Bow Poundage question

[Bowhunter4life]

That is a big jump in poundage... sure... for some that may not be a big jump, but as you have already stated you are having issues getting used to the weight.  

Weight of a bow is a very personal thing.  What is heavy for one person may be light for another.  Listen to your body, if you are having trouble shooting the particular bow after a few shots you are over bowed.  Not to say you can't work into it, but I would get a bow somewhere between your two current bows and become shooting/hunting proficient with it before moving up to the heavier bow you are currently having trouble with.  You can still shoot, of false draw the heavy bow to gain strength in the muscles used to shoot.  

Going up in weight can be tough for some, especially if injuries occur.  Take the slow approach, it will pay off in the end.

[Red Beastmaster]

I worked up from 45# to 65# and then back down again to 45#. I spent 25 years and a few thousand dollars to get back to where I should have never left.

[Shawn Leonard]

That is a big jump. I started out back in in the late 80's shooting Trad bows. I started at 50#s with a Howatt Hunter, I shot 85-90 pound compounds back than. By the mid 90's I was shooting 80-85# recurves and longbows. I was 30 years old in 95. I am now 48 and have had 4 shoulder operations. Guys who know me, will tell you I am in great shape despite some health issues I have had, better than most guys my age. That said I now shoot h for 50-55#s and that is more than enough for anything I hunt. My doctors attribute my left shoulder directly to my shooting those heavy bows for years. It is one thing to go out and say ya shoot alot and shoot a hundred arrows a week, butto shoot like I did really took its toll, I shoot hundreds of arrows a week and lots of times over a thousand. I say work your way up to the 64#s slowly and shoot it for a few years, than be smart and slowly settle in on a weight you can shoot for the rest of your life. For me, that is 50-55#s. Shawn

[Sam McMichael]

No, I don't think it is a bad idea at all, but as you are already aware, it will take a while till you are able to shoot it consistently for a large number of shots. Don't rush it. Shoot as long as you can control the bow, but if you get tired so that the bow is controlling you, it is time to stop. To push on when fatigued will do terrible things to your form and may result in injury. Avoid that!

Over time you will be able to shoot the heavier bow without difficulty and with confidence. But like any athlete, you must train into it. Until then you can still shoot your 45# bow with complete confidence that it will do the job. I love heavy bows as much as anybody on this forum, but in all honesty, I can't say that heavier is necessarily better.

In the final analysis, shoot what you like, just be sensible in working into it. Good luck.

[monsterchelli]

[S.C. Hunter]

That is a big jump all at once, but as already said you can work into the bow. You will need to be careful and not push to hard and make sure form is your goal with each session.

[pdk25]

More of a jump than I would have been able to make, but everyone is different.  Good luck.

[fredbear92]

I appreciate the input guys. I got a lot to think about here.

I'm definitely going to start exercising my upper-limbs and will start getting a good stretch before my shooting sessions. My form is still good and I don't plan on letting a heavier bow mess that up for me.

Thanks!

   

[will_hunt]

Realize this will take time.  Are you in for the long haul? It is seven months until hunting season.
I am a HUGE proponent of ONE arrow practice at short distances to build shooting muscles.  
Start by stretching really good. Place a target up off the ground so you are shooting level. Back away about five or ten yards.  Shoot a single arrow. At this point it matters little where it goes in relation to "good shooting". BE PATIENT! Walk slowly to the target, pull 'er out, walk slowly back and shoot again.  Shoot as many times as you can. STOP. Go inside and rest. Come back in fifteen or twenty minutes and do it again. If you can do this twice a day, even better. Do this for a couple weeks. CONCENTRATE ON USING YOUR BACK MUSCLES!!!
The next step is to add an exercise of beginning your shooting by coming to full draw, holding it for a three count and then SLOWLY letting down. Now shoot as before.  Proceed with your one arrow practice. Do this a couple weeks.
As young as you are, I bet you will be smacking a half dozen arrows pretty well about anytime you want to, from about any distance. BUT, GIVE IT TWO MONTHS BEFORE YOU START TRYING TO DO MULTIPLES.
Trust me on this one. It is profoundly tedious, I know--so is weight lifting. The one arrow practice gives you time to think about form, push/pull, draw, aim, anchor, release...or is it aim, draw, anchor, release, hmmmm. You can shoot more times without getting worn out and whiffing arrows all over the place.
I live in the frozen tundra of eastern Idaho. This is how I practice all winter long. When you can do this for a half hour in a frozen garage, you are getting close.
So, are you in for the long haul?

[fredbear92]

@will_hunt

 Yes sir, I'm definitely in it for the long haul. This sounds like a good method as well. Very informative. I'll give it a shot. Thank you!

[Safari Scott]

Nah, I think you'll be just fine. I learned on a bow that was 62# at my draw and I'm only about 165 pounds. I think it actually improved my form as I had to concentrate to hold everything in the right place and use my back instead of my arms etc. Sounds like you've already got the form part worked out if you've been shooting 40s for a while.

Now I can hold it as long as I need to, I mean, sure I still get tired after putting a few hundred arrows through it but you'll be amazed at how quickly your body adapts. Especially a young feller like you. (I'm 29 now, can I say that yet?)

Oh I should also add though, that higher poundage doesn't make you more manly. Shooting a hundred arrows at 60 pounds or 150 at 40 pounds is much of a muchness.

[BUFF]

Shoot what you like.
At 20 years old you should be able to get used to shooting about any thing.
I have pretty much used a 74# bow for every thing the last 15 years.
had to have my shoulder worked on 3 years ago ( farming accident) and started using a 64 all the time. I needed to bump back up to 84 for a up coming hunt. I couldn't get to full draw but once or twice when I started over but within 2 weeks I was back to shooting it well again.
Not kicking mud at the 45# guys..... I just like the way a 700 grain arrow from a 74# bow smacks a Hog

[trubltrubl]

you are 21 this year...young fella can certainly work  up to a heavier bow....IMHO 55 lbs will take anything in North America...but some including myself have shot 60- 65 lb bows, I like the clean release of a heavy bow....but am now 55 and not working out as much as I should...I still dabble with heavy bows and think most anyone can if their shoulders are still in good shape,,,I think damaged shoulders are a result of many things...work related, over use ...be it in the gym or shooting too many arrows...just like tennis elbow,,...repetition on any joint will eventually tire it out. Genetics also play into the formula...I do believe a SMART workout routine will strengthen any one....let your body tell you what to do...once your tired  STOP shooting the heavy bowe ...eventually you will get to a point where you are comfortable with the weight....that is a big jump you did and without knowing you...can;t say if your overbowed right now...but if you gradually increase the weight I beleive most can shoot a heavier bow...but as alot of people have said..as you get older  the mother nature tells us the joints are not as youthful as they once were....unfortunately...some guys have great shoulders till their old...most don't.......by the way it is normal to fatigue with a heavy bow after alot of shooting...almost anyone I have seen at a 3d shoot who shoots heavy will tire at about the 25 to 30 th target...not to the point they can't shoot but their accuracy is dropping.....good luck

[TDHunter]

Been said many times but 19lbs is a massive jump!  even 10lbs is a huge change. The worst thing you can do is over bow yourself and I speak from experiance as I did it for many years. I was shooting in the 63 range for years and have now moved down to 54-57 and it's improved my shooting a tone.

[Forrest Halley]

Anything is possible with work and a positive attitude, even say a 50# jump. Set aside ego, deafen yourself to the naysayers and blindly press on until you have achieved your goals.

[J.T.]

[RecurveRookie]

I like my bowfit, I moved up 10 lb at a time and that was a lot for me.  Be patient.  It takes time to build up strength.  Get your form right so you don't injure yourself.  Until you are really strong enough to shoot your heavy bow comfortably, shoot at closer range, and don't be discouraged by lousy accuracy.  Don't over-train, it's easy to do.  You will enjoy the extra speed/power.  Best wishes.

[Ground Hunter]

Use the bow to exercise with.  Until you build strength.  Not rocket science.  I'm 59 and still shoot 70 to 80 pound bows daily.  No brain no gain.