Why do trick shots use heavier weight bows?

[Gary Logsdon]

Since I'm an old friend of Byron's and actually had an encounter with Bob Markworth in the late 70s (More about that later George:^))I think I can lend some insight to the question and comments.  I've heard Byron say that he uses hunting weights for exhibitions because that's what he's accustomed to. No tricks or strategies involved at all.  He shoots what he knows.  

Now George, about Bob Markworth.  In the winter of 1978 I was doing my student teaching near Ft. Knox at an area middle school.  Back then SE US school's offered monthly entertainment programs to their students;I believe they were called "Southern School Assemblies".  Bob was performing at my school and, as he often did, enlisted audience members to participate in shooting a bow so he could have them see how easy it was to get started.  My supervising teacher knew that I had shot AAU and NAA at my university, so began jumping and pointing to me when Bob began collecting his "volunteers".  He took the first "shooter" and had them stand about 10 feet in front of an Olympic style indian grass target mat so they could at least hit the target face.  Bob would then have them back up a few yards until they missed, which usually occurred within the first 10 or so yards.  Of course the target was BIG, an Olympic size target mat!  When it became my turn:^); I hit the gold at 5 paces, then 10 paces, 20 paces, etc., until I had finally reached the back of the dang gym and a WALL - well over 100 feet!  The kids in the upper bleachers were going absolutely crazy!  Even at the end of the gym I was still using the lightweight target bow to drop arrows into the gold. Bob was HAD! You should have seen the look on his pretty assistant's face!  By moving me back in small increments Bob was actually helping me with each arrow, as I was able to make small adjustments between shots!  I had been trained in "point of aim" AND gap shooting so I was basically walking the arrow into the NAA/FITA gold.  Man, does seeing Bob's name bring back some memories!  That man did a lot of good promoting archery and it's history to all age groips; I remember seeing him once or twice on the Tonight Show and other national programs.

[Arrow4Christ]

I know I shoot better with certain draw weights, and the more I shoot, the more that weight increases, so I imagine Byron and others shot so much that they began to feel very little tension at full draw, and had a harder time coming off the string, as others have indicated. It is easier to get a good release with a heavy bow, and for me it just helps my subconscious with coming off the string without conscious effort. My shot seems to happen a little quicker with heavier bows naturally as well, so that also may have something to do with it. I may hold a 55# bow at draw well over 5 seconds before the tension has built up enough for my subconscious to release, but with a 68-70# bow it's closer to 2-3 seconds at full draw. It's not that I can't hold them at full draw, which I can do and still shoot accurately for well over 10 seconds, but it's just that the tension builds up to the right amount faster and things just happen quicker.
So perhaps that could be part of the reason some of the trick shots and great shots of the past (Howard Hill, Paul Schafer as well) shot heavier bows.

Craig

[Gapmaster]

pdk25, ya, after I read my own post it doesn't sound very good does it. I didn't mean for it to sound that way, I guess I just worded it wrong. Byron is a good archer. I'm not saying he isn't. What I was trying to say is that even if a guy was not any good at all, that if he got enough media coverage he could be made out to be alot better than he is. Bob was famous for what he did, but he would have been alot more famous if he had access to sports channels the way they show them today. He just didn't get the media coverage. Thanks for pointing that out to me, Don

[pdk25]

[frank bullitt]

There's been alot of "trick" shooters over the years! I remember reading article of Markworth in the '70s. He did some hunting with the star Doctor from the Show "Emergency" and traveled and hunted all over the world!

What about the Wilhem boys? Shootin, biscuits and matchboxes off of your Brother?

Bob Swinehart in the 60's and 70's did exhibition shootin with heavy bows!

I also remember reading of a young lad, also from Pennsylvania in Instinctive Archery mag, named Lucky, who was going to be the next Ferguson?

If you got it, shoot it!  

[MR BILL SHORTY]

JOHN SHULTS
DICK PALMER
KRAMER"S ?  DID THAY ALL USE HEAVY BOWS?

[Ron LaClair]

I use to hunt with bows in the 80 to 90# range but for exhibition shooting the bows I preferred were 60 to 70#. In this clip shooting Styrofoam cups off the top of Frisbees the bow was 60#.  
  http://www.tradgang.com/videos/ronlaclair/ronl-4.wmv

The aspirin shot was with a 70# bow
 http://www.tradgang.com/videos/ronlaclair/ronl-7.wmv

[longbowguy]

Yes, Howard Hill used heavy bows, as did most of the early greats. The main reason is that they did not have fibreglas laminations and their simple bows were slow by modern standards. They needed a heavy bow to get a good trajectory.

A second reason is that for an archer who has developed the fitness to comfortably draw a heavier bow, it will tend to give a clean instant release on a mover or a flyer. You just think 'Go' and it's gone. But if you haven't developed your strength and form over a considerable period of time a heavy bow can mess you up badly. It is an expert's weapon, and a sturdy expert at that. - lbg

[amar911]

I love to see those videos of Ron shooting. If only there had been all the video cameras around then that we have today we could enjoy seeing a lot more of Ron's feats. Thanks Ron.

Allan

[nightowl1]

good information guys...

So it is basically just preference.

All comes back to shoot what you want to shoot. Sounds good!

[Bill Carlsen]

I believe it has to do with the release. When i experimented with wheel bows I found the drop in weight made it very difficult to shoot well because my release got sloppy. I had PSE make be a 70# bow with only 20% let off...55# holding weight. That helped tremendously in improving my accuracy.

[Aspirinbuster]

I think most of the long bow shots prefer a heavier weight for some reason. Stacy Groscup and I used medium weight bows.

I am far more accurate with a 45# bow than say 55#.  It's a matter of strength and personal preference I suppose.  

Shoot what works best for you, my two cents worth.

Shoot Straight,
Frank