Two Questions - Alignment & String Hand Grip

[Shooterboy]

String Hand Grip - I use primarily the split finger method and have researched a lot of different opinions on the various split finger instructions.  I have been shooting a longbow for about a year and I have tried 3 finger under, split finger with equal pressure on all three fingers and using primarily the middle finger with index finger loose.  I personally can shoot all three methods and that gives me an option should I need it, but I would like to get different viewpoints on pros and cons of the split finger equal pressure versus putting the most pressure on the middle finger.  Longbowguy discussed a lot of good archery target shooters use the middle finger emphasis and it makes sense.  Brian Sorrels, in his book recommends equal pressure and I believe Byron Ferguson and John Shultz did as will along with Howard Hill. The middle finger emphasis does seem to possibly reduce the torquing of the string.
Alignment Question - I love Terry Green's alignment clock; makes perfect sense and Terry is a great shot.  My question is that it appears most good archers that I see like Byron Ferguson and others, don't seem to be in perfect alignment, although they talk about importance of straight back in alignment with string arm. Olympic archers seem to be square and straight whereas most hunting archers seem to be short of that perfect alignment, except for Terry. Maybe the angle that I am seeing does not show the correct angle.  Thanks for your comments.

[McDave]

String hand grip:  I shoot split fingers, and found that my greatest improvement came when I began taking a deep hook.  Taking a deep hook, where the string is positioned within the crease of the first finger joints and my fingertips are folded back, enabled me to focus on relaxing my wrist and forearm, particularly when shooting the higher poundage hunting bows.  I'm pretty sure I have more or less equal finger pressure on each finger, but it's not something I focus on.

Allignment:  I think the key is repeatability.  In the latest issue of TBM, Fred Asbell discusses the stance.  He is almost in agreement with Terry Green, in that he advocates an open stance that allows you to pivot in order to take a range of shots without moving your feet, while keeping your shoulders in the same allignment with the bow and arrow.  I say "almost" because while Terry advocates having the shoulders parallel to the arrow, Fred advocates having the shoulders a little open with respect to the arrow.

It may be a matter of physique.  If you look at the pictures in TBM, you will notice that Fred has grown some over the years, as have some of the rest of us.  For some of us, it may be difficult to get into a shooting position where our shoulders are parallel with the arrow, no matter what position our feet are in.  But for Fred, and I think for me, moving the shoulders as far into a square position as our body allows will put them in the same position for each shot.  Fred also mentioned, and I agree, that having a slightly open shoulder position makes it easier to bring the back muscles into play than a completely square shoulder position does.  And having my back muscles engaged is one of the most critical aspects of good form.

After reading Fred's article, I stopped fighting to get my shoulders completely square, which was causing me to be unnecessarily stressed, and now just move my shoulders around into a nearly square position.  It's a definite, repeatable place where I know that if I try to move into anymore of a square position, I will begin to be stressed.  It allows me to be a little more relaxed, and I think my shooting will improve because of it, but's it's still a little too early to tell.

[BLACK WOLF]

Alignment is the key to developing and maintaining consistantcy...and consistantcy is the key to developing repeatable accuracy.

The position of an archer's drawing arm and elbow can determine how much preasure will be placed on certain fingers while drawing the bowstring...so if you want to change the preasure along your fingers change the position of your elbow while at full draw.

Torqueing the string is usually caused by improper back tension and/or wrist alignment...which can be controled by arm and shoulder alignment.

I personally shoot split finger with my lower finger having the least amount of pressure on it and I have been able to shoot bareshafts accurately out to 100yrds.

The one thing you will see in common with most good archers is CONSISTANTCY with their personal form and release...even if their specific shooting style looks different from one archer to the next.

There are key factors that can make developing and maintaining consistantcy easier but you also need to factor in individuality and individual goals...which is where and why differences in form can be noticed when comparing one archer with another.

An Olympic archer does not share the exact same goals, needs or circumstances as a bowhunter.

The one thing they do share in common is the need and desire to hit their target  

Ultimately...just try to develop the fundamentals of good form and than tweak them to fit your goals, circumstances and body structure.

Ray  

[Shooterboy]

Thanks for your comments.  I was struggling with getting my shoulders square and then attempting to get my string arm back a little further after reaching anchor, while relaxing my string hand for the release. Sometimes, I would over do it, which would move my eyes slightly off target (to the right for me - right hand shooter) due to that little extra pull of my shoulders and string elbow.  When I concentrate on not moving anything and keeping my head and eyes still, while just moving my string elbow back a little further with the help of my shoulders, I can get square and still see the target clearly.  After all these years, I now wear glasses and that little extra pull at the end, to square up, does seem to force my head a little to the right, which forces me to look at the target with a more slanted view or distorted view.  If I stop at anchor, my eyes are viewing the target straight away and clear; when I make that final extra pull to square up, it sometimes moves my head and distorts my vision.  McDave, my little extra move to totally square up may be similar to your comment about being overly stressed.  I need to practice both ways; a little short of square where my vision is spot on and fully square where I have to really work to keep my head straight to the target and see which is more consistent.  Too bad, my head is not on a swivel; I could easily get fully square and still see spot on through my glasses.