September 2: Make it Personal!

September 2: Make it Personal!
September Sessions begin! Tournament Listings.

Last week we had our new split Sunday sessions, and it worked very well. The weather cooperated, and we were outside all day. Parker Bows set up inside and let folks try out crossbows that were attending the big anniversary sale at Big Woods Goods.
Several students worked on some distance shooting for rank, and preparing for upcoming tournaments .

The balloon shoot and nock out games demonstrated some tough competition, and some very skilled archers, and we finally had winners in the hot soda rounds !!.

Make it personal.
When students set up their own equipment, there are various ranges offered. A brace height on a 66" recurve bow may have a range of 8"-9.25". Each archer "tunes" their equipment to their shooting style. With time consuming, methodical brace height adjustment testing, the correct brace height has been reached when the sound is quiet at launch, and the group is at it's tightest. If an archer numbers the arrows, and shoots them in order several times, noting an errant arrow as the same numbered arrow each time, the archer can know the equipment needs adjusting rather than wondering "what did I do?". If shot in reverse (6,5,4,3,2,1-and now #1 is always out-the archery may be fatiguing.
Many champions create their own grips by using an epoxy putty, better suiting the hand position, and, they may wrap their grips to keep better control of the grip in the rain or sweaty heat. Slight adjustments in a nock, or changing to a string nock or metal nock can change the flight of the arrow by making the string cause the arrow to be stiffer, or weaker, flying more left...or right. As students begin to consider tournaments, "personalizing" their set up becomes very important.


Set
This week, we will work on getting the string pulled back and in position, before "riding the string hand up the pole."

To participate this Sunday,
Existing students:
please reply with Time and days selected in the subject line, and your name, right or left handed, and if adult or youth via learnarchery@yahoo.com if you have not already done so, so we have enough equipment and staff available
11:30 Session:Outdoors; Head to the back parking lot and outdoor range to check in( do not access outdoor range from inside of building.)
3:00 session: (closed to new September orientation students)Please go the rear of the store to the archery range at Big Woods Goods to sign in, and gear up.(Weather permitting, we may shift outdoors.)
4:30 Wednesday youth session : Please go the rear of the store to the archery range at Big Woods Goods to sign in, and gear up. Must be a JOAD member to participate. membership application
6:30 Wednesday session: Please go the rear of the store to the archery range at Big Woods Goods to sign in, and gear up

News:
Reminder: Sunday Morning & Wednesday eve sessions
We now have an OUTDOOR session scheduled at 11:30 am on Sunday mornings.
Existing Students:To participate in Sunday sessions, please note which time is selected in your subject line: 11:30 OR 3:00
New Students from September:Please advise if attending Sunday morning, or Wednesday afternoon or evening
September 5: Wednesday afternoon youth and evening mixed classes begin .
Wednesday afternoon after-school JOAD program starts at 4:30. Please register interest at doodle link, . New early evening 6:30 pm mixed youth/adult Open Training Session, similar to the Sunday drop-in session format, please email if planning to attend (same as Sunday-RH/LH etc). Mid-week sessions provide an opportunity to add more practice time, and keep skill levels consistent.

Note: For any outdoor sessions:
Please, DO NOT use the side door of the parking lot for access to the outdoor range or for entry to the building. Staff Access/emergency exit only!!


Upcoming Tournaments:

September 8
South Eastern 720 Part I Regional, Lavonia, Georgiaregistration

September 8 or 9
Huntsville, 8th annual Fall 900 round, Huntsville ALregistration

Sept 22, 23:Conyers
GA State Target Championships, FITAregistration

August 26:Balloon Shoot! New sessions Added! Tournaments coming

Last week members of the JOAD and SOAD programs scored and earned rank and pins, and awards will be presented on Sunday (everyone did GREAT!)

This week, we will have the balloon shoot game along with the "knock-out" game. Everyone, please stretch out, get your gear set up and select 1 balloon to blow up and put in the big bag with your symbol or initial.

We will have a few warm up rounds of "knock-out"and start the games.

Knock-Out:
Strategy and skill as a warm up game... 3 arrows.
Blue and better scored arrows are kept to shoot for the next round.
Next round: red and better are kept.
Next round "8" and better are kept (arrows are getting down to one or two in a quiver ,and usually only one or two competitors are still standing.
Down to Gold!!!(with what's left in your quiver)
(those Knocked-out, may begin practice for the balloon games)

Balloon Shoot:The idea is shoot YOUR balloon first, before your competitor pops theirs.They then step off, and you shoot for theirs.
If you shoot theirs first accidentally-they win and they move to the next round.You will be out a round, but can restart shooting, independent of the game,with others to create an underlying game.
Strategy is important.Timing is important.
Use the skills we've trained for in these games

News:
New Session Added!
We now have an OUTDOOR session scheduled at 11:30 am on Sunday mornings.
To participate in Sunday sessions, please note which time is selected in your subject line: 11:30 OR 3:00

Upcoming weekday afternoon and evening classes posting soon.
If you are interested in a Wednesday afternoon afterschool JOAD program starting at 4:30 please let us know. We are also seeing how much interest there is in an early evening 6:30 pm mixed youth/adult Open Training Session, similar to the Sunday session format. Mid-week sessions provide an opportunity to add more practice time, and keep skill levels consistent.

Note: For any outdoor sessions:
Please, DO NOT use the side door of the parking lot for access to the outdoor range or for entry to the building. Staff Access/emergency exit only!!


Tournaments coming:


August 25-26, 2012
THE 16th ANNUAL NATIONAL TRADITIONAL
ARCHERY CHAMPIONSHIP, Lansing, Michigan 48910

September 8
South Eastern 720 Part I Regional, Lavonia, Georgia

September 8 or 9
Huntsville, 8th annual Fall 900 round, Huntsville AL

Sept 22, 23:Conyers
GA State FITA


 

To participate this Sunday, please reply with Time selected in the subject line, and your name, right or left handed, and if adult or youth via learnarchery@yahoo.com if you have not already done so, so we have enough equipment and staff available
11:30 Session:Head to the back parking lot and outdoor range
3:00 session: Please go the rear of the store to the archery range at Big Woods Goods to sign in, and gear up.

recurve bow and all safety equipment. Continuing, ongoing instruction , accommodating various skill levels,covering: refining form, understanding equipment needs, equipment purchasing options, tournament rules, timing, string alignment, concentration, back tension.

Class fee for open sessions as posted at the Canton location is $15.00, check or cash
·Put your sight on the bow to learn where it is set based on the distance you shoot, and check the left/ right position of the aperture.
Wear snug fitting, layered clothing, wear CLOSED TOE SHOES ( must have closed toe shoes for out doors or can not shoot), tie loose hair back, and remove jewelry that may interfere with string release (usually bracelets, necklaces).
See you on the range!

Aug 19: SCORE

Aug 19

AHHHH...what happens to all the well trained-in "form" when a tournament comes up?
How does your routine work when the need to make the high score, or beat the other competitors and take home the gold medal, trophy or the coveted "hot Soda", comes into play?

Each month, on the third weekend we score.
New students begin to learn the ins and outs of what each ring is worth, the power of the lines that edge the rings, and what arrows may help in a strategy to gain points . Archers keep score and may keep the scorecards to have a log of their own progress. If students are a member of the JOAD/SOAD program, they can turn in cards for rank and pin awards. This continual "dry-run" makes scoring at an event more comfortable and into a no-brainer.

When an archer concentrates on score, or outcome, they give themselves a disadvantage. Keeping the mind on the process, each step...each piece...one after another, gives the most composure, and best results.

We will score as we have in the past, shooting the outdoor rounds - 36 arrows (12 ends - 3 arrows each, or those with their own arrows: 6 arrows x 6 ends) , or, indoor rounds - 30 arrows ( 10 ends -3 arrows each -or 6 for those with their own arrows), and all participants must be on the appropriate target face at appropriate distance.Two (+)archers scoring and checking together.

 New archers will learn how to score, the meaning of the rings and appropriate conduct and procedures.
JOAD/ SOAD may turn in scorecards for achievement awards.
If not thunderstorming, ALL students, please head to the pavilion at the outdoor range from the back parking lot to check in.

Please DO NOT ENTER THE BUILDING FROM THE SIDE DOOR of the parking lot!!!!

Lighten up-have some fun, check your focus!

Everyone has been working hard at acquiring new tools and techniques in training during the 2012 Olympics. Sunday, August 12  we tried a few variations on focus and score. We had a large turn out, and divided into 2 groups: advanced/seasoned JOAD/SOAD  went outdoors, and the novice/ new students were indoors.

Before each round, we announced the instructions from a sheet, which determined the value of the rings and scoring.

Examples:

• Normal scoring applies
• Reverse scoring
• Ignore all golds
• Whites score 20
• Two or more arrows in the same color score nothing for those arrows
• Negative scoring (you lose the number of points that you have scored)

 

 

It's all in your mind

Aug 5

July 29,we split into rotating groups and worked on several training techniques, just like athletes use to train at the training camps, including the SPT timed draw and hold, blank bale shooting, and understanding "holding" with pressure points.
August 5th  we practiced several mental exercises, which can prepare an archer to not only handle nerves if they choose to compete, but to maintain the focus on the process in any type of shooting. Centering silence, breathing, and visualization are key to maintaining composure and progress. We  coupled it with some simple physical techniques  of stretch band work to aid in muscle memory, and followed the training with shooting.

July26 "Train like an Olympian"

Last week we had "competitions" with the balloon shoot game along with the "knock-out" game, and, JOAD Achievement awards were given during class from the previous weeks scoring rounds.
It was a tough competition, as the final balloon was not taken-it was so small that many of our shooters tried, and it remained on target-intact!

The games, soda rounds, and monthly scoring- all are designed to look at training in
different ways. Changing the focus from "gold", to colors, or even balloons, resets the thinking, reminding us to always keep focusing on the form, the next step.
Several typical training techniques at Olympic Training camps involve repetitive
practice routines.
In many sports, training is built one element upon the next...a "chunk" training. Whether it's karate,basketball, boxing or football, certain movements or activities occur repeatedly while executing the sport, and those elements are broken down and given as a single piece to add into the whole process. This Sunday, we will break down several elements and
practice those "parts".
Keep up with the games: http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/archery/
And on google

 

For training on the 26th, we split into rotating groups and worked on several training techniques, just like athletes use to train at the training camps, including the SPT timed draw and hold, blank bale shooting, and understanding "holding" with pressure points.

Blog becomes announcement for classes

We put the blog on the back burner for about a year, and have been using our mail program to reach students. Several students have said they are not receiving the mail blasts for upcoming classes so we will post the plan for the classes and reviews of events on this blog. The link will be sent to those on the student list. Please check for updates if you do  not receive an announcement-particularly gmail and mindspring accounts. The filters often stop our Mailchimp program. If you place learnarchery@yahoo.com on your address book or add yourself to the newsletter, it should help.

 You can also subscribe to this post.

See you on the range!