Practicing With Purpose - Part 1

On a recent post on my coaching blog I addressed the question “Does Visualization Work?” In answering that question I began with: “The broader question is ‘How do we know anything works?’ The generic answer is you have to try it and compare it with the results you were getting. So, for example, your arrows are grouping high and to the right on your target face. If you lower your draw weight a little bit, the group comes down and moves to the left. If it hasn’t gotten down and left far enough, maybe another reduction in DW is in order.” I went on at some length but the question here is: “Should practice have a purpose?”

The answer is “Bloody Hell it should!” (Sorry!) This has been answered scientifically and in the general press of athletics under a number of different names: Directed Practice and Deliberate Practice.

If you do an internet search you will find the name Anders Ericsson because he coined the term deliberate practice. Ericsson's term refers to a highly structured, individualized training approach designed to improve performance through repetition and refinement. It involves intense focus, stretching beyond one's comfort zone, and receiving expert feedback to build more detailed mental representations of performance. This process, rather than innate talent, is what allows individuals to achieve expert-level performance over time.

I have written about this quite a number of times. The studies have involved athletes of all types, in: table tennis, golf, tennis, as well as musicians. Of course here in the U.S, the most common form of practice is derogatorily described as “just flinging arrows,” your equivalent being “just plinking arrows” (I think, not sure of that). Even people who have some goal for a practice session make major mistakes, for example: “I will start after I warm up.”

No! Don’t do it!”

You are attempting to change your shot in any way, “just warming up arrows” will default to your old process as that is the one you have practiced the most. Then you do some work on your new process. Do that several times and your subconscious mind will learn that it is perfectly okay to switch back and forth between the old and new ways you shoot.

This is just the draw cycle issues. Wait til you see the stack on release and recover!

How to Make Sure You are Practicing with Purpose, You need a notebook dedicated to your archery practice (the spiral bound ones are nice because they open up to lay flat. (I keep a small one in my quiver to take notes and a larger one as the master.) The key element of this notebook is what I call “The List”. In your book, skip over a few blank pages (you may need them) and then write “The List” at the top of the next page. Underneath that you write 1, 2, and 3 vertically. There should never be more than three things on this part of "The List" The next page, number with 4. on down.
If you are working with a coach or another archer, sit down with them and come up with a list of the things you would like to improve. I use the shot sequence as a guide. The goal is to have all elements of your shot sequence at the same level. If any aspects are below your standard they go on "The List" to improve. When all elements of your shot sequence are at the same quality, then you ask yourself “Am I good enough? If your mates are still beating your pants off in a league/ladder match, maybe you answer “No, I want to get better.” And then your goal is to raise all elements of your shot sequence to a higher level.

So, how do you do that? (I am glad you asked!). That will be covered in my next article.

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Steve Ruis is the author of many books on coaching archery and maintains a blog for archery coaches at archerycoach.wordpress.com. (its free and well worth a visit) He is the former editor of Archery Focus magazine.

Book stack image from Pixabay