String slap on your arm

[kenn1320]

Guys this one has me puzzled a bit. I shoot an ilf rig and normally shoot my win/win recurve limbs. I get a nice bruise on my arm from the string. I know I should grab my arm gaurd, but get to caught up in running out to shoot for a bit and dont. Anyway what puzzled me is I picked up a set of longbow limbs yesterday. I set the brace height at the same 7.25" as I use on the recurve limbs and went shooting. The string doesnt hit my arm at all with the longbow limbs. Why is this? Are one of the limb types more rigid and Im possibly torquing the string or something and one type limb handles it better? Both are the same weight, so Im confused.
thanks,
Ken

[moebow]

kenn,  How is your bow arm orientated?  The bow arm elbow should be vertical, not horizontal.  The "boney point of your elbow" should point at the horizon behind you , not at the ground below you.  That will rotate your arm away from the string on ANY bow.  Also a grip on the bow should run down the "meaty" part of your thumb, not in the center of your palm. That, too, will help get your arm out of the way.

It sounds as though you are shooting the straight limb set up differently than the recurve limbs.  It should not matter what the bow's configuration is - recurve or long bow - shoot the same with either.

[kenn1320]

Thanks Moebow, I shoot with the same rotated elbow as you describe. In fact the bruise I get is on the top 1/3 of my forearm right at Brace Height if I hold the bow and let the string touch my arm. My bow hand is only holding the handle between my thumb and pointer finger, the other 3 are curled under and the outside of them is resting on the handle. The handle itself is all on my thumb, to the thumb side of the life line. My grip is a low wrist.

[moebow]

Sounds as if you have it correct kenn.  I always wear an arm guard -- two reasons.  First, I see it as part of the "costume."  Second, it is a safety device kind of like a motorcycle helmet.  You don't need it until you REALLY need it.

Can you post a video of your shot?

[BobCo 1965]

Keep in mind that in general the flat wide recurve limbs are much prone and sensitive to limb torque then thicker slimmer longbow limbs. Just grab the tip and try to twist the limbs as a test (HH style longbows will not twist at all, they'd probably break before they twist). The torque is not necessarily caused by the bow hand fingers but by torque developed between the grip and and anchor. So the culprit could either be this sensitively in torque between the bows or you could just have a better grip on the longbow that eliminates or dimishes the torque. This is assuming that you are releasing the string exactly the same. A nice pluck can also get you a nice whack! Just ask my son, he actually got whacked from a massive pluck on the bicep which dropped him to his knees!

[kenn1320]

or you could just have a better grip on the longbow that eliminates or dimishes the torque.

Hey Bobco, this is an ILF bow. I use the same riser/grip, just bolt on different limbs. That is what puzzles me on this. Not like one grip on this or that bow fits better, it is the same grip for both sets of limbs.