Will starting with a high poundage bow develop bad habits?

[Safari Scott]

Hi guys,

I have a question. I just started shooting a few weeks ago - and my first bow is a Samick Deer Master #55. I thought it was fine but all the target shooters at my range are shaking their heads at me and clicking their tongues.

Even though I only weigh about 72kgs I do about 6 hours a week of Mauy Thai and Jui Jitsu so I'm pretty strong for my size. I haven't had a problem pulling the string back at all but if I have it at full draw for more than twenty seconds I start to get a slight tremble in my arm.

Am I okay to keep with this one? I should probably mention that I'm getting 8 out of 10 in the yellow from 20-30 yards and I don't get tired or a sore arm but since I'm so new I kind of want to do the right thing from the get-go. I'm left eyed and right handed as well so I'm probably unco to boot.

Many thanks

[reddogge]

The problem is not being able to shoot it as I'm sure you are strong enough, it's learning how to fully expand and properly use your back muscles and holding the bow for a few seconds before releasing. Once these things are learned the techniques can be transferred to heavier bows but are very hard to learn on heavy bows.

Any chance you could buy a set of 35-40# limbs for it as a second pair to practice with?

[Terry Green]

The answer is simple....if you are overboard....YES.

[Jock Whisky]

Keep that bow but find, borrow, steal, whatever a lighter bow. 40-45lb wouldn't be out of the question. Learning to shoot properly requires that you activate muscles that don't get used that much.
Learn on it with some good qualified instruction. Save yourself a lot of grief. You don't want to be fighting the bow when you're learning. It's technique, not strength.

[Stumpkiller]

"Will starting with a high poundage bow develop bad habits?"

Almost undoubtably.

[Safari Scott]

This what I was hoping not to hear but pretty much expecting, I'll see if I can find a lower poundage one around somewhere to get the technique right. I've sort of been self-teaching which I know is another no-no so it probably wouldn't hurt to get some lessons.

Oh and another question, I've got several different types of arrows in my quiver since I just bought whatever the local shop had on hand, should I be getting used to a single weight or will it help me in the long run to get used to different flights?

There was some good news though, an unintended but pleasant side-effect has been that I've been absolutely dominating in the kickboxing clinch thanks to all the new muscles I've been using so I guess it wasn't all for nothing!

Thanks for the replies, this forum really is a top notch place for a budding archer to explore.

[reddogge]

It's best to have an arrow that will tune (fly perfectly) to your bow. If you give us your draw length we can suggest a couple of shafts that should work. That goes for a lighter bow too. Either get someone to mark an arrow with a pencil and measure or put a hole in a business card and slip it over the arrow point and draw the card against the bow and measure that way.

[Safari Scott]

My draw length is about 29 inches and I'm 6ft, the bow I'm using is 60" with 28" (I know it's a little short) I've found the heavier aluminium ones don't fly quite as perfect as the carbon ones but it's my understanding that heavier arrows mean better penetration for way down the track when I'm comfortable to point it at an animal so I think it might be better to get used to them? Also I spotted a 40# one piece on the classifieds so I might see about getting it to oz for less than a small fortune.
Another option that seems sensible was to get a few lessons using an instructor's lighter bow. How many technique sessions do you think would set me on the right path?

Yesterday I had great time down at the range,  hit two bullseyes, four in the yellow and one just on the line for my last round. This was really exciting until I realised I split one of my noks and shot the fletching off another one. So now is the perfect time to go down to the store for more arrows! haha.

Also sorry about all the questions but where I live there are pretty much no traditional shooters, their bows all look like something out of a sic-fi and it's hard to find reliable advice...

[Diamond Paul]

Weight is relative: your perceived effort with 55lbs might be the same or much less than mine with 45lbs, but I would not normally recommend that heavy for a new shooter.  It's hard to get the feel of back tension if you have to work at all to get the string back; I always found myself using too much bicep/shoulder/hand-finger tension, which caused poor releases, etc.  I never really could develop a good back tension release till I dropped down to about 45lbs, but once again, that weight is relative.

[nineworlds9]

Originally posted by Jock Whisky:
Keep that bow but find, borrow, steal, whatever a lighter bow. 40-45lb wouldn't be out of the question. Learning to shoot properly requires that you activate muscles that don't get used that much.
Learn on it with some good qualified instruction. Save yourself a lot of grief. You don't want to be fighting the bow when you're learning. It's technique, not strength.

+1.  best part is soon you'll have a collection  

[Fanto]

Safari Scott

where are you mate? have you joined ozbow? there are trad shooters in just about every neck of the woods.

I started at 55#. its a very hard slog to work straight up to it, but after a couple of months of a few dozen arrows per day it became easy enough.

My personal view, and the view of many heavy bow shooters, is that if you want to shoot heavy, then get a heavy bow and bleeding well practice! Byron Ferguson shares this view and reccomends short drawing until you can get to full draw.

Finally, spend 1/4 of your shooting or so working on nothing but form, standing 10 feet from the target.

cheers

[Safari Scott]

So just an update, I finally have a 35# set of limbs on the way, although I find my current ones, (which I found out I'm pulling at 62#) so easy now I wonder if it's still worth it?

Before I broke my bow I was going down about 2-3 times a week shooting about 300 arrows with no fatigue except for pain in my ring finger on my draw hand but that's just because I broke it so badly a few years back its only got half a tendon  on it.

Also @ Fanto, I'm just down in Melbourne. I haven't joined up to ozbow yet but after I saw your post I will now, always nice to get some local views. I guess I'll just practice some form with the 35s when they get here and keep building up with the 55 or 62 or whatever you call it in the mean time.

I actually just ordered a custom Stalker Recurve which is going to pull about 57 at 29 so I've already dropped 5 pounds which is a bonus as well.

Oh and also, does anyone know any good instructors down under? Some of the compound guys gave me a few good tips about keeping a regular anchor point etc but they all use sights and arrow release aids so it's sort of like a cat teaching a dog to bark...