Practice Holding your draw
 

This last season I was faced with a situation where I had to hold my draw for about 5 minutes. Painfull! Had the deer come into view, I am pretty sure that I could have made the shot.

I can hold my draw (55" @ 65%) easily for 30 seconds, but I am considering practicing t the range while holding my draw for 30-60-90-120 seconds before shooting and seeing where my accuracy is and attempt to improve it.

Do any of you practice like this?

RE: Practice Holding your draw
 

Being able to hold your draw is one of the biggest factors with bow hunting. If you draw too early, they may bust you or in your case you may have to hold too long. I have also been in your situation, 65# 60% letoff, for 5-8 minutes. I have learned how and whereto setup my stands from this to help avoid it. Thus giving me the chance to draw later while the deers head is behind a tree or while the deer is in the brush. This eliminating the long painful hold. Look at the area youre hunting, is there anything you can do different for your setup? Can you turn your stand so it facces a group of trees where the deer are comming through? Try changing your stand setup. Again the most important factors are to practice and to keep your muscles warm.

RE: Practice Holding your draw
 

No I don't practice like this, but I may have to give it a try. Good idea and thanks for the tip. Probably help to condition your back muscles faster also.

RE: Practice Holding your draw
 

I timed myself once to see how long i could hold and then make a good shot on a target at 30 yards. I held for 3 min. 24 sec. and made a pretty good shot, it would have definatly kill the deer. I would rather not have to hold for that long, but sometimes you just may have to.

RE: Practice Holding your draw
 

First thing when you roll out of bed in the morning do 25 push ups and holding your draw will never be a problem. I do fifty and am the strongest man this side of the Mississippi. :D:D really it will help.

RE: Practice Holding your draw
 

Yeah but i do 50 one handed pushups[:-]

RE: Practice Holding your draw
 

Dang,you got me there. You ought to just slap the deer to death with biceps like that.

RE: Practice Holding your draw
 

A little bit not too much though.

RE: Practice Holding your draw
 

I can't back up my claim with where I got the information at the moment, but I do believe that this is a bad idea and may result in injury, decreased accuracy or both.

Work instead on strength training (like Motownhonkey said). Get yourself a bowfit or go to the gym. Do some reasearch on exersizes for the rotator cuff. They're the closest thing to strengthening the muscles used to draw your bow that you'll find I believe.

RE: Practice Holding your draw
 

Here is something that helps me hold if a deer hangs up behind something for a period of time. at full draw bring your anchor hand down to the shoulder chest area without finger on trigger, pull your elbow toward your back. a deers body english will tell you when he or she is ready to step out so you can adjust for the shot. try it!!

RE: Practice Holding your draw
 

On the contrary, this was a perfect set up. The deer were comming down a trail and were going to cross directly (12:00) in front of me at 25 yards. They were moving slow and easy. I had trees at 9:00, 10:30, 1:00 and 2:30. When the deers head was blocked by 10:30, I drew. Just at that very moment a sound of branches breaking came from behind them. They froze there for about 5 minutes until 2 does came busting out from behind them. What scared those 2 up, I dont know, but of course all of them hauled but out of there.

At the gym where I do Muay Thai, we do about 100 push ups every night, and then some. Also, since I broke my shoulder about 4 years ago, I have been doing "Rows" as recomended by my physical therapist. It's a sit down "Lat" machine that also has a rowing pully. If you guys want to try this, sit up with your back straight, shoulders back, and pull straight to your chest. When you pull back, squeeze your shoulder blades together. Great for the back, shoulders, and neck. Everything you need to condition for the bow.