When talking about back tension in reference to shooting form are you talking about the hand pressure in pulling the string back to anchor point? When I release my hand stays at my chin. In the past when I tried to accomplish a release with my hand moving back as the arrow left the bow I felt like I was pulling my hand off to accomplish this. Please comment on both issues. Thanks.

Proper back tension is applied with the rhomboid muscles in your back. Your bow arm, release arm, and release hand should be totally relaxed. Apply a light amount of pressure to the trigger, (caliper, thumb, or pinky) after settling in to anchor point. Aim and start to squeeze your release arm shoulder blade towards your spine. Imagine sueezing an orange with your shoulder blade. The release will fire without you knowing when and your total release will be an explsion with a nice follow through.

Good description Zipper. The tension is switched from your mainly your arms after drawing the bow and at full draw to your back. Your arms should now be somewha relaxed and tension is now felt in your back in order to keep the string back. Shoulders should also be somewhat relaxed. Concentrate on switching the tension from your arms and shoulders to your back.

I hope 55#RECURVE can elaborate a little.

The best way to feel the rhomboids in action if you've never tried it is to take a heavy walled arrow (or a broomstick, etc, it doesn't matter)- grab it with both hands close together. Bring the shaft (or stick) up under your chin and pull apart without bending the shaft. What you'll feel between your shoulder blades is back tension......

Bobco19-65, even during the draw cycle, relax both arms and lwt the back do the drawing. Just like exercising on a rowing machine. Make sure your bow shoulder is down. If it is high, chances are your draw length is too long. If that is the case, you are risking injury to your shoulder.

Zipper, I know what you mean.

There should be little if any pressure on the hand when you are at full draw, your fingers are hooked around the string, not grabbing it, and no string near the tips, unless you have either the top or bottom finger relaxed off, which means it would only be relaxing on the string.
When going through the draw cycle (from fita coaches) pretend you are opening up a huge fan. When you draw it should be slow and settling, the elbow of your draw arm should follow a path of a half circle, then settle in when you anchor, this will acheive back tension with using minimul arm tension. If you are over bow'd you might try to draw to fast and you will load your arms up with all kinds of tension, this is why it is good to have a comfortable weight when drawing. I have to go to school now, so I can't type any more, but I hope this can help a bit Kansas.
Good shooting.
Dylan

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