Back Tension Release

[dg]

This isn't real easy to explain, but practically any release can be used with back tension (caliper, thumb trigger, triggerless). It's not the mechanical release, but the act of squeezing your rhomboid muscles in the back to actuate the release. It may feel like you could hold an egg between your shoulder blades while aiming.

[Tony]

both guys are right to a degree...there are many ways to shoot BT...every release can be fired with Bt but its easier with a BT release... a caliper release is probably the hardest to learn to do..

what your looking for is a complete surprise release when the shot goes off..
there are a couple of ways to do this. these are the 2 most common ...

1 ...push / pull ....this is tough to learn to do because you must push and pull with the same amount of force...the back muscles only on the release side do the pulling . this is the way i shoot....when the sight is floating in the center i start to push with my bow hand and pull with my release side Back muscles .. i totaly concentrate on the spot i want to hit.. when the release fires the bow arm drives to the target and the release hand comes back ... this is the result of a surprise release...

2... puller.... this is the same thing as above but the person only pulls with the back muscles and does not push with the bow arm.. again the target is engaged the same way but the shooter when the shot looks good starts to pull with the release side back muscles only.. this causes the release to fire and causes a complete surprise release...

there are a few good videos out there that can show how to do this.. if your really interested let me know and i will let you know where to find them..

Bt is easy to learn if you have the proper instruction...however a proper draw length is also just as critical along with the rest of good shooting form.. without being able to hold steady the hopes of using BT is useless......

[dg]

Tony,

You are right to a degree also. But you don't have to hold steady to use BT. Telling that to someone may frustrate them if they can't hold still. Even with BT, you can learn when the release goes off. It does not guarantee a surprise release. You still have to think about only aiming.

[Tony]

true very true , but if you have a poor aim it wont help you even if you have BT ... lets face it if a guy cant hold his pin somewhere even close to the center then no amount of BT will help him hit the center...

shooting form is like the differant parts to a car witout certain ones it wont run.. but with the whole package in top shape it runs like a top... its the same with shooting...

i can assure you that when my release goes off it is total surprise .. just watch the end of a persons stabilizer when they shoot bt .. it should shoot straight forward.. this is the result of the bow arm being in the low lock position.. when its in this position and BT is used it has no choice but to shoot straight forward.. this is how to tell if a guy is shooting true Bt or not...its pretty easy to spot ...

we can go on discussing this a lot. there are many forms and ways to shoot.. but i think we both agree that total concentraion on the spot we want to hit , BT , mental game and then perfect shooting form is what it takes to be a good shooter at , spots , 3D or field archery...

[dg]

I agree on the concentration. With good concentration, any good smooth release action will work (BT or not). Aiming and holding still is an acquired trait that comes from CALM practice, not trying harder to hold still because someone said I have to. The more muscle involvement trying to hold still only defeats the purpose and ends up with more movement. The sub-conscience mind aims alot better than we think if we just let it happen when the pin is moving. And if you watch the tip of the stabilizer on good archers, you'll also see a small amount of movement. ....it's pretty easy to spot......

[dg]

SELF?

[dg]

No, usually when someone asks a question about a subject, they usually chime back with something!

[Tony]

Josh just become a student of the game... you will find out that indoor spots is a whole differant ballgame than 3D or even field archery...

take you time learn as much as you can and keep asking questions.. after a while you will be able to formulate you own opinions on what works for you and what doenst...