Being Fluid is not a Snap
So much of the Hill style fluid method of shooting a longbow is decried by unknowing archers as being a haphazard, flinging and winging it, sloppy snap shot style. Nothing could be further from the truth.
A dedicated Hill style shooting system practiced by a dedicated archer is a beautiful thing to watch. Smooth rhythm, accuracy resulting from ingrained muscle memory, and a fluid cadence cause the uninitiated to wonder how it's done. Schulz said to start slow, performing each part of the swing draw properly and with time, you'll get fast. There is no shortcut, no easy way out. Thousands of shots are necessary, at first methodical, then gradually they become ingrained and require less thinking over the shot.
If enough time is Not taken, (and more time is needed if former bad habits are to be reworked and new habits formed), the end result will be an uncontrolled snap shot. A snap shot with no basis for accuracy or consistency . That isn't what Hill and Schulz taught. But guys see the videos and old films and want to shoot fast like that, right now.
Do yourself a favor...you who want to learn. Go slow, concentrate on the mechanics as taught by Schulz and allow the speed to come with time and much practice. There is no substitute for this cautious approach. The results will be a smooth, fluid accurate shot with a repeating shot sequence. A shot that although it looks like it's not a consistent, repeating shot sequence, it actually is...with a consistent anchor, release and follow through although it is quick and smooth.
These video shorts are of yours truly showing fluid form, consistent anchor, steady bow arm and release. To the archer indoctrinated by the current target archery induced trends of a straight arm draw, long hold and flying release these videos may show what is thought to be snap shooting. I assure you it is not. It is a very controlled shot as taught by Hill and Schulz and has served well in the hunting fields for me. Slow down the video, notice that even with the fluid form, anchor and length of draw is reached consistently each time, assuring consistent bow power and arrow flight. The first video is of a shooting session, shooting at a clump of alfalfa at about 55 yards. All the arrows were in a 12" circle at the clump. Being fast and fluid, once learned, as Hill said is just as accurate, and it's possible to be more accurate than when shooting slow because there is less time to think.
https://youtube.com/shorts/Fizlg6lGZ_c
https://youtube.com/shorts/K0Eux9cQfo
Being consistently fluid and rhythmic is possible and goes hand in hand with the Hill style of archery tackle. It is achievable and will yield great results if you will give it a solid try, with no shortcuts.
Shoot straight.
good form demonstrating the Schulz/Hill technique
ReplyDeleteI keep working on it
If I dont shoot that way and hold the least bit I tend to Pluck the release- I have to keep a dynamic release
A dynamic release is very forgiving of small nuances because the draw never stops...so back tension never stops.
DeleteToo fast for me to see. What do you use for an anchor point? What finger hits it?
ReplyDeleteI use the middle finger touching my lower jaw teeth and the index finger touching the top teeth. Very similar to Hill's anchor. Schulz said "at about the corner of the mouth" so it's not super critical to the exact point, but it has to be the same for every shot.
DeleteThank you for the videos showing proper form and follow through. I've gone back to blank bale shooting for the next three months to work on exactly this! This is helpful right now. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for all your explanations. What about breathing in Hill style ? Somebody inhale in draw others exhale or bloke their breath...and you?
DeleteJean.... With your comments I'm sure you are referring to our longbow friend Jean-Marie Coche and his diaphragmatic system of breathing. John Schulz told me the Jean-Marie was his best overall student, ever.
DeleteSchulz didn't expound on the breathing aspect, but I've read Jean-Marie's instructions and agree with them as long as the fluid cadence of the shot isn't affected. There are some of JM's students that continue on with his teachings and remain fluid, and some students have become very static and rigid in their approach. A good friend of JM, Réme Raymond is a very fluid shot and has nice YouTube videos showing his form, which is fluid.
My breathing style is an exhale as I draw and shoot which tightens my core rather than expand. I hope that makes sense.
Of course i spoke about Jean Marie Coche...I folowed a course with him.I applied his technic. I have a very Nice yew bow from JM student called Frédéric Viguier , Arcs Viguier in the Web. I think you speak about Rémy wilderness70 on YouTube. I know him and i have seen one of your bow . Very beautiful and smooth. But it s a left handle bow and i am rigth handle. I didn t had the possibility to shoot an arrow...
DeleteIf a day you have time to make a bow for a french archer, i could be interested.
Have a nice week-end
Jean-christophe....I'm glad you knew Jean-Marie. I have plans to have his articles copied here to my blog for all to read in English as well as French. He was a very good teacher of the Hill style. It's great that there's a connection from the American side to the European side of the Hill style from Schulz through Jean-Marie and that this information is being shared across the ocean. Best to you.
DeleteGood idea. If you need some pictures of JM s texts , i have his books. His style is a little bit slower than yourse. At the end , he looked for a control of the release. Because a lot of persons develop a target panic with the swing draw..
DeleteDo you have some news about Rémy ? He doesn t post any video for a long time...?
The latest was with your bow, i think..
Have a good day
That is correct, people get going to fast and lose control when target panic comes in. They are afraid to miss the target. Schulz said he'd experienced a little of that and his cure was to quit shooting targets and just rove/stumpshoot.
ReplyDeleteSchulz constantly reminded me to remain fluid, but he said fluid can be like water, or like syrup. Different speeds but no stopping of the fluid motion once the draw is begun.
Please send me an email about Jean-Marie, my email address is on the contact me page. I haven't heard from Réme for awhile now.
With the current wave of static shooting with a 12 or 14 step 'form', the 'thinking' is constantly diverted, there can be a hiccup that breaks down. They call that 'target panic'. The cure often given is to 'think' more on each of those 12 steps. I believe John described what needs to be done, people often jump ahead of themselves. Always shooting at a target face seems to lure the mind into short cuts, we often do not mix it up often enough and then get stale. I knew an area PAA pro that could not hold on the bull, he released passing over it with the bow sight, but he could aim a dandelion to death and quite often hit it. Prejudices put shooting as John instructed outside of the body of the flock. Howard Hill understood chickens.
DeleteOk, i send my email on your adress.
ReplyDeleteThe last time i have speak to Rémy, two years ago, i think , he stopped temporaly archery, because he didn t have enough time...
I don t have more news...
I like John's quote on fluidity....that in an of itself is a helpful thought while blank bailing. If anyone has a link to Remy's Youtube page please post it.....a search in English doesn't turn up any results.
ReplyDeleteJust YouTube "Wilderness 70 Howard Hill" and you'll pull up his videos
ReplyDeleteThanks Nate.
DeleteOne wouldn't think such a slight grip modification would make much of a difference, but it sure does for me. It seems to produce better bow arm alignment with the force exerted through the grip. Whatever the reason, it reduces tension throughout my entire bow arm, making for a more relaxing/comfortable hold. And the hold itself, brief as it is, seems to be more solid, steadier, in control. Guess I'd attribute that to less grip and bow arm tension as well. The greater the tension, the more likely to pull or push off target, and vice-versa. For me, it' a game changer.
ReplyDeleteNate: I posted my comment under the wrong thread. It was supposed to go under the "Important two fingers" thread. Hope you can fix it. Later. Jerry
ReplyDeleteThe links aren't working
ReplyDeletehighlight the link, copy and paste to your browser search bar and it will come up.
ReplyDeleteThank you Nate, this is very helpful. I've noticed that I can vary the speed of my draw and release somewhat as long as it is consistent throughout the shot. If the draw is fast then the loose must be immediate. If I draw slowly I can even hold for a bit, for example when waiting for a deer move into a shooting lane. The videos are very helpful as to form.
ReplyDeleteI also exhale when i draw and shoot, I learned this many years ago from the guy that taught me how to shoot and he also believed it helped with target panic. Although I never had target panic he believed that thinking too much also caused it and years later after talking to John Schultz he told me that he really believed that target panic came from thinking too much. John never told me anything that was not true.
ReplyDelete