Gripping the string

[Lee Lobbestael]

How tight do you guys grip the string? not sure if this question came out right but what I mean is do you point your fingers right back at you or do you keep them kinda perpendicular to your bow hand? it seems like I feel more in control by getting a deep hook and pointing them straight back at me. I also seem to be able to relax my bow hand more by doing this. It also seems like I don't pluck the string as much like this. Hope this makes sense!

[moebow]

You've got it right Lee.  Index and middle finger pointed back at your throat, ring finger pointed at your chin is the definition of a deep hook and DOES reduce pressures in your string hand and allows a better relaxed hand release.

[dragonheart]

I try to hook in on the second "pad".  One thing that is helpful is to keep the tension in the right place.  If you let your pinky "float" it can give you a poor release.    

Once you hook your fingers on the string, I like to curl around, others do not.

Think to yourself to bring your pinky back towards your hand, then cock you thumb like you are cocking the trigger on a .45 and begin your draw.  This will promote more tension in your back muscles and less in your hand.  Refuse to hold the string and let the fingers stay against the face.  You should be pushing your elbow back on the final portion of the draw and the anchor is dynamic with the tension transitioning into the back muslces and a refusal to hold.      

Holding the pinky back and cocking the thumb has helped me to maintian my arrows down the "middle" which means, proper back tension/release.  

Watch some videos of Howard Hill and you can see he does this as he draws.  His thumb cocks and goes into his anchor.

[Larry247]

I keep the string right in front of the first joints in my fingers and when i release, the string is gone in an instant.

No thought to it much at all.

[BobCo 1965]

Personally, if a person took a side view photo of my hook I would not want to see my middle or index finger nail. I would want to see a slight upward position in my index finger so that most of contact takes place on the inner part of the finger. The nock should not touch the upper finger (split). The third finger is really only there for the ride and to help feel any torque put on the string. The string sits on the pad of the third finger.

Also, please notice that I said hook since that is all that I am doing. The finger tension does not change at all before, during, or after the shot.

[Tav]

Just a quick clarification.  When you anchor with a deep hook, is the finger nail of the index and middle fingers flat against your anchor or are just the finger tips touching your anchor?  I have been messing with this for days.

[moebow]

Tav, That really depends on how and where you anchor.   In a deep hook, the important part is the amount that your index and middle finger point back towards your neck.  As to the actual anchor that depends on you.  Some folks have their base thumb knuckle against their jaw bone, some use the "C" formed in their hand between the index finger and the thumb (back at the web of the hand) and place that behind their jaw bone, still others can feel one of their fingers pressing on a tooth or bone protuberance.  You need to find what works and is comfortable and "go with it."

[BobCo 1965]

Originally posted by Tav:
Just a quick clarification.  When you anchor with a deep hook, is the finger nail of the index and middle fingers flat against your anchor or are just the finger tips touching your anchor?  I have been messing with this for days.

If I am understanding you correctly, then the answer is no. Deep hook really refers to the position of the string on your fingers and not the amount that your fingers wrap around the string. I would not advise you to have your finger nails laying completely flat against your face, that would probably put too much tension in your fingers. Think of your fingers as a hook, you should be able to hook and unhook the string without any finger movement (without the bow drawn), try to keep this hook without any movement through the shot cycle. If you release correctly, your fingers should once again go back to this hook position. A lot of people use a paint can to simulate this.

[McDave]

Deep hook really refers to the position of the string on your fingers and not the amount that your fingers wrap around the string.

I have often been confused by this distinction.  For example, in  Total Archery - Inside the Archer, by Kisik Lee and Tyler Benner, p.34, it states:

 

Coaches often tell their archers to 'keep a deep hook,' but the distinction must be made that the archer is being told to curl his fingers slightly more, and not to change the position of the string to deeper in the hand.

Can you reconcile your quote with Lee's?

[BobCo 1965]

Cool.      :D    

I don't have the book handy right now but have read it several times along with Total Archery.

What I am writing is from memory (which may not be so good).

I think that what Lee is referring to is maybe a little different then my statement.
 
This is what I interpret from Lee's single statement mentioned:

Often times an archer will start the shot sequence with a correct deep hook, but while drawing, loading, or anchoring, may start to lose the shape of the original correct hook. Could happen for a number of reasons including and most common in the "transfer" step. It could also unravel just by the increased poundage of the bow while drawing.  A lot of times an archer may misconstrue the transfer to mean completely transfer all tension from all parts of the hands arms etc. to the back. However, it is important that the hook be maintained throughout the entire shot sequence. What I believe Lee is saying is that he hears coaches say "keep the hook" instruction while seeing the archer starting to lose the original hook position. This could be easily mistaken by the archer (again usually beginner) to mean change the string position in the fingers instead of curl to fingers back to the original position to maintain the correct hook. A more elite archer, I am sure would have to let up on the shot and start from scratch instead of just curling the fingers back into the correct position. I think Lee is using this as an example to a coach on how a miscommunication can easily occur between the coach and student if the coach does not fully explain in detail (and hopefully demonstrate) what he means. Coaches often think that a student understands exactly what the coach is trying to convey, but that is not always the case.

[Tav]

So how do you keep your finger tips pointing back and not anchor with the finger nail on the face?  If you guys have some pictures of the proper deep hook and connection of the fingers to the anchor that would be great.  I read so many different things and see videos and pictures but have never really got it figured out.  I just keep messing around looking for consistency and less joint pain in the mornings.  I am working on anchoring below my cheekbone just above where my upper and lower jaw meet.  I have been watching the Moebow video a lot.  thanks.

[McDave]

There are the exact pictures you are looking for in Lee's book.  Unfortunately, it ain't exactly cheap!

BTW, thanks for the explanation, Bob.

[Tav]

I found a site with the gripping chapter as a free download.   http://www.astraarchery.com/Inside_the_Archer.html