Critical Hit Archery

What a whirlwind of a weekend! In addition to moving out of my boyfriend’s and mine’s apartment into a house; I also shot TFAA State Championship!
This indoor season has been pretty abbreviated for me with life being insanely busy with work. I only competed three times and my training was severely limited due to my schedule.
Yet somehow I managed to outshoot myself each competition, ending with a 270/300 on my last round of state championships!
I surprised myself, thinking I’d score pretty middle of the road with my training schedule, but I ended up shooting my best ever!
Super huge thank you to my coaches and , as well as my sweet boyfriend Josh. Onwards to outdoor season and TOTS!

Shot the All Star SYWAT today and bested my best from Southern Sectionals! Granted, it was only by a point, but I’ll take it! Now to buckle down and get our apartment packed up because I’m going to be shooting State Championships while we move next weekend 😅

Kelsie killed it in her first lesson this morning on Miss Daisy! She picked up on thumb draw lightning quick and was drilling bullseyes in no time. I can’t wait to see how she progresses!
I’m still accepting students for Saturday and Sunday slots at UnBridled Barn in Burleson, TX. Message me for more information!

The mounted archery program at UnBridled Barn is up and running! Had the pleasure of teaching Katie and Jenn this evening. Spent the first half learning the thumbdraw shooting technique, then spent the second half getting a feel for shooting off horseback with exercise bands before letting a few rubber blunted flu-flu arrows fly on Miss Daisy.
Contact UnBridled Barn to schedule a lesson today!

Horseback archery lessons now available in Burleson, TX at UnBridled Barn!

I’m in disbelief that I made the national team my first year shooting USATs! I am so grateful for my coaches and for their guidance, and my friends and family for their support and belief in me!

A soft debut of my and Daisy’s Golden Valkyrie mounted archery performance. We definitely have some improvements to make, but had a lot of encouraging feedback from the crowd at Parkerfest. A huge thanks to Maggie Kitts and the Black Wolf Vikings for their help and support. Daisy made enough in tips to buy treats for the whole Barn!

Join Critical Hit Archery for a mounted archery demonstration at this year’s Parkerfest on Sunday October 20 from 3-6pm. There will be plenty of action and pretty ponies to pet. We may even have a special visit from some local Vikings! Performances will be held at 3:30, 4:30, and 5:30 with time to meet and greet Daisy and Mead and inquire about the mounted archery program through ISE Equine Endeavors.

One of the many things I love about mounted archery; no time to overthink! The feeling of getting into the flow with your horse and the arrows coming smoothly and quickly is incomparable.

Overthinking in archery can be described as an excessive preoccupation with the mechanics and outcome of each shot. Archers may dwell on their stance, draw, aim, and release, scrutinizing each component to the point of distraction. This hyper-focus on mechanics can lead to a breakdown in performance.

A critical aspect of successful archery is achieving a flow state, where the archer is fully immersed and performing optimally without conscious thought. Overthinking disrupts this flow state by introducing intrusive thoughts and self-doubt. Instead of shooting intuitively, the archer becomes bogged down by overanalyzing each action, breaking the seamless ex*****on necessary for accuracy.

Confidence plays a significant role in archery performance. Overthinking erodes confidence by causing archers to question their abilities and decisions. This lack of confidence can manifest as hesitation and inconsistency, both of which are detrimental to achieving high scores and maintaining performance under pressure.

The mental strain of overthinking can have physical repercussions. Archers may experience increased muscle tension, shaky hands, and altered breathing patterns, all of which negatively impact shooting form and stability. The physical symptoms of overthinking further compound the difficulty of executing precise and consistent shots.

Archery requires a balance between conscious control and subconscious ex*****on. Overthinking shifts too much cognitive load onto the conscious mind, leading to cognitive overload. When the brain is overloaded with too much information, it becomes challenging to process and execute shots efficiently. This cognitive overload can result in mental fatigue, reduced focus, and poor performance.

Overthinking in archery disrupts the flow state, undermines confidence, causes physical symptoms, and leads to cognitive overload, all of which contribute to poor performance. By simplifying techniques, trusting practice, using positive self-talk, and setting clear goals, archers can overcome the pitfalls of overthinking and improve their overall performance.