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Release Trigger Movement

This is the first time I've heard anyone advocate having movement in your release trigger. I was always taught it's best to have a fairly heavy trigger pull and zero travel. Levi talks about this at about the 4:40 mark.

Yep, that's also what I've been told zero trigger travel. I do know some folks use a spring with good results. I think having movement would make your shot execution become worst.

When I come to full draw I have a word I say subconsciously to help execute my shot. Mine is pull pull pull. Some people count 1,2,3 etc. It takes my mind off the trigger and the shot seems to go off easily.

My first time hearing this also. My first real thumb release was a tru-ball max. And most archers would say it’s junk because it has too much travel. Even Dudley endorses a crisp hair trigger. But I know it helped me create a surprise release, and beat TP. I set the barrel deep in bottom of my thumb (also not approved by most, because of extra hand movement). It gave me enough of a disconnect between my mind and trigger to build a surprise release. Since then I’ve played with tension releases and hinges $$$ but I always fall back on my “junk” Tru-ball.

Totally agree. I let my subconscious aim while my conscious mind tells myself to pull pull pull through my shot. I do better when I set my release pull as heavy as I can so I force myself to focus on my index finger and slowly pull the trigger and execute the shot. I tried the count to 3 or 5 method but I found myself anticipating the release at a certain number whether I was ready to release or not. Target panic can be an awful thing to get through, thats one thing thats for certain. Different methods work for different shooters, its all about what works for you in your shot sequence. Joel turner is the guy to look up if you are having trouble with target panic.

Levi mentions Joel Turner several times in this video series.

I know several that have big cardboard checks and silver bowls and shoot with travel. If your brain will let you do it, it’ll work fine.

My wife went to a heavy trigger with no travel after having some issues anticipating the shot. Now, she curls her finger around the trigger, pushes toward the target, and just pulls into the back wall. She is hitting her arm more often, and may adjust her grip a bit, but the shot occurs without anticipation or flinch.

Not sure if it's this video or not, but Levi also mentions that back tension went away with spongy back walls. Pulling hard into a solid back wall will cause your pin to start bouncing all over the place. I agree with him there.

He uses a hinge and just rotates it with his hand.

TP is 100% mental. Doesn't "really" matter what your trigger is like. Levi could shoot a 1990 Golden Eagle bow better than most can shoot the best modern target bows...with any $30 release.

The trick to TP is to "trick" your brain into not knowing when the bow will go off. Usually that means something "opposite" of what you currently use.

I agree with x-man. You either have TP or you don't. If you do, a different release *may* help for a while, until you learn it and start anticipating the shot again, then the TP will usually come back. I knew several great target and 3D shooters who would carry multiple releases that were all identical, but set to different trigger weights. At every shot, they'd reach into their quiver pocket and randomly grab one of the releases. Since they never knew which trigger weight the release was set to, they couldn't anticipate the shot, so they were able to keep their TP at bay.

If you don't suffer from TP, it really doesn't matter what release you use. I'm still an advocate of back tension, and I can shoot virtually any release equally well. I don't think I'd care for a release that had a bunch of movement, however.

Matt

Randy Ulmer started the multiple hinge release trick. They were all set to a different travel length. He even had one in the pouch that wouldn't fire at all.

Levi is a command shooter and has a limited amount of time to get the shot off when shooting 3d. He talked about it after Vegas; he tried "waiting on it" and was like yea, no that doesn't work for me. You can watch his thumb twitching and waiting to go on the last vegas vids. You need to figure out what your brain will let you do and go with it.

This discussion reminds me of a Cabelas sponsored 3D tournament I shot in years ago. I think it was in Oklahoma. On the first day, first target, one of the guys in our group forewarned the rest of us that he had a "mild" case of target panic. We didn't think much about it until this poor fellow stepped up to take his first shot. When he flinched, his whole body shook violently right down to his boots. Then, he'd let down and do it all over again. Sometimes it would take him 4-5 flinches/letdowns before he'd finally get his shot off. He wasn't a bad shot once he finally got one off, but man was it painful to watch. I've often wondered how the poor guy ever bow hunted, or if he ever cured his TP.

Matt

As far as target panic Im an expert I have it, and have delt with it for close to 40 years. My struggle lately is when you begin tighten your back or you begin your push pull whichever way you want to do it . Once that decision is made my brain knows that the bow is going to fire, harder I pull the higher the anxiety goes.

Don’t tighten your back, it should load up when you draw, then just pull with your draw elbow. I wouldn’t push very much, just a little pressure.

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