Archery Shot Sequence: part 1

When I first started shooting a bow, I didn't really think about anything except firing the next arrow, hoping it would be better than the last. Naturally, my arrows rarely hit where I was aiming because I wasn't being consistent. For each shot, my feet were placed a little differently, I was holding the bow slightly differently, etc.

The key to being a better shot is consistency, and having each step in your own shot sequence memorized will help you make progress from a fair archer to a good archer in a relatively short time. The shot sequence is a critical foundation for taking your archery beyond simply flinging arrows.

Every time I am shoot an arrow, I say each step in my mind right before I execute it. It is amazing how a shot sequence can improve your accuracy and confidence.

If you don't have one, a shot sequence is easy to make.

Below is the sequence I came up with for myself. It's working for me now, but may be modified if I feel the need. Yours may be similar. You can word it differently, add steps, or eliminate steps as you like. Experiment a bit, but keep in mind that the real value of a shot sequence is that you have it memorized and internalized so well that you can do it on autopilot, if needed... so don't make too many changes, or you'll never memorize it.

I'll add a brief description for each step in an upcoming post.

1. Nock up
2. Posture up
3. Hook up
4. Set hand
5. Visualize on target
6. Pre-aim and level
7. Draw to anchor
8. Center sight
9. Commit
10. Start back tension
11. Aim