Reconciling certain anchors and "never stop pulling"

[Noctis]

Over time I have developed multiple anchors - 4 specifically - that I think have greatly improved my consistency. My anchors include: middle finger corner of mouth, edge of nose touching cock feather, hand web curled behind jaw, and pinky on thumbnail.

Almost every other aspect of my shot uses Asbell's form. In reading his book he downplays anchors quite a bit, especially if they cause you to relax forward and sacrifice continually pulling. And while if I concentrate very specifically on pulling I can still prevent most relaxation or let in at full draw, I think it's pretty clear that hooking hand behind jaw at least encourages one to relax draw instead of pulling through, which of course can comprimise release and follow through, the aspects of my form I find most challenging.

I have become so used to these anchors that it feels pretty alien to not use them, so just wondering other people's opinions on this. Of course if I'm practicing without these anchors and not shooting well, I immediately revert to comfort zone thinking "a few bad releases isn't worth changing everything." But I don't want to put comfort ahead of long term positive form change. I'm also well aware a huge number of us do hook hand behind jaw, so just want to stress that I'm not disparaging anyone elses technique.

[moebow]

Noctis, FWIW,

In the system I teach, the idea of "keep pulling" has a very important feature.  That feature is that the string hand once set at "anchor" DOES NOT move on the face until the release happens.  I believe that many who are thinking "keep pulling" are pulling in a direction directly away from the target and hence the hand is moving back on the face.

For me, the "keep pulling" is perpendicular to the arrow line and straight back towards your back.  Moving like that will allow increasing (but VERY small)upper arm and shoulder movement BUT the hand does not move!

So use your preferred anchor references but think move the shoulder back PERPENDICULAR to the arrow line.

Arne

[BWallace10327]

Thank you Moebow. When shooting a heavy bow I can get away with the incorrect example that you described.  A lighter target bow is not so forgiving.  Excellent description.

[Noctis]

Nice description. Thanks, Moebow. Still questioning whether pinkie on thumbnail adds unnecessary hand tension.