heavy weight shooters - training or just shooting?

[saumensch]

Hi all,

i wanna step up in draw weight. Currently i am shooting 58# @my draw and in March i will get new bow with 65#. Would you recommed i start training somehow for it or should i just start shooting it and work into the more pounds?

Thanks

[cacciatore]

If you keep shooting your bow everyday around 100 arrows a day,you'll find easy to accostumate to the new bow after few days.

[kuch]

I asked some training questions and got some good advice that has helped me. I usually hold my heavy bow at full draw for as long as i can and do reps like that then just do reps. the advice was to draw left handed( i'm a righty). this helped alot. also pause at half draw.hope this helps.

[YORNOC]

If you want to shoot 65, train to shoot 70. Get a cheapo bow, or you can use cable equipment if you belong to a gym. Holding for at LEAST several seconds is HUGE. When you can draw 70, 65 will be a breeze to shoot accurately. Always overcompensate. By the way, it is a bit easier to draw a heavy bow if it is longer. A 66" bow at 65 is easier to draw back than a 58" at 65.
OOOOHHHH boy, I'm going to get attacked for saying that!

[beetlebailey1977]

I just strated shooting mine....I went from 45#@28 to 62#@28 and I draw 30"

[kuch]

yornorc.......i agree...the longer bows are "nicer" to exercise with.but heavy is heavy. i think trying to hold 15 to 30 seconds at full draw 5 to 10 reps is a good workout... do opposite hand also. you'll notice the strength increase by able to hold longer &/or morereps.i wouldn't shoot until i could hold for 10 to 15 sec or longer if i were to hunt with the bow.don't want to pick up bad form.

[Red4arm]

Just start shooting. You will shake at first but I a week or so it will fill like you old bow. I went form 45 to 59 to 70 to 74 and now back to 59 cause I just like the 59 bows look better. But you can't beat the way a heavy bow slings and arrow and gives you a great release.

[straitera]

Another heavier bow might be too expensive. Use weights instead. Attach 70# weights to a rope & pull up with your draw fingers while kneeling on a weight bench. Do 2-3 sets of 10 reps w/each hand. By exercising each hand you'll dramatically increase your draw PDQ! I do train w/weights for my 80# bows. Good luck.

[Gil]

You can train for your heavier bow now,get some rubber tubing about i meter and tie the two ends together, then when you have time to do some strengthening exercises,put it around your bow,ending up in front of the grip and at the nocking point, you now have a heavier bow to pull and hold for 10 seconds for 10 repetitions or how many you can do for now.after that take some rest and try to hold it at full draw for as long as you can.also try drawing with your other hand as suggested by others and by G. Fred Asbell in one of his books.

[longbowman]

I was told years ago that you'll never learn to shoot heavy bows by shooting light ones.  When I bought my first 65# bow I could barely pull it but everyday I picked it up constantly and pulled it to full draw and held it.  I shot as much as I could and quit when I couldn't reach full draw.  I'm 57 now and a 65# bow feels like a toy!  Just keep pulling them and shooting them.

[lpcjon2]

I shoot 70#@30-31 and I would say just shoot it and be consistent.Shoot every day and pay close attention to your form.Sometimes if it is heavy you will compromise your form to make up for the heavy weight.You may short draw without hitting anchor  or lean your head forward to much and even bend the bow arm more than you should.You have to go back to the basics with heavy weight(blank bale shooting,total form attention,and dedication).I found that the Howard Hill method of drawing an arrow with a heavy bow to be the best way to draw.IMHO Good Luck Tim

[Rutland]

I shoot 75@28 and could easily shoot 80.  I learned what I know about pulling heavy bows from Rod Jenkins(although he does not support heavy boys.)  The concept is based on the form master.  These are the muscles you need to pull heavy bows.  I use one of the old devices you can't hardly find anymore that has 5 removable springs about 16 inches long in it.  Hold in front of you and spread eagle.  3 times a day, 3 days a week.  Start with three springs and work way up.  I suppose powerbands would work.  Just my to cents worth unless you are built like "Ragging Water".

[Daz]

My thought would be to look at it like time in the gym: to start shooting the new bow every second day, giving 48 hours recovery time for the muscles. Listen to your body and watch your form. My last jump in weight was from 70 to 80lbs. It took two weeks to be shooting 100+ arrows a session, but it is workable if you use back tension, and don't over do it.

Maybe start on a blind bale at five yards, just drawing, anchoring, pausing and releasing, with no worry about accuracy to start. Mix it up by letting down the bow without shooting in a controlled, slow manner on every third draw cycle.

There is a balance because without strength, the form won't happen, but the good form trains the right muscle groups to interact and respond in the proper way encouraging strength building where you want it to happen...enjoy the journey.

[Ron LaClair]

Many moons ago I didn't own a longbow under 80#. I shot the 80 pounders for 3D and hunted with 90#. I had training bows that pulled from 100 to 120# which made the lighter bows pull like butter. I also made myself a weight trainer with coil springs about a foot long. A rod at one end built up for my bow hand and another rod on the pulling end. It pulled just about 100# at 28". I could take it to work with me or workout with it anytime anyplace by pulling and holding or doing reps.

You don't need that much weight for a 65# bow but you should train with at least 10 pounds heavier than the bow you will be using.

[cacciatore]

I am shooting with a heavier bow than last year and I am ipressed of its accuracy.I really love to shoot heavier,I do that mostly for practice but it is addictive,now I look for a 80#er.The bow I am currently shooting is a 56" at 73-75#,smooth like butter.

[randy grider]

Ron, I gotta ask, now that old age has snuck up on you, what weight do you shoot now? Did you experience any shoulder problems? Reason I ask is at 48 i'm allready going to lighter bows, its feeling better, but i miss all that thump i got from heavier bows

[J. Oles]

It's amazing how buiding up to heavier bows makes the lighter ones feel so smooth and easy.

For me stump shooting with the heavy bow is a nice easy way to work into things.  Just take one shot, then a break, and take another.

This seems to let my muscles get used to the weight better.

Jason