How do you "Grip"

[swampthing]

Is there a special way to hold on to a longbow that has a locator/thumbrest style grip? Do you still need to exert heel pressure? Do you just hold it around the neck with your index-finger and thumb.

[Cottonwood]

When shooting a longbow, index-finger and thumb as I just aquired the habbit, and it allows follow thru.

[swampthing]

Also.. do you straighten your bow arm or leave it bent?

[Mike Vines]

Howard Hill used to say hold onto it like you would pick up a suitcase.  So hold it at your side and picture yourself picking it up like one.  Thats how I do it.  The easy way I remembered was to have the nuckle of my thumb, closest to the palm, directly in line with the arrow on the shelf.

[PASSTHRU2]

Put you hand loosely on the bow.  Hold the bow out and put some pressue on the string.  The bow will settle into your hand.  If your relaxing your front shoulder when you shoot you will get a slight natural bend in your elbow.  If you can watch Master's of the Barebow #3.  Great form teacher.

[Curveman]

What PASSTHRU2 said.

[Axis Hunter]

If u hold your arm to rigid u will sometimes find that when you shoot you will get wrist slap. So lik Passthru2 said there should be a bit of natural bend in your bow arm.

[Eugene Slagle]

I don't have a Longbow yet but I shoot all my Recurves with a 2 finger grip.

I curl my pinky & ring fingers into my palm but keep em relaxed, then my pointer & middle fingers are across the back of the bow with my thumb relaxed on the side of the grip.

This has been the best repeatable grip for me.

[DaxE]

Originally posted by PASSTHRU2:
Put you hand loosely on the bow.  Hold the bow out and put some pressue on the string.  The bow will settle into your hand.  If your relaxing your front shoulder when you shoot you will get a slight natural bend in your elbow.  If you can watch Master's of the Barebow #3.  Great form teacher.

This is pretty much how I hold my bow. But I do have a good firm grip, I found I shoot better with a form grip instead of a more relaxed grip.

Dax

[ncsaknech1ydh]

I shoot just as Passthru2 said, I let my bow settle into my hand and use no preassure as far as my grip goes.