow from the death-grip.