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BOWSEASONkh
Illustration: Dimitry Schidlovsky
I
nstilling solid physical shooting form is vitally important
to accurate shooting, but afterwards, the mental aspects
of shooting are what separates mediocre from exceptional
results. A large part is conditioning calm and confidence in
the face of anxiety.
One method used by elite athletes to control performance
anxiety is breathing exercises. The basic technique is to inhale
slowly, deeply and evenly through your nose. Hold that breath
for
- seconds before gently exhaling through pursed lips
(enough to bend a candle flame without extinguishing it). With
each exhale, silently mouth the word “relax.” Apply this in the
stand while watching game approach, or during a difficult -
tournament shot, and you should feel stress dissipating.
Another important tactic is employing mental imagery to
create all-sensory mental experiences that become a positive
influence to physical performance. In essence, positive imag-
ery helps create a mental blueprint for success by reinforcing
confidence that reduces nervous tension during stressful shots.
This can be more difficult than it appears, as most adults
are conditioned to apply analytical processes, originating in the
brain’s left hemisphere, to everyday tasks. The right hemisphere
is where imaginative or creative thought is processed, so you must
work to strengthen this creative muscle. Though imagery can
be applied to dynamic situations, mastering these skills initially
requires quiet, relaxed (and non-competitive) settings.
Begin breathing exercises with your eyes closed. After youTune Your Bowhunting Mental Game
By Patrick Meitinbecome completely relaxed, begin assembling simple images.
True imagery includes feelings of movement, sound, smells,
touch and even emotions. Don’t just visualize an arrow zipping
through vitals or centering the -ring. Visualize wind in the trees
and feel it on your cheek. Hear the sound of a buck crunching
across dry leaves or competitors’ background chatter, smell damp
fall soil or mowed summer grass, feel the fall chill or summer heat
on your skin, nervous energy pervading the moment.
Only then do you mentally pick a spot, place the correct
pin just so, check-point shooting form and release an arrow
smoothly—all with a sense of utter confidence.
After you release, follow through thoroughly, hearing the
twang of the bow, feeling the riser jump in the hand, seeing
and hearing the thump of the arrow driving home. The goal is
to develop overall vividness and clarity in these images. Control
is also crucially important, as allowing negative images to creep
into your mind is hardly helpful. If negative thoughts do invade
the picture, conjure a literal "stop sign" and begin anew, using a
previous success as a springboard.
The awesome aspect of such training is your subconscious
mind has a difficult time distinguishing between what is real
and imagined. By imagining the perfect shot while waiting on
stand or stalking, or facing a - target, your mind believes suc-
cess has already occurred—“The Power of Positive Thinking.”
Imagery allows gaining all-important confidence and bowhunt-
ing experience without firing a single arrow!