Curriculum Module
A 5-stage progression from accepting natural movement to competition-level hold and release. Teaches archers to trust their float rather than fight it.
Hold Lab addresses the most common problem in archery: archers who panic when their sight pin moves. Instead of chasing stillness, Hold Lab teaches archers to accept movement, build repeatable patterns, and release confidently inside their natural float.
5
Stages
14
Drills
12
Diagnostics
15
Mental Scenarios
Each stage builds on the last. Archers advance when they demonstrate specific observable criteria, not when the coach decides they're "ready."
Remove panic, normalize float
The archer learns that movement is natural and inevitable. The goal is psychological: stop fighting the float.
Success looks like:
Failure looks like:
Advance when: Archer can hold 8+ seconds without panic shooting, and can verbally describe their float pattern
Consistency before precision
Full stage details, success criteria, and advancement rules available with Archer Pro.
Reduce jitter, not size
Full stage details, success criteria, and advancement rules available with Archer Pro.
Control without tension
Full stage details, success criteria, and advancement rules available with Archer Pro.
Competitive execution
Full stage details, success criteria, and advancement rules available with Archer Pro.
Each drill targets a specific hold skill. They're sequenced within the 5-stage progression so coaches know exactly when to deploy each one.
Accept natural movement without correction
Time: 10-15 minutes
Stage: 1
Equipment:
Laser arrow, Target face
Use when:
What good looks like:
Build awareness and reduce emotional reaction
Time: 10 minutes
Stage: 1
Equipment:
Laser arrow
Use when:
What good looks like:
Create repeatable float patterns
Remove stance variability
Slow high-frequency movement
Sync breathing with hold calmness
Shift holding responsibility to the back
Gradually reduce float area
Train directional control without chasing
Prevent perfection paralysis
Remove fear of extended holds
Reduce panic shooting
Maintain process under noise
Pressure simulation
Coach observation tools for identifying hold problems. Each diagnostic describes what you see, what it usually means, and how to fix it.
High-Frequency Jitter
Archer ProSudden Spikes
Archer ProGood But Early
Archer ProOver-Correcting
Archer ProFatigue Pattern
Archer ProBow Shoulder Instability
Archer ProGrip Torque
Archer ProFreeze → Collapse
Archer ProRushed Execution
Archer ProPerfectionist Pattern
Archer ProEscape Release
Archer ProCommitment Trap
Archer ProScenario-based mental training with progressive difficulty. Each scenario presents a real situation an archer faces, a common mistake, and the coaching response.
Feet shifting / body swaying
Archer ProBow twists / inconsistent left-right
Archer ProString picture/anchor inconsistent
Archer ProBusy aim / steering & micro-corrections
Archer ProPeeking / collapse at release
Archer ProRushing to anchor / 'snap' into anchor
Archer ProOver-holding / waiting for perfect
Archer ProEarly dump / 'get it over with'
Archer ProRumination between arrows
Archer ProFatigue slump late
Archer ProFear freeze / hesitation
Archer ProNegative self-talk
Archer ProLooking sideways / scoreboard fixation
Archer ProShoulder creeps up / tension face-neck
Archer ProTeam stress / isolation
Archer ProHold Lab is a 5-stage archery hold and aim training progression built by Bat City Archery. It teaches archers to accept their natural float pattern and build consistent, confident holds through 14 drills, 12 diagnostics, and 15 mental scenarios.
Hold Lab includes free content (Stage 1: Accept Movement, plus the Float Safari and Name the Float drills) that any archer can access after creating a free account. The full drill library, all diagnostics, and all mental scenarios require Archer Pro ($6.99/month).
Most Hold Lab drills require a laser arrow and a target face. Some drills use standard archery equipment only. The laser arrow is the primary observation tool: it shows the archer their actual hold pattern in real time.
Hold Lab is designed for youth archers in NASP programs (typically ages 8-18) but the progression applies to archers of any age. The coaching language and scenarios are written for a youth audience but the underlying methodology is universal.
Most archery instruction tells archers to "hold still" or "aim harder." Hold Lab takes the opposite approach: it starts by teaching archers to accept movement, then progressively builds consistency without tension. The system is grounded in sport psychology (Acceptance and Commitment Training) and uses observable criteria for stage advancement rather than subjective coach judgment.
Yes. Hold Lab is designed for both individual archers and coaches running team practices. Coach Starter ($29/month) includes team management features. Each drill includes coach language cues, common mistakes to watch for, and guidance on when to deploy the drill based on what you observe.
Create a free account to access Stage 1 drills immediately. Upgrade to Archer Pro for the full library.