Draw length too short?

[PA Bow/Flinter]

First off, I want to appologize for the fact that I only have one cellphone pic to ask my question off, but I hope it is enough to get some input from.

When I started college, my archery coach switched my DL from 29 3/8" (I agree this was way too long)to 27 3/8". I've been shooting this for a couple months now and the more I shoot, the more I feel that my bow arm isn't straight enough. I feel slightly bunched up and it seems like I would have better bone-bone contact and a more inline bow arm if I made my DL a little longer. I took a pic tonight and it looks like my bow arm elbow is rather bent. I realize its hard to get a good idea based only off of this pic, but do you think I could get away with moving up to the 28" modules where I could try 27 5/8", 28", and 28 3/8" draw lengths?

Thanks.

[TFOX]

Is the bent arm what the coach is teaching? Most don't teach that method but the student is the deciding factor.


Is the coach certified, if so what level?

Looks like you could straighten it more at the draw you are now.But I agreeit does look as if you could go longer but you need to discuss that with the coach.

[Geronimo]

Your bow arm should break (at the elbow)just enough to relieve the tension of your arm muscles. When you do this at thepoint of relief it is more easily duplicated again and a gain until it becomes programed into your brain and muscles. It also should help settle the bow's grip into your hand especially if you use a low wrist grip. After this isestablished then you can work on your draw length. It works for me......

[OHbowhntr]

I agree, it certainly looks like your arm is bent a little more than it ought to be. I think you using the wingspan method, get's you as close as anything. That's the great thing about some of the cheaper bows, they allow you to change the draw length to find what fits YOU best.

[PA Bow/Flinter]

Thanks for your input you guys, I know it is tough to tell with just one pic. Before I consider doing anything I'll post some better pics so you can see all parts of my form to make sure I'm not missing something else.

TFOX: My coach is Mark Olson. He is a NAA Level IV Certified Archery Coach. He has been very good in working with me and I do intend to discuss this with him, I was just curious what you guys thought.

Geronimo: One of the big changes my coach made was my grip. I went from a style verticalgrip to the one where the bow rests in the meat of your thumb with your knuckles at a 45 degree angle. I like this a lot better.

What made me to start questioning my DL was because I was practicing my form on a cheap Genesis bow (no draw stop) where I was setting up my bow arm where it felt comfortable to me. After a few pulls, I noticed that my bow arm felt more stable with a slightly longer DL than what my current rig was set at.

Thanks for your input!

[BungalowBizz]

I'm no expert, but an easy way to determine short or long draw length in a pic is to notice head position. Your head position seems right on to me i.e. not leaning forward to get to the peep.

Please help me out on this. Is the head position a good way to determine draw length by looking at a pic of someones form?

[Paul L Mohr]

Looks sort of short to me, but I am no where near as qualified as your coach is.

Paul

[TFOX]

ORIGINAL: BungalowBizz

I'm no expert, but an easy way to determine short or long draw length in a pic is to notice head position. Your head position seems right on to me i.e. not leaning forward to get to the peep.

Please help me out on this. Is the head position a good way to determine draw length by looking at a pic of someones form?

Head positon is just one piece of a giant puzzle.


I have a friend who is also a level 4 and he would not set your bow arm up that way.


Discuss it with him,I am sure he will let you adjust to fit you better.

Like I said earlier,it looks as though you could straighten it out more at the draw that you are set at now.That would really load that shoulder though,if it worked up on you,then you would know you were too short.


My friend would set your arm up more like this.





Check out this pic,it is the EXACT same bow and draw length.And the same release as the second pic.

[PA Bow/Flinter]

TFOX: Can you explain a little more what you mean by 'loading my shoulder'?

I've tried shooting shooting with different ancoring spots and setting my shoulder/bow arm up in different spots, but I don't feel as though I get the correct ancoring spot doing that. Where I am ancoring now, I feel solid with the entire release-jaw-thumb and nose-string ancoring spots.

[TFOX]

Your anchors look fine to me as well.

Bone to bone contact is all I am refering to when I say shoulder load,it just makes more since to me.The shoulder will load back into place when proper bone to bone contact is made.When I start getting too short,the shoulder will load back and up.


Here is my shoulder starting to load UP from being too short FOR ME

http://s129.photobucket.com/albums/p236/tfox_02/?action=view&current=releasebt.flv