Grip is Key
 

I have been shooting hard again, and have really been working on things. My form, draw and release are the best they have been. The only thing I am having a problem with is my grip, I just can’t get consistent with it. When it’s good, it great and I shoot like I should be, then other times it is bad and so are my groups.

Anyone know any way to get a more consistent grip. I have been shooting point blank and really concentrating on my grip but it really hasn’t done all that muck.

Any help

RE: Grip is Key
 

i wrap my grip with that navcom silencer wrap. it's black and has little bumps all over it. it like sticks to my hand and really gives me a nice grip. it also keeps my hand a little warmer than if i just gripped the wood/glass.

RE: Grip is Key
 

Jimmy I think I know what you are talking about, I may have seen it in Cabelas. Have to give it a try, thanks. I did ruff up the leather of the grip with some 80 grit sand paper and that seems to help for a while.

RE: Grip is Key
 

Two things I am very picky about in a bow is grip and handshock. I've gotten to the point where I'll hardly even try a bow out if the grip isn't comfortable.

I don't like a grip that requires I hold on tight, even in a longbow. If I try to choke one to death, I will usually torque the string. I want a grip that feels natural and fits my hand consistently, without having to make any adjustments. That "Form a Grip" (think that's what it's called) might help with your bow.

Chad

RE: Grip is Key
 

Are you shooting a recurve or longbow? With the longbow, I prefer gripping the handle. Not choking it, but gripping. Kind of Howard Hill style. I also shoot somewhat static, making sure that I am holding the bow and bow arm up and on target right through the shot. Having the bow kick to one side or the other upon release is something Itry to avoid. But, if you can not put your hand in the exact place time and time again, then you made need to have some work done on the handle.

RE: Grip is Key
 

Grip is something a lot of folks take for granted, I think.

I don't grab the handle like I'm totin' a suitcase. Here's how to take the grip I like... Hold your bow arm straight out, inside bend of the elbow vertical to the floor, palm down, thumb extended out to the side. Rotate your wrist so that your thumb is pointing up at a 45 degree angle. Elbow bendis still perpendicular to the floor! Now, just relax your fingers and the back of your hand. The bow fits right into that V. Index finger wraps around the front of the bow. Middle finger is about in the middle of the bow. Ring finger just touchingand the pinky is not touching the bow.

A bow will usually tell you how it wants to be gripped. Grab the handle, take hold of the string, relax your grip - plumb loose! - and draw the bow. Pay attention to how the handle wants to settle into your hand. Where it pushes hardest, that's where you want to put your hand pressure. If it's in the throat area, the bow is telling you it likes a high wrist grip. If it's a bit below the throat, it wants a medium grip. If it's more into the palm, the bow wants a low wrist.

Now, go back through the steps I use to obtain my grip. Point that big knuckle on your fist from your index finger at the wall so that the top of your hand is level with your forearm. That is high wrist. Now, relax the wrist. That big knuckle will be above the line of your forearm. That's medium wrist. Lean the hand back, but not so much that you'll feel strain in the wrist. That is low wrist.

It's all about shooting the bow the way it wants to be shot. If you want to shoot with a certain style grip and the bow wants to be shot a different way, then you've got a problem. And, like Chad said, if the grip doesn't feel comfortable, that's also a problem. You can either send the bow down the road to find a new home - which is probably best - or, if you're handy, you can modify the grip.

Take the grip on my ChekMate, for instance. I always felt it was a little thick in the throat area, felt like it could use a bit more of a palm swell and it was cut a little too much into a low wrist for my tastes. I could send the bow down the road, but I've already sold two cutom bows I wish I hadn't. I did not want to repeat a mistake like that. So...

I got out the sandpaper and thinnedthe throatdown a bit- not too much because I definitely don't want to hear something go CRACK when I draw the bow. [:-];)Then I got a long strip of leather and folded up a few other pieces of leather. I wrapped those folded pieces of leather under the thong - one under the side of the gripto make more of a palm swell and the otheron the belly side of the grip toincrease the grip angle. I wound up with a grip that felt very comfortable.

The pads let me put pressure where the bow wanted it and yet let me hold my wrist at an angle that was comfortable.

Also, I've got a definite preference for a wrapped handle rather than using a piece of leather glued and sewn on. The wraps give you something you can feel in your hand. If you can feel them in places where they aren't supposed to be when your grip is right, you know you haven't your grip right. I have never tried that navcom stuff, but with all those bumps and stuff, it's gotta have enough reference points to drive you absolutely NUTS! [8D]

RE: Grip is Key
 

Bob I shoot a long bow.

Thanks for all the help guys.

It’s not that the grip is uncomfortable, for the most part I just can’t get my hand in the same spot every time. Some days it will just melt into my hand and others I have to really work at it.

It is a flat style grip and when I get the right hold the bow CAN’T torque, and it is beautiful. This grip also gives me a little more clearance between the string and my arm. Because it is a flat grip I have a hard time judging were my hand is on it and I think that is were my problem is coming from.

Today I shoot and everything went good

I have found the only time the grip gives me any problems is when I am shooting at the target, in the woods it just falls into place. Maybe I should just stop being such a wimp and just shoot.

Thanks for the help I will beputting it to good use.

RE: Grip is Key
 

Try holding the bow tightly enough so the bow doesn't move on release. Bow arm stays up and steady and bow stays still on release until arrow hits target.

RE: Grip is Key
 

Guss, I have a longbow w/a flat grip too. I've hadmine for years & it's taken its share of animals, but I had to shoot it ALOT to keep my accuracy up to snuff. I still really like the feel of that grip when I wrap my hand around it, but I don't have nearly the time to shoot these days, so I don'tshoot that bow much right now. For me the flat grip adds an extra challenge & isn't the easiest to be consistent with.

....but then again, 'easy' isn't what we're after is it?;)

RE: Grip is Key
 

AP thanks, will try that when I get off of work, won't be the first time I shoot by candle light.

Arrowamith, had no idea that a flat grip was harder to shoot. What type of grip would be easier to shoot. I think because it is a flat grip I could get it changed if I want,but not sure.

RE: Grip is Key
 

Any of the "locator" style grips are more contoured to the human hand & will be easier to grab the same every time. As you've found, a consistent grip is vital to optimal accuracy. Going a step further, finding the perfect (locator) grip to fit you canbenefit your shooting accuracy to an even greater degree.Your hand will just naturally want to slip onto this grip in the same placeeverytime, without any fuss or concerted effort on your part.Many ppl consider the gripto beone of the most important features oftheir bow.

RE: Grip is Key
 

I think I will just get some Duct tape and go from there, it will make it hard to eat and go to the bathroom, but should keep my grip consistant.

RE: Grip is Key
 

I saw a guy at an indoor range shooting a recurve. He had tatooed a black dot on his web of flesh between thumb and first finger, and matched it up to a point on the grip of the bow. He shot very tight groups. Not suggesting perm. mark, but look for a noticable feature on your grip hand to match up..a fold of skin, a bend in a certain finger, or a part of a knunckle to match up to a certain, distinguishing, part of bow once you find the sweet part of your grip that gives consitent groups. After awhile of visually placing your hand on grip to find that certain spot, it comes naturally. Good groups! Tony!

RE: Grip is Key
 

That's a good tip tommy. I have seen that too, and permanet marker give you something to practice with.

I use a low grip, and I love it, but there are two things you have to get on top of. On my favorite bow, there isn't any registration point for the vertical position of the hand. I'd love something like the top of a grip on a 45. I'm fine with flat and all that, but getting a quick consistant grip is difficult. When I have time, I make sure my index finger is just below the arrow.

The other form of alignment is getting a zero torque lateral position. Plain longbow grips are wonderful for this, next best thing to a machinied riser without a grip, or a shrewd precision grip. if you hold your left hand out a little, and relaxed, take the finger tips of your drawing hand, and pull back into your lifeline area. You will actually see your hand shift position if you load the areas outsideo fht ezero torque position. Learn where this area is, this is the area than needs to take the laod when you draw. Keep a bent elbow, as low a wrist as required, and keep the no torque area against the bow. That's all there is to it. A lot of pistol grip are terrible for low torque, unless you use only the area between the thumb and forefinger. That kind of high wrist grip is not really good technique any more, unless you have a high wrist grip on the bow too, and even then it's out of favour.

RE: Grip is Key
 

Goodadvice about finding the neutral torque zone of the bow's grip!It's such an automatic thing with me when I pick up a bow, either one I haven't shot in a long time or one I've never shot, that I'd plumb forgot I do it. [&:]

I find that passing odd, also.... The high wrist for recurve shooters was highly regarded back then. Actually, much more so than low wrist is today. Maybe that was because of how many bowhunters also shot field archery with their recurves, and practically everybody that shot targets used high wrist.

RE: Grip is Key
 

Ossage, I am lost. I will read what you had to say a few more times then ask some questions, hope you are still out there.

RE: Grip is Key
 

I think ossage is talking about doing, barehanded, what I do with the bow itself.

I hold the bow'sgrip in my hand, naturally,then squeeze the fingertips - hard -into the front of the grip. If the bow torques off to the side, I move my grip sideways and do it again. (If the back of the bow torques left, making the arrow point off to the left in other words,I move my grip to the left. If it torques to the right, I move my grip to the right.) I want to find the spot where my grip won't move the bow, no matter how hard I squeeze it. It's usually a bit different on every bow.

RE: Grip is Key
 

I miss diagnosed my problem and it wasn’t my grip. It was a few things that I was doing wrong, but man have I learned a lot from these posts.

My problem was a combination of a few things, my draw was short (don’t know why), my brace height had moved and I was just in a funk

RE: Grip is Key
 

Interesting, you do this all with your bow hand, correct Arthur. I'm confused because I believe Ossage said to use your drawing hand.

RE: Grip is Key
 

It's still doing the same thing, Bob. Rather thanusing the string hand to pullthe bow into the bow hand, I'm simply squeezing the grip into the lifeline with my fingertips. Either way, if the bow torques or your hand shifts position,you need to slide your grip around to find that neutral zone.

RE: Grip is Key
 

Thanks Ossage and Art, that seemed to help. I noticed that I needed to change my grip a little, but when changing slightly, I also had to turn out my elbow a bit more so I did not make contact with my arm. Unfortunately, when experimenting, I had my string whack me behind the armguard. Got a nice bruise from it. [:@]

One other question, my bow is made with a medium wrist grip, and I know where the pivot point is (at full draw). However, when doing this test (not at full draw), I noticed that the bow like to move (point) upward slightly. I don't think this matters though, does it?

RE: Grip is Key
 

Sounds like you might be flexing your wrist up slightly when you do the test, Bob. It's real easy to do that if you don't concentrate on keeping it still while playing with the grip pressure. Since youshouldn't be squeezing the grip like that while actually shooting the bow though, I doubt it be a problem.

RE: Grip is Key
 

Thanks Art.

RE: Grip is Key
 

Arthur,

I went home and did the "torque" test and found that the bow moved the least when the pressure was on the pad under the thumb... But this position feels odd..... Almost as if my palm is off to the side of the bow.... It's doesn't feel nearly as stable as you would find with a good low wrist hold with the middle/bottom of the palm taking the pressure..... Where am I going wrong here? I need pics!!!! By reading your explanations it sounds like the the palm area right of the lifeline never touches the grip.. Is this correct?

RE: Grip is Key
 

Joel, there is no hard and fast rule about it. Much of it depends on how the bow's grip is formed. How thick, how thin, if it's formed centered on the axis of pressure from the draw oroffset/angled to one side or the other...

Another bunch of it is how your hand is formed. Long and lean or short and thick. Long and thick or short and lean. Or anywhere in between. Even the flexibilityof your wrists can come into play. For instance, your low wrist might be lower or higher than my low wrist, depending on whether your wrist bends more or less than mine does. All play a part in how your grip fits a certain bow.

Bows are all different and we are all different. In my hand, most bowslike to ride centered just to the thumb side of the lifeline - maybe about a quarter of an inch - and that's where I'd like all of them to sit when I'm shooting. But not all do.

Sometimes you just gotta use a loose grip, grab the handle however is comfortable for you and let 'em torque, and hope they torque the same way every time. A tight, whitekucklegrip on a bow like that will keep it from torquing the same from one shot to the next.

RE: Grip is Key
 

Thanks........ Back to the bale....... AGAIN :D