pinching the shoulder blades?

[targets3D]

I am in process of transitioning from olympic recurve to trad recurve. First, I must say that I was pleasantly surprised with the high level of technical shooting advice on this forum - can't say I have seen this much detail on other sites.

One area that has confused me for a while is the bow arm positioning. Some coaches have told me to hold it straight out toward the target and exert forward pressure. On the other hand I have been told to relax it (while keeping the bow arm up) and let the shoulder blade "pinch back" from the pressure and settle to the left (I am RH shooter). I seem to do better with the shoulder resting back - but it does shorten by draw length. Any suggestions?

[moebow]

Targets3D,  Don't look at the change from Oly to Trad as a different process.  The form remains the same.  You may go to a side of the face anchor rather than under the chin but the only thing that really changes is the gap you would use.  My experience is that if done correctly you will find little to no change in draw length.

As far as the bow arm is concerned, don't try to separate your two techniques you mention above.  Keep your arm muscles relaxed, bow shoulder down and back and as you come to full draw, press your bow shoulder and bow hand toward the target.  This is part of the "expansion" step, the other part is the final drawing arm motion leading to release.

The Olympic BEST (Biomechanically Efficient Shooting Technique) system works equally well for formal target shooting and what we consider traditional style target,3D, and hunting.  The real difference in using it for Trad shooting is that we adapt to the shooting situation and are less "by the numbers" or said another way we're more casual in our shooting.

I'd suggest that you continue what you know and work on shooting from less than "flat" ground, you will discover a technique that fits you the best but keep the form you already apparently have from the formal target archery arena.

Good luck.

[targets3D]

Thanks for the advice moebow. Will keep it in mind going forward

[s_mcflurry]

This is a good question followed by a good answer.  I'm sort of in the same situation.  I shot traditional for several years off and on and then shot FITA (following BEST as well as I could) seriously for two years.  Now I want to develop my trad skills again and have been told to do things differently going from FITA to trad.  It's good to know that I don't have to "relearn" how to shoot my barebow.

[SHOOTO8S]

Originally posted by moebow:
Targets3D,  Don't look at the change from Oly to Trad as a different process.  The form remains the same.  You may go to a side of the face anchor rather than under the chin but the only thing that really changes is the gap you would use.  My experience is that if done correctly you will find little to no change in draw length.

As far as the bow arm is concerned, don't try to separate your two techniques you mention above.  Keep your arm muscles relaxed, bow shoulder down and back and as you come to full draw, press your bow shoulder and bow hand toward the target.  This is part of the "expansion" step, the other part is the final drawing arm motion leading to release.

The Olympic BEST (Biomechanically Efficient Shooting Technique) system works equally well for formal target shooting and what we consider traditional style target,3D, and hunting.  The real difference in using it for Trad shooting is that we adapt to the shooting situation and are less "by the numbers" or said another way we're more casual in our shooting.

I'd suggest that you continue what you know and work on shooting from less than "flat" ground, you will discover a technique that fits you the best but keep the form you already apparently have from the formal target archery arena.

Good luck.

Excellant post! The basics are the basics!