What is the ' correct' form?
 

I have been lurking here for some time. You regulars do a good job. I have used the search feature and haven' t found an answer to ' what is the correct form?'


I have had a bow for a few years but never had anyone show or tell me what the correct form is. My previous bow was a Walmat special. I just bought a new bow from a place with a pro shop. I am a righty, single cam, with release for deer hunting.
FIRST FEET:
1) Are my feet, right to left, supposed to ba pointing at the target? Or if you draw a line from my back foot to the target them from my back foot to my front, is there supposed to be an angle there?
2)Feet a little wider than sholders?
SHOLDERS:
3) In line with the feet?
ARMS:
4)Left slightly bent, Right to pull the nock to the corner of my mouth?
LEFT WRIST:
5) Locked out? with the thumb in line with the forarm? with the back of the hand in line with the forarm? or with the wrist locked in?

6) Or am I making this all too complicated, should I just stand there and shoot because my chances of using proper form deer hunting is small?

RE: What is the ' correct' form?
 

Pluto, the best thing for you to do is get yourself a coach. Your pro shop may help out, or check out some of the local archery clubs where you are. Most people are more than happy about helping you out. Make sure they know what they are doing though. Some of the best shots I know have terrible form. That' s fine, once you get going, but not when you' re starting out.

I, and many here, could answer your questions, but you really need to be shown, first hand, how to stand, etc. Some of it will also be dictated by your own physique.

Good form is more important in hunting than anything else!!!! If you don' t have good form on the target range, there' s no way to have good form while in the field where you have to kneel, sit, stand with one leg behind your head, etc. The upper part of your body is critical, and you need the help of someone who can show you. And shooting with bad form, is a tough habit to break. Get help first, and start off right. Find someone who can show you these things, and good luck to ya.

RE: What is the ' correct' form?
 

There is a lot to it. You may want to check out a few books.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...glance&s=books

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...glance&s=books

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...glance&s=books

RE: What is the ' correct' form?
 

Start with just being comfortable and relaxed, tension free. Bow arm slightly bent to what seems comfortable and stable. Bow hand relaxed and tension free. Bow drawn to a comfortable and easily repeatable anchor point, with release arm elbow pointing comfortably back. Your feet comfortably placed so you aren' t even aware of them. Head not cocked and angles, just comfortably sitting there, eyes staring down the target.

If you are comfortable and tension free, you got probably 90% of the battle licked. From there an experienced shooter or coach watching you can fine tune things...

RE: What is the ' correct' form?
 

What Danny said. Join a club and meet people. Scope out the better shooters and ask for help. And don' t be intimidated. We all started somewhere.

RE: What is the ' correct' form?
 

A coach would be the absolute best,but may not be practical.


You can get good advice from hunters and target shooters but it may be right or it may be wrong,a coach will know.



I am fortunate and have a certified coach nearby that also makes my strings and he has helped with my form.


First off,you need everything in a straight line.Arm straight out in front of you,relaxed but straight.Your release elbow needs to be straight behind you,not pointing one way or the other.


If someone looks at you from behind,there should be nothing outside of a straight line with the arrow.Your realease elbow and the point of the arrow should be on the same plane.


Your feet should be shoulder width and position of the feet come down to a comfort thing but most like them to be parallel to the target but pointing slightly outward,away from each other.Some other like the front foot to be slightly behind the back foot from the parallel plane.Hope this makes since.


Your shoulders should also be in a straight line with the arrow.


This is form that is needed for the most forgiving shot in a target situation.When shooting with hunting clothes and hunting a bent arm may be necessary so a slightly shorter draw may be what is needed to shoot an animal with full gear on.This will help create clearance of the clothes to prevent arm slap.



Hope this was the kind of info you were looking for.

RE: What is the ' correct' form?
 

In reference to your bow arm, here' s the easiest way I can explain what to do so you don' t have to bend your arm to avoid string slap.

Stand with your arm down at your side, hand flat against your leg. Now raise your arm straight out to the side until it is shoulder height. Your hand should still be flat, all fingers pointing out. Now, the tricky part. Keep your arm in that position, and rotate your wrist back, so your thumb is pointing up. Then drop your thumb.

It feels extremely weird at first, but it' s the best way I have found to show folks how to keep your elbow out so the string won' t hit it. Now if you' re wearing bulky clothing, the only solution is to use a arm guard to hold it against your arm and out of the way.

RE: What is the ' correct' form?
 

TFox, if my release elbow were to point straight back, I would be anchoring behind my ear and pick up a good 1-1.5" of draw length. As it is now I anchor with the v of my release hand nestled in behind my jawbone.

Does your coach advocate exceptions to this rule to take into account different body types, or am I just out of whack? I' ve never had a coach or anyone comment on my self taught form...

RE: What is the ' correct' form?
 

Thanks for the help. I ordered a book and will heed your advice. If anyone has something to add. I' m all eyes.

RE: What is the ' correct' form?
 

Rangeball

He made me make my draw length longer because I was doing much like you.


I can say from personall experience that the elbow straight back will give you the most forgiving release.


I couldn' t get comfortable with the style of backtension I was using when going longer with my draw but put my wrist release on and the difference was amazing.I am going to look this winter for a backtension that will work with my form.I believe putting a rope on the release I have now will eliminate the problem.



Look at the Short and sweet I was telling you about and it will work great with this form and a loop.

RE: What is the ' correct' form?
 

I was taught that you don' t want a straight line from bow hand to release elbow while at full draw. Almost straight, but not quite. Reasoning is, if you already have that straight line across your back, and then you release, the natural movement of your follow thru will cause you to pull your bowhand to the left (right handed shooters) at the shot due to all the tension. If you keep it just short of a straight line, when you shoot, then the follow thru will put you in that straight line all the way from elbow to target and there is far less bow hand movement at the shot.

Made sense to me at the time.

RE: What is the ' correct' form?
 

TFOX, so where do you anchor at? I really like my current anchor because it' s so solid and repeatable, but I' m always looking for ways to shoot better.

RE: What is the ' correct' form?
 

I anchor right in behind my jaw bone and with my wrist release,it is perfect.



Danny,was the person that told you this a certified coach.I am not a coach so I can' t say if one is " correct" or not but I was having a certified coach teaching me his way.As a matter of fact,he was teaching teachers how to teach archery in school this summer and right now is in New Mexico,I believe, instructing military kids on olympic archery.After that he goes to Ohio to teach some more.Just trying to give a little background for reference.He has also coached and tuned for a few world record holders.


I know there are many ways that work well for many and coaches will sometimes vary in opinions.In a hunting situation,the easiest and quickest to consistantly perform is most likely the best way.We don' t need pin point accuracy at 60 yards to shoot a deer through the vitals.;)

RE: What is the ' correct' form?
 

Yeah, mine was a level 2 NAA coach. I don' t know if there are any set " rules" for shooting. I know there are some basics, and then there all kinds of variants to those. I' m sure each coach puts a little something of their own in when they teach.

More importantly, he was my pro-shop, and my friend. We spent alot of time in his backyard shooting together. I miss those days.

You' re right, pinpoint accuracy at 60 yards isn' t necessary, but it sure makes picking out a hair at 20 yards easy!!!

RE: What is the ' correct' form?
 

Danny

I was just remembering a coversation that I had the other night with this person and he did mention that some will do just as your coach described.It is a very slight offset and like you said is almost straight back.


There are many different ways and what he is teaching is the same because at the point of release,the elbow is straight back.Others use back tension more in a downward motion and The way my friend/coach teaches it.If I am not mistaking,Jeff Hopkins does it in this way.I was talkng to a semi pro that had conversations with Jeff and watched his form very closely and said he would line his elbow straight back and then line the release in a vertical position to eliminate any side to side motion.


Then we were talikng about Randy Ulmer and he said he has nothing straight or in line.With enough practice,a person can become good with very bad form but it is much harder to repeat on every shot and little mistakes become big misses.



Either works and I think the question was answered.[8D]

RE: What is the ' correct' form?
 

TFOX, I added 1" of draw to my scott mongoose adjustment, just to see. Wow, a big difference. My bow arm stays comfortably slightly bent, my back arm settles what feels like almost to straight behind the arrow, and I have less tension. It is easier to hold the pin in the target zone, and I' m getting a much more crisp release. I no longer feel like I am using my muscles to hold the bow steady, it now just kind of sits there. I was having issues with the bow valley seeming very very short and the string trying to jump forward, but I think it was because I was using mostly muscle to hold the draw, not my bone structure.

Only problem is the trigger is too far forward, but I now feel confident that I can add my 29" draw module and shorten the release back up and duplicate the feeling.

Going 1" longer shouldn' t mess with my nock point any should it? Just trying to forsee any potential problems to watch out for.

RE: What is the ' correct' form?
 

Pluto:

Do your best to find a good shooter that will help you ...in person. You can learn on your own, but it will be tough. You will make a lot of mistakes and can easily become totally confused. However, if there is nobody to help you, don' t give up.

RE: What is the ' correct' form?
 

Rangeball


It is amazing how much difference the little things can help.


A change with the release works sometimes and I actually modified my Mongoose to work for me.A loop sounds like it might be just the thing for you.


Don' t be afraid to experiment but when you make changes,make them 1 at a time so you know if the change is working or not.

A module shouldn' t change nock height but will most likely require a longer stiffer arrow.