Form Critique please
 

New bow, new critique please :D Also, I'm aiming at a target on the ground in pictures 1 and 3. Thats why I dont have the "T".

EEK.. I'm starting to get a gut :(

RE: Form Critique please
 

Look like you might be dropping your bow arm a little bit. Your upper body should form a level "T" shape, and if you have to elevate or depress the bow to aim at your target you should bend at the waist, not at the shoulder.

Otherwise, it looks pretty good to me.

Mike

RE: Form Critique please
 

Shouldn't you still be bending at the waist either way? [&:]

Edit: driftriders post wasnt there when I typed mine.

RE: Form Critique please
 

Darn simultanious posts! :D;)

Mike

RE: Form Critique please
 

Having a big gut can keep you from bending at the waist properly. I know all about that.;)

RE: Form Critique please
 

Everything looks good to me Josh.

If you weren't you would form that T everyone is so desperately looking for.

RE: Form Critique please
 

It also looks like you're leaning to the rear, which can mean a draw length that is a bit too long.

RE: Form Critique please
 

Well remember you asked. I don't think it looks that good to be honest. For one your draw looks like it might be a little long. Your are leaning back at draw, and bending your head into the string. This cannot be too comfortable. Also your feet look a bit close together and your stance a bit off. And your bow shoulder should be dropped down, not popped up.

Your grip looks good though.

Not that you can't shoot well that way, It just won't be as comfortable and repeatable. And that is the name of the game in archery. I can shoot all day and the only thing that gets tired is my shoulder from drawing the bow, and sometimes the inside of my hand.

Try this for me. Obviously you have someone with you taking the pics. I want you to stand addressing the target the way you usually do. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Stand straight up with your head and neck lined up with your spine. Looking straight ahead with our head level. Close your eyes draw the bow back until the string touches your nose and the bisects the corner of your mouth. Do not lean back or lean your head into the string to make it work. It may change your anchor point on your face. Now open your eyes and see if everything lines up, like your peep or what ever you use instead of one. You should make these items adjust to you, not the other way around.

Have who ever is helping varify that you are standing up straight and level and not leaning back or shifting your weight to one of your legs, especially the back one. Your bow arm should be straight or have a slight bend in it but not locked or over extended. Your grip should be relaxed. You only want enough tension to keep the bow from coming back and hitting you. And your bow shoulder should be rolled down and low with your draw elbow level with or above your arrow.

Look at pictures of pro archers and see how their stance and form is compared to yours. Then try and emulate that. Having a partner is a big help because they can tell you when you are doing something wrong or slipping again.

Now I want you to stand looking at your target. Hold your bow in front of you, close your eyes and draw it straight back to your anchor points. Open your eyes and see where the bow is pointing. If it is off to one side (usually to the right) change your stance so when you draw this way you are lined up on the target. Shift your feet in accordance to how you address the target either opening or closing your stance. This will make it much easier to hold on the target while at full draw because you are not fighting to push the bow where it needs to go. It will naturally point in that direction. If you have to mark the ground where your feet are for a reference point until you get used to go a head and do it. Do this every time you shoot a new a group of arrows or shift your feet. eventually you will get used to it and it will come naturally.

If you can't do any of this with your body straight and shoulder down and/or it is really uncomfortable your draw may be a bit long for you. You should also be able to stare at your target, hold your bow out in front of you and draw it straight back to your anchor point never talking our eyes off the target. If you have to point the bow up, pull it to the side or anything like that you are over bowed. You are either drawing too much weight, have too long of a draw or both. You should be able do draw on the target while looking at. Not point the bow in another direction, draw it and then find the target. It should be one smooth action with everything lining up on the target.

There are great pics of archers at full draw on AT, look for the thread about the outdoor games or what ever it was on tv a few weeks ago. Tons of pics at full draw. I may post a few of myself and my girlfriend. They are not perfect either, but will give you an idea of what I am talking about. Sometimes it's hard to see until you compare it to something.

Good luck,
Paul

RE: Form Critique please
 

Dang Paul. I can't add anything to that. [8D]:D

OK, maybe I will try. It deffinately looks like your draw length is too long. Looks like your bow arm elbow is pretty locked out, your left shoulder is up and your head is back. All signs of too long of a draw. Grip looks good though! Try Paul's suggestions and you should get it dialed in.

Paul, awesome response. I think I will go check my form when I get home tonight. ;)

RE: Form Critique please
 

Here is a great example of propper form!

RE: Form Critique please
 

Ok, I had something to say about form but after looking at the previous pic I seem to have forgotten.

RE: Form Critique please
 

I'm sorry, exactly what am I supposed to be looking at?

RE: Form Critique please
 

I bet she has a nice"whisker biscut" LOL

RE: Form Critique please
 

Actually she leans her head into the string some as well. There are better examples on the thread you pulled that pic from. She is pretty cute though. I watched those games and was not impressed with the shooting abilities I saw. Not to say I am better or anything, but I have seen better for sure. The timed events were pretty impressive however.

If you could get her to coach you I would go for it though;).

Paul

RE: Form Critique please
 

Looks like she needs to relax her grip on the riser. Her current death-grip could put a lot of torque on the riser.

Now if she wanted to torque my riser...!!

Mike

RE: Form Critique please
 

I'm sorry, Josh... did you ask something? ;)

RE: Form Critique please
 

josh, if you get that bow shoulder down it'll probably give you that 1/2" of draw you look like you've got too long. i disagree about the string touching your face. i don't think the string should touch your face, nose, or anything unless it barely tickles it near the side. its pretty much impossible to have that happen without crimping your neck over unless you have a long ata bow. i'm not sure if being small changes this, but that's not something either of us need to take into consideration. with a short ata bow its just not going to happen without you bending your neck.

you want your shoulders in a straight line, no matter the angle your bending.

RE: Form Critique please
 

I would agree with really short bows and long draw lengths it is difficult to get the string to touch the tip of your nose. With a short draw length it is possible, I do it. You just have to change the way your hand anchors to your face. And the string may not perfectly bisect the corner of our mouth. However you should pay attention to where it touches your face as well as the arrow. If nothing is touching your face I think you will have a hard time being consistant since you will have no real reference points to draw to. Given the choice I would forgo touching my nose to the string and keep my head straight and level.

You are shooting a protec with a 37 inch ATA, I don't think proper form should be a problem if the bow is set up properly.

Here are some pics of me and my girlfriend. Not perfect, but it will give you an idea of what I am talking about. I'm not standing on level ground either which doesn't help.

Here is Nikki, the wind was blowing and her hair is all messed up. If she finds out I posted this pic she will kill me I think.



This is me:



These are both around 30 inch ATA bows, allbeit at shorter draw lengths. Mine is 26 inches and hers is around 25 inches.

The truth is you can shoot a bow any way you want as long as it's repeatable shot after shot. But look at your pics and then look at mine and ask yourself which looks more comfortable at full draw or to do all day all long;) Remember if you change anything it will feel odd and wrong at first because you are not use to it. Blind bail shooting will help this.

I do not pay much attention to where my release hand touches my face anymore. I concentrate on using referance points with the string and arrow. If you shoot different bows and releases all the time it changes from set up to set up. And the string should lightly touch your face, not be digging in to it.

Paul

RE: Form Critique please
 

I see where you said it's a new bow, maybe it is not the protec you are shooting. I cannot tell just by looking at them. Especially at full draw.

Paul

RE: Form Critique please
 

The young lady in picture has good form.Her grip is relaxed,nose in center of string,release hand tight to anchor point not floating.I bet she can give you a run for your money.Is that a barner release she is using?
Looks like you taught her well.

RE: Form Critique please
 

It's a roller aid. I can't use it so she uses it. She has such a light draw weight that it works well. Anything over 50 lbs though and eventually the serving or string loop will crush enough to slip thru the rollers. The only thing I can use it on is a metal loop like the UltraNock. She likes it though. It will work on a bow with a hard serving as well.

I'm going to get her a backtension or a scott release eventually I think.

I actually wish her release hand was more relaxed. I don't like the way she is holding on to the release. It is not needed for that type of release.

She shoots pretty decent. She needs some work on holding steady and being consistant with her grip and stance. We had a little shoot with some of my hunting buddies last weekend and she out shot all of them at 20 and 30 yards. They don't shoot year round though, maybe now they will;). She was really on all day. I was pretty proud considering she just started shooting this winter.

Thank you for the compliment. I think showing others how to shoot is just as fun if not more than actually shooting. I wish I could find some kids to teach.

Paul

RE: Form Critique please
 

Thanks for the critique paul. I will get the pics you requested when it cools off some. This 110 degrees zaps your strength. Luckily for me, the outside of the new house is done, and we are working inside now.


I also have basically the same anchor point as you. I actually think its 38.5" ata. but i think thats a moot point right now. I just wish when I ordered the bow, I remembered to take into account that I wasnt shooting it with a loop, and ordered a half inch or even a full inch shorter. Guess that explains my little extra draw, eh? [:o]