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My case is just starting. Now, I jerk a bit at release and have a hard time getting a nice smooth release.

Have anyone tried this product? http://www.ultimatearcherysolution.com/

After fighting (and losing pathetically)a world-class case of TP for 20yrs, thank God I discovered Bernie Pellerite's book "Idiotproof Archery"! Developing a surprise release is crucial to overcoming TP once you have it, and avoiding it if you don't. You can develop a surprise release regardless of style, however a back tension release is the easiest to learn with. I used a Carter Backstrap and it helped tremendously.

There are several different programs out there; some that work, and some that probably don't. One thing I can say with certainty. If you follow Bernie's program and don't shortcut it like Tilzbow says, it WILL work. I've been anxiety-free for over 7yrs now, and shooting light years better than I ever dreamed possible. Best of luck!

After about 30 blind shots I started to calm down a bit and settle in. It is a wierd sensation at first, but based on all of the comments about the book I'm pushing forward.

I don't know if that makes sense, but just try it...keep it simple and make it repeatable. Also, I've seen overbowed guys really fight it...taking some pounds off really helped em. Get in the habit of watching the arrow hit over the bow hand...don't drop the arm.

Good luck...I've seen guys just paralyzed by tp...mind over matter boys.

Yet you somehow feel qualified to give advice on the subject? Interesting.

It's not that simple, or easy to overcome.

You tell people with depression to, "just cheer up,..mind over matter boys"?

I was very fortunate as a youngster to have a great mentor, who taught me early on about correct mechanics and repeatability.

I also had the good fortune to coach hockey for 34 years, and learned the importance of proper, correct skill instruction and the value to learn "it" right the first time...avoiding the difficult, painful necessity of unlearning bad habits and replacing wrong muscle memory with right. I was indeed fortunate to pick the brain of one of the great coaches in the US in the 70's and 80's for a 3 year period that he had me chart shots and other stats while he was coaching college hockey...he won 3 national championships in college before moving to the NHL where he won a Stanley Cup before his too early, tragic death.

Not blowing my own horn by any means...these two fine gentlemen left me with a debt to them I can never repay...and for there kindness and teachings I am grateful.

In regard to target panic, yes...I'm fortunate that I've never had to struggle thru it. Again, to that I credit the lessons learned in my youth. I'm no world class archer by any means, to the contrary...I simply know my limitations and stick to them.

I do, however, believe the power of the mind can overcome our deficiencies in sporting, athletic activities....and make no mistake, shooting a bow is an athletic act. The late great Moe Norman said of golf, the most difficult distance for any golfer to master is 6 inches; the distance between the ears. To that regard, don't we all possess the power to learn, retain, and implement lessons...and overcome problems...with the wonderful tool the good lord gave us? Really, we get in our own way at times don't we?

How "good" can we get? We're all different...some are blessed with natural talents that may simply need refinement. Others, like myself, have the rudimentory ability, but need to work HARD to achieve self-acceptable end results. For some, the sky's the limit...others may plateau at a level lower than desired but perhaps the best of their ability.

I just believe target panic can be beaten, I've seen friends do it. There are some great books out there from many sports psychologists, specializing in about any activity...there's a reason some of the top, world class athletes consult with these docs...their methods work. Avoid overthinking, golfers call it paralysis by analysis...sound familiar?

I don't think your ever "cured" you just control it. I now start and end most shooting sessions with blank bale shooting.

A thumb release helped me to break TP when shooting with fingers. An index finger release only made it worse. I am sure a back tension or surprise release would have been good too, but I managed to do it with thumb releases.

Shooting fingers now is easy. I can shoot my recurve better today than I have shot in years, maybe ever. It is fun to get to full draw and not feel like I need to dump the string. Rarely did I get to full draw before!

As far as hoping that switching to a release might help your TP, you did a good job of answering that question yourself. ;-).

Many years ago, I had hoped for the same thing. Sure enough, I shot just fine...until the third shot. Missed the target butt completely, bounced the arrow off the floor, and glanced into the back wall. It's funny now, but scared the you-know-what out of us at the time! lol!

Although Bernie's program is designed more for the release shooter, it does talk about shooting with fingers as well. The key is to develop a surprise release. How much harder or easier it will be to do so with fingers vs a release is something you'll have to determine yourself.

TP is basically an anxiety attack caused by the conscious mind trying to do two things at once...aiming and firing the release (or releasing the string in your case). Since the conscious mind can only do one thing at a time, this conflict is what causes the meltdown. A surprise release allows you to concentrate on the one and only thing you SHOULD be concentrating on...aiming. The release will just happen. In other words, you have to LET the release happen, rather than MAKE it happen. I truly wish you the best, because I know exactly what you're going through. However, I have never come across anyone that had TP as bad as I did. If I can beat it, YOU can beat it!

I can check, but once of his pieces of advice for fingers guys is you cannot "tell" your fingers to release the string. It has to happen unconsciously. The only way to make this happen is back tension.

Do a search for Ed Elliason (If I remember) if you can find videos of his release, that is what I am referring to.

But as mentioned above, there are a specific steps to get there. You need to "reprogram" your brain and shooting/release routine. It takes time. If you think it will happen in between 3D shoots or weekly league, you are setting yourself up for failure. (And I am speaking from first hand experience)

Good luck. We both will need it!

I liked that Jay Massey book, "Instinctive archery insights" with his section on TP...though I don't shoot instinctive. Your shot sequence has to incorporate a relaxed focus- if the anxiety creeps in even a little you are asking for trouble.

Obviously the Olympic style target clickers that go over the arrow and click when the target arrow is drawn past the clicker is another dEvice and not usable with broadheads.

If you want any TP cure to work, convince yourself it will work or obviously it won't! I did not find learning to shoot with a clicker or back tension and a release (all surprise style) to be onerous at all. Within minutes of using them I was shooting good without the anxiety that plagued me before. YMMV

Great advice, ZBarebow. I just realized my best shots are "unconscious"

On my 2014 bull, I was focused hard on the entry point, and somewhere along the line, the string just slipped from my fingers without me knowing it.

My target shooting has involved a much more cognitive process when it comes to making a good release lately. I have to work on getting back into this "autopilot" mode.

"I liked that Jay Massey book, "Instinctive archery insights" with his section on TP...though I don't shoot instinctive. Your shot sequence has to incorporate a relaxed focus- if the anxiety creeps in even a little you are asking for trouble".

Beendare, this is absolutely true!

Best of Luck, Jeff

Chill...been there, suffered that.

At least you're honest about the problem. Too many go through denial and blame it on their equipment.

Get the book, read it.

Also, back waaaaayyyyy up in your archery shooting. I mean to the very basics, at very basic distances and release.

Shoot a targetless bale from 3-5 yards, with your eyes closed so you can concentrate on a good release and follow-through. (The latter is what's hurt me through the years.)

Do that for a few weeks, then go to a big target, like a sheet of typing paper at 5 yards, and gradually, very gradually work your way back in the coming months.

Some guys are right, you never totally get over it, but you an control it and, or, adapt it into your hunting style.

Personally, changing things up from time to time....new sight, different release, different targets, shooting from unmarked distanecs....seems to help.

Stay calm, and work your way through it slowly.

http://bowsite.com/bowsite/features/practical_bowhunter/perfectrelease/

Or you could just be like Zinger on the WI forum. He says TP is not real. That we just make it up as an excuse to shoot poorly.

He's certainly not the first to show his ignorance on the subject, and I'm sure he won't be the last. The internet is a great tool for someone that's clueless. It allows them to somehow feel like they have one.

Do you mean a tool, or a clue?

Or both? :D

I started developing symptoms of TP back in 1986. Started out with some flinches, and the next thing I knew, my arm felt like it had a 1000lb weight attached to it. That led to jerking the pin into the target area and letting 'er fly! The harder I tried, the worse it got. The worse it got, the harder I tried. I was stuck in a vicious circle. Anyone who's fought TP knows exactly what I'm describing. The internet was years away, and there weren't any books or articles that could help. Even worse, nobody wanted to talk about it because they thought it was contagious. Anyone else that did have it wouldn't admit to it since they didn't want to be looked at like they were possessed. I honestly felt like I was the only one on earth that had this "sickness". I had it for so long, and it was so ingrained, that I was literally a basket case by the time I discovered "Idiotproof Archery". It's not an exaggeration when I say Bernie Pellerite and my Carter Backstrap literally saved my bowhunting life.

Thanks to threads like these, those that are suffering with TP can see they're not alone, and even more importantly, see what's worked for someone that's been exactly where they are now.

Jeff, now that you mention it, they may BE a tool, but they're a clueless tool. lol!

The mistaken thought that your sight pin will be absolutely motionless, and if it's not you'll miss.

The mistaken thought that you can time your release for that split second in time when your sight pin is directly where you want it to be.

The mistaken thought that you have to concentrate on your sights/where you want the arrow to hit.

The reality is, your sights will move. Always. They will also always come back to center if you can relax and let them float. All you have to do is "see" what you want to hit

There is a definite mental anxiety that exists when one is worried about sight pin movement and the feeling that they have to "get the arrow off right now" before the sight is off the target again. Anyone that doesn't think this mental anxiety can and does exist is full of it.

The challenge is having the confidence that your sight pin movement is not going to cause you to miss, and allowing yourself to relax and pull through the shot.

There is a lot of good advice given so far. I can honestly say that I try to heed some of it even when I am not struggling with TP!

This is the key ingredient most miss when dealing with TP. You have to teach your brain that sight movement is OK. You teach your brain not to be anxious or anticipate the shot. You do that by shooting at a target, at a distance close enough to keep your pin in the center, then work your way back. George Ryals makes his kids shoot a 30x vegas before they move back from 10 yards. Then they go to 15 and have to clean that distance before they go to 20. Spend the next 5 months following his routine and you'll be fine. But, not 1 in 1000 have the patience to do that. They grab a bow, move back to 20 where they don't have a snowballs chance in @@@@ of holding on the target and start flinging arrows.

I used a tension activated release and would also have my wife trigger my normal release for me while I simply concentrated on aiming.

I can now place my sights right on the spot I want to hit and slowly squeeze a index finger activated release with no problem.

Len Cardinale stresses turning the entire physical part of your shot into muscle memory.

Stance, grip,head position,motor systems and on and on. By doing this there's nothing left to do but hold your pin on a spot till aiming occurs. Also aiming is not holding a pin on target.That is calibrating.

Aiming is something that takes place for a micro second in time. Its your brain telling your body everything is correct and in that instant your entire mind and body becomes immersed in AIMING as your shot goes off.

If you never experienced it...work towards it. I refer to it as "Touching God" You will shoot better than you ever have in your life.

Getting there is the hard part.

The more you do it the more ingrained it becomes. These are all done 5-10 feet from a blank bale.

#7 is the only one where I actually shoot at a spot and try to focus on nothing on the spot and my pin...while pulling to conclusion which for me is touching my shoulder.

I'll tell you this...if you put the time into this your TP will disappear and you will shoot better than ever.

Here's the thing...if you wonder if you have done enough you haven't.

When I shoot this program regularly I can shoot along side anyone....and I shoot fingers. Nickle and quarter size groups at 35/40 yards were the norm. I have to admit its been years since I invested the necessary time...but if you do...you'll be sending me flowers

Lastly think of of shooting this program as putting money in the bank..and think of shooting at a target as making a withdrawal....Start saving

Do yourself a HUGE favor and do more than just read it. Everything Shug mentions is in Bernie's book, which isn't surprising since Len Cardinale was one of Bernie's mentors as well. As Shug says, developing a shot sequence, and the associated muscle memory, is crucial. The other crucial element is the surprise release mentioned in many previous posts. Once you reach the point the shot sequence is second nature so you don't even have to think about it, coupled with a surprise release, as Shug says, all your concentration will be on where it should be...AIMING! Long story short....NO MORE TARGET PANIC!!!

One key element to Bernie's program is called the bridge. Shooting blind bale at close range is great at developing the feel of a proper shot, but unless you recondition your mind as well as your muscle memory, all will go out the window the first time you step back to 40yds and shoot at a spot, or a 3D target. Bernie's program increases the distance you shoot, 2 1/2yds at a time. By the time you work your way back to 20yds, you're mind is conditioned to the point distance doesn't matter. Jump from 10' back to 20yds and chances are, you're going to have major issues again.

Target panic isn't something you get overnight, and it isn't something you'll get control of overnight. DON'T RUSH THE PROCESS!!! Tying to rush things so you can shoot a 3D tournament in June will do nothing but make matters worse! The closer Jun gets, the more you'll stress, the more you stress, the worse your TP will become. Take care of the problem first. If you do, by NEXT Jun, you'll be thanking yourself!

He would however point out different ways of doing things and leave it to the shooter to decide what works best for them.

Shug, Bernie says the same thing..."you don't have to do it the RIGHT way every time, you just have to do it the SAME way every time."

I haven't read Bernie's book, but I believe the conscious thought should be on pulling through the release, not aiming.

You would be wrong. Concentrating on your release, rather than aiming, is what leads to trigger punching, drive-by shooting, or whatever else you want to call it. The conscious mind CANNOT concentrate on two things at once. It can't focus on the release and aiming at the same time. THAT'S what causes TP. Once your shot sequence is ingrained into your muscle memory to the point it becomes second-nature, the subconscious takes over so that the conscious mind can focus on aiming. Once your conscious mind concentrates on the release, rather than aiming, you have entered the world of target panic.

My mind is completely focused on pulling through my shot. When my mind is completely focused on pulling through the shot, it doesn't know when the arrow will release and I get a surprise break.

As I said, I have not read Bernie's book. I'm not going to say that he's wrong, but please don't just assume that I'm wrong. I instruct firearms shooters. I understand the mental and physical components of such. Target panic is really not much different than flinching with a firearm.

There are 2 students that really stick in my mind that Len instructed.

First was a fellow from MD who came up for a long weekend of lessons, he was an accomplished 3D shooter, and watching him shoot the first lesson, well lets just say he could flat out shoot! His lessons weren't so much about form, but the mental aspect of focus. Speaking with him on the last day, he was blown away at what he had learned...how relaxed at focusing and letting the shot just happen.

Second was a young fellow who bought a recurve and basically had no idea how to shoot, he even struggled pulling the bow back. After 3 months of lesson, the guy could shoot orange size groups consistently at 25yds.

You can't just focus on the target to make TP go away, the events leading up to aiming must be secondary before target focus is achieved. If there is any deviation leading up to that point, TP will take over.

I would talk to the guys who make their living shooting a bow and ask them what's going thru their mind. You'll find a vast variety of methods employed to execute the shot. The common denominator is their ability to aim and execute without anxiety. You don't achieve that shooting at a blank bale.

But I was a able to get a grip on it by switching to a back tension release. I shoot a Scott longhorn three.

When I first got the release I made a homemade contraption out of a cut off broomstick and a bungee cord. Basically a homemade toy bow. I crimped the bungee cord to eyebolts on each end of the broomstick. Then I tied a loop on it and I would just draw and release that over and over. Just draw and just let it slowly go off.

After a while of doing that I was comfortable releasing and having a good surprise release I screwed a sight to the thing and would sit in my living room and draw and pick a spot on the wall and aim and release. I'd do this over and over. While doing this I never picked up my real bow for a couple months, until I was totally comfortable aiming and releasing.

Once I was ready I went to shooting my bow and I have been shooting great with great concentration. I shot a pronghorn last September at 45 yds. without even thinking about it. My confidence in my shooting is back and its a great feeling.

Bottom line is TP is horrible and I honestly never thought I'd get through it but it can be done, I should say it can be tamed because its always going to be there.