bigcountry

Ok, been shooting my martin savannah 50# at 28" for almost 2months. Here is what I have found. I found this weekend, I can shoot very consistently using a medium wrist instead of a high wrist. Second, for me to focus intensely on a target and hit it, I need to cant the bow like to 2 oclock position. Is this unusual?

If I take the time to rifle down the bow cant doesn't matter. But I believe the issue lies with my eyes. See I am extremely left eye dominate. Have been since a eye injury to my right. But if follow my form rules and just stare at the smallest point possible intently and pull back and release like I should I am hitting a 3d deer target back to 15 yards 4 arrows out of 5 in the kill zone.

Please, noone come here to tell me to shoot left handed. I have struggled with this in pistol competition and rifle, and it just doesn't work for me. And I just don't have to funds to restock my stuff for a left handed test.

Second problem is my release. I know it sucks because I see sometimes my arrow fishtailing. I thought at first it was my spine but I had a proshop help me by shooting a few times (from a known good release shooter) and his flew very nicely compared to mine. when I practice my release and consentrate that I get wild hits. I mostly miss the 3d target all together, as I am concentrating all my attention on pushing with the shoulder and pulling with my fingers instead of that small little target I picked out

I sure don't want to develop any habits I can't get rid of.

Do you still think it would be best to go back to the basics and move back up to 5 yards and practice my release for a few weeks before moving back?

bigcountry

By the way, I measured 53# at my 29" draw and shoot 30" 2016 legacy with 125gr tips, wieghs around 485gr with right helical 5" parbolic.

BobCo19-65

Personally, I really refuse to work on release. I release the best when I am not thinking about it at all. I just let it happen, and wherever my hand lands after the release it lands. I don't even want to think about that. I will add though, that I need to have the correct amount of back tension to release cleanly. I'd also add that my release hand needs to be relaxed. I try to keep it relaxed through the drawing process however.

Arthur P

For someone who's got a good release, then it can be safely ignored. But for someone who's got a problem with it, it's a key element that needs to be fixed. Your release will determine how accurate you can be. It will even determine what kind of arrow speed you get. A good, clean release will give youbetterspeed.I've seen a 20 fps difference with two shooters; same bow, same arrow, same draw length but one had a sloppy releaseand the other a good clean release.

If you try to release from a dead hold at anchor, you will usually wind up creeping forward with the string before you let go. It can let the string hang up on your fingertips, making the release sluggish and pushing the string further off it's plane of travel than it needs to be. Get that string to oscillating left/right too much while the arrow nock is still on there, and that left/right whip will be transferred to the arrow. The arrow will fishtail, no matter how well the spine is matched.

Try this... When you get ready to release, push with your bow hand, like you're trying to push the arrow into the target. At the same time, push your string hand elbow to the rear, like someone's hand is on your elbow and you're pushing it back.

I highly recommend practicing thatwithout the bow. Just push forward with the bow hand and back with the string hand elbow. You'll feel your chest expand and, more importantly, you'll feelthat legendaryback tension. Once you learn the proper feel, and get it ingrained into your muscle memory so the feel is there when you're at anchor and making the release, you will get an active,dynamic release.

Might even change from a glove to a tab, tab to glove, from one kind of glove to another or one brand of tab to another. Even try bare fingers for a shot or two. There are some gloves and tabsI can't get a decent release with, to save my life. And the ones that work for me might not work for someone else.

Double Creek

Good advice above...... You do seem under spined to me..... I shoot 2016's with a 47# bow and I'm a tad under spined..... Have you bare shafted those arrows? The spine range on those are 50-55 at 28..... You're shooting 30 inches...... I believe 2018's would be a better fit.... BUT, other things can effect spine, so if you are grouping your bare shafts with your fletched shafts, I wouldn't worry about it......

If you can afford it, get Rick McKinney's book The Simple Art of Winning...... It has some good chapters in there about back tension and the release.... I'm working on mine right now as well..... I noticed it getting very sloppy here lately.....

bigcountry

I thought so too double but bare shafting hits exactly where my fletched one do. I tried aiming off the point to do this at a low object.

So I still worried about it. Until I took to aproshop and a guy was coaching me on release, and he confirmed thatit was mostly my release. And then he has the same draw I do, put bullet holes thru paper.

I think several things are working here. Inconsistent draw, inconsistent release. I think I am going to move back to 5 yards for a week and strickly work on release as Arthur said. It sure can't hurt nothin.

Double Creek

All I can tell you is this.... The best shooters in the world all preach back tension..... It's the key to a good clean release and the proper follow through..... I use my back now, but I don't believe I am using it to the fullest extent... I'm going to work on that over the next few weeks.... McKinney says forget about the release and work on the follow through.... There's some merit to that I would think.....

bigcountry

What does he mean by follow thru? When after release, your hand is back behind your head?

Double Creek

Well, I guess it would mean different things to different people... But yes, he is refering to his shot conclusion.... Which would be where his hand touches his shoulder upon release... His theory is not to think about the release.... Just go from holding at anchor to your follow thru position..... I haven't had a chance to test that for myself..... But it does make sense.... It takes the conscience mind off of the actual release......

Arthur P

What I was taught about follow through is, "Keep aiming until you see the arrow hit." Your bow hand is still pointing at the target (more or less - it's obviously going to recoil off to the side a little). Your head is still down on your anchor and does not move. Even though your hand has moved back along your face, your elbow is still pushedback.

When the arrow hits, only then can you move. Of course, if you miss, you're frozen in that position for eternity. [8D]