String hitting my nose

[arachnid]

A bit of advice needed guys...
The string keep hitting my nose as I release. After a while it really hurts and it leaves a mark (my wife thought a cat jumped on me😁). I turn my head all the way to the left but it doesn't seem to help.
What am I doing wrong (beside having a big nose)?

[McDave]

This is something that crops up for most people at one time or another.  These are things you can check:

Brass nock hitting nose - change to tied on nock.

Tab hitting nose - trim tab or switch to snug fitting glove

Elbow not behind arrow, which throws string slightly left on release - get elbow behind arrow.

Anchor too tight to face - adjust anchor

Trying to release shot by opening fingers rather than relaxing them and letting string push them out of the way - maintain good back tension through release and practice releasing by relaxing fingers.

Sometimes it's elusive and none of the obvious fixes work.  If you release with good form, the string should go forward and your string hand should go back without hitting your face.  At times I have just had to work on shooting with good form until it stops happening on its own.

[Roy from Pa]

Can you post a video of you shooting from the side, back, and partial front?

[arachnid]

I'll try to get a video tommorow.  Just need to find someone to film me.

[moebow]

All the mentioned reasons can cause it.  In my experience, the most common reason is laying your head over to the string and string hand rather than bringing the hand and string to your still and unmoving head.

Arne

[arachnid]

Here`s a video of me shooting
<iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fdor.arts.7%2Fvideos%2F1886132291476486%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe>

[Roy from Pa]

You are turning your head in towards the string, your nose is in front of the string when you release.

Move your chin over against your left shoulder more.

You are drawing with your arm, you need to draw more with your back muscles and squeeze those back muscles together..

[McDave]

Yes, if you can rotate your head a little more counterclockwise, you should be able to avoid hitting your nose with the string.  Also, in the first two shots it is fairly easy to see that you are moving your head into the string.  As Arne suggests, focus on keeping your head still and moving your string hand to your head.  This can become an ingrained habit that is difficult to self-diagnose.  I was in a class once where everyone in the class could see a student move his head, but he couldn’t feel himself do it.  If someone watches you shoot and is trained to see your head movement, he or she can point it out to you until you begin to notice it yourself.

[arachnid]

Thanks guys.
I usually shoot alone. Is there a way I can know myself if my head is rotating?

[Roy from Pa]

Practice drawing the bow in front of a mirror, and or a video camera.

Get your stance, raise the bow arm and drawing arm up.

Move your head over towards your shoulder real close and keep it there.

Then draw the bow back to your anchor point and do not move anything else except your drawing arm.

Just watch your video and you can see your head is turned in towards the string and your nose is in front of the string.

[McDave]

It might help if you practice drawing away from your face.  In other words at full draw, your string hand would be an inch or so away from the side of your face.  When you are satisfied that you have rotated your elbow as far around behind the arrow as possible, then move your string hand in to your anchor.  Since the only movement going on at this point would be your string hand moving in to touch your face, it might be easier to keep your head still.

[arachnid]

It might help if you practice drawing away from your face.  In other words at full draw, your string hand would be an inch or so away from the side of your face.  When you are satisfied that you have rotated your elbow as far around behind the arrow as possible, then move your string hand in to your anchor.  Since the only movement going on at this point would be your string hand moving in to touch your face, it might be easier to keep your head still.

You mean trying a rotational draw like Arnie teaches?

[McDave]

I’m not sure his rotational draw has two distinct motions, i.e. drawing to a spot an inch or two away from your face and then, in a separate motion, bringing your hand to your face.  I know people who do this, I think Rod Jenkins may do this, so I don’t think it would hurt anything to try it.  If it helps you to not move your head, but you don’t want to continue to draw that way after you solve that problem, then you could go back to the way you draw now.

[arachnid]

I actually tried it today and it seem to help me with obtaining better back tension and I'm hitting my nose less. So I'll try to stick to it for now.