over drawing the bow

[Tradcat]

What is the best tip or drill to stop over drawing your bow or, in other words, how do you find YOUR ideal draw length ?

[woodchucker]

You need to find a consistant "anchor point" such as a finger at the corner of your mouth... Every time you draw the bow, you draw the string to that same exact spot, EVERY TIME...

Then, it's just a matter of someone marking your arrow at YOUR draw length. Hope this helps!!!

[McDave]

I don't think it's possible to overdraw the bow if you're using your back muscles with a relaxed forearm and rotating your string elbow around your spine.  If you are drawing properly, you will hit a wall at full draw, and you just press against that wall until the arrow is released.

[fnshtr]

Originally posted by McDave:
I don't think it's possible to overdraw the bow if you're using your back muscles with a relaxed forearm and rotating your string elbow around your spine.  If you are drawing properly, you will hit a wall at full draw, and you just press against that wall until the arrow is released.

Right on McDave!!!!

Your responses in this forum REALLY help. You seem to be able to articulate and communicate well with words.    

[the rifleman]

I find that when I move my anchor point further back I tend to collapse more often.  If I anchor further forward and concentrate on elbow behind me, expand, the shot is good.  Maybe something wrong w my form or my idea of back tension or maybe that we are all different and have to find what works for us...

[moebow]

rifleman,

Dave has it correct IMO.  The facial references are a RESULT of getting the bones lined up, NOT a target of the draw.  IF you arbitrarily select an "anchor point" you are most likely using arm muscles (I believe that that is the only way to "move the anchor back".)  If as Dave says, your string arm is relaxed, your hand will land on your face where it will (based on overall bone length) and not at a contrived or selected place.

Arne

[fnshtr]

As Dave said... I hit "a wall" at full draw. The elbow cannot go farther straight back, but rather continues that arc that makes the "j" shape at release.

Hope that makes sense.

[the rifleman]

Arne,  thanks for the advice.  I was shooting from a very closed stance.  Looked at form in mirror and found that by opening stance my string hand, elbow and bow hand lined up at a point further back on my face-- thumb knuckle at back of jaw( like they did from closed stance with anchor further forward).  I believe the closed stance might have been contributing to my " overdrawing/collapse.  Not smart enough to post photos of my form here, but does that sound right to you?  John

[moebow]

Yes, I think that sounds right.  A closed stance makes you rotate your body away from the center of the bow rather than into it.  When you are "open" you rotate INTO the bow and you can align the bones to take the bow weight.  When that happens, a collapse is not possible (or at least much harder to do).  Align the bones, THEN find where your string hand stops on your face.  You will probably be way ahead.

Arne

[the rifleman]

Arne,  thanks again-- tried an open stance and you are right-- things fell into place.  As long as I keep relaxed string arm and focus on getting my elbow behind me in line my shots work out better.  I believe I was short drawing when I had an overly closed stance.  Thanks again for your help.  John