Alignment question

[Tickbait]

Hit a slump with my shooting lately.  My shots seemed to be inconsistent to the left/right.  This has happened before and it usually comes down to shoulder alignment.  In order to fix it, I have to focus on my bow arm shoulder, moving it "in" if that makes sense.   My question is, does anyone else have to think about their bow arm shoulder or does it just happen naturally for most?  Thanks.

[McDave]

Alignment is one of the most important things (probably Terry would say THE most important thing) in shooting the bow.  When I attended Fred Asbell's class many years ago, he said the first thing he looked at when his shots began to spread out was whether he was pushing with his bow arm. I think when he says pushing with his bow arm, he probably means the same thing you mean when you say moving your bow arm shoulder in, because the objective in both cases is better upper body alignment.  Every error has a distinctive symptom, and the symptom for weakening of the bow arm or losing good bone on bone shoulder alignment is a general spreading out of the shots, as opposed to misses in one particular direction.  At least, that's what I look for first when it starts happening to me.

[mahantango]

I have to make a conscious effort to keep my shoulder down and in the socket and not let it ride up towards my jawbone like a well known shooting instructor who will remain nameless recommended years ago.

[Sirius Black]

When shooting my Hill bow, I need to focus on bow arm even more than I do with my recurve for some reason...

[Tickbait]

McDave, I never thought of it as "pushing" before but that makes sense.  I'll give that a try.  Thanks, Eric.

[Terry Green]

It you are properly aligned, you will eliminate MANY form issues.....bow arm is just one issues that will take care of itself once you get the 'Magic T' grooved in.

See the form clock thread featured near the top of this forum.

[Mike Faith]

x2 what Terry said, once I developed a solid, consistent 'T', almost all the other form gremlins
I was struggling with went away without almost no effort or thought...without that solid foundation I was becoming very frustrated and it eventually led to target panic...I am happy to say after watching how to develop the 'T' and having someone
honestly evaluate my shooting sequence even tp has gone by the wayside!
Thanks
Mike