Can someone explain this to me?

[Matthew Bolton]

In my shooting style I hold my bow up to the target and draw straight back without swinging my arm. When I start to draw if I apply tension to the string when I'm squaring everything up for the shot I'm not very accurate. However if I just keep my fingers barely on the string until I draw I shoot just fine.

Why would it make a difference?

[moebow]

Matthew,  Not really sure what you mean by "fingers barely on the string."  Do you mean right out at the tips of your fingers or very light pressure on the string?  I personally an NOT a fan of the string out on the finger tips if that is what you are doing.

Many times, we try too hard to "control the bow and string" with muscle rather than being relaxed and allowing the bow to "line us up."

Arne

[njloco]

What Moe said, and the actual accuracy shouldn't be effected by how you draw as you are or should be obtaining the same sight window either way. It will however effect your body, whether it be good or bad.

[McDave]

I don't know if I understand exactly what you're talking about either, but I experience something that may be similar. When  I apply too much tension to the string as I'm setting up, I tend to clinch the muscles in my hand, and they stay clinched throughout the shot, resulting in a poor shot. If I just place the string in my grip without putting much tension on it, it is easier for me to keep the muscles in my hand other than my hook relaxed throughout the draw, which results in a better shot. The string is in the same position in the first joint of my fingers either way, and my hook is equally deep either way, but there's something about having a very light pressure of the string on my fingers that helps me to relax my hand as I begin my draw.

I don't think it is necessary to begin your draw this way, but if it helps to keep your hand relaxed, I don't see anything wrong with it.

[Matthew Bolton]

McDave that's what I meant. I probably should have put it something along the lines of "without putting tension on the string".

[skilonbw]

One way that I like to think of not having any tension on the string in my hand is when I go to draw I have my string hand with the wrist rolled out away from me. So when I go to draw the wrist and arm naturally line up and I have no tension applied to the string.

[Mo0se]

Your entire forearm from your elbow to your hook should be relaxed during the entire process. The fingers are just there to hook around the string, not engage the string. Relaxed is always better than tension. In other words you don't pull with your fingers at all. This might help you visualize what I mean. Say you are standing next to a five gallon bucket you bend at the waist and hook your fingers around the handle and straighten at the torso lifting the bucket without using any forearm muscles, it's just the connection to the handle and nothing more.