My 130# Son shooting his 93# Longbow

[longbowman]

This is for Raging Water.  He posted a clip of him shooting his war bow and I wated to post this since Water's are looks bigger than my boy!  It just goes to show if you use the correct muscles "anybody" can shoot decent weight bows.
 

[Blaino]

i wish it was a youtube video so i could watch it while at work......

[longbowman]

I meant to post this on the Shooters Forum can and Admin person please move this.  I'm not looking for advice from anybody it was mainly for Raging Water.  Just so you know, I'm built exactly like my son, have shot 80# plus since I was early 20's and now am a breath shy of 60.  Never been to an orthopedic surgeon, never have had shoulder problems and shoot 80+# to this day.

[robtattoo]

 

Well said longbowman. Your son shows pretty dang good form.

[Michael K Miller]

Nice smooth draw with a little pause at his anchor point....that's impressive

[Rob DiStefano]

looking good!  good form and follow through, yer son's a natural.  as to the hefty weight being pulled, to each their own and we're all different, thank goodness.  if i could get away shooting that kinda weight i sure would - but i have moved down steadly in holding weight as the decades have moved forward, from 70# down to 55# - but hey, i'm still shooting!  

[Lee Robinson .]

Honestly...form matters FAR more than brute strength. Anyone that exercises regularly will  tell you bad form is what injures people. It isn't heavy weight, but over use with bad form that causes "repetitive motion" type injuries.

Even a strong person with bad form will injure themself.

IMO, that gentleman's form was much better than many "big boys" that don't even reach their draw...or collapse during the draw, or jump excessively on the shot...or that don't have good shoulder position. He has a little jump in the bow with the upper limb, but not much. Your son didn't appear to collapse at all. It looks as if he is just "stretching out" very smoothly. Overall, very good for someone shooting 71.5% of their body weight. That would be like a 200# man shooting 143#.

Additionally, I have learned that smaller people often times have a higher % ability than does a larger man...even though the larger man typically has more "gross" power. An ant can carry something like 7 times its body weight.

Nice video.

[Terry Green]

Its all about technique, conditioning and form.  You do NOT have to be a muscle man to learn to shoot heavy bows.  There's plenty of proof of that.

I've shot 115 pound war bow before....and there's a 100# Javaman in my office.  I've never had an injury....or needed surgery or a surgeon.

Nice smooth fluid shot....and with back tension creating a nice follow through.

[longbowman]

Blaino, the video is now on youtube.  Heavy Longbow Shooting

[BobCo 1965]

I agree that a person most definetely does not need to be big to shoot higher poundage bows. A person does however have to develope at their own pace to shoot them correctly and not get injured (for any poundage).

[FrankM]

I think Raging Water needs to try a #200 bow!

[marlon]

great video.keep it up.

[LONGSTYKES]

Wow, If I was only 130# again. Great form.

[swampthing]

What is his draw length? He looks about 5'10"

[LongStick64]

Good deal, only have to agree with Lee that after the shot there was movement on the upper limb, otherwise the right bow no matter the weight and you can never say never. Most of the time I prefer to shoot 45-50. Once and a while I pull out my 68. Only reason it works is the bow is extremely smooth. Best definition of a great bow is when you draw the bow, you don't notice it, you know what I mean.

[Raging Water]

Frank,

That was fantastic! I really appreciate you posting the video. Please, tell him that my "Robin Hood" hat is off to him! That was just plain cool!

I have seen a lot of guys shooting war bows and "rearing back" and flinging the arrow. Who knows where those arrows landed. Anyone can throw their body weight into pulling a bow string back and launch an arrow into oblivion.

Your son has a nice consistant draw as if he was shooting a target in front of him. That was impressive!!

Also....

If I had a nickel for every time someone said "you are going to hurt yourself shooting heavy bows, I'd have a bunch of nickels”.

Just for fun, I have posted my video again here. And yes, I am about twice his girth. Too bad I can't use my belly to draw a bow, if so 200# would be easy.
       


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