13. But if, on the other hand, you need to bend your elbow or force your shoulder back, then it is likely that you are putting too much pressure on your front arm rather than keeping it relaxed, and a small increase in draw length may be necessary. The easiest way to do this was to shoot with a fairly pronounced bend in your bow arm so you could adapt your draw length to suit your bow’s optimum release position. Hyper-extending your elbow disrupts the bone alignment between your forearm and upper arm. 6. Brace Height: The distance between the cord and intense part of the bow’s handle. 14. Letting go of the string. It’s based on two main styles; match crossbow and field crossbow. Your email address will not be published. A good biomechanical technique will give you consistency, strength and endurance, and although a straight but relaxed bow arm is today considered to be the correct way to shoot there is scope for adjustment. Belonging to the archery discipline, crossbow archery is a sport in which a crossbow is used instead of a regular bow. Correct alignment of the arm that is drawing the bow; Where you should position your elbow and shoulder; Many people that are new to archery, find this step a little harder. To release the arrow, you will slowly let go of the string with your right hand and "pull through the shot". Thisalignmentisheldthroughtheshot.Theshouldersshouldbedirectly The drawing hand should be 11 Lesson 2: Learning the Shot Start the shot as you would when using a bow. Just make that V, or almost the universal gesture for "STOP," so that your palm's lifeline is vertical. It looks like your browser needs an update. 1.9 15w31a: When shooting, the arrows are no longer offset to the right of the Crosshair. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Click target to return to 11 steps for Archery success Step 6: Draw Pull or draw the string toward the right side of your face (opposite for left handed shooters). 4) Always keep your arrows pointed down and towards your target. BOW HAND Before we look at the bow hand and the correct position on the bow we need to firstly look at the bow arm as the position of the bow hand has a significant effect on the bow arm orientation. Rotator Cuff Muscles. Towel stretch: Hold the ends of a towel behind your back. show the drawing and bow arms). When your sight drops into the gold, your arm should still be straight, but the muscle tension needed to draw the bow should now have been transferred to your back with your shoulder sitting in a natural, low position. Present the bow to the target. of your bow arm should mimic the same natural appearance of simply leaning against a wall with your palm flat against it; twisting or contorting your arm into any other position will only lead to discomfort and instability. 7 incorrect advice experienced archers give about archery skills and techniques - DivinioWorld. Move bow hand towards target . This is shot by the bow = ARROW. Blunt (tip) - An unsharpened arrowhead used for targets and small game. your bow arm should be perfectly level. If your bow arm’s elbow doesn’t rotate straight, many problems can result, including a bruised inner elbow and arrows veering to one side of the target. Your back half should be doing most of the work, with your bow arm simply resisting the pressure of the shot. The remaining three fingers curl around the grip as if grasping an egg. 17. The force of the draw will turn the bow and then it will spring back to accommodate your hand position when you release the string. It’s so easy to find your elbow sticking out where it shouldn’t, or actually drawing the bowstring with the wrong muscles (which makes you get tired sooner) Lets Recap On Previous Steps. Make sure no one is in front of you before you raise your bow. In fact, it’s important to NOT use your biceps or triceps while drawing. Shoot only at your target. A good follow through should feature relaxed fingers on the bowstring, turning of both head and eyes toward the target following the discharge of the arrow, the extending of the bow arm toward the target and the gripping of the bow hand using a bow sling. Introduce drills using clinibands or light manageable weights where appropriate, the first priority should be to ensure that the posture and shoulder positions are good, the sec Since the string travels farther forward on a recurve bow, recurve archers can still have the bowstring hit their forearm with proper hand position, but it’s worse if they hold the grip like a pistol. Lack of back muscle tension This allows thedrawweighttopressthe arm bones directly into the shoulder socket. Correct and consistent back tension is an essential part of good bow arm form, and any archer using the muscles in their arm to control their shot may eventually find themselves suffering from fatigue and inconsistent results. Upon release your bow arm should move forward towards the target in a straight line as the tension in your body is released. He pulls the drawstring straight back bringing the string toward the face, jaw, and ear while also pushing the bow out with the hand he is using to hold up the bow. (Your thumb should be facing the target). While doing this keep your bow arm straight out to the target until your arrow hits the target. Drawing a bow puts tremendous strain on these muscles. Find out what foot stance best suits your body by drawing your bow back and focusing on the center of the target, now close your eyes and try to hold that position for 10 seconds and note what direction your aim has moved after you open your eyes. In terms of shooting a bow, the posterior deltoid assists with extending the arm backward, making it one of the most important muscles in pulling the bow back to full draw. Use 3 fingers to pull the bow’s drawstring back toward your face. This is a critical step that will enable you to properly set yourself up for stability and posture that will enable you to achieve proper upper body rotation and alignment. Stance. Increase the size of the circles as you regain strength and mobility. It is not difficult to raise a bow, but there are still quite a few things you can do wrong. They think it has to be done as quickly as possible and with the full strength of their arms. Although your arm is controlled principally by two large muscles, the bicep and the tricep, it is the muscles in and around your shoulder joint and upper back that are critically important in supporting your bow arm. With the bow (and with the stretch material, next), you would stop in the Set, but here, raise the arms and stretch the strap straight, keeping the drawing shoulder down. What are the physical benefits from archery? When your sight drops into the gold, your arm should still be straight, but the muscle tension needed to draw the bow should now have been transferred to your back with your shoulder sitting in a natural, low position. Bow String: A multi-stranded cord that is coiled to the notches of the bow. Bow Sight: A machine that is adhered to the bow which will be used by the shooter for aiming at the target. Then, nock your arrow onto the string. 3) Always wear your arm guard. Work out the back muscles . After your hand has come back from the release, as only one example, your bow arm should stay up and pointing at the target until the arrow has hit. The point at which the bow string is pulled back fully = ANCHOR. Used for drawing the bow. Bowhunting. Oh no! As a result, shooting with correct bone alignment and a balanced muscle load is known to have a direct and positive effect on your score. Bow Arm: extend the bow arm bringing the bow arm to shoulder height; the elbow of the bow arm is turned away from the string 5. You should be standing sideways on towards the target, with your feet shoulder width apart. 10. The recurve bow's popularity is in part due to it being the weapon of choice for Katniss Everdeen, the protagonist of The Hunger Games. If your aim moves off to the left, move your front foot towards the line, getting closer to a square stance. You want to pull the bow back in a solid, fluid motion, keeping your bow arm straight on target the whole time. Belly or Face - The side of the bow toward the archer, or the side of the bow that faces the bow string; Today it is called the 'face'. Your arm should be relaxed and ready to resist the increased back tension now being applied, but if you feel that you need to hyper-extend either your shoulder or elbow to be able to comfortably aim, then consider shortening your draw length a small amount. But, as a coach, I’m not an advocate of insisting that all archers follow this particular technique; some do not find that this position comes naturally, myself included. Your inner elbow should be parallel to the ground and the bow should always remain vertical. Raise only the bow arm and bow, not the shoulder when bringing the bow up into pre-draw position. The thumb supporting the bow faces this way. One of the most obvious changes in compound technique is the position of your bow arm. When shooting a recurve bow, you’ll need to stand side-on to your target with your feet shoulder-width apart. 10. Draw the bow straight back, using your extended arm as a guide. Basic Archery Step 6: Anchor. These bone spurs and other stress-related injuries to the joints, caused by vibration from fast bows and light arrows, can be avoided by not overloading the arm with the adoption of a straight but relaxed bow arm position. Releasing. This is how one should release the bowstring = SMOOTHLY. 1. With the healthy arm, pull the towel, and the affected arm, up toward the shoulder. As you raise the bow, rotate your chest and shoulders so your upper body is parallel to the arrow (perpendicular to the target). Also may mean distance from the shooter to the target. Advancements in bio-mechanics and the understanding of compound shooting form have also played a part in the changes made to the position of the bow arm. 2 drawing arm.doc Exercise 4: Forces Sketch an archer at full draw, seen from a) the front and b) the top (i.e. If the bow wants to turn in your hand when you are drawing it, the reason is nearly always improper placement of your hand on the grip. A fully charged bow can be identified in two ways. There is a certain beauty in archery that only shines through when you really know what you are doing. Bow Arm. BONE SPURS Bow Sight: A machine that is adhered to the bow which will be used by the shooter for aiming at the target. Extend your left arm at shoulder height toward the target with left hand in a “handshake” position, then place the pivot point of the bow handle (midsection of the bow) in the “v” formed by the thumb and index finger. So you should identify and recognise your own specific requirements and strengths before you commit to what is considered to be the optimum technique. 2. Drawing: when drawing the bow, draw the string along the bow arm in a straight horizontal line to the anchor point; draw with the back muscles, moving the shoulder blades towards each other; stand straight up and relaxed; keep both shoulders as low as possible It doesn’t matter if you are left- or right-handed. The hand on the bowstring should be raised to the approximate level of your nose. The handle of the bow should rest against the base of the thumb, and other fingers should be place Point at the target with the first joint of the thumb: not the index finger. Though you are unlikely to see the extreme bent arms of yesteryear, a little variety is no bad thing, and, ultimately, finding a bow arm position that allows you to comfortably shoot well, time and time again, is the most important basis of a good technique. This is im-portant for performance, be-ing able to shoot well with heavier draw weight, and avoiding potential shoulder injuries. Grip the bow handle or riser, but don’t squeeze it. Once you are at full draw, keep some pressure on the wall of the cam as you lower your bow towards the target. Move the drawing arm behind the arrow so the forearm is "in-line" with the arrow shaft. Draw the string hand towards the face to an anchor point. Dropping of the bow arm. Among other changes a conscious release has been eliminated from compound teachings, and since many of these changes are due to advancements in equipment, techniques are continuing to evolve and adapt as we find the most efficient methods to shoot the latest in compound bow designs. Your bow arm provides much of the direction for the shot and takes the force of the draw as well as the weight of the bow. Rising bow on release. As a result I have tailored this guide more towards compound shooters, but the biomechanical principles of the two disciplines should still remain the same. Your follow-through is a good acid test for the quality of your grip. First, the bow is fully charged when it stops the drawing animation and begins shaking, or the bow's arrow, when shot, will leave a particle trail, much like that of a critical hit when jumping and attacking with a sword. Archery is a sport that should bring you into a relaxed state of mind. Closed stance provides a stable support base and also offers a good alignment of the arm and shoulder in the line of target. An archer draws up the bow so the arm holding the bow up is parallel to the earth. Continual compressive forces on the bow arm can generate bone end loadings, particularly in young archers, which can lead to permanent deformity in their growing bones. This not only affects your arrow flight by preventing you from executing a straight follow-through as you push the bow towards the target upon release, but it can also lead to injury. The bow in the hotbar now shows an arrow when being drawn. When drawing the bow back, be sure your bow arm and your spine form a line. Two top archers shooting with two different arm positions – one bent, one straight. How to Shoot a Recurve Bow. Check Stance . To prevent problems, rotate your elbow straight before raising or drawing your bow. Over rotation of the shoulder in order to force your arm into a textbook position should be avoided as well, as this can lead to rotator cuff injuries. For more great content like this, subscribe today at our secure online store www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk, Your email address will not be published. Your skeletal alignment needs to be correct and also consistent. This will give you stability when shooting and ensure you are able to get the most power out of your shot, for you will now be drawing the bowstring straight across your body to your draw point. This is the definition of bow torque. If you have to point your bow straight up in the air and are reaching for the sky to draw, then you should probably lower your draw weight. Some archers find that a slight bend in their arm can steady their aim, especially those that shoot with a lot of pressure on the back wall of the cam, as this gives them more room to expand during the shot. Point your bow toward the target. It also uses the arm muscles more than the back muscles for drawing the arrow. Some compound archers shoot with a fully straight front arm. Your body is turned slightly away from the target. In bow and arrow terminology the 'bow arm' is the one that grips the bow. Hold the bow arm outwards toward the target. Bowfishing. To do this, think about pushing your bow forward while you’re at full draw, or “pressing” through your bow shoulder to direct your bow arm to the target. If you cannot effectively pull through the shot using your back muscles and your release is taking too long, then it is unlikely that your bow arm is providing enough resistance from the rear forces you are exerting on it. To prevent problems, rotate your elbow straight before raising or drawing your bow. It’s worth mentioning again, that you are not using muscle strength. Draw and Anchor the Bow. 6) If you drop an arrow, leave it on the ground until you are told to get your arrows. Shooting form evolved around these advancements and archers were taught to shoot these new bows from the back wall of the cam, and as a result draw length became a set measurement and shooting with a straight bow arm became the most popular method of shooting a modern compound bow. Bow Hand. Some compounders will keep a slight bend in their elbow. Now, keeping your shoulder in a low position but without forcing it down, draw back the string and keep forward pressure on your bow to resist the weight of the draw. Once you are at full draw, keep some pressure on the wall of the cam as you lower your bow towards the target. You will have also slightly drawn the bowstring back with your drawing arm. Required fields are marked *. Some shooters find a small bend in their arm can steady their aim, though it requires more muscle strength. You should feel the muscles in your back, not just your arm, working as you draw the bow. Start with your bow arm straight out, toward the target, and pull the string straight back from there. As the principle of a good technique is to increase consistency and lessen the risk of injury, the position of your bow arm should maximise the use of your bone structure and minimise the need to use the muscles in your arm to control the shot. The hand that holds the bow. Smoothly. At the moment you should have the bow in on hand, with your fingers positioned around the grip but relaxed. But each individual compound archer’s unique body shape, structure or disability can make it difficult to apply the same biomechanical principles across an entire shooting field. Find out what foot stance best suits your body by drawing your bow back and focusing on the center of the target, now close your eyes and try to hold that position for 10 seconds and note what direction your aim has moved after you open your eyes. When drawing, the bow arm is_____ toward the target = RAISED. You want your hand to be relaxed, and the only pressure you want to put on the bow should be to push it straight toward the target. The middle deltoid lifts the arm out to the side making it the primary muscle responsible for holding the bow arm … If you grip the bow correctly, the bow will jump straight toward the target when you release the string. The use of archery bow and arrow equipment for catching fish. You want your hand to be relaxed, and the only pressure you want to put on the bow should be to push it straight toward the target. Bad anchor point. Drawing hand, arm and elbow should be parallel to floor and slightly higher than bow arm. So read carefully and follow my advice! The bow (front) shoulder must be kept down also. In general, keep your bow arm driven toward the target for a picture-perfect finish. Though a straight arm is preferable, you should be careful not to lock your bow arm from your elbow as this will put enormous pressure on the joint. With your bow arm straight, raise the bow to a point that your arm is parallel to the ground, while simultaneously drawing the string back to your anchor point with your shooting hand. Your arm is made up of three bones; the ulna and the radius in your forearm and the humerus in your upper arm, which attaches to the shoulder blade (scapula) as a ball and socket and allows your arm to move and rotate. Additionally, as your bone alignment is imperfect you are more likely to compensate for instability by incorrectly loading your shoulder joint, so focus can be diverted away from aiming onto your muscle control instead, simply in order to maintain consistency. The principles of shooting an arrow apply to both compound and recurve archery, but elements of what is largely seen as a recurve shooting process have to be modified to compensate for the low brace heights or high let-off cams of compound archery. Move bow hand towards target . Raise only the bow arm and bow, not the shoulder when bringing the bow up into pre-draw position. When drawing the bow back you will want to slant the top of the bow to the right with about a 15 degree slant if you are a right handed shooter and 15 degrees left for a left handed shooter because that will help the arrow from falling off the tab on the riser. Creeping. Draw and Anchor the Bow. What do they wear in archery? Someone who yanks the string of his … Lift your arm allowing it to hinge at the shoulder with drawing hand on un-drawn bow. Extend your bow arm toward the target with the string gripped in your fingers or the jaws of a mechanical release aid. Bow placement when drawing back has been slightly changed. Hold it in front of you with a straight arm and pull the string back to your jaw. With your bow arm straight, raise the bow to a point that your arm is parallel to the ground, while simultaneously drawing the string back to your anchor point with your shooting hand. If you have found your grip has changed, reduce the draw of the bowstring and correct you grip and then restart. Some will reduce your efficiency and accuracy with the bow, others will leave you with painful bruises.