Trushot_archer

I hear a lot of "High wrist grip" or "Low wrist grip" references and I have an idea of what we're talking about but not sure.

I assume low wrist means just that. Palm nearly flat against the butt of the riser with the fingers, if extended pointing at an upward angle.

High wrist, I'm guessing, has the the wrist in more of a "locked" or extended position with the fingers, again if extended, pointing more outward toward the target.

Am I even close on this?

And what is the most accurate as a general concensus? Or is it again more personal feel.

If the way I see it is correct it would seem that there can be quiet a variable in drawlength for any given archer depending on high or low wrist? I mean I measured the distance btw where my palm hit the riser with my guess of "low wrist" and there's 1 5/8" difference (longer) switching to high wrist.

Pros and cons either way? Or am I way off base with this?

Any one got a digital and a little time?

silentassassin

Your assessment of high and low is correct. The majority of world class target archers shoot low wrist grip. Many people feel like the is the most repeatable grip. Most all grips will impart some amount of torque. They key is finding a way to reproduce the same grip every time. Many people feel that especially in target archery, with a high wrist grip, that at some point your wrist will begin to fatigue and your grip will change. Also, a high wrist grip makes you flex your fore arm muscles rather than relaxing them which can also have a detrimental affect on your shooting. For some people a high wrist grip will be more natural and more accurate. For most people a low wrist grip will be more accurate.

walks with a gimp

I shoot with a straight wrist and off the web between my index finger and my thumb with my index and middle finger touching the front of the riser. My pinky and third finger are tucked along side the grip making very little contact. There is probably only about 1 1/2 square inches of contact between my hand and the bow's grip. It's not for everyone, but it's for me I do gain some draw length but putting the pressure higher on the grip as compared to "heeling" the bow makes for an easy bow tuning session for me. I don't have right/ left misses and this helps me rotate my forearm out of the way. I've been shooting this way for about 25 years so it's natural for me.

BGfisher

Check www.bowsite.com, features, practical bowhunter, then grip. This gives a very good tutorial with pictures about the most repeatable and most used grip today. You did refer to the low wrist with the palm into the bow. This is a very improper grip for repeatability, and often just turns the arm in so the string can slap it. In educated circles the palm of the hand never touches the grip of the bow.

Trushot_archer

Ok...

So that was my next question.
Theoretically the less contact by the bow arm and the riser the less chance of torquing..so a plus for the high grip.

That's how I've shot so far, kinda like you WWAG (without the goofy bottom 2 fingers) but in the "V" and always had a hard time finding the really "sweet spot" that's absolutley "locked on" and repeatable every time. I strive for it, but sometimes it's grab and feel...draw and let down, feel again, search for the pocket, kinda find it and draw again.

Playing with the low wrist seems much easier to duplicate on a consistent basis, but I than feel overdrawn, my anchor is goofy adn I get zapped by the string sometimes.

I'm not really set in my ways with anything and willing to change if it will benefit...but what are the odds that I will see significant results by shrinking the draw to accomadate the lowered grip?

Arthur P

That's the unofficial rationale. Another theory is low wrist allows limp-wristed guys to draw more weight than high wrist without the inconvenience of training and strengthening the wrist. Just as much baloney as the other, IMO. The REAL reason: Low wrist naturally puts a bend in the elbow and gets your arm out of the way of the bowstring on a bow with low brace height.

The bad thing about low wrist, bad for short draw archers anyway, is it reduces your draw length by at least an inch. Less draw length, less speed. Assuming we lose only an inch, shooting low wrist on a 27" draw bow with 7" brace will give you the same power stroke, same energy, same speed as if you shot high wrist on an identical bow braced at 8" but 28" draw.

I shoot high wrist with the only part of my palm contacting the grip being the web between my thumb and forefinger. My opinion is the more hand contact you have with the grip, the greater the chance for grip induced torque. I have never felt fatigue in my wrist or forearm. The bones are compressing against themselves under load of the draw weight and support the weight with no muscle tension involved, whatsoever.

I've tried the low wrist/bent elbow style, certainly. Had to follow the latest techniques and stuff. Found out it puts a good bit of muscle tension into my triceps and forearm. The low wrist style is much more fatiquing and 'torque-y' than high wrist, for me. I can't shoot for beans that way.

Edit - DANG! You guys were busy whilst I was typing! Trushot, if you haven't fine tuned your bow's tiller, then you need to do so. High wrist with a small contact point on the grip does make dynamic tiller adjustment more critical. Adjust so that the bow stays level throughout the draw cycle, not rocking forward or backward.

Jason N

Walks, I shoot the same way! It seems to work well for me and I don't have any repeatability problems.

Trushot_archer

What's up Arthur? You calling me a Sissy?

Haven't and will...if you tell me how. This isn't the "shoot 5 arrows at 50, half a limb bolt turn to the top and than 5 more arrows" is it? If it is, I don't think my form is consistent enough to shoot that many arrows that far and be able to tell anything about my tiller other than the guy holding the bow needs some work

That grip article was very imformative BG thanks.

Arthur P

Sissy is as sissy does. [8D][&:]

Nah!

What I'm talking about doesn't involve shooting at all. You load an arrow onto your string and go through the draw sequence but don't shoot.

Here's what you do. Hold your bow out already pointed at target, with the pin in the dot. Then draw straight back, slowly. If the pin pulls UP off the target, take off a half turn from your top limb or add a half turn to the bottom limb or both.

Naturally, if the pin pulls DOWN, you do the opposite and take weight off the bottom limb and add to the top, or both.

Then repeat. Keep up the draw and adjust thing until the bow sits solid as a rock all the way through the draw. It will make your grip a lot more comfortable and consistent.

When I make my adjustment, I slide my hand up the grip until it stops, where the grip starts flaring out into the shelf. That is where I establish my grip and make my tiller adjustments to accomodate that grip position.

You might need to adjust your nockset height after you get through, but it will make tuning your arrow flight SO much easier when you've got the bow cooperating with your grip instead of fighting you.

walks with a gimp

Here's a pic of my grip.