Jaysouth

Vikingo, realised I answered thinking it was the OP. Drawlength and now length questions are still important though. I would say what's letting you down is the arrow speed.

What poundage are they? Your drawlength and bow length? What distances are you wanting to shoot? I managed 70m with SF premiums (28lb on finger) and did better with SF elites at 32lb otf. Carbon arrows will also help over ali's if you are using them. Shooting more will also help you shoot distance, your release and everything needs to be pretty clean to not disrupt the arrow. A degree of deviation at the bow is something like 4 inches at 70m. I might not be remembering that factoid accurately but it makes a big difference

Vikingo, I haven't come across a away of improving poundage with exercise. I'll ask around, but maybe wide rows (inverted would work) of some kind and cable face pulls if you are going to a gym. That being said, what limbs are you using? I would advocate arrow speed over poundage if you were struggling to get any higher, also some limbs are just hard to pull regardless of weight, smoother limbs certainly feel lighter. I shoot 38lb otf and over the weekend drew someone's 46lb limbs from border no trouble. They were crazy smooth!

Oh and the suggestion of a resistance band is excellent! If you want you could attach it to something to act as your grip and you can release it. If you can get your hands on surgical latex tuning it's awesome. If you shoot compound you can tie a d loop on it. On Alternative Spoting Supplies there is also a specific training book with exercises in that could help as well. I think that Archery USA has some in their book too.

I would suggest looking into the purchase of a form master or similar. If you are shooting target recurve or compound then I feel that just pulling your bow back, while helpful isn't really mimicking back tension, which is important to complete the shot. Pressups are great, though in moderation. I've been suggested away from too many of these. Anything that works the lats and delts. LYTW exercises are excellent for supporting your rotator cuff. You don't have to shoot distance either, I shoot in my garage at about 5m when I can't make it to the range. Shooting is honestly the best thing to do to improve, your form is actually more important than your strength at lower bow weights. You need strength to support you higher bow weights but still, it's form that gets you points. Good luck! Archery is pretty awesome!

The Neilarey work outs rock! You'll know you aren't eating enough of you want to faint during your work outs or if you are always always tired. Listen to your body, weight loss is not worth ill health or over training.

Hey! How's your week been so far? Have you looked into affirmations? You could try them. In the beginning when you are saying something to yourself, especially aloud, a voice in your head will say something like "I feel silly/like an idiot" IGNORE IT. This is your ego, a voice in your head that days negative stuff like that. Become comfortable with saying these awesome things about yourself and it will become easier and easier. Find something to smile at and smile big. I like doing this when I go for walks and see beautiful things. Your goals are worthy and you are worthy of achieving them.

Glad to see you're so pumped! I will have to try getting some rhythm for meditation, my coach has spoken to me before about monkey mind while shooting so for a long time I've been working an a shooting mantra to help my concentration ("bow arm,aim, follow through) which has been outrageously helpful. I guess that's my meditation lol. Hope your first couple of days have been great!

Hey! Looks like you are doing pretty great! I eat low carb, the truck is that you have to eat a bit more healthy fat. So get into those avocados, eat some nuts and enjoy bacon. You can also add coconut oil to your smoothies and see if you can make your own egg based mayonnaise. Fat will also help you feel full. Sounds like you are making progress! Oh and you'll feel like crap for just a couple of days as your body gets over not having sugar, make it through and you'll feel awesome a couple of days after that.

Phwoar! So I can tell I haven't been shooting much lately! I've only managed 30 arrows so far this week. My bow is 38lb and I guess that shoulder workout yesterday morning didn't help much either... In light of not wanting to injure myself a month before indoor nationals I think I'll take this week to build up my arrow numbers and then go for 500 next week. I think I think I'll comfortably make 400 this week though. I'll post some pictures of my target butt so you can see. Running is going well, trying out some different pacing techniques for my 10k next weekend and I thunk I prefer a negative split, so I'll be starting off slow and hopefully speeding up as the run goes on. Pretty excited because I've not run 10k before! No fizz so far! Turned down a drink offered yesterday.

Omg my autocorrect has a mind of it's own!

Hi Mediaguy99! Yeah it sounds like heaps to me too lol! I have a target butt set up in my garage so pretty close to me I guess! I'm also a member of a club that is about 10min from my house, I can shoot my competition distances there any time I like which is really lucky too. @TheCupcakeQueen canting is cool out it's your longbow, another reason your site might come off your rest is if you pinch the nock between your fingers. Sorry the coach in me is coming out! Wish I could come shoot with you guys!

You want to be close enough that you are pretty much hitting it the whole time, no point being demoralized. And nothing wrong with a card board box if it is safe and stopping your arrows. Stuff it with extra plastic bags if you have them, or if you have a feed sack start stuffing it with scrap cloth and bags that works too when it's tight. Something that will probably help you to improve the quickest would be your anchor point on your face for traditional style or under your chin for Mediterranean or Olympic target style. When that starts getting consistant you'll know! Balance between your hands (pull for the string hand and "push" or resistance to the weight of the bow in the bow hand) wants to be equal, don't cheat by pushing with your bow hand, it's all the back muscles of your string arm. And you know how you set your shoulders when doing weights? That helps for your bow shoulder. If you haven't done weights then imagine that you are standing up straight and tall with your shoulders relaxed and back instead of rolled. It's hard to say when I'm not there able to see you! But work on your anchor first, that'll probably help heaps. It's so much fun though isn't it! I get a bit excitable sometimes.... Keep practising and you'll get into a rhythm that suits you

Hi Laura! Dance sounds like an awesome goal! I used to be the same as you, didn't know what to eat so couldn't be bothered but then ate all of the things later on. I found that I really had to make sure I was organised with food, like a meal plan, and that eating a really good breakfast set me up for the day. I now try to eat low carb high fat, such keeps me full so I don't want lollies! Trying to avoid foods that comes in packets might help you to avoid gluten? You'll do great!

Goals look awesome! Especially breakfast! And meditation is something I haven't gained the art of. Mental really has a lot to be said for it though, so meditation is an awesome place to start for any goal!