Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Shooting and Hunting => Topic started by: dmassphoto on April 10, 2010, 07:25:52 pm
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Hey all. Well, being brand new to traditional archery, I finally got my first R/D longbow the other day and just wanted you guys to check my form to see if I could improve it at all. It's only one photo, maybe I should get one from the top? I've seen people pull their back elbow up above their ears, and I've seen some images of warbow shooters with their elbow down. I try to keep mine in line, but I'm shooting groups anywhere from 3-8in apart from 12 paces, which seems pretty random. Any way to improve my technique? Any help would be great. I'm looking forward to attending the TN Classic soon as well, and hopefully somebody will take the time to teach me how to shoot beyond 15yrds, lol.
Oh, also...I try to keep a loose grip with my bow arm, but when I put my fingers out like I'm pointing to the target, the arrows seem to go high. Is that normal? Should I keep my grip as shown in the pic? Tighter or looser?
(http://www.legionofspartans.com/forums/user_pictures/1222038073/med_gallery_8_25_5192.jpg)
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They might go high because your really heeling the bow with your grip.The way we stand and hold a bow for a picture isnt always the way we shoot one.
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Your form looks pretty good but your elbow is just a little high. Ideally you want a straight line from the arrow's point to the tip of your elbow with the bow arm and drawing arm inline with that. Also stand with your feet perpendicular to the target and at shoulder width and your shoulders lined up with the line of sight.
On a longbow I like a good solid grip but not squeezing too tight. I like my bow hand right under the arrow, as close to the shelf as is comfortable. I don't like sticking my bow hand fingers out because when a broadhead is used it could get dicey! ;D
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No,no,no ya need to stand on one foot, bend at the waist 180 degrees, then rotate at the waist 90 degrees close both eyes and let er fly ;D
Actually yer form looks better than mine ever will :'(
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lol thanks guys fo the input :) I'm gonna try the suggestions out and see what I can do, although I'm not sure I can stand on one foot just yet :)
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Practice grasshopper practice ;D
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Looks good to me.
Allignment:-I notice you seem to be standing slightly open, eg A line across you toes would be pointing left of target, which is fine as long as it isn't pulling you left.
I find a good test is to stand comfortably, eyes shut and relaxed, then raise the bow in a relaxed cofortable manner, then open your eyes and see where it's pointing, hopefully it's at the target still...
Del
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looks very good. i actualy think your elbow is proper. you have larger forearms that make it look a little high. i hear the same thing about my form too. because my forearms are larger than normal somebody actually thought i was dislocating my elbow in one picture. ;D
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looks very good. i actualy think your elbow is proper. you have larger forearms that make it look a little high. i hear the same thing about my form too. because my forearms are larger than normal somebody actually thought i was dislocating my elbow in one picture. ;D
I'm with Jamie, your form looks good. Only thing is, as Dave said is that you're really gripping your bow. Even bows with handshock can be held in the hand with just your index finger and thumb. Right now you're putting alot of heel into the bow, making the limbs react slightly differently than normal. Being relaxed during the shot helps to clean up flyers.
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I think your form looks good as well.With your elbow in line with your arrow,you should be getting a very good release. God Bless
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looks very good. i actualy think your elbow is proper. you have larger forearms that make it look a little high. i hear the same thing about my form too. because my forearms are larger than normal somebody actually thought i was dislocating my elbow in one picture. ;D
I'm with Jamie, your form looks good. Only thing is, as Dave said is that you're really gripping your bow. Even bows with handshock can be held in the hand with just your index finger and thumb. Right now you're putting alot of heel into the bow, making the limbs react slightly differently than normal. Being relaxed during the shot helps to clean up flyers.
When you say I'm putting a lot of heel into it, you mean the lower palm of my hand, right? Here's a short video I made of a few shots. The last half has commentary on where the arrows landed. I was 12 paces from the target, aiming at a 3x3" square.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXauVvKfQMk
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That's it exactly. I haven't watched the video yet (my computer hates loading videos, especially with other stuff running) but will as soon as I can :).
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I noticed the "heel" also. Look at your wrist compared to the alignment of your arm. Instead of being straight, it does a 90dg turn at the bow handle. It also looks like your elbow might be locked in place. Your Index finger on your left hand should be pointing, "in line", at what you are shooting at.
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I am no expert, but think a rock-solid follow through is the most important aspect of any form. I really don't think about what's pointed where with my arms, and crouch, stand, sit, and cant the bow at varying degrees to replicate varied shot opportunities. But when I "freeze" good at release, I seem to do well regardless.
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I am no expert, but think a rock-solid follow through is the most important aspect of any form. I really don't think about what's pointed where with my arms, and crouch, stand, sit, and cant the bow at varying degrees to replicate varied shot opportunities. But when I "freeze" good at release, I seem to do well regardless.
That's the secret to out of postion shooting. The only real thing about "proper form" is that it makes it easier to "freeze" nice and solid- and consistently- day in and day out.
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I am no expert, but think a rock-solid follow through is the most important aspect of any form. I really don't think about what's pointed where with my arms, and crouch, stand, sit, and cant the bow at varying degrees to replicate varied shot opportunities. But when I "freeze" good at release, I seem to do well regardless.
Well, I tried what many suggested, and I think I finally came down with a good form that I can replicate time and again. I first tried taking the heel of my hand off, and it felt really uncomfortable. I think I took the whole "point your finger towards the target" thing too seriously and loosed an arrow only to find I loosed the bow as well! :D At least the arrow hit where I was aiming. Maybe the grip on my bow is different. Below is what ended up working for me, and feel free to tell me if this is wrong or if I should change things...
1. Instead of starting my draw with the arrow down, and coming up to the target, I started with the arrow pointed more or less towards the target, drew back like I was pulling a rope, as straight as possible, and lined the arrow head onto the target. I then slowly lowered the bow down until I was ready to lose.
2. I kept my index finger on the corner of my mouth, and tried the best I could to keep my eye directly over the arrow.
3. I tried to keep the bow as straight to vertical as possible.
4. After letting fly, I kep the bow as steady as absolutely possible until the arrow hit. Much harder than it seems.
I'm hitting a 3x3" target from about 17-20yrds about 3 times out of every 12 I shoot, but I've noticed my groupings are a lot tighter, mainly hitting just to the right.
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That sounds good! Many of those aspects of proper form anyhow (no wonder you came to them so naturally then ;)?)
Your first one puts the pressure on the bone structure, rather than muscles and joints- much more reliable and stable/ Your second is jsut a practice thing and will become very natural the more you shoot. Number three is actually easier on the body to reproduce, not just if you're using sights. Of course, number four the the last step in any shooter's routine, and those who differ here are either freaks or not actually hitting anything :D!
As for the grip, it's not that you shouldn't put the heel of your hand down at all, but rather it shouldn't be all the force you're using against the bow. Rather the bow should rest comfortably along the life line on your palm and your fingers (as few as possible) lightly wrapped like a bow sling to prevent the bow from flying away (shows how "little" handshock some bows actually have ;D). Many longbow grips today (store bought) are either built fotr this or close, with only a few bad examples.
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As for the grip, it's not that you shouldn't put the heel of your hand down at all, but rather it shouldn't be all the force you're using against the bow. Rather the bow should rest comfortably along the life line on your palm and your fingers (as few as possible) lightly wrapped like a bow sling to prevent the bow from flying away (shows how "little" handshock some bows actually have ;D). Many longbow grips today (store bought) are either built for this or close, with only a few bad examples.
That sounds about what I try to do with my hand. I'll tell ya one thing, and I'm just starting out, but there are few things more pretty than letting go of an arrow and watching it fly to the point you wanted it to. It's highly addictive :)
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It's highly addictive :)
Worse than crack some might say :o :D
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Reality is that your grip is what the bow grip makes it. ie. "you are heeling the bow" well if the grip is made that way then you heel. If it's a modern recurve then you'll not heel because they are make so that you don't heel. you hold the bow the way the grip is made. The moral of the story is, for all the bowyers, make the handle "grip" so that you hold the bow they way you want to shoot and not just the way that is convenient. If you leave a lot of meat in the handle early on then you can make it pretty much any way you want it.
Just my .02
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Reality is that your grip is what the bow grip makes it. ie. "you are heeling the bow" well if the grip is made that way then you heel. If it's a modern recurve then you'll not heel because they are make so that you don't heel. you hold the bow the way the grip is made. The moral of the story is, for all the bowyers, make the handle "grip" so that you hold the bow they way you want to shoot and not just the way that is convenient. If you leave a lot of meat in the handle early on then you can make it pretty much any way you want it.
Just my .02
To an extent, but I've seen folks heel recurves that should be shot with a high wrist before. It's harder to use a higher wrist grip on a low grip handle, but it's easy to mistakenly use too much heel regardless of the handle design.