Post by magnum on Nov 23, 2019 10:20:08 GMT
Bow Arm
When we’re starting to coach novices at OUCofA we have a tendency to overemphasise the importance of the release and follow through, and to neglect the importance of the bow arm. If you think about it, though, the bow arm is clearly vital: if the bow isn’t pointing consistently at the target at all stages of the shot, then the arrow isn’t going to go in the middle. Common sense really, but less than obvious until it’s pointed out to you.
It’s common to talk about archers falling into two broad categories: pushers and pullers. The pullers are the ones who focus on the draw, use of the back muscles, smooth release and follow-through, without worrying too much about the bow arm. Pushers do exactly the opposite. This doesn’t mean that each only actually pulls or pushes: good archers will do both, but possibly only think about one. It also doesn’t mean that you should view one as more important than the other: generally you have to do both properly to shoot well. If you mostly try to concentrate on the draw etc., try focusing on your bow arm for a few sessions, especially if you have never given it any real attention before. It’s entirely possible that you will shoot better by concentrating mostly on keeping good form in the bow arm, rather than worrying about the draw etc. Even if you find that you do shoot better with a focus on the draw etc., you still need to get your bow arm doing the right thing.
The first thing to sort out is the type of grip you use, as this is very influential in the set of your entire arm. DON’T GRIP THE BOW. That’s the first thing to get straight. You don’t have to keep your fingers around the handle of the bow to stop it from falling from your hands, especially at full draw, when the action and pressure of the draw obviously keeps it in your hand. If you’re using a sling (as you should be!) then the bow won’t fall out of your hands after the shot either. If you do grip the bow then almost inevitably the pressure of your fingers will deflect it by a fraction and it won’t be pointing where you think it is: when you let go of the string the bow will start to turn and point in the direction that the pressure of your hand dictates. This should be at the middle of the target, but it won’t be if your grip is pushing on the bow. So don’t grip it. Equally, don’t keep your fingers rigidly straight away from the bow: this can cause just as many problems!
The second thing to do is to use a 45 degree angled grip on the bow. This means that the knuckles on your bow hand form a 45 degree angle with the bow, and the handle of the bow goes down the side of the ball of the thumb rather than the palm of the hand. The main point of pressure should be just at the top of the ball of the thumb. This helps keep your fingers out of the way of the bow handle: tuck them into your palm and keep them relaxed. It also helps with the set of the rest of the arm.
Your bow arm should be straight: not rigid (ie tense), but definitely straight rather than bent. There are several reasons for this. If you’re using a clicker then it will prove immensely difficult to achieve a consistent draw length with a bent arm, partly because you will inevitably bend it different amounts on different shots, and partly because the bent arm is not as strong as the straight one, and will probably start to bend more as you come up to full draw and try to come through the clicker. Getting the forward pressure right is also much easier with a straight arm, and it should ensure a more consistent direction of pressure as well (more on this later).
Lots of people, me included, have problems or have had problems with elbows sticking out and getting hit by the string when we release. This hurts lots if you aren’t wearing am arm guard, and also sends the arrow off in random directions: this very quickly leads to a pissed off archer, and no one likes that. The solution is simple. If you are successfully keeping your arm straight and using the 45 degree angled grip then your elbow should be pointing sideways, so that if you bent it, it would point towards the wall rather than the floor. This means that it won’t be sticking out into the path of the string. If you’re doing all the above and still have a sticking out elbow then pay extra attention to moving it out of the way by rotating it: most people can do this, even if their elbows stick out a bit. When you’re setting up the shot, make sure that the elbow is in the right position, and try to keep it there. Also make sure that you’re wearing an arm guard so that you don’t develop a flinching reaction in an attempt to avoid hitting your arm.
You should also avoid letting the drawing shoulder creep up towards your ear as the shot progresses and you stand at full draw. This will cause an entirely different set to the muscles involved, and bring a change in the feeling of the shot, as well as altering your draw length. If this is a problem (it’s something to watch out for when increasing poundage, changing bow, or starting to shoot again after a bit of a break), then focus on bringing the bow arm shoulder blade down and towards the middle of the back. This should be the correct set of the shoulder blade anyway, but lots of people don’t pay much attention to it.
This is what your arm should look like: what should it be doing? The straight arm should be pressing forward towards the target as you come up to full draw: the term often used is “feeling for the target”. This pressure should be maintained throughout the shot, including the time just after the shot. The pressure needed is not huge, but pressure is needed. Pressing towards the target keeps your arm straight and makes sure that the bow does not deviate from the correct line in the moments after you release the string. It is absolutely vital that there is both a push and a pull involved in the shot, otherwise consistency is near impossible. Think of the arm as a single unit, and push with all of it rather than just with the hand or the wrist: imagine it as a solid piece of wood if that helps. You can practice this by putting your palm flat on a wall, keeping the arm straight, and pushing with different parts of the arm: try to push with the whole thing, and remember how it feels.
So in summary:
1. Don’t grip the bow with your fingers. Let it rest in your hand.
2. Use the 45 degree angled grip with the fingers off the bow.
3. Keep the arm straight without a bend in the elbow.
4. Keep the elbow pointing sideways, not down. Don’t let it stick out into the path of the string.
5. Push forward with the bow arm towards the target. Imagine the arm as a single unit and push with all of it.
Getting this right takes time, especially if you haven’t been paying that much attention to the bow arm previously. Spend a few practice sessions focusing primarily on these techniques, possibly without a target on the boss. Don’t expect to get it right in ten minutes, but you should find it easier within the space of a session or two.
When we’re starting to coach novices at OUCofA we have a tendency to overemphasise the importance of the release and follow through, and to neglect the importance of the bow arm. If you think about it, though, the bow arm is clearly vital: if the bow isn’t pointing consistently at the target at all stages of the shot, then the arrow isn’t going to go in the middle. Common sense really, but less than obvious until it’s pointed out to you.
It’s common to talk about archers falling into two broad categories: pushers and pullers. The pullers are the ones who focus on the draw, use of the back muscles, smooth release and follow-through, without worrying too much about the bow arm. Pushers do exactly the opposite. This doesn’t mean that each only actually pulls or pushes: good archers will do both, but possibly only think about one. It also doesn’t mean that you should view one as more important than the other: generally you have to do both properly to shoot well. If you mostly try to concentrate on the draw etc., try focusing on your bow arm for a few sessions, especially if you have never given it any real attention before. It’s entirely possible that you will shoot better by concentrating mostly on keeping good form in the bow arm, rather than worrying about the draw etc. Even if you find that you do shoot better with a focus on the draw etc., you still need to get your bow arm doing the right thing.
The first thing to sort out is the type of grip you use, as this is very influential in the set of your entire arm. DON’T GRIP THE BOW. That’s the first thing to get straight. You don’t have to keep your fingers around the handle of the bow to stop it from falling from your hands, especially at full draw, when the action and pressure of the draw obviously keeps it in your hand. If you’re using a sling (as you should be!) then the bow won’t fall out of your hands after the shot either. If you do grip the bow then almost inevitably the pressure of your fingers will deflect it by a fraction and it won’t be pointing where you think it is: when you let go of the string the bow will start to turn and point in the direction that the pressure of your hand dictates. This should be at the middle of the target, but it won’t be if your grip is pushing on the bow. So don’t grip it. Equally, don’t keep your fingers rigidly straight away from the bow: this can cause just as many problems!
The second thing to do is to use a 45 degree angled grip on the bow. This means that the knuckles on your bow hand form a 45 degree angle with the bow, and the handle of the bow goes down the side of the ball of the thumb rather than the palm of the hand. The main point of pressure should be just at the top of the ball of the thumb. This helps keep your fingers out of the way of the bow handle: tuck them into your palm and keep them relaxed. It also helps with the set of the rest of the arm.
Your bow arm should be straight: not rigid (ie tense), but definitely straight rather than bent. There are several reasons for this. If you’re using a clicker then it will prove immensely difficult to achieve a consistent draw length with a bent arm, partly because you will inevitably bend it different amounts on different shots, and partly because the bent arm is not as strong as the straight one, and will probably start to bend more as you come up to full draw and try to come through the clicker. Getting the forward pressure right is also much easier with a straight arm, and it should ensure a more consistent direction of pressure as well (more on this later).
Lots of people, me included, have problems or have had problems with elbows sticking out and getting hit by the string when we release. This hurts lots if you aren’t wearing am arm guard, and also sends the arrow off in random directions: this very quickly leads to a pissed off archer, and no one likes that. The solution is simple. If you are successfully keeping your arm straight and using the 45 degree angled grip then your elbow should be pointing sideways, so that if you bent it, it would point towards the wall rather than the floor. This means that it won’t be sticking out into the path of the string. If you’re doing all the above and still have a sticking out elbow then pay extra attention to moving it out of the way by rotating it: most people can do this, even if their elbows stick out a bit. When you’re setting up the shot, make sure that the elbow is in the right position, and try to keep it there. Also make sure that you’re wearing an arm guard so that you don’t develop a flinching reaction in an attempt to avoid hitting your arm.
You should also avoid letting the drawing shoulder creep up towards your ear as the shot progresses and you stand at full draw. This will cause an entirely different set to the muscles involved, and bring a change in the feeling of the shot, as well as altering your draw length. If this is a problem (it’s something to watch out for when increasing poundage, changing bow, or starting to shoot again after a bit of a break), then focus on bringing the bow arm shoulder blade down and towards the middle of the back. This should be the correct set of the shoulder blade anyway, but lots of people don’t pay much attention to it.
This is what your arm should look like: what should it be doing? The straight arm should be pressing forward towards the target as you come up to full draw: the term often used is “feeling for the target”. This pressure should be maintained throughout the shot, including the time just after the shot. The pressure needed is not huge, but pressure is needed. Pressing towards the target keeps your arm straight and makes sure that the bow does not deviate from the correct line in the moments after you release the string. It is absolutely vital that there is both a push and a pull involved in the shot, otherwise consistency is near impossible. Think of the arm as a single unit, and push with all of it rather than just with the hand or the wrist: imagine it as a solid piece of wood if that helps. You can practice this by putting your palm flat on a wall, keeping the arm straight, and pushing with different parts of the arm: try to push with the whole thing, and remember how it feels.
So in summary:
1. Don’t grip the bow with your fingers. Let it rest in your hand.
2. Use the 45 degree angled grip with the fingers off the bow.
3. Keep the arm straight without a bend in the elbow.
4. Keep the elbow pointing sideways, not down. Don’t let it stick out into the path of the string.
5. Push forward with the bow arm towards the target. Imagine the arm as a single unit and push with all of it.
Getting this right takes time, especially if you haven’t been paying that much attention to the bow arm previously. Spend a few practice sessions focusing primarily on these techniques, possibly without a target on the boss. Don’t expect to get it right in ten minutes, but you should find it easier within the space of a session or two.