Tight or relaxed grip on riser?

[Encino Man]

Killdeer nailed it. For me it relates to the cut of the grip. Anything that I shoot that has the typical re-curve grip, I hold with very little pressure and two finger on the back of the bow with just enough force to keep it from jumping out of my hand. My longbow on the other hand, I shoot with all finger on the back. The grip is still light and just enough pressure to maintain control with no muscle tension.

[eddings220]

Believe me I have tried gripping my recurve in all the ways there is, but I have found for me that a light to medium grip pressure helps me to keep steady.

[NJWoodsman]

Consider this. A bow is most accurate with the least human interference. Any extra tension in either hand beyond the minimal requirement to hold the string and bow will influence your shot. Your wrist position must be bone-on-bone, or you will be using muscle tension, which is not as repeatable or consistent. The fingers are to keep the bow from jumping out of your hand in recoil if you don't use a sling.
I can't understand Howard Hill's advise to grip a longbow like you were picking up a suitcase, because the draw force is in the opposite direction.

Disclaimer: I shoot a recurve and generally use a wrist sling.

[TSP]

NJWoodsman, I've give you your soft approach for your recurve and sling setup but have to ask whether you've ever tried a Hill-style longbow before.  If not I'd pay a dollar to watch you shoot one with a 'least human interference' approach.  I'll even supply the little lightweight arrow for ya'.  
             

[F Thomas]

Not even firm, but a light grip on both my longbows and recurve.  

IMHO a firm grip imparts the opportunity to torque one the bow itself thus throwing your point of impact 0ff.  

Similar to not anchoring and plucking the string will throw your arrows to the left (RH Shooter).  A firm grip and may torque the bow and throw your arrows off as well.  IMHO

[NJWoodsman]

TSP, the OP did not state what kind of LB he was getting, for all we know it's a hybrid. Obviously a HH style bow would require a different grip- I don't find them comfortable, personally. I have found with longbows, flatbows, and semi-recurves that handshock was lessened with a looser grip. You can keep your dollar, thanks.

[TSP]

That's true, NJ, he didn't say what kind of longbow he shoots.  But he did ask if torque was an issue when gripping a bow and that again rekindled the popular notion that somehow a firm grip CAUSES bow torque ('I read it in a magazine so it must be true').  It's simply NOT true.  

No offense intended, but the 'firm grip equals bow torque' idea has more basis on individual preference and perhaps lack of experience than it does on fact.  Torque (bow twisting in the hand) is a result of generally poor form...which consists of many components.  A firm grip with otherwise good form can actually HELP the shooter maintain better control, stability and consistency, especially with higher-mass limb/lower-mass riser types of bows like Hills.  Of course personal preference/comfort level has something to do with what works for any given shooter, but whether the shooter develops a torque problem has less to do with their tolerance/comfort level/grip preference and more to do with their general form, practice regime, experience and simple physics.  

I'd offer that a good approach for newbies in choosing their form components (grip or otherwise) is to take opinions with a grain of salt (even from 'experts'), sift them for whatever fits YOUR situation, keep an open mind, and learn from your own experiences.  It's definately not one-size-fits-all.

       

[roadhogtom]

Had hand surgery recently and found I can't grip a flat bow. Went from longbow to recurve as it sits more in the web of my hand and I don't grip at all.

[steve schrank]

everbody has there own opinion you do what works for you

[smoke1953]

For me to get that equal tension all around the longbow grip and therefore reduced torque I need to hang on tight. Sqeezin the sap out of it as Asbell has said or he quoted from somebody, also reminds me to set my bow arm by tightening those appropriate muscles. To each his own and what works for your body.

[Andy Cooper]

Well, looks like everyone agrees..........that their way is best!  

[Steelhead]

I believe one of the keys to shooting with a relaxed grip is to be able to keep a very strong,solid bowarm while maintaining the relaxed grip.Easier said than done while under the strain of the bow at full draw.Its easy to start choking the grip without even knowing your doing it.

I love to shoot both longbows and recurves.I like low to low/medium grips.Mostly locator style grips.Some of the grips have a slight palm swell.But not much.I find I am more consistant personally with lighter grip on both styles of bows.Thats what works for me with these grip styles and I dont like to change much about how I shoot a bow just because its longbow or recurve.Too complicated for my brain.Its hard enough as it is to be consistant without adding changing how you grip a bow by much.

With the relaxed grip or semi relaxed grip and a strong bowarm behind that and a good inline draw,solid and consistant anchor,good back tension,relaxed stretched out drawing hand with no cupping and dynamic release and follow through the arrows should go where thier pointed if spined right for the bow.

Thier are many things that cause the arrow to stray from the intended spot.One of things i look to when shooting poorly is if I am choking my grip too much.Thier are times when I find that I have been choking the grip without knowing it.I prompt myself to relax the grip and often the arrows start going where I aim and I know at that point that it was the harsh hand that was the culprit.

Ofcourse at other times it could be some other buggar thats getting in the way of a clean shot.

It would be great to put it all together more often

Ofcourse shoot what grip tension works for you.

No 2 baseball players swing exactly the same way.great hitters often accomplish the same task in slightly different ways.Some classic and some not so classic.But the proofs in the pudding.So do what works well for you.I have my style that works for me when I execute it and others have thier style.

I am sure some guys shoot good with a tighter grip and others shoot good with a looser grip.Some somewhere in between.

[Longspur77]

Each bow is different for me. I will grip it firm and shoot lessening my grip until no hand shock. Still learning though

[coachA]

From what I understand you should always be relaxed when you shoot. Whether we are talking about a compound or traditional bows. the traditional archers may have their fingers around their bow but I dont think any og them ar actually griping it for the same reason that compound shooters do that.