Help with changing my form - vid and pics

[deelyte]

And here is the results of that...

 

 http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e103/deelyte1/0201070003.jpg

I had the paper plate up there over the tennis ball and I split it with my first shot...before I took the vid.   :D  

I've posted one other vid of me shooting a few days ago but I've been practicing a couple of hours a day and I'm trying to figure out how to change.

My shooting is getting better with smaller groupings, but I've been watching a lot of videos on here, and I think I may need to drastically change what I am doing. At first I thought that what I was doing is working for me, so I should just keep doing it until I get consistant, but on watching and reading all the info on this site, I may need to change now, while it's less ingrained in my head.

For example...I have a short draw.

I put the heel of my thumb against my face and doing it that way, naturally my fingers and the bow string are about an inch or two past my mouth. So....when I hold my arrow at full draw, it is around 20 inches. That's probably why most of my arrows that hit the target, do not stick??    They just bounce off.

When I try to pull further back and put my fingers by my mouth instead of my thumb pad, I am have major problems. Pulling my hand way back to where my fingers are at my mouth makes my elbow do weird things and it's really uncomfortable to hold like that. My elbow was going up or out,when I shoot like that. I'm fairly consistant with my hand like it is in the video, but is that ok to use as a consistant form?

I was just wondering if it was the way I stand that makes it hard to stand with my fingers by my face. I have watched a lot of videos on here and everyone has their fingers by their face, at least the ones I have seen.

Is it because I have short arms?  Do I need to lift weights? I don't have any trouble with the weight pulling it back that far. It's not hard to do, it's just very very awkward for me to hold, and I can't move my elbow in when I shoot.


Also, I noticed several times on these various post that offer suggestions on form, and they say if your fingers are curled after the shot, there is hand tension and the fingers should be straight after the shot. Mine are definitely curled and I can't even tell when I let the string go on the video, so maybe I have a lot of hand tension??

The main reason I am asking for opinions is this. If I keep the short draw, and the fingers staying like they are, and I practice it a lot, and even if (let's hope and pray) I get fairly good at it at the ten yards I'm shooting at now. When I back up and start trying at longer distances like 20 yards or so, will I even have enough power to shoot from further away? My arrows that hit right on target now don't stick, so I doubt they will from further away. Unless the more I do it, the more power I will have? I just don't know anything about this and would appreciate any help.

I just don't want to practice wrong at a short distance and have to relearn when I step back further and break bad habits. This is a vid and a couple of pics of my shooting this afternoon, and is how I have been practicing for the last 10 days or so. If the general consensus is that I need to lengthen my draw and open my hand more, then I will try that and take some video. Maybe that will help pinpoint why I'm so awkward when I try to shoot that way.

Thanks in advance for the help, and sorry for the long post. My tongue has a hinge in the middle and flaps at both ends in person....but I didn't know it affected my fingers, too!   :D  

peace
dee

[Terry Green]

I hear what you are saying...but your are short changing your draw length.  You need to get more back tension, and your anchor needs to be further back.

Can you anchor that thumb base behind your jaw?

Don't worry about how it feels at 1st, unless it hurts you or course, but the 'weird elbow' comment......If there is no pain, give the longer draw a chance to settle in.

If you've been doing something a certain way, then change certainly can feel 'weird' at 1st.

[deelyte]

ok. I will do it. I will figure out a way to get it back there. Just from what I was reading on everyone else, I thought I would have to change the way I was doing it. Thanks

dee

[Kingstaken]

What Terry said.
Draw back further allowing your pointer or middle finger, depending on our style to touch into the corner of your mouth and keep the elbow down alil, more. I like to see the elbow and arm level with the shoulder.
Keep it up

[deelyte]

ok thanks for your help. I have watched it and am working hard at all that has been suggested. My elbow is finally starting to improve. thanks again.

[deelyte]

Also, we went to the Tyler archery club today and watched some people shooting trad bows and that definitely helped a lot. Seeing it in person is much easier to figure out. Just trying to train our brains to focus on all the different things and get the body to follow.