Advanced Shooting Form CheckList

Advanced Shooting Form Checklist

The following is the 10 basic steps expanded into a detailed checklist that can be used by any archer who is looking to improve their shooting form. It can also be used by instructors and coaches when analyzing an archer's shooting form.

1. Stance. Feet Position: regular, oblique, reverse oblique, other. Spread: wide, natural, close. Turn heels in, heels out. Balance: balls of feet, even, heels of feet, other. Consistent position of feet, arrow to arrow, end to end, distance to distance. Consistent footwear, footwear with same fit and foot support, heel height. Leg Position: knee joint locked, extended, relaxed, bent. Leg muscles: tensed, relaxed. Waist: rotated left, straight, rotated right, tilted forward, tilted back. Trunk : rotated left, straight, rotated right, tilted forward, tilted back. abdomen muscles - tensed, relaxed. Shoulders - alignment to target - left, center, right, consistency. Head position - rotation amount. Tilt - forward, backward, consistency. Movement during draw of bow, anchor position, release.

2. Bow Shoulder. Shoulder position - high, natural, low. Shoulder muscle - tensed, relaxed. Movement during draw of bow, anchor position, release. Consistency.

3. Bow Arm. Bow arm extension - locked, tensed, relaxed. Bow arm - bent at elbow, direction of bend, amount. Bow arm - rotated at elbow, amount. Steadiness during anchor, aiming, release, follow through. Consistent position _ arrow to arrow, end to end, distance to distance.

4. Bow Hand. Wrist position - high, low. Hand position on bow grip - left, center, right. Finger and thumb position - tensed, relaxed, open, closed. Movement during draw of the bow, anchor position, release, follow through.

5. String Hand. Finger position on string - consistent position arrow to arrow, end to end. Finger pressure - top finger, middle finger, bottom finger, even. Tension - fingers, knuckles, wrist. Wrist alignment - up, natural, down, bent in, aligned, bent out. Movement on draw of the bow, anchor, release, follow through.

6. Anchor. Position - contact points, nose, face, lips, chin, neck. Consistency of contact points arrow to arrow, end to end, distance to distance. Pressure at each contact point - light, firm, heavy. Consistency. Position of teeth - clenched together, closed, open. Movement during aiming, release.

7. Drawing Arm. Elbow alignment to arrow - vertical - high, aligned, low. Elbow alignment to arrow horizontal - forward, aligned, backward. Muscle tension - forearm, bicep, shoulder, back. Movement during the draw of the bow, anchor, aiming, release, follow through.

8. Hold. Length of hold during aiming - time. Steadiness of hold.

9. Aiming. Method of aiming - direction of movement to center of target. Consistency of movement. String alignment - consistency of position. Steadiness of aim.

10. Final Draw. The amount of draw between anchor position to release position. Consistent amount arrow to arrow, end to end, distance to distance. Movement _ push on bow, pull on string, both push/pull, finger tension. Consistency of movement.

11. Release. Activated by - aim position, clicker, time or other factors. Consistency of movement - fingers, release aid.

12. Follow Through. Bow hand movement. Bow arm movement. Shoulder movement. String hand movement. Drawing arm movement. Stance movement

13. Check Position: Position of body after Follow Through.

14. Breathing. Rhythm of breathing - in during draw of the bow, half out at anchor or slow exhale from anchor to release. Holding time during aim and release. Relaxing between shots - number of breaths. Breathing - relaxed, tensed, with chest, with abdomen.

15. Relaxing between shots. Method - distracted, attentive, concentration. Preparation for next shot.

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