While a large portion of my career has been centered on firearms, specifically holsters for handguns, I would not consider myself a firearms expert. To steal a namesake from author Paul Markel, I am more a student of the gun. Early involvement with firearms was mostly concerned with the mechanics of drawing from a holster, ergonomics, retention and carry comfort. In the pursuit of understanding user needs, I became a practitioner which eventually evolved into becoming an advocate for armed self-defense. This wasn’t the intended result but I believed to be a good product manager, you needed to have practical experience. I arrived at this point in the sort of back-ended way. I am honored to know professionals like Todd Jarrett and Tom Fuller, who compete at a level far above my own. As my career has changed, I admittedly don’t get on a firearm range near as much as I would like. While I am capable with a firearm, years of not wearing proper hearing protection have left me with tinnitus in both ears.
Since buying my first bow in 2005 from a friend, I have been hooked on bowhunting. What attracts and holds my attention can best be summed up by an article by Andrea Vasquez for World Archery posted in May of 2017. As Ms. Vasquez writes, “the sport of archery requires precision, control, focus, physical ability, and determination.” While you could apply that too many sports like gymnastics, there is something very unique about shooting sports in general.
Today, I focus on shooting a stick and string. Most everything I know about archery has been self- discovery or resources on the internet. I have never had a coach or even an archery shop walk me through the mechanics. Like most guys, I could have benefited from reading some instructions but jumped in feet first. Each year I try to improve my ability with a compound bow. While I am not looking to enter into competitions, I want to step out into the woods knowing I can make a good clean ethical shot. In that pursuit, I have bought several types of trainers to keep my bow arm in shape, get me threw a shoulder injury and hopefully be able to improve my technique.
One of the first products I bought was the BowFit. It was recommended to me by Keith Beam after I injured my rotator cuff. The BowFit helped me with recovery and I found it useful during the winter months to keep my bow arm strong. For the most part, it did a great job with strength training but it didn’t help make me a better archer. (A quick plug here for my buddy Beamer. Keith is trying to raise money to get his book series out to a wider audience. If you don’t mind, please click on the link and go to his GoFundMe page and learn more about Drake’s Adventures Youth Project.)
A few years ago, the AccuBow was released and I wanted to give it a try. What first attracted me to the system was how it could help with both technique and physical training all in one. When it arrived, my initial impression was it felt flimsy in my hands having spent considerable time with injection-molded product design and development in holsters. Being an early adopter, I used the system as much as I could at home but it was too big to take with me traveling. The handle of the AccuBow never quite fit my hand very well. Often, the top of the product would cant back toward my head either due to misalignment of the release catch or from the band being stretched from one direction causing the tension to not be uniformly dispersed. I was never quite sure which it was exactly or if a combination. This forced me to overcompensate the wrist of my bow hand. Maybe that was the intent but it felt odd. Eventually, the AccuBow spent more and more time in the corner of our guest bedroom under where we hang our compound bows.
Earlier this year, I was connected with Mr. Dale Heavner. The first thing that struck me about Dale was his passion. Dale has been coaching youth archery for years. He currently lives in Kentucky where the state’s Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources partnered with the Department of Education and Mathews Archery to create what eventually would become the National Archery in the Schools Program or NASP.
Dale is a Christian, husband, father and experienced archery coach. He has an unassuming, humble nature. He talks not of himself, but of the accomplishments of the archers he has come to know. He has spent years teaching young archers about the sport and promoting it. His daughters compete at a high level and enjoy the sport.
Photo Courtesy of Dale Heavner
They say that necessity is the mother of invention. Dale wanted to create a tool that was highly effective in teaching proper techniques with real-time visual ques. He set out in his shop with an idea and some wood. He worked tirelessly until he finally had something he believed would work, the big question before him being whether it would or not. Through his work as a coach, he had the perfect platform to put his invention to the test the results of which are posted in national standings. You can learn more about the Trainer-X here.
There are several things I like about Trainer-X. Here are some of the minor reasons I like it. First and foremost is its portability. In combination with my BowFit, I can easily travel with those in my carry-on bags and avoid baggage fees. I can’t do that with the AccuBow. Second, at the retail price of $39.95 for the original and up to $59.95 for the newest version, it is very economical to own compared to other devices on the market.
Now for the meat and potatoes, sometimes simplicity is best. At first glance, it looks like something I might have been able to do myself in my own shop. However, picking it up and examining it further I saw the work of a fiendish craftsman dedicated to making a serious training tool. Dale spent countless hours on the ergonomics of the grip alone. As he and I talked more and more about his design process, I found that he tested different types of materials before arriving on what he uses today. One of his underlying concerns was making sure it felt right in your hand, like a real bow. The shape fits very similar to my bows and right off the bat, the Trainer-X felt right at home in the bow hand. It is a job well done and worth paying the money for instead of trying to replicate it yourself.
Once he arrived at the right feel, he figured out how to create a system that allowed for adjustment to individual draw lengths using two types of cord. Without much instruction, I was able to quickly adjust the system to my draw length. For those of you that already were taught it, the Trainer-X is built on the N.T.S. which is the official method coaches are required to learn for certification by USA Archery. Since I was mostly self-taught, I had to spend some time to learn more about this system to more effectively use the Trainer-X.
Within a few minutes of using the Trainer-X, I found that I had some bad habits that needed to be addressed. One was how I used my release. I often would float over my target and then pop my release quickly to let the arrow fly. This resulted in a close but not exact shot on target. For hunting at short distances, it is fine. For longer shots or winning a competition, it is not. The Trainer-X let me see this problem instantly due to the laser. It also helped me identify a problem still with my left shoulder’s rotator cuff and I was able to add some additional exercises to strengthen the arm and muscle group.
I worked with the Trainer-X for a few months and the results showed. Prior to opening Archery Elk season, I was invited over to a friend’s house to shoot a few rounds. On one of the targets, we placed a roll of tape which was held up by a ½” wide strip of tape. Each of us was told to shoot three arrows and hit in the tape. I misunderstood the meaning. What I was supposed to do was shoot inside the roll but what I ended up doing was shooting the stripe of tape with all three arrows at 30 yards. This wasn’t an accident; I had been purposely aiming at the tape strip. Once the Elk season opened, I took a cow elk opening day almost on autopilot from a sitting position. Because of the Trainer-X, I had the confidence to make that shot.
If you are looking for an effective tool to increase your accuracy, form and shot cycle the Trainer-X just might be right for you. Since meeting Dale, he has posted a video on YouTube and updated his website with some new products including a finger hold version for those who don’t use a release.
- L. Yarbrough, Bucks & Beers
