All forms of target panic are frustrating, but one of the more insidious is the dreaded “freezing”. Several years ago, before I was able to cure my target panic for good, I fought through a case of freezing. I developed it while battling a premature release. Releasing the arrow too early was my first experience with target panic. In an attempt to cure my early release, I worked on holding at full draw. I assumed that if I practiced the hold exclusively, then all of my target panic troubles would go away. So I worked hard at it, practicing the hold daily with my longbow. I didn’t take a shot for a month. I thought I could teach my brain to hold comfortably (i.e. without mental tension and that incredible urge to release too soon) whenever I came to full draw.

My results after several weeks practicing at home were less than successful. The first day back shooting at my local range I notice something unusual; something I hadn’t experienced before. When I drew my bow I was able to hold at full draw, but when I tried to slowly ease my bow hand into the target picture, I felt this incredible force keeping me where I was. It was incredible. I could draw and hold, but I would “freeze” outside of the target. I found that when I forced myself by yanking my bow across the target picture, I would release immediately. When I drew my bow with my bow hand already pre-set on the target picture, I would release immediately upon reaching full draw. Now, instead of having one target panic related problem, I had two. It was a case of pick your poison. Either I froze outside of the target picture or I would release too soon.

I quickly developed a method where I would freeze and then time my release as I swung by the target. Occasionally, I would make an accurate shot, but for the most part this was a ridiculous way to shoot. It was extremely unreliable and my misses tended to by way off course. Several months later, I had heard this referred to as “drive by shooting”. It is comical description, but accurate. Sometimes when your target panic is as bad as mine was, all you can do is laugh.

I quickly decided that this was no way to shoot and was on to my next attempt to cure my target panic. Eventually I was able to cure it permanently using a technique called the Push Release.

Michael Linsin is a former staff writer for US & International Archer Magazine and the author of a top selling book called Archery Strong: The 30-Minute Strength Training Program Designed Specifically For Archers (http://www.ArcheryStrong.com). He is also the creator of The Push Release DVD target panic cure for traditional archers (http://www.PushRelease.com).

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