New archer - very confused - 32" draw/arrow length help

[Biggie Hoffman]

Don't take all of this advise to the letter. You will eventually develope a style that is comfortable and works for you. It may be different from everybody else but THAT"S OK!
All in all.....bowhunting is very personal in nature  :-)

[Curveman]

So what is the right stance? I had an experienced archer come up to me a couple of years ago and say I needed to open up my stance. Much later another experienced good shot said close it. Is there a consensus that the front foot should be behind the rear foot? I looked on an Olympic site and the had all three and they called them by different names.  www.library.thinkquest.org  open, closed, oblique etc.

[Shawn Leonard]

I will also say that ya may want to tilt the head into the shot a tad bit, kind of lean into it. I think you will be fine. I also anchor with my index at my nose and my ring finger at the corner of my mouth, this will give ya a half inch. I think ith a 32" arrow you should be good to go. Shawn

[UCBerzerkeley]

Originally posted by Biggie Hoffman:
Don't take all of this advise to the letter. You will eventually develope a style that is comfortable and works for you. It may be different from everybody else but THAT"S OK!
All in all.....bowhunting is very personal in nature  :-)

I admit my generation is often guilty of seeking advice / being told how to do something rather than figuring it out on their own. I may be victim of that trap right here. But I basically wanted to first, get an arrow that fit, and second, make sure I did not start off with any bad habits. Wise words for sure - thank you

[UCBerzerkeley]

Follow up question - spine

In the market for gamegetters only, 2016 32" or 2117 33". Bow again is 40@28, draw between 31-32". Not sure what I am actually pulling, I imagine around 55#. Am I under-spined at 2016 with 145 tip?

[Night Wing]

I think you'd be way underspined with a 2016 and a 145 grain tip with either a 32" or 33" length arrow pulling 55#s. With a 33" length arrow at 55#s, with a gamegetter, a 2117 (400) or a 2216 (380) would be my two choices. Of the two, I think the 2216 (380) would be the best choice, but this is just my opinion with the parameters of poundage and tip weight you gave.

[McDave]

I agree with Night Wing, in general.  However, the only way you're going to know is to do bare shaft testing, particularly since you're outside the norms of what most of us are used to in draw length, and our previous experiences might not apply.  Once you learn to bare shaft test, you will always want to do it whenever you try a new bow or arrow combination, because it is a beautiful thing to have an arrow that flies right.

[McDave]

[Pointer]

I draw 31" so I just make it but do what Biggie said...a little bend at the waist and cant the bow a bit and you;ll be Ok. I tried the bent bow arm thing and I had difficulty with consistency...good luck

[Terry Green]

The problem I see is your alignment.

Stance should not matter if you are properly aligned.  That's why I preach proper alignment so hard, and its all from the waist up.  If you are properly aligned, it really shouldn't matter if your front foot is forward or back as again, its all controled from the waist up.  You can carry your alignement with you whether you shoot up hill, down hill, rotate left or right, bend at the waist forward or even reverse cant.  

Being properly aligned IMO is PARAMOUNT for the bowhunter who doesn't always get that back yard stance, and has to creat and manufacture shots in the field.  No telling where your feet will be, and sometimes you might not even be on your feet.

If you look at your 1st pic, you will see if you 'carried out' the shoulder line, it would be pointing too far to the right.  Its pointing too much directly toward the target than just perpendicular. You have 'closed' your shoulder alignment.  This closed shoulder will make your draw length longer than is should be.

If you start with your feet paralell and perpendicular to the target, this will naturally get your shouldlers perpendicular...so yes, when learning, get your stance right so your shoulders are right.  Once you learn to address the target and gain confidence with your ideal 'back yard' shot, then you can push yourself to learn to shoot from other positions by controling that aligment from the waist up, and everything below the waist really wont matter.

The elbow bend is purely personal. Mine is locked solid, and I like it that way, but I have a natural bend in my arm as well and it wont staighten out all the way like some.  Other's like a bent elbow, so find out which one works best for you.

My draw length is 27.5 to 28 depening on the bow, so I aint much help on the long arrow issue.

Best of luck to ya young man.      

[Brent Hill]

I shoot with a straight elbow and any bend will severely affect my arrow flight.  Why ? is straight better than bent ?  For me, yes for the same reasons you referred to above.  Bbt its not for everyone.  A straight elbow will give you a slightly longer draw versus a bent elbow which will affect the spine strength of the arrow.  Don't get caught up in your arrow length first and try to then adjust your draw length or style to that arrow length.  Find your form and shooting style (either bent elbow or not) and then adjust your arrow spine and length accordingly.  I shoot longer arrows 31 with a shockingly long draw length of 27 1/2 so I'm envious of your situation but longer shafts give a lot more room for the BH and spine adjustment if you want to tinker with your weight or spine.
Good luck.  Hopefully that helps.  Bhill

[UCBerzerkeley]

Thanks so much Terry, I see exactly what you mean with the "closed" shoulder point too far right, I completely missed that before. I see how that overextends the draw too.

I totally agree on the whole alignment ballgame    My father is a pro tennis instructor and I play at the college level. He teaches / I use a belief that the same stroke ought to be used from the waste up regardless of ball height - get your feet in position independent of the swing. Much more consistent that way!

I am going back to lurkerdome now. I'll see about resurrecting this thread in a month or two. Shoot on my brethren, I admire every one of you.