When it comes to archery, we all know our equipment makes a difference. But the quality of our minds also plays an important role. I’ve often heard people say that Archery is 90% mental. This is true. Once we transcend technique, form, and the shot becomes somewhat automatic, our subconscious mind is engaged. This is a good thing! We want to be able to execute this way. But when we are utilizing the subconscious mind, the disharmony that resides there comes to the surface and takes on many forms that can interrupt our ability to shoot at the highest levels.
One form is target panic. Target Panic can show up as a yip at full draw when we’re about to execute the shot. It can show up as competition anxiety. You know feeling sick on shooting day or shaking uncontrollably on the line. Some people may snap shoot, or do the reverse and not be able to let go of the string, drawing down over and over. Other forms are holding low or not being able to hold center. This can be somewhat strange because you cannot keep your pin or dot in the center, it floats off in any kind of crazy direction it wants too.
When this anxiety shows up, it’s no fun to shoot. This can change a passion into a dread.
We often think that this is a tuning problem or a form issue, and sometimes it is. But a lot of the time, it’s not the equipment or how you shoot. Once we have exhausted these possibilities, our focus turns to negative inward thinking: “there’s something wrong with me. I am just not good enough.” This is not true.
I’m sure someone could separate these problems into different categories, but I see them all as subconscious debris. I place all these things under the title of target panic. These are all problems that keep us from performing at our best when in front of a target. The simple truth is these anxieties don’t come from shooting a bow. They are not related to archery at all. You can’t develop target panic from shooting a bow; it is born at a different moment, and the archer just highlights it. This anxiety often comes from a situation or misunderstanding in your early days. This problem was always; there just dormant until it was awakened by the process of shooting a bow. This is why it can’t be fixed on a bale or with a new bow or a new coach. It needs to be fixed where the problem starts in your subconscious mind. Hypnosis has the answer.
Call 732-406-3498 to learn more about how hypnosis can get you through to the next level.