Its a work in progress...

So... it seems as though my posts haven't been posting for the past few days... which is really really annoying. Such is life right?? So instead of trying to recreate everything Ive been writing ill just give you all a quick recap.
Everyone had a good fourth I'm assuming? The family and I headed up to a small town north of Phoenix called Prescott. It was raining most of the time...but it was still a lot of fun! What did everyone else do?? Anything interesting??
As for shooting Ive transitioned from shooting in the backyard back to the range. I'm spending four hours or more downtown at the indoor shooting range. Its a bit tough to get out there because of the gas prices but you do what you gotta do right??
Ive been working on mapping out my tournament for the upcoming indoor and outdoor seasons. Im trying to arrange my practice so that I peak right during the peak of competitons . Ill share it when I finish.
So I was wondering... is there anything specific youd like to know more about??

Day Seven: Once...

Alot of people wonder why the USA isnt more competitive when it comes to international recurve competitons. Why the country with such a rich and storied tradition in the sport fails so miserably when matched against almost all others. It certainly has not always been this way. In the seventies and eighties, shooters like Darrell Pace and Richard Mckinney set a standard of dominance befitting a nation that had contributed so heavily to the development of modern archery. However, as with so many American sports of late, our arrogance and contentment eventually led to our being over taken by more progressive minded teams. American kids are not brought up in a culture that values the sacrifices needed to win. Rather, we teach our children that " its not about winning, its about how you play the game." That sounds great but it doesn't work if you want to compete with nations where winning is mandatory.
I worked through my daily routine yesterday morning, once again increasing my arrow count by six shots. I loved the way everything felt. Finally it seems as if Im really roundin back into proper form.
My fitness is also improving as well. Between the horible work outs with my sister and the shooting itself Im really developing my stamina once again.
My back shoulder was kinda riding up on me a tad... and for most of the workout I concentrated on drawing with it more down in the socket.
Keep watching the swimming trials btw!
-Michal

Day Six: Never Ending

It constantly amazes me how little respect this sport gets. Archery is, in my opinion, one of the most overlooked and least understood sports in the Olympics today. Sure, ask anyone on the street what they think of it and you ll get plenty of positive responses, but most of that is still out of pure ignorance. Archery is, to most people, a quaint throwback to the medieval period. You know...Robinhood stuff. Nobody except its shooters can fully grasp its complexity, its beauty and its elusiveness. That's probably why Archery is usually seen at around three AM during the games... its just not a spectator sport... its a participators one. There is honestly nothing like the feeling of your body sliding into perfect place as you draw and release the perfect shot...and then watch as your arrow streams 90m through the air arrow to land dead center in the target. You cant film stuff like that...you have to feel it.
I had a bunch I needed to do today... so much so that I was forced to take today as my one day for the week. I hate taking days off because of necessity, it doesn't feel quite as good. I could use the break though... these heavy practice sessions are starting to really wear on me since I'm still not use to them. haha I know I know... that sounds really wimpy but who cares, its true. So instead of shooting Ill use today to finish some much needed work and try to get a bunch of crap taken care of. I still need to take care of some financial aid paperwork for the upcoming semester as well as shop for my grandmothers birthday... and alot more I don't feel like thinking bout. haha
Anyways, have a great day everyone and Ill talk to you all tomorrow!
Btw...anybody catch Michael Phelps amazing race yesterday? Perfection!

Day Five: Setup and Sighted In.

The first time I draw your my during a practice I'm always struck by how out of control it feels. Almost as if the bow is shooting you instead of you shooting the bow. This, from my experience, is almost always true for the first few shots. It seems that it takes awhile for your brain to readjust and finally take control. It can still be daunting, however, to know that even after thousands and thousands of hours of practice you still are no where close to mastering even a part of this sport. Its complexities and beauty will never cease to surprise you.
This particular morning I was having a lot of trouble with my release and follow through... for some reason it felt really rough and forced, def not the fluid and smooth action it should be. I have a feeling that I wasn't setting up my shots right, not allowing my back to move as it should, and that this was throwing a wrench into my release. The rest of my body felt pretty good, both front shoulders stayed down and in place, while my draw was a tad shaky.
I really need to get some new arrows though, the ones I have right now are getting a tad banged up from so much use. A new batch is def going to have to be a top priority.
I would write to more tonight but I'm really exhausted and I think sleep would better serve me right now.
As an afterthought, I'm really really excited to watch the Olympic swimming trials tomorrow. This is probably the best team we have ever fielded and I can guarantee that quite a few records are going to fall. Night everyone!

Day Four: Kickin it into Gear

As a general rule I don't do anything I don't want to do. Well... I may do it but usually not all that well. As a friend once described it, I'm "ambitiously lazy." Everything I do must have some ultimate greater end, otherwise whats the point? I wont be trapped into a life of expectations and pre-determination. Therefore one of the most important questions I had to ask myself when I began this process was "Am I doing this because I want to, or because it is expected of me?" Ever since I started shooting people have placed expectations on my shooting and the path it was supposed to take. I had to make sure that I wasn't trying to make the Olympics simply to avoid disappointing everyone around me. I had to want it more than anything. It had to consume me. As soon as I decided that I was all in... it was time to kick it into gear.
This morning I felt a ton better than the two days prior. I didn't get as much sleep as I should have but felt oddly refreshed and energized. haha I wont argue with it. I was able to get a decent number of shots... my arrow count is steadily increasing. I hope to get it back up to my old level of 144 arrows per day within a few weeks. I do have to admit that my muscles are still really sore from the workout last night. lol
As for my form itself, I have not lost all that much of it. It's just rusty. It is surprising though how much month or so off can really screw with your "feel" though. Its like a baseball player who takes a while off from batting. His swing will most likely still be rather technically sound, but for the first few practices it just wont feel quite right. Its just being mentally comfortable... and it returns quickly with consistent practice.
Another thing Ive noticed so far is that my fingers are really staring to hurt after the 50th or so arrow. This always happens after a long layoff and stays until callouses redevelop. Still it is really freakin irritating.
Have a wonderful day everyone!
Btw... thank you to the person who left me my first comment yesterday. :) It made my night!

Day Three: Training and Tradition

The last few days have really illustrated to me just how completely out of shape Ive become. Its not that Ive gained alot of weight or even become flabby, its that I have only a sliver of the strength and endurance I use to have. I'm getting about half way through my shooting when my shoulders and arms start to kill me. I really blame this on my not taking the physicality of my sport seriously enough. Ive concentrated so heavily on the technique that I forgot that I need strength to preform them properly. Sooo... to that effect I had my sister Alex, a very talented dancer, arrange a rigorous stretching and workout routine. Everyday from now on, I'm her exercise slave for two hours. haha We've had two sessions so far and its brutal!
So as I was describing yesterday, during my first year or so of shooting I was doing a wonderful job of making zero progress. I had no coach and so had no clue what I was supposed to be doing. Id nock an arrow, pull the string back and let go... hoping to hit the target. That's a great way not to get any better.
About two months later I went to my first tournament, The Arizona State Archery Championships. The atmosphere was nearly overwhelming, dozens of shooters cramming into a relatively small space. I was one of the younger shooters there so I was a bit short on competition in my age division. I think I had five or so others to shoot against. To make a long story short I was able to place a distant second. At the time I was pleased that I was able to place but still really upset I hadn't won. haha Yeah, I am really competitive. I should have been able to build on that success but it didn't happen.
Goodnight everyone! Have a great day tomorrow!

Day Two: Recollections and Respite

So I woke up this morning feeling pretty sick... not sure quite why because I got plenty of sleep and everything last night. I managed some stretching and a little band work before i decided that further work would only make things worse. So I thanked my lucky stars and went back to bed.
Like most people I stumbled upon my talents quite by accident. I didn't wake up one day and decide to shoot archery. You dont pick your passions, your passions pick you. I was in Boy Scouts back in 2000 and the troop went to a local range in Phoenix to qualify for our archery merit badges. I wasn't particularly good or anything, just as bad as everyone else actually. And there certainly wasn't that "flash of destiny" or whatever it is that you always here about. I kinda thought it was fun... like everyone thinks the first time they try it. You pull the string back... let it go... and watch as your arrow bounces off the ceiling... whats not fun about that? haha So when Mom asked me a few weeks later if I'd like to try it again I jumped at the chance.
That was pretty much the beginning of the phase of my Archery that I like to call the "Treading Water" period. I would shoot league on Friday nights at a local indoor range called Fiesta Archery and pretend I was improving. In fact, if I had only known the depths of the bad habits I was cementing wouldn't have shot at all. It was during this time, that I picked up things like "Target Panic," "Form Collapse," and the wonderful art of "choking." I was a young archer with alot of natural talent and zero guidance or direction. This is why America pretty much sucks in Olympic Archery when compared to the rest of the world. While in Korea your not even allowed to touch a bow until you have months of band work under your belt, here we throw our kids out there and expect the proper form will come in time. Its considered "too boring" in America to train our young athletes with any sort of discipline. We are so caught up in instant gratification, its killing any chance we have to compete.
Ill continue this tomorrow... bedtime. Night everyone! :)

Day One- Fatigue and Frustration

I hate getting up early. You know how in all those Olympic sports movies like Cutting Edge and Miracle it always seems like they enjoy getting early to train? Complete Bull! Unless your a morning person it really sucks. I rolled out of bed at about five thirty and would have given just about anything for more sleep. A shower and some breakfast did nothing to improve things. Contrary to popular belief athletes DONT love to practice ...its boring, its long, and its pain in the butt. I had to literally drag myself upstairs to set up bow and then out to the backyard to my target stand. I start this early because out here in the desert it becomes hell after about ten AM. And by noon the temp will top out at 115. In that heat the bow becomes almost too hot to touch.
Usually ill start out with some light stretching and light cardio. Once the blood is moving I start working through my form and routine with a large elastic band. I work through my shot as if I have a bow in my hands. Mostly this is to cement muscle memory and improve mental focus but it really can help to build up strength.
The actually shooting is a repetition of the form that is perfected in the band work. Every practice has a goal and purpose... I decide what im going to work on ahead of time and build the session around that area. On this particular day I decided to work on keeping my back shoulder down in socket. Sometimes it starts rising up on me which really prevents a good clean shot. Its a work in progress... It was a little better by the end.
As for my fitness... summer has kinda done a real number on me so far. I kinda took the first month of summer to rest and recuperate... yeah, not a good idea. haha I feel amazingly weak. Its pathetic. Well time to shoot myself back into shape. Ill talk to you all tomorrow! Have a great day!

It Begins...

Hello Everyone.
This is my first time ever posting to a blog so its def taken me a while to learn the ins and outs of blogging. I'm not the most computer literate in the world so I did some reading up on blogging techniques and all that before registering this. I'm quite excited to finally be starting this and I truly hope you ll enjoy reading it.
The purpose of this blog is to document my journey from now to the 2012 Olympics in London. I wish to take all of you on this journey with me, through all the up and downs, successes and failures. Even though Ive been competing for eight years I feel that the next four years will define my career and therefore Ive decided to create this living chronicle.
Since I was little I have always been addicted to the Olympics. I loved the purity of amature sports and the passion of the athletes. My hero's were not professional football or Baseball stars but rather men and women like Gary Hall Jr, Kerri Strug, and Michael Johnson. While watching the 2000 Olympics in Sydney I decided that, whatever the cost, I would one day walk in the Parade of Nations.
Since that day eight years ago I have been competing in the sport of Archery. I currently attend The University of Arizona in Tucson Arizona as a Near Eastern Studies major and serve as the President of the archery team there. During the summer I live and train at my parents place up in Phoenix.
Ill get into more about me and my athletic history later...for now I think its time to hit the sack so Im not dead during practice tomorrow. SEE YA ALL THEN