Form Critique - Pics inside

[emt137]

Hey Guys,

Just hoping some of you would be willing to critique my form and maybe give me some pointers.  

   

 

 

 

Any help and advice would be appreciated!

Pat

[huntnut]

Maybe drawing back to far.

[Terry Green]

Video is most times better than pics....but one pic really shows something.

Where is your anchor?

It looks like your arrow is way away from your face and no were near being under your eye.  I'm sure you can learn to shoot and aim like that, but it will take more time and probably wont be as consistently accurate in the field.

[moebow]

Pat,

First, how is your shooting?  I suspect (since you are asking the question) you are not very consistent and tend to hit to the left of where you are looking. Huntnut is correct, you are way too far back on your draw.  You are a big and strong guy and you are using your strength in your arms to draw the bow and not the bones and back.  I can tell that you are using arm only for your draw because your back in the first picture is flat.  If you were using the back muscles, you would see your shoulder blade on the drawing side sticking out from your back and not flat .

Also, too, look at where your string hand is.  You are compensating for the glasses by pulling your string hand to the right to clear the glasses which gives you no solid point of reference for your string hand.  It is just "floating" out there in space.

I would recommend that you don't pull so far back, bring your string hand to the mouth (suggest your middle finger in the corner of your mouth and hand tight against the bones of your jaw/face) and keep the string in front of your glasses lens.  This modification will shorten your draw and tend to make your string arm loose alignment with the arrow, but that can be fixed by opening your shoulders more.  

Your bow shoulder is too far forward (towards your chin), hold it much more down and back (towards your back) then rotate that string shoulder back more too at full draw -- all the time keeping your string hand in the corner of your mouth and the string in front of your glasses.

Have you been following all the recent discussions on form?  If not read through all the recent stuff and look at some of the videos posted and also refer to Terry's "form clock."

Keep us posted, we're here to help.

[emt137]

I had a feeling I was drawing too far, but when I would try to shorten my draw I always felt cramped and bound up if that makes any sense.

The anchor point I have been using is my first thumb knuckle hitting right in front of my ear. My shooting is still a bit inconsistent but my groups are much tighter than they were. And truth be told I tend to hit more to the right than the left.

I have been trying to follow the recent posts and discussions on form, but if I can't identify problems with my own form applying help and advice won't mean much.

I have a very difficult time getting my back and shoulders into my draw. I think this is mostly because I really don't know how. I've gone to the local range and all I really get is (as long as the arrow hits the target) "looking good".

I have arrows that, I believe, aren't great for the bow and form issues. I quickly hit information overload as all this is very new to me. I have little idea as to where to start to fix. I work on form first how do I tell if I am improving if my arrows are still not flying any better or any worse. I get different arrows, how do I know they are better if my form is not correct?

Does my rambling make sense? I greatly appreciate the help you guys have given me and I will start concentrating on shortening my draw and using my back.

Pat

[moebow]

Pat there is a lot to process at the beginning!

A couple ideas.

1. Get or make a form master.  That will help with the back muscles and a proper draw.
2.  DO NOT TRY TO HIT A BULL'S EYE at the beginning.  Shoot into a blank bale at about 5 or 6 feet just to catch the arrows.  Work on feel and form ONLY.  
3. DO NOT WORRY ABOUT YOUR EQUIPMENT yet.  Just work on the shot process.  While you are learning, trying to get equipment tuned is making too many changes at one time.
4.  I would think that living in a place like (not Chicago) you could find a QUALIFIED coach that could do better than "looking good."

Your "rambling" makes a lot of sense, just hang in there and stay in contact!  As I say, "we're here to help!"

[Hard Times]

Hello Pat,

I you're close to Belleville IL., Townhall Archery is a good place to start. There is a Trad Group that shoots there, Saturday mornings @ 9:00am. Some are there every morning. I'm sure they would help if you ask.

Rod

[Mike Brockner]

Pat,
To get proper back tension try squeezing you shoulder blades together like you are trying to hold a basketball between them.
Work on a double anchor, try putting the web between your thumb and index finger on your jaw bone and touch the cock feather to your nose.  Even with glasses on this will work.  Most importantly change one thing at a time to see what effect it has.
Good luck and stick with it.
Mike