My son has had a similar problem - he's quite comfortable drawing 30lbs but raising the poundage has identified some issues with the clavicle 'popping' as he comes back to draw. He's had numerous coached look him over, at various levels, but we haven't got a solution, so he takes it easy and exercises it all round.
I'd check where you think the popping is coming from, it may be a similar thing.
Skybadger, the problem is that during training rare coaches understand physiology. Working with kids and teens this is particularly important Coz their physiological developments isn’t finished yet. they are naturally very flexible and joints are significantly more mobile compare to adults. It means that ligaments and tissue surrounding joint and forming joint capsule are kind of more lax. Plus there are other different important issues to consider specifically to this age groups, including tendons, muscles, endocrine etc. This is the reason why bones very Easy to dislocate or make the issue prone to dislocations in future.
regarding your approach ‘to take it easy and exercises’ - very good and clever decision!!! Well done! This definitely will improve muscle function, muscular balance and strength muscles. Gradual approach to exercise will help to improve issue I believe.
popping is common and is a very different in nature - it can be just a cavitation, it can be tendon of a tight muscle rubbing against bone or its prominence, it can be far more other ‘non-good’ issues.
if popping doesn’t produce pain when it happens, no inflammation or redness or inflammation I would suspect a muscle imbaLance which should be addressed.
one more thing regarding clavicle. Clavicle is a part of our shoulder girdle and arm. If you will ask yourself a simple question: what joint in our body is an attachnemt point of our whole arm, or, simply, at what joint our arm attached to our body? ——- the answer will be very simple: this is onLy one small joint named sternoclavicular joint. This is where clavicle is attached to sternum (vertical long flat chest bone). It means that, for example, if there is muscle imbalance in muscular system of the shoulder girdle and postural changes, then it will obviously affect this small sternoclavicular joint.
This is important to understand because prevent injury is simpler and better than treat it and rehab.
about draw weight I still at the same position - child can draw much more than 30 BUT does it needs to be so all the time? Training bow with lower poundage for exercises and training is good, but gradual progression to 30 with aim to use this 30 pounds bow as a competition bow, is good. Remember that muscles need time to react! So gradually and in a safe manner is always the best. And I would also express my respect to the step you did regarding regular exercising - this is very important.
and REMEMBER: if anyone have got any pains and discomfort or just feels that something doesnt feel right, the best way to react is to visit doctor for a check up and investigate issue and try to solve the problem. Healing and rehab take more months/years than just to investigate and get helped by the doctor.
I know this is a very banal statement for some but this is reality. Keep well guys and have a safe trainings!
(sorry for the long post, tried to explain some things in a simple way)