Robv2007

I have recently started shooting my bow and i am having a lot of problems. The first problem is that whenever i shoot an arrow the string always hits my arm and i get burns all over my arm and ithas been ripping apart my arm guards so i moved my arm apart from my bow so they wouldn't hit eachother and then my arrows go flying to the right about 12 inches at 15 yards. last year i was awesome at shooting by bow and could hit the center target each time, but this spring i took it in to get the draw length longer and since then everything has been screwed up. I don't know if i'm suppose to move my peep sights and change anything when i get the draw length longer so i left it all the same. i would really appreciate if anyone could help me out.

Kanga

I would say your draw lenght is now wayyyyyyyyyy too long.

Robv2007

my draw length is long enough so my arm is fully extended and my elbow isn't bent. isn't this how it is suppose to be cause i dont want my elbow to be bent

realmfg

NO!

Jeremy217

Your elbow needs to be bent out just a little if your arm is locked strait it will bend in just enough for the string to hit your arm, so when you draw back dont let your elbow lock

driftrider

Have your draw length measured by a pro who knows what proper form looks like. Your bow arm should NOT be locked out, but should be SLIGHTLY bent. When at full draw and anchored your body should form a perfect "T" shape with the shaft parallel in all dimensions with an imaginary line drawn from your bow hand to the tip of your elbow on your draw hand. Sounds like you may have been bit by the speed bug and like so many other archers opt for a too long draw length. To give you an idea, I'm just a touch short of 6'4" tall and with a short release and d-loop, I have a 29" draw length. Minus the d-loop and shooting fingers I MIGHT be able to go to 30". I've shot bows at 30" with a release and like you my accuracy goes down the toilet right after my form.

Another thing you can (and should) do is have your grip only in the meaty portion of your thumb and turn your bow hand away from the riser at a relaxed 45 degree angle with your fingers in a natural relaxed bend where your index finger only lightly touches the riser, if at all. You will notice that when you turn your hand out your forearm also turns away from the bow. Like you, I used to be overbowed because I INSISTED that I MUST have a 30" draw and had p***-poor form, and every time I shot I'd have a nasty case of road-rash from string slap. Then I ran into a bow tech that knew what he was doing and he convinced me that I needed a shorter draw length. He set up a bow at 30" and another at 29" and had me draw both while watching my form and coaching my form. I instantly saw how much one measly inch can screw up ones form. I had my Allegiance set up at 29" and I've never shot better. I gladly traded 10-15fps of speed for much better accuracy. Inside 30 yards, 15fps is meaningless when your bow is still making 275+ fps (in my bows case, likely a shade over 300fps), as long as my arrow connects with the vitals like it ought to. A 225fps double-lung aorta shot is far deadlier than a 325fps hit to the guts because you're overbowed and your form sucks.

Get thee to a bow shop! [8D]

Mike

Arthur P

I think the elbow should be straight, just not locked out. Reason being, when someone shoots with a bent elbow, there is no way to be absolutely sure the elbow is bent exactly the same on each shot. So, the draw length - or anchor point - will vary slightly on each shot, which can easily cause inconsistent shot placement. I've seen some guys that can shoot great with a bent elbow. On the other hand, I've seen many more bent elbow guys who couldn't hit the broad side of the barn from inside the barn.

But straight or bent elbow isn't the root cause of your problem. I have to echo the number 1 suspicion that your bow's draw length is too long for you. If you weren't having problems before you had the draw length changed and now you are, that kinda falls under the heading of... DUH! Change it back the way it was.

Another good possibility is that the string and cables have elongated and aren't under the proper tension. That will let the string tatoo your forearm. Check your axle to axle length and brace height. If the a-to-a length is longer than spec or the brace height shorter than spec, then get the bow back to the dealer and get them to twist everything up and make it right.

Are you using a metal nock loop? Those metal loops are heavy enough to make the string snap way forward of where they would normally stop and cause you to get string rash. On top of that, the metal loops wear strings out very quickly and cause them to break. They will ruin the jaws of release aids. They cut your arrow speed. I can't think of anything good to say about metal loops. If that's what you've got, definitely get rid of it and switch to a string loop.

GGBH

Have to agree, your draw length is too long and as a result you are probably heeling the grip causinghand torque. The guys have given you some very good advice, Let us know how you come out of this. Your answer may be of help to someone else GGBH

nubo

I agree .it sound's as though it's given because everything was fine to start until you changed your draw length and now there's a problem .Have it set back and if the string slap dissappear's then I guess it's called 'problem solved '. You can also try adjusting your stance to a bit more of an angle ,and see if that help's .

nubo