7 Habits of Highly Effective Archers

1. Always practice as if you were in a tournament. Perfect practice makes perfect. If you get sloppy when you practice, you will shoot sloppily at the tournament. If you can=t learn to concentrate during practice, you won=t be able to concentrate at the tournament. On the tournament line, you will reap what you sewed.

2. Forget past mistakes. One of the most important strategies of champions is the ability to forget their mistakes. The more you think and visualize the good shots, the more likely it will happen again. When you shoot a bad shot, get over it and move on quickly. Visualize the next shot. Feel free to feel good when you make a nice shot. Make mental notes about the shot.

3. Maintain positive self-talk and imagery. To be a champion you must use your inner‑mind to guide you. Think positive thoughts and imagine what a good shot would look like. Think positive thoughts. Focus on making the perfect shot. Lean to concentrate and focus quickly.

4. Practice being mentally tough and focus on the match. Many top shooters learned to developed a mental program to occupy their mind. Don=t over-analyze each shot. Rely on muscle memory and concentration. Develop a mental program consisting of a series of conscious thoughts to follow throughout the shot. Discipline is key. Stay focused. Don't think about winning or losing. Stop your mind from drifting away.

5. Enjoy the pressure of competition. To have fun and succeed, you will have to love the pressure of competition. Anxiety, nerves and pressure are all normal and positive feelings. Just focus and take your best shot.

6. Shoot your average. You can=t expect to do much better than your average practice session. You must learn to be consistent. Don't try to shoot better or stranger than normal. Your arrow will go in different places. Don't try to shoot better when you are behind and relax when you are ahead. Just shoot your same old shots in the same old style. Take one shot at a time carefully, like the way you had always practiced and good shots will always follow through.

7. Be prepared for anything. To be successful in you must be prepared for anything that could happen. Make sure you are prepared mentally and physically. Anticipate and prepare for equipment failures, changing weather conditions, etc.

Copyright © 2006 Skookum Archers, Inc. For problems with the web site, contact webmaster@skookumarchers.com. For general Club information, contact info@skookumarchers.com. Club information Line (253) 770-4177.