if i can pull back 55 lbs easily with a compound what would you guess i could pull on a recurve?

45 or 50, but you need to try a few out to see what you can handle

With a recurve, the pulling back is easier. There's no hump to get through. It's the holding back that's the challenge. You use different muscles. 45-50 sounds right.

Well, I came from shooting 70-80lb compounds, and found 50-55lbs was all I could handle for the first year and have complete control

I would stick with 40lb bow. 45-50 will be way too much.

Pulling is the easy part - learning to shoot one well will happen a lot faster if you start well below tour max wght.

Someone shooting a 50# compound would be well served starting with a recurve in the 35# range.

Steve

Don't worry about what you can pull back. You may be able to pull back a lot. But controlling it is another story. I'd stick with 40#'s of so at your draw for your first one. After a year or two, you may want to move up a bit.

How much let-off is on the compound? Say it's just 50% let-off--you are holding 27.5# at full draw--big difference between that and holding 40# at full draw.

Nobody can tell you what you will be comfortable with--you just have to be honest with yourself. I can say you will improve faster, be able to shoot more, and enjoy it more learning with a bow you are comfortably in control of. If I had to guess, I'd say 30-40# max at your draw length--probably 30-35.

Chad

Bingo Bob! Do what he says, Bob is right!