ArcheryWinchester.com Looking at some of the details involved in aiming a recurve bow Visit my website at: ArcheryWinchester.com or, contact me at: John@ArcheryWinchester.com
As someone who is a professional instructional designer (for 25 years or so), I can comment that this is one of the best instructional videos I have ever seen. Brilliant use of the technology to achieve the desired outcomes. Perfect.
That is the most succinct and informative instructional video I have ever seen on yt. Excellent instruction, no repetition or "um's" and "er's" , or waffling or showboating from a love of one's own voice. And the graphics are spot on also. All in all very professional.
Please make a video about aiming without a pin sight! I loved everything about this one - the clear instructions, helpful animations, and proven approach.. Hoping you have vid just like this for instinctive aiming.
Thankyou so much sir, I`m a disabled old Dad, and i bought a couple of bows a few years ago to have something affordable to spend my time. I had a guy come out to teach me said he knew how to shoot a bow, i quickly learned he was wrong so i tried in vain to find a video on archery, even went to sports stores and asked to no avail, so i gave up. Recently i learned how to work a computer a bit and this is so nice to see. I brought my bows out and in a bit im going to try again
As a rifle shooter, i can appreciate the amount of variables an archer has to deal with : The daylight, the wind, not to mention the wear on the muscles after each shot.
Thank you for this video! I am a retired mechanical engineer and have only started shooting the last two years. I was shooting, concentrating on the target and my set position, but ignoring the alignment of the bow string... just as you have pointed out! I saw your video last night and couldn't wait to get to the range this morning. After my first group of arrows, the results were striking and consistent! What a great tip! Thanks Again.
I was sent a link to this video from a barebow FB group... If I understood it correctly, replace your tip of the arrow with the pin sight in this video and you should have an idea :)
Yeah, I thought this was going to be an instructional video on instinctive shooting. For hunting, If i'm gonna use sights, it'll be a compound, crossbow or rifle. For target shooting, unless the goal is to kill an animal or in battle, it's basically for vanity.
How to properly aim a recurve bow, ditch the sight pins, aim like you're pointing your finger at the target and keep both eyes open. Half a second hesitation at anchor and release...
Had the bow set up at a pro shop. It performed just fine th-cam.com/users/postUgkxQEKUoxLWwayEDZR0NKB-5limn4MBU-2L . And I would say this is a good starting now that I could pass down to my son when he is older.But the package was missing the release and a nock was missing from one arrow.Dealing with customer support was terrible. They suggested I buy a new release rather than correct their own quality control issue because it’s to expensive for the. to ship it out from China.Update: manufacturer got back to me and resolved the issue. I retract the above statement.
I watched this when I first started shooting about 3 months ago. Didn't mean much to me. Now, however, with more experience and current trouble aiming and deciding where to align the string, this video is super helpful. Thank you!
I started archery a year ago and I always wondered: How do I aim? I searched for a guide that shows, what the archer sees, when he aims. And how to. Your guide shows exactly that and I love it! I tried that technique just after watching your video. A few adjustments to my scope and the result was amazing. I would like to say: 100 x Thank you for this guide!!! 🥰
Just started learning about archery. Have seen many videos but this was the first video that talked about shooting with both eyes open and makes since! Excellent video!!
I'm watching this video because last week I was at a local country fare and a archery group was there and I had a go at archery for the first time. Liked it so much thinking of joining the group. Photography has been my main hobby all of my life (67 now) and what people have said to me in the past is why have you got both eyes open when you look in the viewfinder? They just don't understand how I can do it and why, but I always do it and if taking a shot of a moving target it's a great advantage. So you telling me this is the why to do archery is nice to know, thanks for such an informative video.
When I was shooting Portsmouth's and scoring around 520 I started to have eye dominance issues, my left eye started to take over. So about six months ago I started closing the left eye. Slowly I improved, a point or two at a time, still with that eye closed, last week shooting a PB of 543. Went shooting today and someone showed me this video. Immediately shot a 555 Portsmouth with both eyes open and added 12 onto my PB, this biggest jump since I started scoring over 500. Thanks!
I must confess, growing up in archery in the late 60’s and through the mid 70’s I have never heard of any of this. We shot in the TAA, Tennessee Archery Association, My mom won multiple State championship tournaments. Her and Dad won many State club tournaments. Competitor’s from across the state, different tournaments every weekend, lasting friendships. You guys remember to have fun and don’t be so serious, you’ll enjoy it a lot more.
I've started shooting with my recurve a little under two months ago. Before watching this video my grouping was twenty-five inches at twenty yards. After watching this video my grouping is at twelve inches at twenty yards consistently. Anyone watching this should use the information; I believe it'll improve grouping. Thank you very much ArcheryWinchester.
I have no intention of either competing or hunting yet I found this video extremely helpful. For what you might ask? To increase my pleasure when striving to make smaller and smaller groups. Thank-you John@Winchester.
Thank You. I’m an absolute beginner and just bought my first bow and arrows from a reputable dealer. I definitely think they gave me some fine instruction with my purchase, but this is very helpful for me as I’m left eye dominate, yet right handed. I’ll simply start with both of my eyes open and learn from there how to target.
I'm left handed and right eye dominant. I just shoot right handed. Left was immediately more comfortable for me but I learnt to shoot right handed instead and I improved.
Great video I'm left eye dominant. I write and eat and other things lefty. But I shoot throw a ball righty. My Drill sergeant pick up on it when he saw me leaning over the rifle. He saved my career. I spent 30 years 20 years in the Ranger regiment. That's how I learned how to shoot with both eyes open.. Thanks.and when not deployed I always found time for archery.
Thank you. I try to be respectful, but still get my point across. I recognize that it any one technique won't always work for everyone, but I try to give a well founded point that others can consider and learn from, even if they don't use it.
I'm glad you liked the video. This is exactly why I made the video, because people often neglect certain things and we just assume everyone 'picks it up'. Unfortunately, some things just get missed. Than you again.
Where was this video before! It just popped up first in my suggestions, and I didn't check archery videos for weeks. Precious info! Thanks! ...and kudos to the Algorithm.
This is the most useful video I found about archery after many hours looking for, thank you! Extremely well guided and commented, thank you for the amazing work!
I m Deaf myself, I m not very good with aims until i found one i actually shoot by using my both eyes looking at targets assuming its an instinctively shooting but never knew and learned something with this video i ll try it with this one thank you for sharing👌!
I've been having issues with my aiming since I got my new bow and sight, hopefully, with a clear head and those points, I'll get some on my struggles fixed. Thank you !
Thank you so much for this video, you have helped me understand what I, am doing wrong, you explained it in such a way that it was simple to understand completely what your explaining. I, am so glad I found your advice thank you again
Thank you Mr ,, I don't have a coach beside me to correct my mistakes and shooting , I got a lot of information with videos on TH-cam Your channel is very helpful
I'm glad you find the videos useful. keep your eye on this channel, more videos are coming soon. Also, visit my website at ArcheryWinchester.com. You will find much more information in Manuels.
Thank you for this. No one at my club has pointed out that one of my eyes is always closed and therefore hindering me (to be fair, people don't stand in front of me when I shoot). I always just found it less confusing and more comfortable with the one eye, but now I see I obviously need to get a little uncomfortable and let my second eye join the fun! I'm genuinely a bit mind blown that human eyes have evolved to be such a great tool for aiming. (and sad I haven't used it to my advantage)
thanks for your video. I started last september (twice a week with coach) and practice at home. now I played with both eyes and I know why my arrow were all time on right (I'm left handed) I didn 't know about the alignment of the bow string... just as you have pointed out! thanks a lot Master
Excellent, been watching lots of tuto and this may be the very best one. Especially the string alignement, which my bow sensei mentioned yesterday and haven't seen mentioned on other vids
Great video. I have a watched a few of your videos and they always seem to have little nuggets of information that are either missed or assumed in the instructional books i read or by some coaches. The bit about the changing of lighting both artificial and natural causing apparent movement in the string picture. Even if you figure out what is happening it causes a delay in your shot process which inevitably leads to poor shots. The fact I can now be prepared for that is great. The tip of moving the string picture to counter left or rights on the barebow is something that is actually obvious when you think about it but i ve never seen being taught anywhere. Keep up the good work! And thanks.
What an excellent, well-made video. I have always shot right handed, and only recently discovered I am left eye dominant, as is my dad. We both close one eye when aiming a shotgun, for instance; just couldn't manage without it. An instructor recently advised me to learn to shoot a bow left-handed, and the use of the dominant eye with both eyes open will eventually improve my shooting beyond what is possible with only one eye open. They say "Practice makes Perfect." Not true, practice makes permanent, correct practice makes perfect.
I agree about practice. Only perfect practice makes perfect. wrong practice makes you more solidly wrong. As for your eye choice, remember, this video presents the rule that works best for the most people. I am working on a video series for cross dominant archers, as you are... and sometimes me. The first video is already uploaded, and more are on the way. These will give you lots of ideas of how to handle your situation.
Thank you very much for making & posting this video. I am not a club archer, just a backyard hack with a sports store recurve bow(Geologic Intech if you know it). It has sights & a plunger button but I wouldn't dare walk into a serious archery club with it. After weeks & months of no improvement, randomly landing arrows anywhere within the blue ring I was getting frustrated & about to give it up as a bad joke. However, doing everything you said in your video, within a couple of hours, I now consistently land them into the gold. I now am enjoying the challenge of improving further, maybe landing them all in the 10 ring, who knows? I just wanted you to know you made a difference to someone with your video. Thanks again - Andrew
All so true. Fine instruction. Much same in bullseye 1 hand pistol target competition. But i lost most vision in left eye, not my dominent eye- especially now. Central gone. So back to one eye for me in all shooting by pistol or bow. Karl
So....I watched this and I thought “oh yes, everyone knows that you have to keep both eyes open. That’s obvious.” Then I went out and did some archery and started to aim. This was when I realised that I was closing one eye to aim! Once I learned to keep both eyes open....tada!.....I started getting the middle of the target consistently. Thank you.
Great Video. Thanks for the information. I am cross dominant. I shoot with my dominant hand and aim with my non dominant eye, but I still keep both eyes open. It was a little tricky when I started but my coach assured me that it would be worth it. It has worked well for me.
Your situation is not uncommon. Unfortunately, everyone is not as fortunate - or, as patient, as you. Let me know how long it took to make the adaption successfully.
I'm part time shooter for around 2 years. There are many valuable tips here for me that I was never aware of. Thank you for a very helpfull and clear video.
Thanks for the great explanation. I just got done with my first day shooting a recurve. The instructor did a good job getting me started but these videos add the exact visuals that I needed.
I'm not an expert, Sir, but I fully agree about using both eyes. I am also into astronomy and the presumption of most newcomers to that hobby is to close one eye. That causes muscle strain on the open eye. Also, with both eyes, the brain gets more visual input and therefore sees more detail; plus, I would guess that using only one eye would result in poor depth perception. I'm a rank beginner to the point that I have yet to buy a bow (I am going to get a takedown recurve.) Thanks for sharing your knowledge. You're teaching me and I am learning .
Hi, thanks for the prompt reply, very impressed. I’m very strongly left eye dominate. The problem is I can shoot left handed. It doesn’t feel intuitive though. My coach from my old club advised me to buy right handed gear and close the left eye or use a patch. Definitely, closing the eye is hit and miss, often I forget. Also, I find I’m Concentrating on remembering to keep the eye closed, and not on the shot. With both eyes open I shoot consistently a foot to the left on the target.
It sounds like you are strongly biased with both your hand and your eye, and they conflict. That's a tricky situation. My general approach is to start a student with hand dominance, and only in the case of a strongly biased eye dominance, do I switch them to the alternate hand and let eye dominance be the decider. You have tried this and, apparently, it feels very unnatural. This indicates that you are strongly biased to your dominant hand also. I have two suggestions. One follows your eye dominance and the other follows your hand dominance. EYE DOINANCE - Cross eye dominant shooters using dominant eye end up pulling the bow back with the less dominant hand. There is an advantage, however. These archers end up holding their bow out front with their strongest and most coordinated hand. That can be a powerful advantage... if you base your mental process around that thought. It will require that you develop a thought process that is different. I have used this technique before with archers and it has worked very well. I suggest a sport like air pistol as a training aid. With air pistol, you will hold the pistol out with just your right hand, and, by turning it ever so slightly, you can use your left eye just as easily. If you ever shot rubber bands, as a kid, with your hand as a finger pistol, I trust this is what you did. These are one handed activities but they get you used to the idea. Focus upon the advantage, not the disadvantage. Then, using this concept, develop a mental procedure that builds upon this idea. For instance, rather than thinking - bring bow up - draw hand back - anchor - etc... think - bring bow up , and set my strongest arm solid - draw back, while keeping my arm solid and firm - etc. This becomes, what we would call in the engineering world, a software modification. It will take some thought to change your mental game, but you will benefit in two ways. First, you will solve your cross-dominance problem, and second, you will develop a rock solid mental procedure. HAND DOMINANCE - I have an idea here which saw a cross-dominant archer use once, and he shot very well with it. This technique works best if you are only shooting at 1 or 2 distances. Thus it can be used by an archer who shoots only indoor, or who shoots indoor and a 70 meters outdoor, but it would be very tricky for an archer who shoots 3D, or other multiple distance events. You'll have to make your own pin, with a very long threaded rod - 2-3 inches longer than the normal., or you will have to attach an additional length of threaded rod to your existing sight pin. All of the parts to do this can be found at Ace Hardware. With your long sight pin, you set it into your sight with the sight pin about 1-2 inches farther out than normal. Now you have a sight pin that, while holding the bow as a right hander, you can aim with your left eye. The shooter I saw using this technique only shot at indoor distances (18 m) and he was quite good. It is a bit unconventional, but it works. However, I'm sure you can see how, at varying distances, it requires lateral as well as vertical adjustments, and is therefor, less than optimal. Hopefully, I have given you some ideas to work with. If I had you here in front of me we could probably come up with more and would be able to tailor it specifically to you. But these general ideas can give you a good direction. Think them over and give them a try. Let me know which one you settle upon. If you want to take this to my website email so we can discuss it in even more detail, contact me at: John@QWrcheryWinchester.com
Can we use the term " Magnificent " in terms of coaching ? Yes, I believe we can. Thank you for the best video on this subject matter. I appreciate your approach and execution in terms of not taking any aspect for granted that the new shooter knows or is doing what is correct. Everyone else does not teach from this prospective. Extremely informative, thank you.
That's madness... After all these years I never knew that you keep both eyes open.. I used to use my dominant eye just like on a rifle.. I'm a left handed shooter and always my shots would go way right off the target if I actually aimed at it... So much so that I had to develop a technique that has me aiming about 2 feet off the target to the left into thin air.. Needless to say I couldn't make a grouping to save my life.. Today is the first day I've actually realized I was doing it very wrong... I feel very stupid now honestly ..... Thanks for the info...
I saw an Olympic team (U.S.A) recurve competition where a eye blind (like on horses) was used for one eye. He shot great without squinting the non dominant eye.
My coach taught me something years ago when I started recurve. Arms length hold up both hands crossing to make a small triangle, look through the triangle at the sight then without moving close one eye to see which is your dominant eye! My dominant eye is my right! I am a left handed archer! It doesn't work together! So I have to close my right eye to sight with my left. So you need to keep that in mined. Just because the person that's in front of you says they're right handed doesn't mean it will text book. I'm right handed, I rifle shoot right handed, I'm a side drummer in a Scottish pipe band, I drum left handed, with the Sling it rest on my left right leg Not the left leg, I also play and teach tenor drumming, my tenor drum rests on my left leg. I mostly write right handed, I draw right handed, I paint watercolour pictures with a brush in both hands. You may ask if they're right or left handed but it's not always text book results. I started right handed archery I can't even lift the bow with my left arm, I can draw back the string with tab with my left arm shooting left handed but not right handed. Because of that and that I already do other stuff left handed I said can I try a left handed bow. The coach said sure but said close your right eye until you train your left eye to dominant. That simple little test with the hands crossed at start find out which eye but needs to backed up with asking a few other questions and the saying you don't have sick to the rules as to say, meaning like with me, I would've given up if I didn't know you could just chose which way and because of I do those things left handed too I thought why can't I do this too. But not every is like that and especially if you have a kid about to start, do the course but struggles but told keep practicing your get better, so then they move on and their parents buy them their equipment, months later they're still struggling, then hopefully by chance someone says maybe try left handed and within a month has brilliantly progressed but their parents may not buy another bow because they're not sure if the kid will carry on shooting as they've already spent out loads. It goes both way don't forget, regarding which hand eye etc, it maybe a left handed person having to swap to right handed. If you've not tried that crossed hands triangle test, Try it!!
Thank you! Yet another outstanding clip. I've already linked it to the junior development program members. It is a struggle at times, to convey the issue of string alignment, and I was on the verge of attempting to make my own images to demonstrate. Now you've (inadvertently) made that unnecessary. KiSik Lee in Total Archery recommends the inside edge of the sight tunnel/scope, which I've disagreed with for years - your teaching is in accord with my philosophy.
Thank you for you nice comment. I'm glad the video helps. I made it so my own students could see what I am trying to say, and I;m glad it's helping others too. I have also disagreed with KSL's aligning the string beside the pin, for several reasons. No sense in going into the details, since we agree. :o)
In competitive rifle shooting, we cover our non dominant eye with a blind (without closing it) and we focus on the front sight because it helps to steady our shot because it’s subconsciously easier to hold something steady when we’re focusing on it somehow. This has been proven but I don’t remember it that well. Opinions?
Probably the most important lesson here is never to assume someone knows something without either asking them or telling them. Great video.
As someone who is a professional instructional designer (for 25 years or so), I can comment that this is one of the best instructional videos I have ever seen. Brilliant use of the technology to achieve the desired outcomes. Perfect.
"It shows the power of the mind to ignore what it doesn't want to deal with." This applies with SO much more than archery. Brilliant remark.
That is the most succinct and informative instructional video I have ever seen on yt. Excellent instruction, no repetition or "um's" and "er's" , or waffling or showboating from a love of one's own voice. And the graphics are spot on also. All in all very professional.
Please make a video about aiming without a pin sight! I loved everything about this one - the clear instructions, helpful animations, and proven approach.. Hoping you have vid just like this for instinctive aiming.
Can't believe I had been ignoring string alignment this whole time... Thank you.
@@shootmcrunfast my anchor point from where I used to be was further back than my eyes if I recall correctly I wouldn't even see the string
I've been shooting for years and never noticed the string alignment. Great tip! Thanks!
i shoot traditional without a sight. lol. but the concept still apples
String knock setting
Thankyou so much sir, I`m a disabled old Dad, and i bought a couple of bows a few years ago to have something affordable to spend my time. I had a guy come out to teach me said he knew how to shoot a bow, i quickly learned he was wrong so i tried in vain to find a video on archery, even went to sports stores and asked to no avail, so i gave up. Recently i learned how to work a computer a bit and this is so nice to see. I brought my bows out and in a bit im going to try again
I’ve been shooting a compound bow for 25 years and I think I just learned a couple things that will make me a better shot.
I'm glad to hear it.
As a rifle shooter, i can appreciate the amount of variables an archer has to deal with :
The daylight, the wind, not to mention the wear on the muscles after each shot.
Thank you for this video! I am a retired mechanical engineer and have only started shooting the last two years. I was shooting, concentrating on the target and my set position, but ignoring the alignment of the bow string... just as you have pointed out! I saw your video last night and couldn't wait to get to the range this morning. After my first group of arrows, the results were striking and consistent! What a great tip! Thanks Again.
Was looking for tips on how to aim a recurve bow. I got a how to use a pin sight.
Starwars is Dead Yea, I don't use sights so this was kinda useless
I was sent a link to this video from a barebow FB group...
If I understood it correctly, replace your tip of the arrow with the pin sight in this video and you should have an idea :)
Yeah, I thought this was going to be an instructional video on instinctive shooting. For hunting, If i'm gonna use sights, it'll be a compound, crossbow or rifle. For target shooting, unless the goal is to kill an animal or in battle, it's basically for vanity.
How to properly aim a recurve bow, ditch the sight pins, aim like you're pointing your finger at the target and keep both eyes open. Half a second hesitation at anchor and release...
@@ScottWConvid19 Wow listen to you! You must be such fun.
Thank you so much coach. This is by far the best tutorial among the tons of videos I have seen until now
Had the bow set up at a pro shop. It performed just fine th-cam.com/users/postUgkxQEKUoxLWwayEDZR0NKB-5limn4MBU-2L . And I would say this is a good starting now that I could pass down to my son when he is older.But the package was missing the release and a nock was missing from one arrow.Dealing with customer support was terrible. They suggested I buy a new release rather than correct their own quality control issue because it’s to expensive for the. to ship it out from China.Update: manufacturer got back to me and resolved the issue. I retract the above statement.
Those graphics are clever. Still the best on youtube to date. Thanks for the effort in producing this.
I watched this when I first started shooting about 3 months ago. Didn't mean much to me. Now, however, with more experience and current trouble aiming and deciding where to align the string, this video is super helpful. Thank you!
Thank you thank you. As someone who is just getting into this sport, I found all of your advice extremely helpful.
I started archery a year ago and I always wondered: How do I aim? I searched for a guide that shows, what the archer sees, when he aims. And how to. Your guide shows exactly that and I love it! I tried that technique just after watching your video. A few adjustments to my scope and the result was amazing.
I would like to say: 100 x Thank you for this guide!!! 🥰
Just started learning about archery. Have seen many videos but this was the first video that talked about shooting with both eyes open and makes since! Excellent video!!
Thank you a lot!!! It took me about 20 videos on "aming topics" before you were the first, who startet from the really basics on aming.
Thank you
I'm watching this video because last week I was at a local country fare and a archery group was there and I had a go at archery for the first time. Liked it so much thinking of joining the group.
Photography has been my main hobby all of my life (67 now) and what people have said to me in the past is why have you got both eyes open when you look in the viewfinder? They just don't understand how I can do it and why, but I always do it and if taking a shot of a moving target it's a great advantage. So you telling me this is the why to do archery is nice to know, thanks for such an informative video.
Maybe the best aiming tutorial up to date!
So far, this is the best instructional video I have ever found. Thank yo sir
When I was shooting Portsmouth's and scoring around 520 I started to have eye dominance issues, my left eye started to take over. So about six months ago I started closing the left eye.
Slowly I improved, a point or two at a time, still with that eye closed, last week shooting a PB of 543.
Went shooting today and someone showed me this video. Immediately shot a 555 Portsmouth with both eyes open and added 12 onto my PB, this biggest jump since I started scoring over 500.
Thanks!
I shoot barebow and am glad you talked about string alignment. This is something to which I will have to pay attention to improve my consistency.
I must confess, growing up in archery in the late 60’s and through the mid 70’s I have never heard of any of this. We shot in the TAA, Tennessee Archery Association, My mom won multiple State championship tournaments. Her and Dad won many State club tournaments. Competitor’s from across the state, different tournaments every weekend, lasting friendships. You guys remember to have fun and don’t be so serious, you’ll enjoy it a lot more.
thar was the most useful teaching iv ever had in archery!!!!! thank you
I've started shooting with my recurve a little under two months ago. Before watching this video my grouping was twenty-five inches at twenty yards. After watching this video my grouping is at twelve inches at twenty yards consistently. Anyone watching this should use the information; I believe it'll improve grouping. Thank you very much ArcheryWinchester.
WOW
What a clear explanation! Great images, helped me realize a lot of things about aiming!
I'm glad you found my video helpful.
Best beginner guide that most other video didn’t cover. Many thanks
Thank you for making this video! I used to aim with only my right eye, because I thought it was logical. But your video really cleared things up!
I have no intention of either competing or hunting yet I found this video extremely helpful. For what you might ask? To increase my pleasure when striving to make smaller and smaller groups. Thank-you John@Winchester.
Thank You. I’m an absolute beginner and just bought my first bow and arrows from a reputable dealer. I definitely think they gave me some fine instruction with my purchase, but this is very helpful for me as I’m left eye dominate, yet right handed. I’ll simply start with both of my eyes open and learn from there how to target.
I'm left handed and right eye dominant. I just shoot right handed. Left was immediately more comfortable for me but I learnt to shoot right handed instead and I improved.
Great video I'm left eye dominant. I write and eat and other things lefty. But I shoot throw a ball righty.
My Drill sergeant pick up on it when he saw me leaning over the rifle. He saved my career. I spent 30 years 20 years in the Ranger regiment. That's how I learned how to shoot with both eyes open.. Thanks.and when not deployed I always found time for archery.
My goodness this was a gem! I just started archery yesterday and been watching a lot of videos. This one helped the most 👏🏽
Great video!! Thank you!! I really appreciate how classy you are when you reply to others who have contrary views.
Thank you. I try to be respectful, but still get my point across. I recognize that it any one technique won't always work for everyone, but I try to give a well founded point that others can consider and learn from, even if they don't use it.
This is a great, wonderful tutorial! All the steps my instructor missed and nobody tell you. THANK YOU!
I'm glad you liked the video. This is exactly why I made the video, because people often neglect certain things and we just assume everyone 'picks it up'. Unfortunately, some things just get missed. Than you again.
I have been shooting my Compound bow for a while and bought a Recurve to use as a more traditional bow, and this helps me a ton, thank you.
Where was this video before! It just popped up first in my suggestions, and I didn't check archery videos for weeks.
Precious info! Thanks! ...and kudos to the Algorithm.
I'm glad you liked the video. Please subscribe and you will see when my new videos come up.
Iv always aimed with my left eye closed
I'm definitely doing this Saturday when I go to practice!
Thanks for the tips!
Extremely helpful. I hit four bullseye's in a row for the first time
This is the most useful video I found about archery after many hours looking for, thank you! Extremely well guided and commented, thank you for the amazing work!
What a difference! In one day I improved my cluster at 20 meters hugely. I had no idea until this video.
I m Deaf myself, I m not very good with aims until i found one i actually shoot by using my both eyes looking at targets assuming its an instinctively shooting but never knew and learned something with this video i ll try it with this one thank you for sharing👌!
Great video, love the animations and how concise this was put together, massive help to any budding archer!
I've been having issues with my aiming since I got my new bow and sight, hopefully, with a clear head and those points, I'll get some on my struggles fixed. Thank you !
Excellent explanation, thank you. A very good reminder, after not shooting competitively for a few years. I was forgetting to alight the bow string
Thank you so much for this video, you have helped me understand what I, am doing wrong, you explained it in such a way that it was simple to understand completely what your explaining. I, am so glad I found your advice thank you again
Brilliant. We are starting our tuition course Saturday and I shall use all the tips here; very well explained.
Thank you. I start my archery journey today aged 50!
44
Thank you Mr ,, I don't have a coach beside me to correct my mistakes and shooting , I got a lot of information with videos on TH-cam
Your channel is very helpful
I'm glad you find the videos useful. keep your eye on this channel, more videos are coming soon. Also, visit my website at ArcheryWinchester.com. You will find much more information in Manuels.
Thank you for this. No one at my club has pointed out that one of my eyes is always closed and therefore hindering me (to be fair, people don't stand in front of me when I shoot). I always just found it less confusing and more comfortable with the one eye, but now I see I obviously need to get a little uncomfortable and let my second eye join the fun!
I'm genuinely a bit mind blown that human eyes have evolved to be such a great tool for aiming. (and sad I haven't used it to my advantage)
your video really helped me solve my string alignment problem❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Just picked up a longbow, far different than my compound. These tips helped greatly in learning my trad bow, and I’m sure useful with compound. Thanks
Thanks for the encouraging comment. Good luck with the longbow. It's a lot of fun shooting traditional and barebow.
What a well produced and insightful video. I don't even do archery and yet I've learned so much in under 7 minutes haha
thanks for your video. I started last september (twice a week with coach) and practice at home. now I played with both eyes and I know why my arrow were all time on right (I'm left handed) I didn 't know about the alignment of the bow string... just as you have pointed out! thanks a lot Master
40 years ago we used a string pinhole so the string always setup in the same position. Thanks for the video.
Excellent, been watching lots of tuto and this may be the very best one. Especially the string alignement, which my bow sensei mentioned yesterday and haven't seen mentioned on other vids
I shoot with both eyes closed
hahahahahaha
Please teach me this technique!!!
😜
😂😂
For some of my students, it could only cause an improvement :o) :)
Great video. I have a watched a few of your videos and they always seem to have little nuggets of information that are either missed or assumed in the instructional books i read or by some coaches. The bit about the changing of lighting both artificial and natural causing apparent movement in the string picture. Even if you figure out what is happening it causes a delay in your shot process which inevitably leads to poor shots. The fact I can now be prepared for that is great. The tip of moving the string picture to counter left or rights on the barebow is something that is actually obvious when you think about it but i ve never seen being taught anywhere. Keep up the good work! And thanks.
Thank you. I'm glad my videos have been helpful. let me know if you have any ideas for future videos.
GREAT visuals and explanation. Thank you!!
What an excellent, well-made video. I have always shot right handed, and only recently discovered I am left eye dominant, as is my dad. We both close one eye when aiming a shotgun, for instance; just couldn't manage without it. An instructor recently advised me to learn to shoot a bow left-handed, and the use of the dominant eye with both eyes open will eventually improve my shooting beyond what is possible with only one eye open. They say "Practice makes Perfect." Not true, practice makes permanent, correct practice makes perfect.
I agree about practice. Only perfect practice makes perfect. wrong practice makes you more solidly wrong. As for your eye choice, remember, this video presents the rule that works best for the most people. I am working on a video series for cross dominant archers, as you are... and sometimes me. The first video is already uploaded, and more are on the way. These will give you lots of ideas of how to handle your situation.
This is the best and independent about aiming. Thank you.
Amazing tutorial. I wish I had such explanations few years back when I was doing archery.
Thank you very much for making & posting this video. I am not a club archer, just a backyard hack with a sports store recurve bow(Geologic Intech if you know it). It has sights & a plunger button but I wouldn't dare walk into a serious archery club with it. After weeks & months of no improvement, randomly landing arrows anywhere within the blue ring I was getting frustrated & about to give it up as a bad joke. However, doing everything you said in your video, within a couple of hours, I now consistently land them into the gold. I now am enjoying the challenge of improving further, maybe landing them all in the 10 ring, who knows? I just wanted you to know you made a difference to someone with your video. Thanks again - Andrew
Awesome video. Help me improve my shooting. Thank you. Hope you make more.
Beautifully explained. Thanks.
All so true. Fine instruction. Much same in bullseye 1 hand pistol target competition. But i lost most vision in left eye, not my dominent eye- especially now. Central gone. So back to one eye for me in all shooting by pistol or bow. Karl
So....I watched this and I thought “oh yes, everyone knows that you have to keep both eyes open. That’s obvious.” Then I went out and did some archery and started to aim. This was when I realised that I was closing one eye to aim! Once I learned to keep both eyes open....tada!.....I started getting the middle of the target consistently. Thank you.
I have not shot an arrow yet but that video was a great lesson, clear and precise. Thank you.
I am a beginner shooting trad/instinctive and even so your tips give me insights on how to see the target. Thanks very much!
Awesome. You put In a lot of effort making this video. Appreciate it
This is exactly what I was looking for! Thank you!
Great Video. Thanks for the information. I am cross dominant. I shoot with my dominant hand and aim with my non dominant eye, but I still keep both eyes open. It was a little tricky when I started but my coach assured me that it would be worth it. It has worked well for me.
Your situation is not uncommon. Unfortunately, everyone is not as fortunate - or, as patient, as you. Let me know how long it took to make the adaption successfully.
This is the most important video I’ve watched since I began archery. I wish I watched this video even before I ordered my Bow. Thank you!!!
This was very educational. Thank you!
Excellent video. Great instructions given in a very understandable way. Great job.
Thank you. Just started using sight and will use your tips. Never knew which eye to close xx
Find the answer I was looking for more than a year. Thank you sir
I'm glad I was able to help. Thanks for the comment.
Beautifully presented and explained. Superb, thank you.
Wow, this video has amazing information!! Glad I checked it out now rather than later... Thanks for posting it!
Thank you for your comment. I'm glad the video was helpful.
I'm part time shooter for around 2 years. There are many valuable tips here for me that I was never aware of. Thank you for a very helpfull and clear video.
영상만으로도 이해가 됩니다. 아주 잘 만들었습니다.
I don’t know Korean but imma like this anyway
This is why compound is so nice..but agree more skill is needed for the recurve/longbow
Thanks for the great explanation. I just got done with my first day shooting a recurve. The instructor did a good job getting me started but these videos add the exact visuals that I needed.
He is good yes he is good
wow best video I have seen on archery
Really good advice, thank you.
Thank you.
I'm just getting into Archery and that was an excellent lesson. I too have been aiming with one eye closed. I'll get out of the habit now 😀
This tutorial was excellent!,,And invaluable..Thank you!
I'm not an expert, Sir, but I fully agree about using both eyes. I am also into astronomy and the presumption of most newcomers to that hobby is to close one eye. That causes muscle strain on the open eye. Also, with both eyes, the brain gets more visual input and therefore sees more detail; plus, I would guess that using only one eye would result in poor depth perception. I'm a rank beginner to the point that I have yet to buy a bow (I am going to get a takedown recurve.) Thanks for sharing your knowledge. You're teaching me and I am learning
.
Thank you very much for this movie.
Hi, thanks for the prompt reply, very impressed. I’m very strongly left eye dominate. The problem is I can shoot left handed. It doesn’t feel intuitive though. My coach from my old club advised me to buy right handed gear and close the left eye or use a patch. Definitely, closing the eye is hit and miss, often I forget. Also, I find I’m Concentrating on remembering to keep the eye closed, and not on the shot. With both eyes open I shoot consistently a foot to the left on the target.
It sounds like you are strongly biased with both your hand and your eye, and they conflict. That's a tricky situation.
My general approach is to start a student with hand dominance, and only in the case of a strongly biased eye dominance, do I switch them to the alternate hand and let eye dominance be the decider. You have tried this and, apparently, it feels very unnatural. This indicates that you are strongly biased to your dominant hand also.
I have two suggestions. One follows your eye dominance and the other follows your hand dominance.
EYE DOINANCE - Cross eye dominant shooters using dominant eye end up pulling the bow back with the less dominant hand. There is an advantage, however. These archers end up holding their bow out front with their strongest and most coordinated hand. That can be a powerful advantage... if you base your mental process around that thought. It will require that you develop a thought process that is different. I have used this technique before with archers and it has worked very well. I suggest a sport like air pistol as a training aid. With air pistol, you will hold the pistol out with just your right hand, and, by turning it ever so slightly, you can use your left eye just as easily. If you ever shot rubber bands, as a kid, with your hand as a finger pistol, I trust this is what you did. These are one handed activities but they get you used to the idea. Focus upon the advantage, not the disadvantage.
Then, using this concept, develop a mental procedure that builds upon this idea. For instance, rather than thinking - bring bow up - draw hand back - anchor - etc... think - bring bow up , and set my strongest arm solid - draw back, while keeping my arm solid and firm - etc.
This becomes, what we would call in the engineering world, a software modification. It will take some thought to change your mental game, but you will benefit in two ways. First, you will solve your cross-dominance problem, and second, you will develop a rock solid mental procedure.
HAND DOMINANCE - I have an idea here which saw a cross-dominant archer use once, and he shot very well with it. This technique works best if you are only shooting at 1 or 2 distances. Thus it can be used by an archer who shoots only indoor, or who shoots indoor and a 70 meters outdoor, but it would be very tricky for an archer who shoots 3D, or other multiple distance events.
You'll have to make your own pin, with a very long threaded rod - 2-3 inches longer than the normal., or you will have to attach an additional length of threaded rod to your existing sight pin. All of the parts to do this can be found at Ace Hardware.
With your long sight pin, you set it into your sight with the sight pin about 1-2 inches farther out than normal. Now you have a sight pin that, while holding the bow as a right hander, you can aim with your left eye.
The shooter I saw using this technique only shot at indoor distances (18 m) and he was quite good. It is a bit unconventional, but it works. However, I'm sure you can see how, at varying distances, it requires lateral as well as vertical adjustments, and is therefor, less than optimal.
Hopefully, I have given you some ideas to work with. If I had you here in front of me we could probably come up with more and would be able to tailor it specifically to you. But these general ideas can give you a good direction. Think them over and give them a try. Let me know which one you settle upon.
If you want to take this to my website email so we can discuss it in even more detail, contact me at:
John@QWrcheryWinchester.com
Can we use the term " Magnificent " in terms of coaching ? Yes, I believe we can. Thank you for the best video on this subject matter. I appreciate your approach and execution in terms of not taking any aspect for granted that the new shooter knows or is doing what is correct. Everyone else does not teach from this prospective. Extremely informative, thank you.
Thank you. I am glad you appreciate the video.
That's madness... After all these years I never knew that you keep both eyes open.. I used to use my dominant eye just like on a rifle.. I'm a left handed shooter and always my shots would go way right off the target if I actually aimed at it... So much so that I had to develop a technique that has me aiming about 2 feet off the target to the left into thin air.. Needless to say I couldn't make a grouping to save my life.. Today is the first day I've actually realized I was doing it very wrong... I feel very stupid now honestly ..... Thanks for the info...
I saw an Olympic team (U.S.A) recurve competition where a eye blind (like on horses) was used for one eye. He shot great without squinting the non dominant eye.
@ThaReal CLo Toja Ellison shoots compound, she is not allowed to use this in a recurve competition ;-)
I genuinely feel like I'm ready to compete after watching this. I've never even pinged a bow and arrow before.
Quite short and extremely useful info. Thank's a lot!
This deserves more likes!
My coach taught me something years ago when I started recurve. Arms length hold up both hands crossing to make a small triangle, look through the triangle at the sight then without moving close one eye to see which is your dominant eye! My dominant eye is my right! I am a left handed archer! It doesn't work together! So I have to close my right eye to sight with my left. So you need to keep that in mined. Just because the person that's in front of you says they're right handed doesn't mean it will text book.
I'm right handed, I rifle shoot right handed, I'm a side drummer in a Scottish pipe band, I drum left handed, with the Sling it rest on my left right leg Not the left leg, I also play and teach tenor drumming, my tenor drum rests on my left leg.
I mostly write right handed, I draw right handed, I paint watercolour pictures with a brush in both hands.
You may ask if they're right or left handed but it's not always text book results. I started right handed archery I can't even lift the bow with my left arm, I can draw back the string with tab with my left arm shooting left handed but not right handed. Because of that and that I already do other stuff left handed I said can I try a left handed bow. The coach said sure but said close your right eye until you train your left eye to dominant. That simple little test with the hands crossed at start find out which eye but needs to backed up with asking a few other questions and the saying you don't have sick to the rules as to say, meaning like with me, I would've given up if I didn't know you could just chose which way and because of I do those things left handed too I thought why can't I do this too. But not every is like that and especially if you have a kid about to start, do the course but struggles but told keep practicing your get better, so then they move on and their parents buy them their equipment, months later they're still struggling, then hopefully by chance someone says maybe try left handed and within a month has brilliantly progressed but their parents may not buy another bow because they're not sure if the kid will carry on shooting as they've already spent out loads. It goes both way don't forget, regarding which hand eye etc, it maybe a left handed person having to swap to right handed. If you've not tried that crossed hands triangle test, Try it!!
Thank you! Yet another outstanding clip. I've already linked it to the junior development program members. It is a struggle at times, to convey the issue of string alignment, and I was on the verge of attempting to make my own images to demonstrate. Now you've (inadvertently) made that unnecessary. KiSik Lee in Total Archery recommends the inside edge of the sight tunnel/scope, which I've disagreed with for years - your teaching is in accord with my philosophy.
Thank you for you nice comment. I'm glad the video helps. I made it so my own students could see what I am trying to say, and I;m glad it's helping others too. I have also disagreed with KSL's aligning the string beside the pin, for several reasons. No sense in going into the details, since we agree. :o)
In competitive rifle shooting, we cover our non dominant eye with a blind (without closing it) and we focus on the front sight because it helps to steady our shot because it’s subconsciously easier to hold something steady when we’re focusing on it somehow. This has been proven but I don’t remember it that well. Opinions?
Focus on the sight pin, you're spot on with the reason. The Marine Corps has been teaching this for well over 60 years.
Wylie Gibson I shoot for the Canadian air cadets, it’s good to know we’re doing it right.