Surprise Release
Expansion is utilised to activate the release aid, whether through “back tension” or “pulling through the shot”. The release aid needs to be optimally set up to be triggered in this process.
While engaging the target, keep building the pressure between your bow and release hands using rotation around the body. This gradual buildup is achieved by reaching for the target while pulling back with the release aid to maintain balance around the anchor point. This will be a tiny movement, imperceptible to an onlooker.
With a hinge release, the building pressure will cause enough rotation, through the deformation of the hand, for the release to fire, if set up correctly.
In the case of a thumb trigger, the increased pressure will provide enough expansion of the fingers to cause the release to fire, provided the release aid is held correctly and set correctly.
Regardless of the type of release, the build-up of pressure can be described as follows:
- Front Arm: Reach for the target
- Back Arm: Neutralise the effect of the front arm to maintain a perfect anchor point
This results in equal pushing and pulling pressure, resulting in the most satisfying follow-through when the shot breaks naturally.
Command Shooting
The alternative is to “punch it” or shoot on command. Archers who shoot this way often prefer a thumb trigger release with the sensitivity set as light as possible, like a hair trigger on a firearm.
When using this technique, it is paramount to build and maintain pressure in the shot. Any collapse or relaxation will result in a dip, where the pin falls out the middle of the target. It’s the infamous “dip bang”.
There’s a multitude of excellent archers who shoot on command, but it’s not generally the preferred technique for target archery. It’s very common to see a buildup of anxiety, which leads to symptoms like “freezing” in the shot.
It is possible to knowingly rotate a hinge release, thus effectively punching it, or “command shooting” it. This is frequently seen in youngsters with incorrectly set up equipment or a coach who is struggling, and it’s definitely not a suggested technique.
This “flicking” of the hinge release can have some of the same properties of punching a trigger release, including the eventual tendency to hold low on target, or react to entering the gold by triggering the release impulsively. This normally happens when there’s a history of anxiety in the shot process, and this can lead to full-blown target panic.
Command shooting, despite being popular with professionals, is not recommended as a starting point in archery.
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