Back Pressure

[CSTEVENS]

Some of us were talking about good practice habits and Vaughn brought up using a good back pressure method. He has explained it but thought that you guys can add to or have a different way to explain it.
Thanks for your help
Chuck

[cambow]

Pertaining to this subject, I understand backtension, and letting the pin float. But I have problems then rotating my hinge release with my hand. I don't pull any harder as I don't want to pull myself out of alignment, and I don't want to disrupt my pin float, but do you guys have tips on rotating a hinge release, for example, use the little pinky, squeese the and, relax the index finger or hand, throw the release at the wall....?

[CSTEVENS]

also is there a better type of release for shooting with back tension, then say a command shot?
Chuck

[Eric Griggs]

Check out this thread on AT. Someone brought up almost the exact same question there awhile back. There is alot of good info there and I posted on the subject about 15 or so posts into it. I hope this helps.

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=86919&page=1&pp=40

[shaman]

Erics response from AT:

I'll elaborate a little on what Dan is talking about here. To start with let me say that I strongly recomend setting a triggerless bt release with a good bit of travel. No disrespect to anyone who is successfull with a trigerless bt release and doesn't shoot this way, but I would say that virtually everyone at the top who is using a pure bt release is shooting it with travel. And...If your shooting it with travel you can not fire the release off back tension alone. You have to maintain back tension and that's important, but moving your hand and fingers is what makes that thing fire. The travel is important because it makes you stay active in the shot. You always keep pulling regardless of what the sight is doing. With a good bit of travel anticipation becomes a non-factor as well. For everyone who is shooting there release on the edge or have shot this in the past ask yourself this question. How many times have you been tenative with your release or had a hard time firing it in a pressure situation? Unless your lying to yourself this has happened to everyone who has shot a triggerless bt release set up light or with the clicker. Not to say it can't happen when you set them up with travel, but you know that you have to get after the release to make it fire so it forces you to be aggressive. I'll give you a great example of this. Nathan Brooks was in the shootoff in Vegas last year and let down after holding for a really long time. He got rid of the release in his hand and got a different one. After the fact I asked him what the deal was and he said he switched to a HEAVIER release. I was suprised at first, but when he explained it to me it made perfect sense. He was having problems getting it to fire and he knew once he swithed to something with even more travel that it would force him to be aggressive to get the release to fire. I know that this isn't going to work for everyone, but the topic came up so I figured I would add my thoughts.


Eric

[CSTEVENS]

Thanks so much for taking your time to share your tips.

[Nathan Brooks]

Eric has done it again! He hit the nail on the head. I personally shoot different shots all the time. That may sound a little crazy but it is what it takes for me to keep a honest shooting/aiming mind. If I do not change the amount of travel on my releases at least every month or so, I get very timid with my tension. My mind seems to understand that if I rotate to this point and my hand is in this position that my release will fire. Thus creating anticipation. So I constantly change this aspect of my game. I grew up watching Randy Ulmer shoot and he did this a lot. I have watched him shoot his BT release backwards and do it very well. It is all about knowing what you are capable of. That is what makes a shooter good. Staying within your limitations, yet always striving to get just a littler further beyond. Pushing your limits. You will find that you will learn more when you play, but you do not want to do this during shooting season, unless you are looking for an answer.

I would really like to say that I could shoot the release at the same travel all the time, because that would seem to make more sense for muscle memory and becoming a better shooter. But if I could do that, I would use a trigger release!

Good luck!

[cambow]

Thanks you guys. I should mention that I have shot PSE bows since 1980 and I like the direction that the company is going now, and the qreat qualities of its shooters! Cameron

[kkromer]

Eric & Nathan,

Really appreciate your thoughts posted above. I've always used a BT release and shot off a clicker or a very short travel. But at times had "timid shot syndrome". Mike Braden worked with me and had me start shooting a much heavier trigger, killed the timidness of the shot. But then, I've always shot my best groups with a BT, but with the timid shot syndrome and wouldn't shoot them in tournaments very often. I'm going to get out there and work with your suggestions.

So glad you guys are giving your time to help us all shoot better.

Thanks,