What's the Archery equivalent of talking shit?

[u/No-Scarcity7312]

Hi,

As the title says.

Beginner archer here, I'm attending my first archery class in a month or so, and have been watching instructional videos, hunting videos, and regional competitions...to which I quickly devolved into rewatching katniss everdeen and princess Merida. Kicking my legs like the little girl I am. But that leads me to wonder... I've been thinking what an experienced or even inexperienced Archer could do -not even saying anything - that would be the equivalent of talking shit. Mad shit.Crazy shit. Shit you'd never say All I can think of that I can use as an example would be Deadshot in suicide squad hitting the same target no pause in movements. Or you know which scene katness is catching virtual bodies in the training room. Or princess Merida from brave shooting for her own hand. Only the assured confidence of a badass who's been doing this for years.

[u/NumpteeDumptee]

I'm going to offer you a slightly different perspective here. For me, and I believe many others, archery is almost the opposite of 'talking shit' - when I shoot, it is for the process itself and not much else. When the shots flow into each other and the arrows group themselves into tiny bundles; the scores, performance against peers, rankings, medals etc all of that noise evaporates; they're just a consequence of being able to achieve flow in a practiced skill. Sure we get tired - but when your body knows what to do and you can silence your mind and shoot for end after end in that state - even the physical exhaustion just feels great.

Now I'm no Zen monk and I still end up thinking about scores and wanting to shoot better .. and better than my peers ... but the truth is I shoot best (and most enjoyably) when I can quiet that inner voice. You can sometimes see others shooting in that state - and then I say (and do) very little because it's beautiful to be a part of it.

Don't talk shit - eliminate all of that and live in your shot.

[u/Knitnacks → u/NumpteeDumptee]

Agree. Proof is in what ends up on the target-face (and also not being shunned for bring an arse on the shooting line (bowtips not in my face nor limbs across me, please, quiet swearing perfectly reasonable, loud tantrums/cheers not. Beginners' course participants given a two-month pass)).

[u/WhopplerPlopper → u/NumpteeDumptee]

Or, you can not talk shit and those of us who enjoy it can do it.
We aren't bullying people, shit talking is something done amongst friends for laughs - many of us are club members specifically for the social side of the sport and that includes talking some shit with your peers.