Jean-Marie Coche... Good reading !
Taking a little diversion to introduce Jean-Marie Coche. John Schulz told me that Jean-Marie was his best
overall student. Pretty high praise for sure. J-M took Schulz's lessons back to France and instituted a certified program to teach the Hill style of shooting, recognized by French authorities as such.I'm thankful to one of my blog readers for interpreting one of J-M's books, I believe it was his first and helped introduce Europe to the Hill style of shooting. He teaches things that I've observed Schulz doing and things John told me personally, but more in-depth than Schulz did in some aspects.
I've watched some of the J-M students in Europe shoot their bows. Some are very fluid and some are more static in their efforts to follow the instructions. Just like over here, to John's chagrin, people got too static in trying to perform the Hill style form instead of letting it get more fluid with practice. Seems that might be human nature. Anyway, this book has great lessons and now that some hunting seasons are waning, time can be had to practice more earnestly the proper steps to the Hill style of shooting and J-M's writings can help.
Oh yeah... Rémy Raymond aka Wilderness 70 production as The Cougar on YouTube, was a close friend of Jean-Marie and shot often with him. Rémy is an acquaintance of mine and a great longbow shot. If you want to watch his YouTube videos search for John Schulz Howard Hill and Rémy will come up. He shoots in the more fluid style of Jean-Marie's teaching, and Rémy told me that he had no formal lesson from Jean-Marie. A lot to be said for emulation by close, careful study it would seem.
So enjoy the book, a long time in coming to North America and elsewhere. And remember to
Shoot Straight.
Click here and follow the directions:
interesting reading and thoughts - but I feel making too complicated -basic form of Hill/Schulz and him advising against over thinking after that ? sorta of the KISS rule
ReplyDeleteI had JM 's book for a long time.
ReplyDeleteIt is a very good book for the advices about push-pull draw and breathing. This method is soft for the body and can keep the spirit quiet during the shooting process.
I shot two times with Jean Marie , the first was in a fiel tournament in the same group of him.I was 16 years old but i remember a very fluid style and a quiet mon, like a master. In his hands, an Howard Hill semi longbow with White glass.
The second time was more than 20 years after for a course during an entire day.
I have all this day in memory, very good lesson.
Unfortunally, Jean Marie died six months later...
Jean Marie gave to french archers the swing draw of Howard sure.
But the most important that he put in ours spirits the dream of Howard Hill shooting style.
Thank you Maestro!
Well said, sir!
DeleteThank you for sharing this with us Nate! I'm sure I'm not alone,but my thirst for good reading material is never ending!
ReplyDeleteNate , do you have contact with Rémi Raymond ?
ReplyDeleteI believe he changed his Phone number, because i sent him messages and i didn t have any answer...
The last time , he said to me , he stopped temporaly bowshooting , because a shoulder problem.
I have his email, and we've been in touch earlier this year. He was in the process of moving to an area where he could shoot again, as his current residence wasn't good for shooting. He was going to contact me when settled in.
DeleteOk thank you Nate . I understand now why he doesn t shoot.
DeleteI don t have his mail , if you can , give him my mail. I hope you have it . Because i had a question for him.
Thank you
Thanks for sharing this with everyone Nate.
ReplyDeleteI've admired Réme's skill with the longbown on YouTube for a long time. I hope some day to be that good myself! I still have a lot of practice to go, but I'm very much enjoying the journey.
I agree a bit with Jean-Christophe above that JMs method is "soft" and can help produce a calming effect in the archer. The deep methodical breath that he teaches to take with each shot helps with that a lot in my opinion. I think people become static with it as they transition from finishing the draw to flexing their back. It's almost like he teaches it in two steps, but you have to remember to let them flow and not add a pause between them.
That is an incredible gift ! Thanks Nate, and Merry Christmas!
ReplyDelete