Other Arm Movement

peter maddox

New member
Hi all you (hopefully) advisors, I took up archery last June 2009, I am using A hoyt nexus with fastexact limbs @40lb, I work in construction and drawing the bow is no problem, my question is when I reach full draw ( I am 5' 10" drawing 28in) I find it difficult to hold the bow steady, it drifts everywhere, this is not too much of a problem indoors but I find that any consistency over 50M is out of the question, I have tried 36ib limbs, same problem, I have used this equipment for the last six months and my scores are retreating back to absolue beginner level, any tips on keeping my left arm still that doesn't include tying a broomstick to it?:
 
J

josh 77

Guest
Do you have any weights on the ends of the stabilisers? Also is the bow balanced well?
 

peter maddox

New member
lads I am using a relaxed, bow in the V, grip, with a wrist sling I have a one ounce weight on the end of the long rod but no weights on the twins
 

JohnR

The American
Supporter
American Shoot
You can't hold the bow still with muscle strength, and the harder you try the more it will move. You can only have a stable bow with good body alignment - particularly, but not only, good shoulder alignment.
 

aquatoo

Member
Dont grip the handle. Try to find the position where the bones of your arm are aligned. Put your hand in the standard bow grip position (knuckles at 45 degrees) and the with your arm out sideways lean against a wall. Now find the position that takes the least amount of effort to sustain. As long as you aren't making any muscular effort to stay in this position, this is the one you want.

The bow arm will wander to a degree as your natural body sway, pulse etc. all contribute to move it slightly, but the movement should not be great.

Hope this helps.
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
All arms move when aiming. Some more than others. How much does your arm move? For example, when you have the sight round the gold, how much does it move?(out into the red or blue??)
 

peter maddox

New member
lads
With the shoulder alignment I have tried open, square and closed stances, I will try the lean on a wall method first, that sounds good and geoff two out of six regularly hit the green!!! as for my pulse I will try to stop it!!
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
Hi Peter, hitting the green doesn't always mean the sight is aimed onto the grass before you release.Everyone tries to aim in the gold and be on the gold when they release, not all arrows land there,though.
Most archers can keep their sight in the gold or red, unless there is a gusting wind. I was just wondering how much movement you can see when you are aiming.
 

archer_thom

New member
To shake that much is a sign of poor bow shoulder positioning. Drawing too far can also exacerbate problems with shoulder position. If your bow shoulder is solid you will see very, very little sight movement even with no stabilisers - though I don't recommend shooting like that.
 

Gryff

New member
perhaps a video of you shooting might help to identify the problem?

My best bet would probably be shoulders, either too high (perhaps the added range is lifting you bow arm shoulder higher than it should) and also as thom said, over drawing.
 

aquatoo

Member
perhaps a video of you shooting might help to identify the problem?

My best bet would probably be shoulders, either too high (perhaps the added range is lifting you bow arm shoulder higher than it should) and also as thom said, over drawing.
Don't lift the arm higher to draw for longer distances. Draw in the same line that you find best and normally use and then pivot from the hips. Not the waist, the hips.

Archery Anatomy suggests that it is best to draw with the arm at eye level and then lower the bow arm, which also brings the bow arm scapula downwards thus allowing the drawing arm scapula to slide over it - to a degree. Makes coming through the shot with back muscles easier. I find I cannot do that as I end up with a painful shoulder.

I watched the video of Berengere Schuch shooting at Nimes and she draws with the bow arm low. I thought I would try it and find it suits me to a tee. It keeps my bow arm bone to bone alignment while at the same time keeping my left (I'm right handed) scapula down. We are all built differently so it takes experimentation to find out what suits us best.
 

peter maddox

New member
Geoff, Thom, Griff and aquatoo, thanks for all your advice, It would appear that next training session is going to be shoulder alignment, I particularly like the overdrawing suggestion because sometimes I feel that I am struggling to get the point thru the clicker but this could be just, as you say, poor alignment
 

backinblack

Active member
Hi Peter,

If it helps, you could try watching the arrow point for a while whilst drawing up. You need for the clicker to have dipped to indicate that it has dropped onto the very tip of the arrow before you begin to expand to make the last millimetre or so of point come through the clicker.

Also, I have found that it helps if I have the string pressing lightly against my skin when at anchor, in my case on the tip of my nose and corner of my chin/ jaw. This way there is less chance that I pull past my anchor point when working through the clicker and the string is less likely to catch on my jowls or other wobbly bits that might deflect the string's path.

Hope you get this resolved.
Backinblack
 
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