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Main Boards => The Shooters FORM Board => Topic started by: virginiashadow on May 03, 2010, 07:37:00 PM
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Hello all. I just started shooting a recurve a couple of months ago after many years shooting a compound. I am going back and forth trying to figure out how long I should hold full draw before I release. When I first started I kind of "snapped" my shot off as soon as I got my anchors. Then I went to trying to hold full draw for a 2 count. Now I am shooting about 1-1.5 seconds after I get my anchors.
I feel comfortable shooting at 1-1.5 seconds but am wondering how that will translate into bowhunting deer. I am not sure that is long enough for the deer woods.
So how long do you hold full draw? And of yeah, any hints/tips/advice is much appreciated as I am just learning the recurve game.
Brett
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Probably about 3 seconds.
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3 seconds for me too.
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As long as i need to. At 3d i hold about 2-3 but at deer or moving animals i sometimes draw while they are behind bushes the shoot when they come out or sometimes snap shoot. I think a good bowhunter should be able to adapt to the situation wether they make a faster shot or they hold for 30 seconds waiting for an animal to turn.
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bm--I don't think, I know I cannot hold my recurve on full draw for 30 seconds. Maybe I should start holding full draw longer so I can develop some endurance.
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I release just a few seconds after coming to my anchor. As I am drawing back everything is coming into alignment so that when I hit anchor it is good to go, I just hold a second or two to verify my aim.
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Most of the time for me it is 3 to 4 secs and I release the string. I don't draw on an animal until I know I am ready to shoot it.
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Thanks guys. I don't know if I am releasing right but I feel like my draw hand is still moving backwards and my front arm is kind of pushing forward when I "release". It is like I get to my anchors (middle finger in corner of mouth and thumb by jaw), then I still ease backwards and the bow just "goes off". It seems to be working for me but I am not sure if that is a good style to continue to use. Thanks for the input guys.
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I try as much as I can to emulate Terry Green's form and it works best for me. He doesn't hold at all - just keeps pulling through the anchor to release. I recommend you see his videos.
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Mine is usually around 1 - 4 seconds depends on the situation really but after that I start to fatigue if I hold longer than 6 seconds & need to let down or shoot even if I'm shooting my 40* bow.
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I pull till my thumb base knuckle hits my ear lobe and I release. this has always worked for me on game and targets,never seen amy need to hold for 4-6 sec. this works for me.
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I'm holding between 2-3 secs, any longer and normally its a poor shot for me, not just form but focus as well.
Coach Kim (top Korean Olympic Coach) gave me a good test to try last year. Draw the Bow and hold for 5-6 secs come down half draw for 2 secs and repeat as many time as possible, if you cant do this repeat draw test more than 7 times you're overbowed.
The good news is you can do this test everyday till you build enough stength and control to pass the test.
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Until the shot goes off,,an that depends on how comfortable I am with that particular shot.
At 10 yards it's more or less a snap shot,,,at 80 yards I probably hold for 2-3 seconds.
It's not a preset thing,there's something going on in my head that just triggers the release when I get to where everything has come togeather.
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Everything from 0-2 seconds.
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sometimes the arrow is gone the second I hit anchor and sometimes I hold about 2 seconds. the longer I hold anchor the more my shot falls apart, at least during practice. In hunting situations I just take what the animal is giving me.
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Vernon, you do like I do.I believe if you know your bow ,the picture is automatic and there is no need to hold the shot very long.A good hunting weight bow would be hard to hold back for a normally conditioned archer.A couple of seconds is a long time when pointing your arrow at game.
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zeta.."Coach Kim (top Korean Olympic Coach) gave me a good test to try last year. Draw the Bow and hold for 5-6 secs come down half draw for 2 secs and repeat as many time as possible, if you cant do this repeat draw test more than 7 times you're overbowed.
The good news is you can do this test everyday till you build enough stength and control to pass the test."
I just completed and passed the test. :) I am shooting a 55# bow. I just practiced about 30 shots and tried holding the shot longer to about the 2-3 second mark. I found myself hitting ok, but my shots seemed to be a bit higher. I will keep working on it.
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I try to empty my thoughts, concentrate on the spot I want to hit, and let the shot happen as naturally as possible. That takes two to three seconds after I hit my anchor point.
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About 1/4 second before I hit my anchor :mad: , but I'm working on it!
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I tried drawing and holding for a set number of seconds. I tried 2 seconds on up to 6 seconds. For me, whatever time I decided to use for my release, I would barely get to that time and release. Sometimes I'd be on target and sometimes not. I have found ( from advice by better shooters then me) it is best to draw and get to your anchor and keep drawing until the release just happens. I think that I anticipate the shot when I try to hold for a specific amout of time. Once you get away from snap shooting and allow yourself some time to get on target you will find that your release will be more of a suprise and can happen at different amounts of time. It will depend on how long it takes you to get comfortable at full draw and how long it takes to get on target and then just let it happen. That's what works for me.
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Lots of different opinions/methods on this one. I think the bottom line is that there is no set amount of time and you just have to find what works for you.
I was frustrated at missing a doe this past season which was the only shot opportunity I got all season. So I thought I needed to change my shooting style. Over the winter I really tried to hold at full draw for a couple of seconds before releasing because "snap shooting" has a bad conotation. Holding just doesn't work for me and I shot worse and worse. I read some of Terry Green's posts about snap shooting and watched his videos. I am now not ashamed to say I'm a snap shooter and I've recently been shooting better than I ever have.
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Originally posted by jsweka:
Lots of different opinions/methods on this one. I think the bottom line is that there is no set amount of time and you just have to find what works for you.
Think we all have an internal body clock and it's just a matter of tuning your shot to your own internal clock that feels natural and comfortable to you. For example I've read that Fred Bear talked as fast as he shot. :)
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I would like to hold for 3 or 4 seconds but here lately, im lucky to hit 1 or 2
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3-5 secs. for me. Anything shorter = rushed shot. Anything much longer and it throws off the rhythm of the shot. I do practice drawing and holding on target just to prevent target panic.
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Between .75 and 1.5
If I hold past that then its double time because I have to reset my shot.
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If the release is natural, is there a conscious time constraint put on it?
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When as practice form I will hold until the count of 3 than release. I find this helps my accuracy, however the other day there was a rabbit in my lettuce bed having himself a good time and I decided to do something about. I got within about 16 yds and drew back just as he put his head up to run I let go. We enjoyed a rabbit stew with salad that evening. I think the shot dictates the time held as others have stated. :archer:
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Usually at 3d I am a 3 second kinda guy, 1 gets it back 2 is at anchor 3 its check focus and away .. if its running hogs, I shoot and let them run into the arrow.... works every time.
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I shoot a 43# bow most of the time and hold long enough for by bow arm to settle in. about 3 seconds.
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I seem to make a better release when I hold for a 2 or 3 count at anchor.
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Um..... 2 seconds for me :thumbsup:
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Left hand 1/2 to 2 seconds at targets, right hand 0 to one second at targets. If your arrow is the only thing in the target 3 or 4 while I visualize your reaction if I hit it, then re-aim depending on what I visualized.
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1 or 2 seconds at the most.
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I let the game dictate that....but most time I snap shoot....when my 2nd anchor is reached, the arrow is gone....unless the animal moves and I'll hold till the shot presents itself again and apply reaward movement and 'snap'...its away.
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Thank you guys. By the way, I appreciate all of the help and honesty from you guys since I have joined this site. You guys have been so kind and have answered all of my questions, THANK you.
Brett
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I actually count 1001 to make sure I am not snap shooting and am reaching full draw.
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1-2 seconds. I've been trying Asbell's advice about a smooth draw and release but I just can't get the hang of it. When watching his instinctive shooting video you'll notice that the people he is teaching tend to hold for about a second or so. I'm assuming this is the best way to begin with.
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Originally posted by Terry Green:
I let the game dictate that....but most time I snap shoot....when my 2nd anchor is reached, the arrow is gone....unless the animal moves and I'll hold till the shot presents itself again and apply reaward movement and 'snap'...its away.
What do you use as your 2nd anchor?
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1-2 seconds at most. trying hard to get away from snap shooting.
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My thumb base knuckle slides behind my jawbone under my ear. Do a search for the word 'double' and you'll find lots of info on double anchors.
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Since my class with Bob Wesley, he has me taking a 2 count before release. I was practically snap shooting before that.
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2-3 seconds, until I get a good sight picture and back of fletching contacts the tip of my nose, Rick Welch style works for me.
Sometimes I do find myself rushing the shot and my form suffers as well.
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Virginia. The shot sequence you describe for yourself on the first page seems just about perfect. Don't worry about how long you hold at full draw. From what you describe, your subconscious is triggering the shot when it looks/feels right. That's exactly what you want. Doesn't make any difference whether that occurs 1/2 or several seconds after reaching full draw. Don't try to make it more complicated than it is. You may need to hold longer in a hunting situation, and if so, your brain will cause you to do so. Then again, you may need to shoot more quickly than you normally do. There, too, the brain will take over. Just do what's comfortable and feels right for you.
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I shoot considerably better if I focus on the spot for a good 2-3 seconds at full draw before my release.
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I try to be in hold for 1-3 seconds.
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Once I reach my anchor..top finger to corner of mouth..It takes me 2 or 3 seconds to get everything lined up.
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hit my anchor and 2 or three secs..depends if its a target or if its breathing
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I might take 1-2 seconds. After that I start to over-think. This is when things go wrong.
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when i think of it 5 to 10 seconds , but if not probably about 2-3. as long as it takes to line up the shot and feel good about it.
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don't release the string until your eye has locked into the spot you want to hit.
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I've watched the pros shoot on video. Watched them hold at anchor on targets. Then watch them shoot flying targets w/out holding at anchor. They still hit their marks. Hmmm.
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I would guess about 5-7 seconds. I think I am on target within 1-2 seconds, but its 5-7 seconds till I get enough back tension.
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As recurve shooters have started shooting higher poundage bows, the hold times have decreased. If you shoot a bow 35# or less, about 8 seconds is a good time once you reach full draw, but with bows over 35#, you need to speed it up to around 3-4 seconds. Most folks get too tired in a tournament holding heavy poundage recurves more than 3 seconds.
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I hold for 3-5 seconds.This technique works better for me than snap shooting.I do hold up to 10-15 seconds to help build muscle memory every now and again. :thumbsup:
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I get to the necessary form quickly however getting the eye to settle on that small aiming point varies my time considerably with variable success.
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First,everyone is different and second I'm not concerned about how long I hold once I hit full draw and third,people like Howard Hill and Fred Bear were only concerned about coming to full draw and being on target not how long they held it there. Both of these great archers would be considered snap shooters now days. As long as you hit your full anchor don't worry if you can't hold it all day. All that should matter is coming to anchor(to be consistent)and hitting the target after release. And I agree about the target weight bows being easy to hold than hunting weight bows. Target weight bows don't stack near what hunting bows do. I have a couple of target bows and they stack so little it's like shooting a compound.
"Time is of no importance only life". Ok sorry, I watched Fith Element with the little wife this weekend.
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More than 5 seconds, and my bow arm is not dependably stable on target for me. Focusing on aim for a split second and only releasing when feeling sure works better for me that an instant release at anchor - it creates a mental focus that maybe lacking in a snap shooting situation. But, holding a draw long is not something that works well for me.
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around 1 - 2 seconds.
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The closer I am to about 3 seconds the tighter my groups.
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1 to 3 second. Funny thing I started doing the 1 thousand 1 1 thousand 2 thing and of course lost my focus - plucking the string and missed my mark by 6 inches - grin.....
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Glenn
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around 1 to 2 seconds.
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I had a coach tell me once that a person has the same attention span or undivided focus of a goldfish :eek: which is 1-3 seconds. After hold for me comes expansion simultaneously with aiming which takes 1-3 seconds normally.
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around 1-3 seconds depending on the situation