Draw weight for a Newbie

Everyone has their own strengths, I would never suggest a poundage to anyone. I would suggest that you do your home work, learn what your form will be, how strong you need to be with what you decide, and what you like the most before breaking the bank.  After all that, I would like to add that if you find a used 45 pound Bear Grizzly in good shape you cannot go wrong.  They are fast, accurate, fit most people and forgiving.

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by Txnrog:
just to add - finding someone to shoot with that knows what they are doing early on is a huge plus - I had someone helping me with my form from the moment I got into the shop - really helped advance my abilities without having to relearn a bunch of stuff.

this is worth bringing up yet again - a newbie will save countless hours and dollars by getting valid help from the get-go ... and avoid bad habits that might be hard to break later on.

[SpencerL]

Originally posted by Txnrog:
David Sent you a PM - you might want to post over on Texasbowhunter.com - bet you can find somebody to shoot with or a trad shoot within reasonable distance to check out a number of bows. Don't have to go the custom route first go round - but there are some good options for used customs that are affordable.

As far as weight - I just started a couple months ago, and my draw length actually increased from what it was with a compound once someone worked with me on my form. I bought a #49 bow @ 28, and am getting aout 51-52 out of it. Stepping up to 55 or so for my next one.

I started just this last month with a 45 lb. recuve and have seen my draw lenght increase 1/2 in. I'm suprised how different the form is between a compound and a recurve.

[Bowwild]

bearsniper. The fellows here are very consistent in their recommendations and I would agree. I've recently come back to recurves after a 35-year trip with compounds, which I have no ill-feelings about. I'm a recurve fan. I used to shoot 76# compounds and now (because I still shoot a compound every 2-3 days and my recurves every day)my compound is 63#'s. I'm a form freak and it is extremely important that you be under-bowed before over-bowed. I'm amazed at the positive difference in just 3-4 pounds lighter draw weight. My 2nd recurve was a new Predator with 59# limbs -- too heavy for me! Now I stick to 49-52 pound (at 28") which makes 45-48 pounds for my 26" draw. A buddy of mine has been shooting longbows for 2 years. His LBs are 43 pounds. He shoots through deer and turkeys quite effectively. If your bow is too heavy the first thing you'll have trouble with is maintaining vertical form. Leaning towards the arrow does nothing but shorten your draw. Next you'll have difficulty establishing a solid anchor from which to "pull-through" the shot. Then, and this is too often-overlooked, you'll have trouble with the bow arm being active through the shot, towards the target rather than collasping toward you. That last one is the most difficult for me to master (a soft bow arm).  Also, if you go lighter than you think you want, you'll have an eaiser time moving it to all the fellows who didn't ask the questions you are asking and bought one that is too heavy. Oh, those college shoulders are tough as nails now. YOu can keep em in good shape by warming up, cooling down, and by not being over-bowed.

[bearsniper]

First of all, I really appreciate all of the great advice given. Unfortunately, I didn't heed it as much as I should have-I can just see some of you guys adding another tally to the chalkboard.

I just ordered a 50# martin savannah, to be completely honest, I think I fell into the trap of wanting a bow I could keep for a pretty long time and being a macho 20 year old figured I could "handle it." Perhaps my only rational thought was, that my shorter 27ish draw length (measured by holding a stick to my sternum and reaching out)  should make it around a 45 or 46#. I guess the idea of having a weaker bow just really bothered me-stupid I know.

So now I humbly come before you asking what to do now, the bow is in the mail and so obviously I haven't shot it yet. I have not gotten arrows yet but was looking at the gold tip traditional 3555 at about 29."

Any help, chastisement, reassurance, or honest recommendations as to my next steps would be appreciated. I realize that it may pay off more to go out and get a cheapie 40# fiberglass or something than to plagued by a life of bad form, if that is really a necessity.

I realize I may have made a mistake, I would just like to help mitigating the damage.

[Bowwild]

bearsniper,
I don't think you've made a mistake. Yea, you could have started with a 45 pounder and been shooting 42-43 but your 50# bow should pull 47-47.5 pounds at your 27 inch draw length. If you find you struggle maintaining form while drawing and shooting this bow, do you like you mentioned above and  pick-up or borrow a lighter one to learn with. I'm going to recommend you spend $20 (I don't make a penny off this recommendation) and buy a DVD called "Beyond NASP".  It authoried by Tim Strickland who has coached many US Olympic archers to all the medal metals. This DVD covers bow selection (compounds, recurves, and longbow). It covers mental aspects of archery, coaching, etc.  The most important thing on the video is a very detailed section about "Eleven Steps to ARchery Success".  Tim has a life-time (after returning from NAM) of recurve experience at very high (record setting and hunting) levels and uses this DVD to put it down.  You can get the DVD by going to:   www.nasparchery.com   You will be contributing $7.50 to NASP when you make the purchase. YOu'll also learn about the most important practice device an archer can make out of .50 worth of string -- the String Bow. Finally, you should be very careful about the advice you receive about how to shoot.  I'm a form freak.  Many will say "shoot however you want to - what works for you".  You might luck into the correct way to shoot but I doubt it. Also, and I would never name names, you won't find 1 in 10 (unfortunately this is more like 1 in 1,000) who have been exposed to and mastered the correct process. I feel for some of the guys I meet on the Traditional Courses at "fun 3-D shoots".  These guys are often veterans who have loved archery their entire lives. Many of these guys have given so much back to archery, they deserve nothing but positive experiences in archery. However, too many of them have horrendous form flaws, and they know it. They short draw, they have dead releases, their bow arms collaspe...and they simply start thinking about hunting their arrow before they even step to the shooting stake. These fellows can't even enjoy a perfect result in the target or the flurry of compliments from their peers when the hit the 10 because they know it was an accident that will be difficult to repeat.   It is SOOOO much easier to learn right than fix things later. One last piece of advice, think only positive thoughts when evaluating your shot or the result. Sounds easy huh!  How many guys mutter things like -- I didn't come to anchor,  I shot too quuick, I collasped the bow arm, I jerked, etc.  These are all wrong thoughts. Think about and say the wrong things and that's how you'll shoot. If the coach tells the lineman "Do not jump offsides" guess what the line man is thinkin about before the ball is hiked? How many guys shrug or drop their shoulders after a poor result. How many shake their heads or worse? Learn to know what a properly executed shot FEELS like and go for that feel every time. When a shot didn't feel right (didn't reach anchor for example) think "Next time I need to...." Focus on what you need to do rather than what you did wrong.  Sorry about this long post but this is serious business.

[Rob DiStefano]

more often than not, the listed weights on most stickbows is incorrect, some are off by as much as 4#, particularly with the larger commercial manufacturers.  there was a stretch of time where martin stickbows were typically heavier than the listed weight ... sometimes i wonder if that wasn't done on purpose.  

recently, a well known bowyer retested a bunch of his finished bows with a high quality digital scale and found his spring scale was showing an average of 1.4# higher for his bows.

so what does a true 50# stickbow actually feel like @ 28" draw?  depends.  line up 8 or 10 true 50#/28" bows and do the testing - some will just feel lighter and smoother than others.  stickbow design, materials and craftsmanship plays as much a role as the draw weight.

for a newbie, finding a bow that's low enuf in weight to make the newbie job easier, yet high enuf in weight to offer a good release, would be a great, though perhaps difficult, goal.

[bearsniper]

Thanks Bowwild, I will have to check out that DVD I just ordered "Mastering the Barebow" vol I and II so hopefully that will get me going, seemed like a good program.
Also, having done some olympic style pistol shooting I am all too familiar with the importance of the mental game, I think it is the most difficult thing about individual sports and shooting in general.

[Bowwild]

bearsniper,
The pistol shooting experience will be good for you. Tim Strickland says competitive pistol shooting lead him to many of his proven theories about shooting a bow.  Good luck with it.  Remeber to get that rhomboid on the draw hand side moving to execute the release and then let the hand naturally, and very quickly "paint the face" under the ear so that the thumb of the drawing hand ends up on or near the shoulder after the shot.