Below is the diagrammatic of the KSL Shot Cycle.

Jim White, USA Archery Regional Coach – Level IV and USA Archery Junior Dream Team Coach has studied the KSL Shot Cycle extensively and used it in teaching his archery students. He feels that the KSL Shot Cycle has made the difference and has given his archers the edge, of course along with a lot of hard work on everybody's part..

Jim, in working with the KSL Shot Cycle and thinking about its application, drew some comparisons with its use in life, as well as in archery. He has taken each step and shares with us, how he sees the similarities to life.

Note: We would like to express our appreciation to Jim for this great analogy, which we sincerely hope will offer a framework and assist in giving some clarity and guidance to us all in our daily life.
Coach Kisik Lee and Coach Robert de Bondt

The stance can be said to be your foundation in life. It’s your family, friends and faith in your religion. This is the basis of your being.  It must be strong and unmovable.

This is the connection to the things that really matter in your life.  The relationships you cultivate, the values you create for yourself and the long-term goals that will guide you to be the person you want to be.

Here you are getting prepared for life by getting a good education and figuring out the path you want for a working career for yourself.  It requires a clear thought process and the ability to resist distractions.

This is the beginning of your working life and starting a family. Everything up to now has been getting the basic steps right to allow the following action to take place.  This is where the real work begins.

As in the Shot Cycle, this requires the most physical effort.  This is the work you put in during your life to provide for your family and keep them safe.  You must be in a good physical and mental state during this time to be successful in your effort.

In archery, this position sets the stage to begin the successful execution of the shot.  In life, it can be compared your faith in your God as your anchor. It’s that which holds you in place during the hard times. It takes great inner strength and a belief in your convictions.

This movement in archery insures your reach the proper alignment.  In life it can be likened to filling your heart with love (loading) and transferring that love to your family and friends. This alignment, (in both cases), makes the position stronger.

Holding in the Shot Cycle is the most important part. Every thing we have done up to this point allows us to be calm and in control of the process.  In archery, it’s also a time do a final re-check to insure we can move forward with the shot.  In life, it’s a time to reassess our goals and plans and to evaluate whether or not we’re still aimed in the right direction.  In archery, if we are still on track, then proceed, if not, it’s time to start over.  In life, it’s time to make an adjustment to the aiming plan in order to stay on track.

In order to achieve high results, one must always reach beyond their limits and expand their horizons.  This is what makes life interesting and full.  Expansion in archery is the move that takes you to new territory, an area that hasn’t been explored yet – the next shot.  In life you can use expansion to do the same thing.

The release is the summation of all the steps that have come before.  I compare it to reaching the goals you have set for yourself and all the steps you took to get there.  If you followed your sequence perfectly, you will be successful. 

 A good, strong follow-through is the just the next step in the process, not the finish.  We are told to maintain proper form until the arrow strikes the target.  It’s the same in life. Just because we have come to the end of our working career, we are not done.  We must remain strong for the years we will spend in retirement (follow-through).  Only when we hit the target (and pass away) will we be done.

This is a time in archery to review what just happened in the Shot Cycle and make any necessary adjustments for the next shot.  So too, in life, we must review our results and make plans for the next stage.  In life, as in archery, we must review and make adjustments. Now is the time to think about giving back in whatever area we can to help others realize their goals.  The next generation can benefit from what we have learned. Get involved in your church, community organizations, or perhaps archery and pass along what you have learned in life. Who knows, maybe you can help someone create a Life Shot Cycle that will help him or her be successful!