Sore arm 3-under?

[xtrema312]

I recently changed my heavier bow from split to 3-under.  It shoots real well 3-under, and I made the transition easily.  After about a week of messing around shooting 3-under I developed a strain in my draw arm.  Everything was sore for a couple days, but now just a couple spots.  I seem to have a sore deltoid.  I don’t feel it when shooting, but if I rub on it I find it is sore.  I feel discomfort when shooting in the area between the deltoid and pec muscles.  I feel it on draw and release.  At first I thought it was too much practice leading up to the season.  I laid of practice most of a week.  Today shooting my lighter bow split finger I was ok.  Then I shot the heavier bow with a new string I was setting up.  I shot it split finger for a little while, and I was ok for the most part.  Then I shot a couple shots 3 under, and right off I know that was the problem.  I changed back to split and shot a fair number of arrows.  I feel ok now.  I have full range of motions without any discomfort.  I figure I have some kind of strain due to a different hand angle or tension in my arm created by 3 under shooting.  I just can’t figure out what is so different.  I must be using a new or more of a muscle 3 under and it is not up to the weight.

Anyone have an idea why I am getting this or have you had this same thing?

[maxfit]

Most likely a change of angle,making you use your deltoid in a different way.  Very common.

[Fred Walker]

It sounds like the 3under is moving yu up a little higher and activating different muscles. With the increased draw weigth a slow build up would have been better. Now time to repair and strengthen will be in order.  Over bowing may be a consideration as well.

[McDave]

One good sign is that if it goes away when you shoot, it's probably just an over-exercised muscle.  Pain that stays or gets worse when you shoot is more likely to be damage to connective tissue or a torn rotator-cuff in your shoulder.

[PhilNY]

When I shoot split, it is with my index finger at the corner of my mouth and I always got the best release that way. When I shoot 3 under I move my anchor up about an inch or more higher so that the third finger is at the corner of my mouth and this changes my back tension and the height of my elbow, this took some getting used to and was quite uncomfortable at first.

[xtrema312]

Thanks for the info guys.  I can hold my bow a long time at draw with no problem split finger so my bow is not too heavy normally.  I have been shooting it all summer 100 or more arrows a day 5 days a week with not issues.  I also use the exact same anchor point. It is just this 3 under thing that caused the problem.  I think I have a little tissue tear someplace because it is a sharp little pain when I pull 3 under and on release either way; something about the arm going back on follow through pulls it some.  The more I was shooting the worse it got if I kept shooting 3 under.  If I changed to split it just kind of was there a little on release.

I don't dare shoot 3 under right now.  It was bothering me too much last week.  I took a few more days off of shooting other than one or two warm up shots every other day.  I shot split the last two days 40-50 arrows with zero issues.  I am not going to even try 3 under again until after the season.  Then I will drop down to my bow that is about 8# lighter and shoot this winter to see how it goes.

My heavy bow is only 56".  I wonder if the short length is a factor on how it loads my arm.  I was shooting a 62" LB 3 under some this summer and didn't have any problem with it.  It is within about 1-2# on draw weight.

 I would have never though moving my finger ½” on the string would be such a big deal.