Back tension

[starshooter]

Ok, I have finally evolved into the rotational/ diagonal draw . The set arm out front perfectly straight, pointing the arrow slightly to the left ( I shoot right handed), relaxed draw hand and pull diagonally to my face  ( usually corner of my mouth with first knuckle of my thumb grazing the jawbone). Then...now what ? I am thinking that a simple chest expansion to back contraction is the final nudge while dropping the string. Not sure . Also the last phase is awkward as I have to guard against pulling the string. When that happens I let the bow down and try again. Under no circumstances do want my arm to pull the string just prior to release. Chest expansion / taking a deep breath sometimes seem to help if nothing else stops the forward collapse when the string is dropped.
I am shooting a 20#. My workouts are short ( three - six rounds ) I concentrate primarily on back tension and the way the arrows group. No bullseye
I am very uncertain as To the last part of the shot sequence and inconsistent as a result. Thanks for reading.

[McDave]

One thing you didn’t mention is followthrough.  Maintaining back tension after the shot is released is the best way to avoid creeping.  Don't drop your bow and do let your back tension move your string hand backwards after release.  I think the tendency to pull the string at the last moment is because of a realization, whether conscious or unconscious, that you are losing back tension and so make a vain effort to recover it by pulling back with your arm muscles.

One thing that Rod Jenkins stressed in our class is that it is impossible to pull too hard with your back muscles.  If you are creeping, pull a little harder.

[starshooter]

Exactly!  By expanding the chest at the release I am trying to keep the energy of the draw going when I drop the string. I wasn’t aware of dropping the bow arm after the release however..hoping for a “ continuation “ of the draw
ie drawing through the release which would supply more energy to the arrow.
Right now it’s herky jerky at times and not smooth. Does the back tension mean an awareness or is it a conscious pull part of the draw? I think of isometrics which to me is a pushback done inertially ( no actual distance of shoulder  Going backwards just a pushback? The ultimate benefits are no subltle forward collapse after the shot and more energy transferred to a the arrow. Thanks for reading!

[McDave]

When you release the shot, you do have to relax the muscles in your hand, whether consciously or unconsciously.  Relaxing the muscles in the hand sometimes triggers relaxing muscles in the back.  This wouldn't be a problem if it could be done simultaneously, but what usually happens is that the back muscles start to relax in anticipation of the hand muscles being relaxed, which results in creeping or collapse.  So we have to train the back muscles to remain contracted until after the shot is released; that is, as a part of followthrough.  The same thing happens with the bow arm, which is usually what we think of when we think of followthrough, but there are other things that need to continue after release.  This is my list of things I want to continue after release as a part of followthrough:

Keep bow arm in place
Maintain back tension
Maintain focus on target
Keep head still
Keep holding your breath

I try to do all these things until the arrow hits the target.

[fnshtr]

I too have problems with this part of the shot. The best thing I've found to help is simple to articulate, but more difficult to achieve. Namely, just relaxing the fingers. If you have back tension working when you "relax your fingers", the string will push the fingers out of the way and your hand will move straight back a little (due to the back tension). My problem was trying to achieve a "secondary anchor" as taught and advocated by many. This caused me to move my hand upon release... and it was unnatural and actually detrimental to the shot.

I've found (for me) that if I can maintain the back tension and then just "relax the fingers", allowing the hand to naturally move back, I get the best accuracy and smoothest shot.

Dave, Arne and others here are the best to listen to... I just thought I would share my experience. Good luck!

[CTDolan]

Best back tension video I've ever seen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48irsjXHEKA&feature=youtu.be

Another, which kind of deals with some of what is mentioned in earlier replies:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t--HHdRnIAU&feature=youtu.be