Welch Double Anchor Question

[Whitetail Chaser]

Any of you Rick Welch graduates might chime in on this.  

I've been working on developing a double anchor system similar to Rick's style, but I simply cannot duplicate the ear/feather on the tip of the nose thing.  No matter how hard I try, it just does not feel comfortable.

I've cut feathers on arrows and refletched several to just get the feather right.

I have been anchoring on my cheekbone with the feather touching the top of my upper lip. I have made some good improvement using this method.

For those who wish to comment, do you think this is "good enough"?  Should I go ahead and try to shoot the Welch style "exactly"?  

Maybe later this year I will try to take his shooting course.

Thanks,
Brett

[McDave]

If you look at the cover of "Become the Arrow" by Byron Ferguson, you will notice that he uses the anchor you describe, with the feather touching his upper lip.

I took Rick's class, and use the feather against my nose anchor.  I didn't have a particularly hard time adapting to it, but when I decided to start shooting left-handed as well as right-handed, I found it hard to get the feather against my nose shooting left-handed.  I eventually got it, but it wasn't as natural to me as when shooting right-handed.

You will enjoy taking Rick's class, if you get the opportunity.  My impression is that Rick would like to teach people to shoot the way he shoots, but is amenable if his student has a strong inclination to another style of shooting.  An example of this is 3 under, which Rick prefers, but he will also teach people who like to shoot split-fingers.

[ncsaknech1ydh]

I to had trouble adapting to the exact double anchor points that Rick uses. I think it has alot to do with an individuals facial features. I now anchor with my thumb knuckle to the back of my jawbone and feather touching my lip and it works great. I think any double anchor will work as long as you use the same 2 anchor points on every shot. DK.

[BowsanAiros]

"No matter how hard I try, it just does not feel comfortable."

If you've had good results from anchoring on your cheekbone, with the
feather touching the top of your upper lip and you're comfortable/ consistent doing so,I wouldn't change a thing..
Any style of shooting you do, it's all about comfort...
comfort=consistency=accuracy

[Whitetail Chaser]

Thanks for the replies.  I've been having good luck going over Rick's videos (all 3).  I will stick with my current double anchor since it does feel very comfortable.

[LongStick64]

For what it's worth, the double anchor on the face is not good enough, you can still be out of alignment with a double face anchor and not achieve full extension. For me best result are when I achieve an anchor solidly on my face and getting bone on bone with my back. This way you have your sight point on your face and with full extension you ensure you have proper alignment and less chance of creep on the shot.

[Ray]

Im with longsticks,anchor with your back or 20 years from now you will be looking like the hunchback of Noterdame.

[IndianCreek]

I went to Rick's class a year ago and also had a hard time with the anchor . It is not very comfortable for me and my arrow is off to the right rather than being in line with my target.  I would rather have me eye centered on the arrow as Byron Ferguson mentions in become the arrow.  As my trad obsession has grown Ive tried to create my own anchor as recently as a few days ago but I keep coming back to Ricks anchor. Im not claiming to be the sharpest broadhead in the quiver but I cant seem to come up with anyting that works better for me than what I learned from Rick. Its my go to system when I have a off day. I tried the videos first but did not really understand it fully until I went to the class. I would recommend a trip to Ar for hands on instruction from Rick.

[jonsimoneau]

If you were taking lessons with Rick, he would most likely tell you to keep the double anchor you are using now.  A double anchor is a very beneficial thing, but each person may not be able to have the exact same double anchor.  I use the same one Rick uses.  A buddy of mine, shoots the same way, but he has a different double anchor.  Actually, I think his is similar to yours.  He is a deadly shot.

[dragon rider]

I went to Rick's school and tried his double anchor.  I didn't have any trouble with the feather end, but the knuckle on my ear just didn't work for me, so I wedge the first knuckle on my thumb behind the end of my jawbone - my ear touches the web of my thumb that way.  Personally I believe that anything you can repeat exactly will work for you.

[59Alaskan]

I also took Rick's class.  When I have trouble finding the feather with the tip of my nose it's almost always caused by poor back tension.  

He corrected me just as much (or more) on back tension as on anchor.  

I did have to move the thumb in different locations to find what worked.  My knuckle is back further on the ear and up higher than the ear lobe.  Maybe this is adjusting for different facial features etc...I don't really know.  

I would agree with what's been stated here several times.  Find a double anchor that works for you that you repeat easily.

[Greg Dearth]

When I went to  Rick's school he switched me to his style of shooting. During the 2nd morning Rick switched me back to the way I had been anchoring. The middle finger in the corner of my mouth and my thumb knuckle tucked behind my jaw bone, also a double anchor. He said that his style wasn't working well with my face stucture. One of the things he would stress was to find a good routine that worked for you and shoot every shot the same way each and every time.