How much Bend in the Arm?

[mt-dew10]

I recently went from shooting a 52# to 55# longbow.  The string has been hitting my arm.  I talked to the bowyer, he suggested I have more bend in the arm with my elbow out.  

What is Proper in terms of the 'right amount of bend' and 'should the elbow be out/outside'?

I did some self analyzation and did notice I was shooting with my arm straight and the elbow 'down'.  

any help is appreciated.

[McDave]

I don't think you need a whole lot of bend; just unlocked, so there is a slight bend should do it.  Another thing that might help is how you grip the bow.  Howard Hill said you should grip a longbow with the same grip you would use if you pick up a suitcase.  In other words, don't rotate your bow hand into the grip.

[Wapiti Bowman]

If you're not using an "open" stance, you might consider doing so.  Also, if this was not happening with your previous bow, and you still have it, try shooting it again and pay particular attention to your bow hand grip and bow arm position. If the bow grips are different, the new bow grip may be causing a change in your wrist/arm angle??

As McD said, your bow arm doesn't need a whole lot of bend, but it shouldn't be locked, as that action generally rotates the lower portion of the inner arm into the path of the string.

Good Luck & Have Fun!

[mt-dew10]

Thanks guys, I will take both of your responses into consideration.

[jhansen]

Step up to a doorway in your house.  Reach out with your left hand, assuming you are right handed, and place your palm thumb-up on the jam sort of as if it were on a bow.  Your elbow is down, isn't it?  Rotate the elbow until it is pointing left.  That's where it needs to be when you shoot.  As for bending, I have to confess that my elbow is just short of locked.  I hold the bow fairly loosely and as I draw I allow it to rotate as necessary to align itself.  This avoids torqueing the string.  I don't have a problem with the string hitting my arm using this method.  Give it a try and let me know what you think.

John

[mt-dew10]

jhansen,

After talking with a few other friends here locally, I concluded that I was shooting just as you described-with the elbow down.  I was getting away with it with the lower poundage bow.  What I also discovered, holding & shooting with the elbow has caused me to miss left or right on occasion.  

Holding it just as you described has helped me keep the arrows from missing left or right much more.  Although I still get an occasional left hit from plucking (i'm still working on this and will continue to work on this!  no one is perfect after all.)

Thanks for the input.

[jhansen]

Glad I could help.

John

[mambashooter]

[David Yukon]

I use a "locked" bow arm, but with Jhanson elbow position! It work for me and I feel I always have the same draw... As when i try to unlock my arm, my draw varies a bit!!

[landman]

Fred Asbel's book, Instinctive Shooting, II (I believe that's the name) provides a pretty good explanation of the business of bending your bow arm wen shooting a longbow.   You might want to take a look at that.   The bent arm is also the reason that your draw length with a longbow is shorter than your draw length with a recurve.   To me, it's a much more comfortable way to shoot, despite the "push pull" effort that balances the techniques of shooting without sights.

[Terry Green]

Good stuff!

Everyone is different....I'm lucky, I have a bowhunter's joint in my arm...when locked, my arm is still slightly crooked...so I shoo with mine locked.

Don't want to add any confusion if all is working well....just make sure your hand is not too far around the back of the grip....that can also cause string arm slap...as well as serious bow torque...if you are torquing....that's a whole nother issue...can you video and post?...that would help greatly.

[Ranger58]

A check that my father taught me long long ago, was to grip your bow and with your arm out as if you're going to shoot, bring the bow back by bending the elbow, so that your index finger of the hand that is gripping the bow, is touching the upper lip area of your face and your bow is touching your nose.  Now extend your bow out to the shooting position.  Now you're ready to shoot and you'll never hit your forearm.  I hope I've explained this well enough for you.

[Bowwild]

To prevent plucking. Keep the drawing shoulder/back active as you come to and anchor. Then, think about your drawing elbow moving slightly rearward to initiate your release. By doing this your drawing hand will instantly move along your face (painting the face), under your ear and your thumb (if folded properly in your palm at draw hand set)will end up on or near the shoulder. The last though that goes through my mind before release is "thumb to the shoulder". If your draw hand is still at your anchor after release ("dead release) your back was uninvolved in the shot.

[camoman]

Just a slight bend should be enough to keep the string from hitting you. You could use a brace until you get used to it, but I have always found that the string slapping my arm makes me learn faster. Hahaha

[zetabow]

Originally posted by Terry Green:
Good stuff!

Everyone is different....I'm lucky, I have a bowhunter's joint in my arm...when locked, my arm is still slightly crooked...so I shoo with mine locked.
 

Think I must be the same Terry, my arm is locked but looks like I have a slight bend in it.