I don't know about the tech part, but from experience I can tell you that if it is too long, you may have a terrible pain on your forearm in the form of a huge whep where the string hit it. It makes you extend too far. And that's all I know: it hurts bad.
Look in a mirror and see if you look stretched out.
Do you feel stretched out? Is your stance slightly open, facing the target more.
Do you have a solid anchor of bone to bone? (example:knuckle to jaw)
If you wear glasses, you probably have trouble seeing, lookingout the edge.
You may feel excessive tension in your back, and shoulders, like the area is being pinched hard.
Looking in the mirror, is your bow arm fully locked at the elbow? Is your draw arm elbow pointing downward and out of line with the string towards your back?
Post a few pics of your form from different angles if you can, and we can easily critique your draw length if you are unsure!
Thanks guys, I may see if I can borrow a digital camera and take some pics at full draw. The thing is I just bought a new Switchback in 27" draw and the pro shop where I purchased the bow measured me at 27. Last week I took the bow into another local shop and they told me it looked a little long, so I'm just starting to wonder whos right. All the typical formulas point to a 27" draw, 69" wingspan, etc. I'm not getting any slaps on the forearm, but I'll check some of the things that Matt suggested and see what I think.
if you come to full draw and the cam hasn't rolled over yet, that's a real good sign. (just adding a little humor)
and i just want to add there's nothing wrong with an open stance, a square one, or a closed one. some of that depends on how you're built and where the bow wants to drift when you're aiming. assuming proper draw length, you determine your stance by drawing, aiming, closing your eyes for 8 seconds and then opening them to see which way the bow drifted. up and down doesn't matter here, just right or left. you then correct this issue by correcting your stance. this needs to be checked monthly because form is not a static thing, its dynamic.
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aka bucknasty
The average man seeks certainty in the eyes of the onlooker and calls that self-confidence. The warrior seeks impeccability in his own eyes and calls that humbleness.
I do what gibblet says and it works great. I have my girlfriened doing this before every round of arrows because she changes her stance all the time.
As far draw length the best way would be to find pictures, look at them and compare them to how you look. Have someone take some pics of you at full draw and you can post them. If I remember and have time this week maybe I will try and find some on different sites and link you to them. There are probably some on this one. Search for a thread called something like "show yourself at full draw" or something like that. It's a few pages back on the bowhunting forum. Several pages with plenty of pics and critiques I bet. I may post some of me and my girl so it will come to the top again.
Bottom line, if you don't feel comfortable with it, have the shop change it. When first setting up a bow it is just a best guess, not a final measurement. They should not even charge you anything if you got the bow there to begin with. I'm not saying that for sure, depends on the shop. The place where I got mine caters to it's costomers in that respect. Just go in and tell them it doesn't feel right and you want to try a shorter draw length. I have three bows and none of them have the same exact draw length. Each bow and set up will feel slightly different and needs to be tweaked. I'm between 25 and 26 inches most of the time though with a wrist release.
Paul
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I didn't climb to the top of the food chain to eat carrots! (Ron White)
Might try this,anchor with your knuckel( see if i can tell you right) up under your ear. used your knuckel thats at the top of the fist, and draw it back and up under your ear.The draw must not be any longer back if it fits there.
zac, the best way to see your form is to draw next to a full length mirror or have a friend watch you. If you have a tendency to tilt your head back or start a backward arch in your back your draw is too long. If you find you are head forward or stretching your neck forward to line up, you're draw is too short. A perfect draw length will have you standing erect with no head tilt. With good form you will also last longer when shooting multiple targets.
Good Hunting...
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NRA - IPA IRA ISA IHA Certified instructor
NAA - Level II Coach
PGC - IBEP Bowhunter Safety Instructor
Indicators of too long of draw?
