Post by davewilling on Apr 27, 2009 18:22:53 GMT 12
Most recurve archers will at some stage strap a clicker onto their bow and most recurve archers will not use it correctly, or will develop some form of panic because of it, myself included. Its probably therefore a good idea to start introducing some information about it to our club members, so here goes.
The clicker is a device that is best put onto a recurve archers bow as soon as possible. New archers will adapt and use it more effectively far easier than archers who have been shooting for a while without one.
An essential element to correct clicker use is the idea of constant motion, this doesn't mean pull it back and rip it through! If you observe an archer who does not use a clicker, or does not use a clicker properly (ie it goes click and they continue to hold and aim) you will notice that the archers arrow will creep forward while they aim. In order to use the clicker properly you must expand through the shot.
The expansion, and correct shot execution are critical to success with the clicker. You should not hold onto the arrow after the "click", likewise you should not aggressively pull your hand off the string - it should be a subconcious, relaxed, natural follow through that occurs as soon as you hear/feel the click - proper execution (watch some recurve clips from the world cup events concentrating on the release hand and follow through to see what I mean).
A good way to teach yourself to learn it properly is to shoot close range blank bale shooting, where all your focus is on your shooting technique rather than on aiming and scoring etc.
It is important that when using the clicker, you have everything set up properly (from the clicker itself, your arrows and your technique). Your shooting form has to have good alignment (T-form is a good picture to put in your mind) - you should not be crunched up or over extended, your draw elbow should be roughly aligned when viewed from behind with the string, front arm straight (not hyper-extended, or bent). This allows for good expansion. If your elbow is too far past the string, or you are crunched up you will not be able to expand efficiently.
Your arrow length should be correct, you may move your clicker forward or back to some degree but, there should not be any way out there incorrect arrow lengths.
You should have a clicker that correctly fits your bow. It should not impair your sight picture, it should not flop around on the bow (this can raise contact issues with fletches) and it should not be so tense that it pushes the arrow into the plunger. The thickness of the clicker in relation to your arrow size is something that should be considered (Beiter make differing thickneses of clickers).
You should not have to expand too far through the clicker once at anchor ie if you are at anchor and you still have 2 centimetres to expand while in good alignment, you probably have to do too much work. Likewise you should not go straight through the clicker as you come into anchor. Once anchored and in good alignment you should probably only have to expand another 5mm-8mm to get through the clicker, if that - remember operating on the idea of a constant, smooth motion, not a stop, start, stop, start motion.
The clicker can be hard to learn how to use effectively and it can be frustrating. If however you learn how to use it properly (and take the time to do so) you will reap the rewards. It will pile the points onto your scores faster than any other piece of equipment that you can buy, and it costs dramatically less. It is probably the single most influential advance (in terms of addition to equipment) in the history of recurve, olympic style archery.
Hope if you got through this far you got something from my little spiel ;D
The clicker is a device that is best put onto a recurve archers bow as soon as possible. New archers will adapt and use it more effectively far easier than archers who have been shooting for a while without one.
An essential element to correct clicker use is the idea of constant motion, this doesn't mean pull it back and rip it through! If you observe an archer who does not use a clicker, or does not use a clicker properly (ie it goes click and they continue to hold and aim) you will notice that the archers arrow will creep forward while they aim. In order to use the clicker properly you must expand through the shot.
The expansion, and correct shot execution are critical to success with the clicker. You should not hold onto the arrow after the "click", likewise you should not aggressively pull your hand off the string - it should be a subconcious, relaxed, natural follow through that occurs as soon as you hear/feel the click - proper execution (watch some recurve clips from the world cup events concentrating on the release hand and follow through to see what I mean).
A good way to teach yourself to learn it properly is to shoot close range blank bale shooting, where all your focus is on your shooting technique rather than on aiming and scoring etc.
It is important that when using the clicker, you have everything set up properly (from the clicker itself, your arrows and your technique). Your shooting form has to have good alignment (T-form is a good picture to put in your mind) - you should not be crunched up or over extended, your draw elbow should be roughly aligned when viewed from behind with the string, front arm straight (not hyper-extended, or bent). This allows for good expansion. If your elbow is too far past the string, or you are crunched up you will not be able to expand efficiently.
Your arrow length should be correct, you may move your clicker forward or back to some degree but, there should not be any way out there incorrect arrow lengths.
You should have a clicker that correctly fits your bow. It should not impair your sight picture, it should not flop around on the bow (this can raise contact issues with fletches) and it should not be so tense that it pushes the arrow into the plunger. The thickness of the clicker in relation to your arrow size is something that should be considered (Beiter make differing thickneses of clickers).
You should not have to expand too far through the clicker once at anchor ie if you are at anchor and you still have 2 centimetres to expand while in good alignment, you probably have to do too much work. Likewise you should not go straight through the clicker as you come into anchor. Once anchored and in good alignment you should probably only have to expand another 5mm-8mm to get through the clicker, if that - remember operating on the idea of a constant, smooth motion, not a stop, start, stop, start motion.
The clicker can be hard to learn how to use effectively and it can be frustrating. If however you learn how to use it properly (and take the time to do so) you will reap the rewards. It will pile the points onto your scores faster than any other piece of equipment that you can buy, and it costs dramatically less. It is probably the single most influential advance (in terms of addition to equipment) in the history of recurve, olympic style archery.
Hope if you got through this far you got something from my little spiel ;D