trying to understand proper release

[ChiefStingingArrow]

I was watching Masters of the Barebow III and listening to them talk about how "release" is not in your shot sequence but rather it is a result of expansion....

1. Is this a good proper release for hunting style?
  I love shooting bow but all that enjoyment is in anticipation for hunting season.

2. When I try to just keep pulling back I just keep going back and back....If I don't tell my fingers to relax and release then it would never go off.

So, What is the proper process?

[moebow]

Chief,

YES!! It is an excellent way for hunting.  The problem it sounds like you are having is an improper understanding of expansion.  Your hand or string DOES NOT move during expansion.  Your elbow moves perpendicular to the arrow line but your hand does not move on your face.   As that elbow moves, along with a slight decrease of finger tension results in a release.

Takes practice and initially a little frustration but it is WELL worth the effort to learn.

Arne

[ChiefStingingArrow]

Ok, so basically I relax my hand enough to where I am still holding the string but when I begin to increase back tension it goes off? Am I getting what you are saying? Thanks

[moebow]

Pretty much.

Arne

[ChiefStingingArrow]

Thanks Arne.....Now off to practice!

[toby]

Originally posted by moebow:
Chief,

YES!! It is an excellent way for hunting.  The problem it sounds like you are having is an improper understanding of expansion.  Your hand or string DOES NOT move during expansion.  Your elbow moves perpendicular to the arrow line but your hand does not move on your face.   As that elbow moves, along with a slight decrease of finger tension results in a release.

Takes practice and initially a little frustration but it is WELL worth the effort to learn.


Arne

Best explanation I have seen. I am going to focus on this in my practice sessions.

[Todd Cook]

I find my release improves as the draw weight goes north of 60 pounds.  

[cahaba]

Byron Ferguson said to relax your whole side in his book "Become the Arrow" It has worked for me. But the "traditional" way is how Arne described it.

[McDave]

When I took Rod Jenkin's class I believe he told us, or intimated, that about 9 out of 10 people can achieve a release using the method Arne describes.  Unfortunately, the 10th person continues to increase back tension until they become blue in the face, but the release doesn't happen. I've found this to be true in my own classes.

If you are this unlucky 10th person, then the best advice is to simply relax your string hand at the appropriate moment and the arrow will go off.  Don't try to open your string hand, just relax the fingers and let the string push them out of the way.

Be careful about decreasing any finger tension prior to release; it is easy for this to devolve into a collapse.  You'll know if you do this, because you'll probably pluck the shot.