I don't get slapped if I bend my elbow a bit, but then again, I hear that "bone on bone" is the way to go. It seems like a straight arm would offer more inherent consistency as well.
Actually, if you would have asked I probably would have told you just the opposite....but that is a debate for another time.
I shoot with a bend in my arm and usually direct folks in the same manner.
How many shots have you typically gotten from a set of string leeches? Any numbers on the speed difference a set of cat whiskers has opposed to leeches?
The old style ones would last about 200 to 300 shots. The new ones are supposed to last considerably more than that though I don't know if they would outlast the squidees in a side by side comparison. It would be interesting to find out though.
As for actual numbers...that would be easy enough to compare if you had some traditional string silencers, some new leeches and a chronograph. It has been my experience that you are looking at about a 1-2 fps speed loss with the leeches and closer to 8-10 fps with the traditional rubber silencers. Ofcourse, that will vary greatly depending on how many strands of the original silencers you use as well as their position on the bowstring.