Instinctive Archery - More on the release in Traditional Archery

Here is a small exercise to practice to help in obtaining a proper release in traditional archery.

[@Diggs5012]

Jeff thank you for doing so many instructional videos on shooting. It is of great value to many people. I've learned good wisdom in instinctive shooting from you and truly appreciate you taking your valuable time to have this channel.

[@cameronroot6915]

After 25 years I am back to archery. Most of my compound bow skills have faded which makes this experience with a newly acquired bear kodiak magium a real treat. Your videos have started me off on the correct path. I am very great full and thank you. My wife is shaking her head lol. Cameron

[@justice62675]

Jeff: With all the archrey videos available you are the consumate insructor providing clear and consices and fundamental guidance. I watch all your videos over and over as I slowly improve my perfromance. This particular viceo is outstanding. Thanks, Ed

[@chrisdolan9515]

Best archery videos on the internet, period.

[@BekkiSayler]

Thank you so much! My husband has shared his love of archery with me and all 5 of our boys and we all have different degrees of release issues (like plucking). He has been sharing your videos with us to teach us form and to help me coach he kids during the day, since we homeschool. I did not quite understand the full mechanics of the relax and roll release until this video... Thank you so much for taking the time to share.This will make a huge difference for all of us.

[@budbrown8413]

Thanks for your videos. I have just started to shoot again after 35 years and your videos and comments have been an enormous help and encouragement. I'm 82 years young and have started with a 22 " bow to get form and strength. Keep the videos coming.Hope your feeling better.

[@MONKLJ]

Good stuff thanks for this 2nd video, I especially liked when you were showing imaginary draw, and release with string sliding off the fingers, with no air in between fingers and face, sliding off inline with the arrow to the 2nd anchor point to the ears, perfect. (Smooth & Relaxed)

[@FastFlyArrowhead]

Thanks a lot,Jeff-evrthing"makes sence",like you sad!Go ON with your shooting videos,I've started watch them and simply can't stop!Awesome shooting,thanks again & greetings from Portugal,Alex

[@jeramiedm1982]

This video makes me wish it wasn't 11pm; otherwise, I would be outside practicing that right now! Thanks again for another great video.

[@michaellacy8510]

I've been having trouble with the release. Your explanation and "no bow" release drill helped me. Thanks! And yes, my wife also already thinks I'm crazy.

[@SallyDinyaGRILL]

Jeff, your insight is invaluable. Bad habits are easily developed and harder to correct. I'm going to review your videos before shooting so that I can start working on correcting the flaws in my release asap!

[@rdcartoon1022]

Ha! Ha! My wife laughs at me every single day I go out to shoot, she must think I'm crazy especially when its snowing or raining. Great tip. I will try this tomorrow and work on it. I have been consistent and tight at 15+ yards but once I get to 20+ I start to go off. I shoot every day but I am starting to think I need contacts. Ha! Your videos are great!

[@robertpeters6923]

Spot on , my misses are left and I know it’s my release. You are correct and I will be practicing what you illustrated. Thanks enjoyed all your videos.

[@FredHWalker]

Loving it Jeff. Still great advice. When doing what you suggest the arrow behaves smooth, straight and the bow is silent. If repeated the next arrow is right beside it. You have done a lot for instinctive shooting growth and interest and this is 2021 now. AND IT IS GREAT THAT YOU ARE CANADIAN as am I. Kawartha Traditional Archery Center. close to Lindsay Ontario.

[@JeffKavanagh]

That just made me smile! Thank-you.

[@waynedollery9946]

Thanks Jeff, it's hard to get good detailed descriptions for traditional archers. I keep coming back here.

[@michaelstorm8578]

One of your best videos!

[@21whitman]

I keep going back to these basics videos so much, Thanks Jeff for making them. They are so incredibly valuable for those of us that wish to stick to recurve bows.

[@Swampman4570]

Another great video Jeff.

[@danield1938]

Thank you for this and all your videos Jeff!!!

[@FredHWalker]

Solid information Jeff. I do a little different but incorporating all the principles and limiting risks of inconsistency with negative habits.

[@lesterdumm6477]

Again, Thank you. Super good information. Makes perfect sense.

[@rickit2255]

What a wealth of knowledge on the Tube, thanks against for a great video!

[@joekilpatrick3437]

Love your videos Jeff, look forward to seeing more in the future..

[@ironpirate8]

Thanks Jeff, this makes a lot of sense.

[@jamesthomas1244]

Wow. I am a newbie to archery, and have been watching every video I can to help me learn instinctive. This, is the best instructive video on the release that I have ever seen. It just seems like such a smooth and natural way to allow the arrow to go where you want it to. Thank you so very much, Jeff. You are a kind and wonderful instructor.

[@Amanwithoutaface112]

really enjoying the video Jeff keep it up

[@classicjohnson1]

Thanks for the great video Jeff.

[@RotorMedic7]

Makes alot of sense! I am trying to show my daughter your techniques. Thank you.

[@anthonysanzone2311]

Great stuff Jeff, I can attest to the truth of everything you teach. I do a lot of this myself and have found that some of the mistakes I make have been corrected by your videos. Keep up the great work. I will tell everyone at my archery club about your great simplistic approach to archery. Remember most "GOOD" ideas are simple.

[@ny020]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I deeply appreciate it.

[@binaryvip]

Thank you Jeff .... Great Video ...

[@tiedemann8225]

Hi Jeff. I most say that, when I start to do as you explain here. And, a second anchor point, that helped me a lot. - I have got a much better release after listen, and training on your advise.

[@steuermann1217]

Thanks for your great videos. I am learning a lot. Greetings from Germany

[@Wolfiesairbrush]

Nice clear explanation. Totally right about habits being hard to break. Good Video

[@zalos]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge!

[@YusufNaqwii]

Excellent lesson, both this and the other video. Thank you for teaching in detail something most people ignore.

[@rockrush69]

helped me a ton !!! both with my primative selfbows and my new montana longbow ( my first store bought bow )

[@nextlevelarchery9903]

you are a great teacher,I admire you

[@LightSeeker41]

Thank you very much, I am learning archery by myself, and your videos and advice are such a huge help. Wish you all the best.

[@Lehmann108]

Thanks Jeff. Good stuff!

[@MsCE05]

First off let me say that you and your daughter are an inspiration and the reason I have gotten this far into archery, you guys are awesome! I was wondering if you could do a video on aiming? The classes that I have been to focus mainly on aiming with a compound bow and haven't really helped me with my recurve. I will be incredibly thankful for any tips you can give me. :) :) :)

[@tomsmithbowhunting]

Makes perfect sense jeff. Very good video. Thanks:)

[@3thedward]

Very interessting, will try to practise this , great videos, greetings from Germany Ed

[@dctat2]

Awesome tip. Helped me so much. Thank you x3

[@mandruch]

One word. Helpful!

[@jakemorris8463]

This really does make a huge difference. I've been using this technique since I got my English longbow in May and my grouping at 10m has got so tight that I'm shooting the nocks off my arrows!

[@NeffTattoo]

super helpful!!!! muscle memory is the key! I occasionally pluck the string and I end up with porpoising issues. Not all the time. It usually happens when I'm tired from shooting. Thanks!!!!

[@tomsmithbowhunting]

Hope you are feeling better and stronger!!! Hang in there jeff:)

[@tkserve]

Thank you so much.

[@tacoma1309]

Thanks Jeff for talking about the release in a slightly higher level than other videos i have been researching. I have been having problems w/arrow slap on my bear griz 40lb which has been driving me crazy and i thought is was the soft calf hair glove that had gotten worn into a groove and so i was plucking or something. Just started in Nov/dec but had been having silent releases until the past few weeks. Got a new leather finger glove which seems to help but still some shots get the slap. Without a camera set to watch form, it is tough to say what could be going wrong or to anaylize. Anyway, your insights and second release anchor and form practice w/out shooting are excellent tips---like kata in Kendo . Form is an ongoing challenge. Really appreciate your videos, randy

[@davidmoyers1921]

Thank you so much you have helped me ahowlot more than eny uther. i am a hunter.

[@Emanemoston]

Thanks Jeff.

[@Wh33ls]

Thanks Jeff. I didn't understand the "Continuing back pressure through the shot" Now I see.

[@mstruvmgc07]

Thanks very much for this

[@shbmw2]

Release my main problem! thanks! I think it will be good for me

[@paulapiper65]

Thanks heaps Jeff. You make this so clear and do-able. I've always tried a static release and puzzled when it doesn't feel good. Your explanation about collapsing the shot was just a fantastic revelation. Looking forward to developing a second anchor point. Do you have any videos on how you hook the string? I periodical get frustrated with the arrow pinching and I'd value any advice you have on this topic. Thanks again.

[@johnbottone4996]

I think a much easier way for people to accept the change in their habit is to get a blank bail shooter or practice on a blank Bell so they physically get with an arrow and the bow and shoot while they're concentrating on sliding their hand

[@johnbottone4996]

Great subject matters you picked to teach these people how to shoot

[@mniwichoni7324]

Something that has helped me immensely is, at full draw your shoulder blades should be together, when ready to release, relax your hand and don't think about it at all. Now, try and use your back muscles to squeeze your shoulder blades together a little more and watch what happens.

[@mniwichoni7324]

Comment not meant for Jeff, obviously :)

[@slingshotwarrrior8105]

Very similar to how I release a marble or led/steel ball from my handmade slingshot.

[@erickonigsdorfer544]

You are fantastic! Thank you for all your great videos!! I am new to archery, so sorry if this is dumb question; does this type of release roll the string at all?

[@briankent9868]

Hey Jeff, Awesome tutoring videos. After studying all your videos, I can't determine where your thumb rests when your drawing bow back? Thanks again for great videos, Brian

[@larryprimmerjr8099]

Hey Jeff, I am trying to get a good release. When I try to just relax my fingers I usually get thumped by my fingers on the side of my face. Essentially I am slapping myself, much to my wife's amusement! Any thoughts on what I am doing to cause this? I am shooting a 45 lbs Bear Ausable Longbow. I also have a 40 lbs Wasp Recurve. I do it with both bows. I have a 27 inch draw length so minus a couple pounds for that. All your videos have been great! They have been a big help as I try to get back into archery after 32 years or so.

[@ewoudalbach1503]

Yeff , again many thanks for your Video's, learning a lot tech. stuff in a short time. Yes my wife think I'm crazy, every time with my finger from my mouth to my ear :-).

[@ewoudalbach1503]

Jeff ;-( sorry

[@12ernie]

Great videos! When you are practicing, how long or how many shots do you think the average person takes? I know it's different for everyone, but when you start getting tired, is when bad habits start. What do you think is a reasonable time or shots for a good practice session? Thanks Ernie

[@chuckbert3117]

Great video. Is that a Bear Kodiak 59?

[@ripfletching]

We shoot a lot alike but I can't trick shoot like u lol God bless

[@TacticalClassroom]

Jeff, what make/model glove do you recommend/use?

[@boomerkai]

Practice draw and release with surgical tubing instead of drying firing or faking a bow with no resistance. Your tips are right on, added with the tubing. Your bucket technique is good too. But buy another bucket to actually show the process. Thanks.

[@sergetheriault8348]

Hi i'm a neewby int rad archery. i'm customed with compound bows and I'm starting trad. The release is more "relax" than compound, but for what I could get is that the draw arm or bow arm the elbow as to be bend (not lock). What about the stance (feet)? Thak you for the videos, nice job.

[@Gundolf300]

Hi! Been looking at some of your release-films and it got me a bit curious (note: this is NOT bashing in any kind!). It looks to me as you have a bit of target panic even if you have a great accuracy! It strikes me mainly because when you come up to your anchor, you don´t anchor for even a second and it allmost looks like you release the string forward and THEN move your hand back, very much like a form of unaware static release . This was not so distinctive in this film but very much so in one of your previous films.

[@JeffKavanagh]

Hi. You are absolutely right. I know I don't have perfect form that way. You will notice what I do when I draw my bow is I actually raise it above and then settle in which is not the greatest thing to do. I think this comes from when I started shooting 40 years ago as a kid being over bowed and not having anyone to teach me. I will be the first to admit I am not a target archer. I am a wing shooter and love moving targets. I talk about how I might even sometimes short draw on a very fast shot. I know Byron Ferguson does this too when he wing shoots. That is why it is so important to have a good follow through though along the same plane as the arrow. For me the shot has to remain fluid in order for me to shoot well. That is just the way I have developed over the years. It is not target panic but more of a way of focusing in on the target. I did another video on "the shot sequence" you might be interested in. In this case it becomes more of a "do as I say and not as I do. lol. Watch my daughter Lucy shoot in a video called, "Shoot like a girl." to see great form. Thanks for contributing. Jeff

[@RDH12775]

Hi Jeff, question? Is it common to feel numbness in your ring finger after shooting? Am I doing something wrong, or is this to be expected to some degree? Thanks

[@MrTarheel1999]

Jeff, I use a tab, but am going to swift h

[@humblebug452]

Hey jeff, You wear a suede leather glove correct? I'm listening about the soft release. Does the suede give you a softer release than the harder leather gloves? And also can you feel the string biting your fingers through the softer leather? Thanks.

[@JeffKavanagh]

Hi Aze. Yes I am not a fan of the hard leather gloves or of a tab. Funny because so many like that because they are insensitive. Thing is, I want to be able to get a good feel on the string when I shoot. I have never had a problem with the string biting on my fingers either. It a glove from Bear Paw

[@Eagles_Eye]

+Jeff Kavanagh .. the string keeps hitting the tip of my nose, dont ask me how i have no idea what i am doing wrong... * sigh *

[@tornoutlaw]

Observe how far you are turning your head. If your head isn't rotated far enough in relation to your line of shooting, your nose will be in the way of the string. Should be as simple as that!

[@Eagles_Eye]

tornoutlaw if you mean turning away your head from the target, i can't i got glasses which i have to look exactly trough the middle of the glass. otherwise they change dept perception and distort the rest of the image. i need these glasses for my normal sight ( i only see 10% with out glasses) and i need them to see dept, ( imagen watching 3d movies with out these glasses, i see only red and green lines even when using 3d glasses- or i see double depending on what kind of 3d, WITH these glasses i see 3d movies like a healthy person would) so for my instinctive archery i need to see dept, meaning i need the glasses, and the glasses distort if i dont look trough the middle of the glass.

[@tornoutlaw]

I see, but I actually thought you might not rotate your head far enough towards the target. I'm not an experienced shooter myself, I guess the best way to recieve helpful comments on your problem would be if you record a short video of yourself shooting. You could upload that and me and others could have a look.

[@alimehboob8908]

hi i have a problem where i put presure on my face during anchor and after release i hit my face, how to avoid that.

[@user-iz7zy7rx9t]

Hey jeff, im looking to get back into archery and am interested in the bear grizzly. im 6'2.5" would that bow have a long enough draw for me? Thank you

[@Fox8ball.]

Hello Jeff great informative video really helped me thanks. I have added you on fb maybe you could look at my form. I also wonder if you have any recomendations for shooting gloves i cannot seem to get one that suits ☺

[@trolltrumman]

"Simply" stare/focus at the point you want to hit and let your brain do the rest - release - and hit. Aim small, miss small! :D

[@sprk11]

just happened to watch this again and just wanted to say,,, my wife's out there with us looking just as silly,,,, hard to get her to do some of these visualization drills

[@emmanuelhallier4476]

Hello you don t do vidéo annonce more ?

[@MrTarheel1999]

Switch to a glove. Do you have one you like?

[@lesterdumm6477]

Just a horrible habit!!! That is a horrible habit that comes from anticipation. Kids are easy, it's us old farts that develop or have had bad habits forever. The brain is a tough customer to deal with. All it wants to do is get rid of the string. And, it gets worse the farther away you get. I don't mean 25+ yards either. It works great up close when the target isn't playing with you or if you are blind bale shooting, but move back one yard at a time and watch me deteriorate. The hand flies out and the string plucking the banjo begins. Of course I am talking about Target Panic. You explain how to release very well. It's my brain and the anticipation of release that gets me. I need an lobotomy I think. I have been working on this for years along with other fellows that I have been shooting with. I hear a good stiff drink helps.