1300 and Beyond

Nuts

2010-02-23T15:49:00.002Z

It's a long time since I've posted to this blog, and a probably longer since I've shot my compound been giving my recurve a whirl recently. I’ve done some serious thinking about my archery, at the moment. I don't have the passion for it any more I'm very competitive. I want to win nothing wrong with that but there is a price to pay my sanity.

Since I’ve experienced problems with my compound I’ve not wanted to pick it up

A:- I don’t know how to fix it properly

B:- Time is running out to get it fixed so that I can be a little bit competitive with it in the summer.

C:- The Bloody rain.

So where do I go from here I’ve booked the week of to go to Dunster but that is it. I’m not to sure about anything else, can I not go to tournaments just go down the field or will that get me down or can I go to tournaments with no expectations or no targets, it didn’t work last year.

Well the recurve side of things is a struggle I need to do a lot of shooting and probably weights to get to anything like a reasonable shooting level and there is an equipment element, I need to change a few things One is something I should have changed last year the other is something I should never have changed, Reading AIUK persuaded me to change I wish I never.

So now everything is in the ether, I will have a look at my compound tonight to see if anything has happened.

Turning back time.

2010-01-26T15:00:00.004Z

Took my Compound up to quicks first thing Saturday morning, I was their before they opened at 09:30, because I had to get to a GWAS coaching meeting followed by a council meeting straight after.

So picked up the bow later in the evening (thanks for staying open), they have replaced the yoke free of charge but can't tell me if this will sort it out at all have been told from other sources that, that the amount of wear depends on the string material so this might not be the last of this issue so with that in mind I went down the field on Sunday and shoot a few arrows at 70m.

Not too bad first arrow missed high and I then proceeded to put in a group high after I had found a sight mark which took another end put in a 53 end followed by a 50 backed up with another 50. Then a nice long extended lunch break and back to straight into a 50 end followed by a 48 end (several in the 7 & 8). I continued shooting from their onwards average 49, 48, 53 and finished the day on 54.

I wasn't at all displeased with it felt quite relaxed about my shooting but did struggle with the weight as haven't shot for quite some time.

Oh should I mention that I shot my recurve on Sunday and not my compound I'm seriously thinking that compound this season will be something I work on down the field until I can learn the mechanics I'm not going to waste money travelling to tournaments with it.

Not sure what to do with this blog now mind you.

This could spell the End

2010-01-13T17:27:00.005Z

Shot today for the first time in 2010. Noticed that the control cable seems to have gone through the buz cable AGAIN. I only replaced this a few months ago have posted pictures below and I am wondering I am going over the top or is this a real problem. If it is a real problem then how do I fix it. I can't just keep replacing cables every 400 - 500 arrows as I will never have a stable set up. I feel the recurve is a calling.

Encouraging

2009-12-20T15:16:00.011Z

Shot a bit down the filed today just me and squishy, and a very timely visit from Mr JS, after I got an arrow wedged in the leg.

Things felt a bit better today, Last Sunday I changed my draw length and peep sight around and spent more time with my in the press that shooting, left the field last weekend very unhappy wondering why I changed to compound from recurve. Well from the start things felt better, draw length felt a lot closer to what it should be, so I theorise that last weekend perhaps I didn’t have full movement back in my neck started of thinking that I would do a 720 which then after 6 arrows turn into a Long metric and then into a half FITA ending up with no round completed but some good work done.

My 90m was good (nothing earth shattering or anything anyone would be worried about) shot 1 ½ dozen and scored X 10 9 8 8 7 and then 10 9 9 8 8 8 for a 104 dozen and then 10 10 9 9 7 7 another 52.

Then at 70m things feel apart high in the blue low in the blue all over the place so I just simply stoped scoring and settled into shooting 8 arrows at a time after a bit of experiment I extended my bow shoulder out more, didn't feel that I’m over extending but have a gained from previous end's felt more like shooting my recurve but every thing sat pretty.

The results where instant I could keep the sight in the middle a lot easier and the release aid was going of unexpected but as I was solid they went into the middle 9’s mainly but it’s a starting point, after several ends like this I felt confident that my arrow would find it’s way into the middle but not into the X ring.

I think in the photo below it could be a combination of bubble and reference point, four groups of two arrows, not that I'm complaing they are all in a 12.2cm group but very strange, this end did feel really good, but still not an x insight.

Below finally an X and the last end for today. I feel they lucky to live in Cornwall the weather is so much milder than over areas of the country but this was getting on two 14:30 and it was time to go home and warm up.

Draw length & Peep sight

2009-12-15T15:10:00.002Z

Spent most os sunday with my bow in the press, and still haven't got it sorted to my liking, first thing I looked at was the draw length I've moved this from position A to B giving me an extra 1/2 an inch, this is now two long and I've moved my peep sight.

I'm getting increasingly frustrated with this bow since I changed the cables why can't I get it right, no problems with the Inno.

The incedible stretching cables or something else?

2009-12-07T16:14:00.009Z

Shot yesterday at the archers of the West indoors, I didn't shoot at all well and the day didn't start that good either, previous night I broke and intake valve on my fish tank, and had to go out first thing in the morning to get a new valve, 4 fish shops and not one in sight. So I got to the indoors with about 20min to spare before assembly I normally like to be an hour early.

The shooting wasn't at all good struggle to find a reference point and my draw length just isn't right since I've put the new cables on. I found that I had to trigger on more than one occasion as I couldn't get the correct rotation. Finish with 540 something for a triple spot FITA 18m, and when it came to the H2H I've NEVER been so nervous shooting against one of the AOTW own archers, and could feel the wave of support for him it just made me real nervous, Michael won by a point and shot very well.

But I did feel very disappointed with my own form that whole day with the cables it seems to be getting shorter every time I shoot the bloody bow so I'm going to try and increase it on the cam, last time I did this the next setting is just far two long, so it will mean moving cables around and I'm not sure on how much or what to do someone told be at the weekend to increase my D loop as I'm new to compound I know this isn't a good idea.

I must admit this is getting on my nerves ALLOT no problems with this on a recurve. And last night during the Indian and at home and still to day my neck hurts, this is a result of dipping my head forward so would it be a good idea to increase the draw length to stop the pain or what, I just don't know how fiddle and by how much I need to twist the cables etc or time consuming.

BIG arrows tonight

2009-12-04T12:19:00.002Z

Tonight I'm going to have to use the big 2314 for AOTW indoor on Sunday I've do some sole searching and with the small ten ring I'm going to lose points with my compound, I'm not as accurate as the Big boys so I'm going to need all the help I can get.

Busy weekend

2009-11-30T15:50:00.002Z

Busy weekend archery related.

Started of on Friday another triple spot Portsmouth at Richard Lander School, had difficulties in getting the release aid to go of naturally, I experimented a bit and found I had to alter my thumb placement to have a nice clean release. by that time I gave up on scoring and just practised on the middle face, the results where instan 120 dozen followed by and end of 57 and then a 59. I then lost concentration as I was try to concentrate on not being cold.

Got up Saturday and noticed the wind had stopped and the rain had stopped so rushed down the field to do a frostbite working on what I had learnt from the night before. Not bad managed to keep all but one arrow inside the yellow bit finishing with 340. With a 59 end in the middle. It was a bit nippy down the field noticed that the resident cat squishy wouldn't go out side even for his food. (He's looking good nice coat and a very full belly).

Sunday was the DCAS committee meeting and then the AGM, I must admit I quite like the county committee it's nothing like a club committee respect is given to everyone and ideas are listened to sound out. So to the AGM, I ran again as the County Coaching Organiser and I am still in postion for another 12months, I have also added to my position as I am down the DCAS rep to regional Council (GWAS) so it's a bit longer at westbuckland each time but it will be interesting to see what the region does as I've never known what they do and with £87,000 in the bank why have they got so much and what can be done with it, to improve Archery in GWAS. I'm not going to cause any trouble as you need time to settle in I'm just interested in this manner.

Hopefully weather fine tomorrow might try abit of 90m followed by 70m and then 50m and then 30m as my day off (might do 3 dozen at each??).

Two become one

2009-11-22T23:15:00.000Z

I've been looking through all my archery equipment of what I want and what I won't be using for some time and when I do get around to using it will it be any good.

This has got me doubting the choices I've made I originally bought the compound so I could learn the mechanics of the bow to help me on a county coach course (that never happened) I am also loathed to spend any real money on the bow. Like buying a sight I just don't want to spend 200 plus on a sight. I've bought a cheap sight and the canabilsed a carbon shibuya sight to make on good sight. Am I going down the right track with compound I do love it.

But recurve is part of who I am, when it goes right the bow feels like an extension of myself its hard giving up something you love for something else can I do both jack of all trades master of none. And in my mind I have so many questions about compound shooting but even less people locally to ask, I'm going to have to make my mind up soon.

Time to sell up

2009-11-21T18:03:00.000Z

Myself and Laura have decided to sell a lot archery equipment We have a lot of recurve equipment that isn't going to be used for some time and what's the point in keeping it.

Some of the stuff for sale

Win & Win Silver & white Inno
Hoyt Blue Nexus
Win & Win infinite riser

Win & Win synergy limbs
Hoyt epic limbs

X10's
Bow Box
Bieter stabiliser set
Win & Win magnetic quiver
Shibuya Dual Click sight
Toxonics 1500 sight

going to try my hardest

2009-11-20T15:50:00.000Z

It's been a lovely day today here in Cornwall been away all week and would like to thank the G man for the good weather.

Tonight I will be going indoors to shot I'm going to really try and get some good back tension going all night and hopefully get another PB or very close another 550 would be nice. And if the weather is good tomorrow down the field to see this sight that's coming down for me and a rewasonable price as well.

Another one for the collection

2009-11-15T21:25:00.002Z

Quick visit down the field today with Laura and Wilson.

We decided just to do a Warwick.

I got my second club record today Laura did point out since she changed bow styles she has got three. I did beat the existing club record by 14points which doesn't really say much for that record. Two more to do and I've got the full warwich house.

Carry on as I finished off.

2009-11-10T18:10:00.002Z

Today I had a day off and spent it down the field with the gang (Jimmy and Mick) and shot a bit of 70m, it was good to see Mick back shooting.

It took me a long time to settle in shooting today, in the first 4-5 dozen I couldn't find the middle at all, but by accident at first I noticed I had more pressure on my bottom finger on the release aid, and the arrow went straight into x ring after that I stayed with it and found that I went from strength to strength.

When the gang left a compounder from the club came down and had a bit of on the spot coaching, he confirmed that my hand position on the release aid was fine and I had equal pressure so earlier in the day I most have had too much pressure on my little finger. So I need to concentrate on carrying on where I left off.

Fully Qualified

2009-11-09T10:22:00.003Z

Weather is great this morning why couldn't it by like this weekend. Hopefully fingers crossed it will be fine tomorrow.

Spent Saturday removing my string and re setting up my compound the weather wasn't good I got as far as taking of the cover from the boss. But I've overcome a fear which I think some newbie’s have when they take on the awesome power of the compound, bow maintenance.

I feel reasonably confident that I could do this to other peoples bows now as well, it may take me a little while to put that blasted D loop back on mind you.

steady improvement

2009-11-06T22:35:00.001Z

A cold night indoors tonight the only difference from outside was the lack of wind.

Decided to do a triple spot Portsmouth and started slowly only 4 ten’s in the first two dozen but only one arrow outside the recurve 10 ring I noticed a distinct pattern to my arrows bottom target low, middle target they were in the middle, top target high all in the recurve ten. After a quick break I came back a lot strong shooting 10 consecutive 10's after that I found a bit more form and ended up scoring 557 an increase from my first Portsmouth off 544.

The last dozen it got colder and it seemed that my release aid was sticking as in the last dozen one arrow went off into the 7 and another went off in the 8 both times I felt solid in the middle of the target and several other arrows went high in the 9 ring but there was a pulling action to it so I shot 3more arrows afterwards warming my release aid before hand and just shooting at the middle in put 3 lovely 10's in.

So another lesson learnt and possibly a valuable for the outdoor season so hopefully next week I can crack that 560 barrier, and I'm still wondering if I should bring out the X7's.

Bow Press is in

2009-11-06T08:47:00.002Z

My field bow press has arrived today, so it means that I'm going to have to change my brand new string to see what damage their is. Seems a strand has gone so if it has and I survive the bow press (Gulp) I shall return it to quicks.

But it's also good news if I master the use of the bow press then I will be able to fit my own cables and for others as well.

Freedom

2009-11-04T22:53:00.000Z

Well the AGM is over and I just narrowly missed out on being tournament organiser.
It did come down to a point where they where going to cancel some shoots so a club member said they would do some if I would do the other.
I can't work with that person so said on that basis I would do them all so I got a tongue lashing from that person so my reaction was sod it do it yourself I'm not giving up my free time for an unpaid job to be abused.

So at the end it his her and a good friend who is doing the fita's I will help on the fitas but you won't see me on longbow day or the Double American, it does saden me in some ways to see everything I've worked so hard for over the last 5 years with the help of laura and good friends to know that this is all going to change.

But the tournaments don't belong to me they belong to the club and it is the club who have the final say and I have no doubt the tournaments will go just as smoothly as normal

Good luck Jimmy hope you get more support than me

AGM tonight

2009-11-04T10:51:00.002Z

It's the club's AGM tonight, Last year I was the TO but resign due to work etc, so I'm going along as a "normal" club member I must resist the urge to go on the committee it again or being rail roaded into a position.

Panic at the start relaxed by the end

2009-11-01T17:06:00.004Z

It all started with a bit of a panic, as I got on the shooting line and my arrows wouldn't fit onto the string, and as I drew up the arrow was being pulled off the rest so I shot 1 arrow in practise, it was quite stupid really as the judge gave me time to fix it but I waved that so with 1 arrow practise which missed I went straight into the tournament.

First dozen wasn't good I dropped 10points, and to top that it looks like one of the strands on my new string has gone already so I need to purchase some kind of bow press. The morning went quite well after that and I got better as the morning finishing with 277.

The afternoon I felt that I had settled back into shooting a lot, and finished with 291 nothing outside the 4 ring and it was the 2nd highest score of the afternoon. I came away very pleased by the end of the day I was shooting some really tight groups, I noticed one thing my groups did seem allot tight than some of the established compound archers but I did lose a few points due to that.

So It's more work to get those extra points and that means more practise arrows and at Archers Of the West's FITA18m H2H I'm going to have to break out the X7's only for that round, I'm not crazy enough to shoot them out doors. LOL

Cables are in

2009-10-29T12:49:00.000Z

Got the call I wanted from Quicks my cables are in so it means driving up on saturday and waiting around until they have fitted them. Oh Joy but at least they will be done.

Fingers Hurt

2009-10-24T11:31:00.003+01:00

Last night and with my compound out of action for a week or so I went indoors and shot my recurve mainly for some thing to do.

But this morning my fingers really do hurt, I found the weight difficult to manage, I know I've only shot my recurve 3 times since the start of August but really have I lost that much conditioning by shooting compound.

I didn't have my indoor string with me (more strands to slow the arrow down) so I had to aim at 6 O'clock in the 7 / 6 area and still managed to score 562 on my first go which I know is higher than most club members will get this season and higher than where some people have started LOL, it would have been in the 570's with easy but I kept forgeting about aiming low and on a few occasions aimed in the middle to watch the arrow shoot off in the high 7 ring.

But from shooting my recurve last night I know one thing for certain, I will at some stage return to shooting recurve, not this season or maybe next season but I shall return to it.

Out of Action

2009-10-23T15:31:00.002+01:00

Went down the field today to shot a FITA weather good, had a look at my cables and my heart sank, I feel it's not safe to shot the bow the idler cable has been cut through by the control cable I can't tell by how much but don't really fance have an exploding compound on my hands. So did a few calls and with the current postal strike it's going to be a week at the earlist when I can get my bow working again.

Uncertainty

2009-10-14T11:31:00.001+01:00

At the moment it’s all a learning curve for me and quite a steep on at that. Years of shooting recurve has helped me in lots of aspects of shooting my compound but I now have to think like a compound archer. So thinking like a compound archer I started thinking about draw force curves.

And this has brought a degree of uncertainty, over the past couple of weeks my main goal has been to increase my draw weight to what I will be shooting outside, and to concentrate on what I call the Ba Ba black sheep method and not to trigger the release aid.

So now looking at a draw force curve something has come into my mind, at the start the weight increase then it levels of and then decrease as I go over the Peak, into the valley and then it increases as I pull into and beyond the stops.

So looking at the draw force curve in reverse and taking into effect the results on the arrow by pulling into and against the stops is the arrow doing the following:-
From release a rapid increase in speed, then it [B]Slows down ??[/B] and then an increase in speed again, so should I be shooting somewhere in the middle of the valley or is what I am currently doing ok and what effect will it have on my arrow groups.

I really don’t know?

Coping with Indoors

2009-10-13T17:44:00.002+01:00

Last Friday was my first night indoors, in what can only be described as a very dark hall, Richard Lander Hall in Truro.

First problem incounter was that the lighting it was so dark that I couldn't see the bubble in the scope.

The second problem to have a triple spot on the target the top face the ten ring is over a strut for the H frame so on the rare occasions when I do get them on the middle they are into the stand, so the face had to be move so far down it wasn't worth shooting at the bottom target and the top face was so dark I couldn't see it properly. So I aimed at the middle and shot the target out in under 4 dozen.

The committee new in March that out old hall wasn't going to be available so why has it taken so long to find an alternative, and why hasn't an alternative been found and why are we paying a fortune for something that is free and not upto standard.

New Club record

2009-10-05T16:35:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I set a new club record hopefully the first one of mainy beat the existing club record by 6points. So I now hold the Short Warwick record well you have to start somewhere

Sight marks

2009-10-02T19:37:00.002+01:00

So last week I increased the poundage of my bow by 3lbs bring it up to 56lbs peak weight, and cut my arrows down. As a recurve archer I would have expected a massive increase in sight mark, but this didn't happen.

Why?

I sat down and had a think about it wondering why with this amount of poundage my sight marks are comparable with that of a 43lb recurce, ok with my recurve I shot X10's and with the compound slightly heavier ACE's.

So at the end of the club champs I moved my peep sight up, and gained sight mark, it took me a little while to get my head around the result but it makes sense the bow must have been pointing downwards.

The one thing that scares me I'm a coach and it goes to show what little I new about compound archery, I’m starting to agree with people on Interchange, to be able to teach something you need to be able to do it yourself.

So with this in the bag I went down and started a St George this soon changed into practise as I forgot my somewhat broken spotting scope it took several ends to get the arrows in the middle, and it's a long walk well (200yds) down to 100 and back.

What Shall I do tomorrow?

2009-09-30T11:18:00.001+01:00

Got a day of tomorrow and fancy going down the field for a quick round.

Not sure but thinking I might do a St George, Half FITA or Long Metric. The weather will be a factor and how tierd Laura is as well.

Post match evaluation

2009-09-27T18:09:00.006+01:00

Today was the club championships. The smallest turn out I’ve ever seen, there were three of us shooting compounds.
The run up to the champs I cut my arrows and also increased the poundage, in the short term this wasn’t a good idea, As my draw length has changed slightly and found it difficult to get rotation. In the long term it's best to push myself now and bring out the bad habits I know I could have scored more today if i didn't make the changes but I’m not thinking short term the increased poundage comse with an increase in speed and a greater responsibility to execute a better shot. The changes have shown floors in my shootting, I spent time today working on my hand position as the grip is very different to that of a recurve therefore I have to “delearn” too some extent everything I know from my recurve days Geoff one of the club archers talked me through a routine and I found that this helped me.
Every time I go and shoot my compound I’m learning something new it does feel like this is a step learning curve at this moment in time but I’m under no illusions that I will get this right with more arrows under my belt.
Well I came 3rd out of 3 but only a point behind 2nd place I had a miss at 50yds when I didn’t clip release aid on correctly and half way through my draw my hand came off and I punched myself in the face (my god it hurt). But I kept plodding away all day and brought it back to 1point in front. But in the last dozen I accidently punched two arrows in to the six ring leaving me 1 point behind. I’m just happy that I managed to keep within a reasonable amount of points.

At the end of the day I shot an extra couple of ends, under the watch full eye of Geoff and have re adjusted my peep sight giving me a lot better sight mark also making it a lot more stable on aim for me.

Next year with a season behind me I they will won’t have to look behind them to see where I am they will be looking in front trying to catch me up :0)

The Young Pretender Vs The Old Guard

2009-09-27T08:55:00.002+01:00

Today is my first real tournament and it's the club champs.

So can I upset the apple cart and take at least one of the established compound archers down. The answer is probably no but I'm not going to go down with out a fight. I've put the poundage up, and also cut my arrows down.

It's going to be interesting at the end of the day to see how far I'm off the pace with the other club compound archers.

Arrows in the Shop

2009-09-23T15:56:00.001+01:00

The ACE's have gone to Archery Link to be cut down, I now feel happy with my draw length so hopefully they can be done before tomorrow evening so I can get sight marks for the club champs.

The Start

2009-09-22T11:11:00.000+01:00

Sunday was my last tournament for a long time with my Recurve. The occasion was the Grand Western Inter-counties. A selection only tournament for archers of the region.

I prior to the day I didn't really want to go I was scared that I would be last out of the mens recurve within DCAS. I shot on Target 5 thus showing my ranking inside the county for this season. For the last 3yrs I've shot on target two. I wasn't encouraged by the fact that our top Recurve archer wasn't going to be present or one of our best compounders. I decided that I would go purely because it would be my last with a recurve for some time, perhaps ever.

So to the reason of this Blog, it's going to be a journal for me and anyone else who wants to comment on my ventures with a compound bow. Tomorrow I will be down the field setting up my compound for the club championships having just increased the weight by a turn and a half. I've shot one tournament with my compound and scored 1206, a very respectable score for a recurve, I've set myself at this moment in time two targets for 2010 a 1300 FITA and a 1200 york, I'm not really sure about the york target at this moment in time but I want a 1300, this blog is going to be struggles and adventures in achieving this and hopefully more.

Phil