Archery's Terrifying Secret

The greatest fear of elite archers is something called "target panic"—an affliction that keeps some from releasing their bow, and causes others to shoot wildly as soon as the bull's-eye comes into sight. Many archers won't even say the words, although the condition has at some time affected up to 90% of their ranks, the New York Times reports.

“For someone who has a good case of target panic, I could offer them a thousand dollars if they would just pull the bow back," said one coach. "I guarantee you, I would not lose the thousand dollars." Similar to the yips in golf, target panic can be treated by changing grip or re-training the way the mind looks at targets. (More archery stories.)