I had the wonderful opportunity to have a discussion with my good friend Ruth Rowe and retired Olympian, about a few issues archers may be facing.
The picture was taken in 2011 at the Olympic Training Center when I participated in my first Junior Dream Team coach observer program. I’m standing between these 2 amazing women, from left to right, Ruth Rowe, me and Diane Watson.
A little info about Coach Ruth Rowe
Ruth Rowe, the owner of the Quintessential Corporation and The Archery program in VA, is an Olympian and life-long archer. A level 4 Coach in USA Archery, she is working to complete her Level 5 Coach certification. Multi national Champion throughout her career. National and International record-holder and retired from competing in 2003. Additionally, she has been teaching and coaching for more than 10 years, Ruth Rowe is National Team Coach of the Virgin Islands where she is establishing and implementing a complete archery development program there. She is author of several archery books.
Below is the solutions that Ruth Rowe has for 8 archery issues that you, or a friend might be having.
1) My form feels like it is the same every time I shoot and the arrows go to a different place than it should.
Solution: Mostly this is just a matter of trying to become more consistent, feeling what the body is doing, and trying to make it feel the same each time. As archers progress, they become more and more aware of the subtullties of the shot. It takes a lot more awareness of what the body is doing than what most archers think.
2) I’m not hitting the gold and getting frustrated.
Solution: First, expecting to hit the gold (every time) is a very high expectation for most archers. Even top archers have reds and occasionally blues. Try to keep the thought on the process of shooting the arrow, not the result. If you are focused on the outcome, then you are not learning what the correct process — in detail — needs to be to have a good shot. Focus on the process of doing the shot, not the outcome. Outcome gets you nothing, instead, learn what you need to do.
3) things rattling on the bow like a screw loose o the sight or the stabilizer.
Solution: The bow probably needs tuning, particularly tiller., then make sure you are doing a smooth shot.
4) I’m doing everything right and you the coach is wrong, my old coach said this is the way it should be done.
Solution: Two things here.
1) If you believe what your former coach wants you to do is correct, then why are you here?
2) If you want to improve, changes are necessary. Otherwise, it’s the ‘true insanity’ situation: doing the same thing and expecting a different result.
5) My shooting is not consistent, it is very good and then very bad and then very good and then very bad.
Solution: Again, learn the shot process. Write down what you think about as you are doing the shot. Go over them with your coach and make sure all the pieces are there. Then focus completely on what you are doing every time you nock an arrow. Consistent shooting technique comes from consistent awareness of what you are doing as you are doing it.
6) As I’m trying to aim the sight pin is moving all over the place.
Solution: Make sure the bow shoulder is set down in the shoulder socket. That is where stability with the bow arm/hand (and therefore bow/sight) starts. After that, work to get the shoulders aligned with the bow arm, keeping the bow shoulder down. Having the bow shoulder set down is (initially) more important than perfect alignment.
7) I keep hitting my arm, and it hurts.
Solution: First set the bow shoulder down. If it is up, it is also a little forward, making you more prone to hitting. Then learn to rotate the elbow joint so that if you bend the bow arm (without bow) your lower arm moves parallel to the floor, not upward. You may have to practice by putting your bow arm at shoulder height on a wall, then leaning against it with your body weight, and then trying to rotate just the joint, leaving the bow should and bow hand set throughout.
With the elbow turned down, your draw length is just a little longer, which makes your body want to stay there. Part of it ls learning how, part of it is using new muscles. Some strength in the arm muscles used to keep the joint vertical may have to be developed Also, if you are substantially over-bowed, your arm may pop out on the shot, putting it in line with the bow string.
8) I keep moving my sight so that I can hit the yellow but my groups keep staying in the same place. Very frustrating.
Solution: Then the sight is not the issue; it’s something in what you are doing to make the arrows go off-center. Exactly what it is depends on where the arrows are hitting. For example, if they are low and you cannot bring them up with sight correction, then make sure your bow arm stays up until the arrow is in the target. You may be dropping your arm before the arrow is off the string, and no amount of sight correction will bring them to center. Again, learn your shot sequence, and make sure you are doing it completely on every shot!
Our Guest’s Links
Visit Ruth Rowe online http://www.thearcheryprogram.net/head_coach.htm http://www.quintessentialarchery.com/
Thank you Ruth, it was great talking to you and hearing about your thoughts on archery, I appreciate you.
Lucy Morris
Level 4 NTS Coach Lucy Morris; host of The Flying Archer (TFA)
