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Author Topic: New archer in need of advice. New video added  (Read 5848 times)

Offline Red Dwarf

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New archer in need of advice. New video added
« on: January 22, 2007, 10:19:00 PM »
I am new to archery and have been shooting for about 12 months.
I do not know of any trad shooters in my area and have been learning by myself with the aid of this forum and Byron Ferguson's "Become the arrow".
I am hoping that I have not picked up too many bad habits and would welcome any advice/comments that might set me on the right path.

Thanks Red Dwarf.

Sorry for the poor quality of the video

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Online McDave

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Re: New archer in need of advice. New video added
« Reply #1 on: January 22, 2007, 10:56:00 PM »
You have a very clean release.  You might want to slow down your draw a little.  You've been told that you should hold the bow very loosely in your bow hand, maybe in the web between your thumb and forefinger.  The problem is, without a bow sling, the bow would fall out of your hands.  So what happens is that you hold the bow as you've been told, but when you release, you grab the bow, which will throw your shots off.  Try to hold the bow as loosely as you can, but not so loosely that you have to grab it when you release.
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Offline UKarcher

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Re: New archer in need of advice. New video added
« Reply #2 on: January 23, 2007, 08:44:00 AM »
You seem to be leaning your head down to match the cant of your bow. Try keeping your head up but cant from the waist. It will help you to get more back tension and save you from possible neck strain.
Graham

Offline mike g

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Re: New archer in need of advice. New video added
« Reply #3 on: January 23, 2007, 10:07:00 AM »
You could also try to push and pull with both arms....Not just pulling with the right arm....
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Offline Red Dwarf

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Re: New archer in need of advice. New video added
« Reply #4 on: January 23, 2007, 09:24:00 PM »
McDave - I never realised until you pointed it out that I was grabbing the bow just before release, I always thought that this was happening just after release. Thinking about it now, that kind of timing is all but impossible!

Alex - Thanks for the recommendation; anyone else have comments about this book?

Graham - I think that I am leaning my head to the side in an effort to get my right eye over the arrow; I will try to get the same result by leaning from the waist as suggested. I take your point re: neck strain!

Mike - I am shooting a fairly light bow in the clip so can probably get away with things that I may not be able to do with more weight. I do have a heavier bow that I am working towards and thank you for your advice.

Thanks again

Red Dwarf

Offline Jim/LI

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Re: New archer in need of advice. New video added
« Reply #5 on: January 25, 2007, 05:51:00 AM »
The problem with your grip on the bow can be fixed with a wrist sling.  Somehow these have gone out of favor and are considered to be somehow non-traditional.  My first hunting style bow from the 60's came with both a wrist sling and an elevated brush rest.  Even with a wrist sling, it will take some practice to break your habit of grabbing the bow on release.  

I did not see a problem with your head position.  It helps aiming to have your eye over the arrow and that generally is going to mean you need to bend your head to the right.  Try to avoid bending your head forward.  I don't understand the advice above about bending at the waist.  That will not put your eye over the arrow.  Every target archer uses an upright stance.

Perhaps it was the camera angle, but it appeared that you do not have a consistent anchor position.  Again, it could be an illusion but it appeared that your hand is out from your face.  

IMO, snap shooting is the number one problem with shooting accurately.  The touch and release style can work well for someone with LOTS of experience.  For the vast majority of us, a few seconds at anchor will greatly improve accuracy.  A slower release will require some practice.  Try practicing at a close range without aiming.  When I work on my hold-release, I move in really close and shut my eyes.

Offline Red Dwarf

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Re: New archer in need of advice. New video added
« Reply #6 on: January 25, 2007, 01:57:00 PM »
Jim

You are quite correct, I have been having trouble finding a comfortable anchor position.
Finger at the corner of the mouth just doesn't feel right somehow. I draw with the thumb of my string-hand tight against my palm and the tip bent down 90 deg at the first joint and have been trying to anchor with that thumb knuckle against the back of my jaw bone (does that make sense?)Feels ok but maybe is not consistant enough.
Perhaps I should persevere with middle finger to mouth.

Thank you all for your input. As I suspected - lots to work on!

Red Dwarf

Online Terry Green

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Re: New archer in need of advice. New video added
« Reply #7 on: January 25, 2007, 07:43:00 PM »
You are off to a pretty good start, and not too far out of whack.

If you play/pause rapidly over and over as you get close to anchore, you will see that you are falling out of the shot before release.  Your bow arm and string arm are dropping a split second before you let go.

Your head position looks fine to me, as you are bringing the equipment to you and not going to it.  Looking good there.  Just make sure you find a positive repeatable anchore.
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Offline HumbleHunter

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Re: New archer in need of advice. New video added
« Reply #8 on: January 25, 2007, 11:17:00 PM »
Howdy Red Dwarf,
It sounds / looks like your nocks are really tight on your string. If so, they will give you less speed , alot of string sound, poor arrow flight, and loads of vibration. I found this to be true when somebody here told me the same thing. You might want see if the serving is really a large diameter to start with.  I take sand-paper and sand the inside of the nock until it has a real light snap. What you need to do is nock an arrow and hold your bow pointing straight down like you were gonna shoot the ground. Then with your free hand just tap the string fairly close to the arrow, the arrow should come free. If it doesn't, sand some more. Some use emery boards or small files too. You don't want to make them too loose though where they don't stay on at all. I have also read that some guys dip their nocks in boiling water for a few seconds to soften them and open them up alittle. I've never tried that.

Hope you're having a good time,
HH

Offline longbowguy

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Re: New archer in need of advice. New video added
« Reply #9 on: January 27, 2007, 12:28:00 AM »
I suggest you lengthen your draw. After all these years, I am still working on that.

Offline Red Dwarf

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Re: New archer in need of advice. New video added
« Reply #10 on: January 27, 2007, 07:56:00 PM »
Longbowguy

I am rather new to this so please excuse my lack of knowledge; how can I increase my draw length without the elbow of my drawing arm moving out of the vertical plane of the arrow shaft?
From what I have read here and elsewhere (I am only self-taught up to this point. Excuse the pun!!) I thought that one of the basics of good form was keeping the drawing-arm elbow in line with arrow shaft on both the horizontal and vertical planes.

Please throw some light on this for me guys.

Red Dwarf

Offline longbowguy

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Re: New archer in need of advice. New video added
« Reply #11 on: January 27, 2007, 09:21:00 PM »
Thanks for asking! I think this is a big issue and that a lot of archers short shuck their draw. I'd start with some mirror drills. First air draw, like air guitar, no bow. Simulate your normal draw, now add two inches, now another and another, now two more! You will find that it is physically possible to draw your string hand several inches behind your ear. The great archers of Mongolia, China, Korea and Japan did so in days gone by.

Look at your local compound archers. I hate to admit that most of them have better form than most stickbow archers. They get their hands to the vicinity of their ears. More to the point they get their forearm bones and their elbows in line with their arrows, more or less. Do a web search and look at the form of some Olympic recure shooters. They generally draw to between the corner of the mouth and the ear. And they get their forearms and elbows in line, more or less.

This longer sort of draw produces a lot more arrow speed and is more consistent, especially left/right. I believe you could add two, maybe three inches to your draw length, if your bow is not too heavy. You will need to stand erect, not leaned forward, and keep your head back a bit.

Search for the best anchor point in the feel of your back and your shoulders. Forget accuracy for a while. When you have found the best feel in back and shoulders, begin to search for references between you hand and face, bone on bone. Maybe back knuckles on cheekbone. This is variable as faces vary so much.

Kindly let us know how it goes.

Online McDave

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Re: New archer in need of advice. New video added
« Reply #12 on: January 27, 2007, 09:22:00 PM »
Usually when you're beginning, your draw length increases a little as you begin to push more with your bow arm and get your string arm elbow back more.  In other words, as you develop good back tension.  Your draw length can also increase if you shoot with your shoulders more square to the target rather than open.  This can happen either by shooting with your whole body at more of a right angle to the target, or as I do, by shooting with my feet in an open position and pivoting my body so my shoulders are more square to the target.  I don't think you should make an effort to increase your draw length; just try different things and see what works best for you.  Sometimes people shoot better by doing things that reduce their draw length.  Shoot a lot, read a lot, and sometime if you have the opportunity, attend a shooting clinic.  You seem to be off to a good start.
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Offline longbowguy

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Re: New archer in need of advice. New video added
« Reply #13 on: January 27, 2007, 09:22:00 PM »
PS:
That is a nice example of a pyramid design selfbow. Did you make it your own self?

Offline Red Dwarf

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Re: New archer in need of advice. New video added
« Reply #14 on: January 28, 2007, 12:10:00 PM »
LBG

Thanks; Yes I made the bow last spring. It is red oak and pulls 50# @ 28". Seems to shoot fairly consistantly.

Red Dwarf

Offline Otto

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Re: New archer in need of advice. New video added
« Reply #15 on: January 28, 2007, 04:55:00 PM »
Red Dwarf

If you've only been shooting for 12 months with no mentor.....You're doing very well, especially if you are hitting what you're aiming at.  You might consider some of the points the guys here have brought up, especially the grabbing the bow at the shot.  Honestly, I think you've laid a good foundation.
Otto

Offline Red Dwarf

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Re: New archer in need of advice. New video added
« Reply #16 on: January 28, 2007, 06:43:00 PM »
Otto

I am now trying to hold the bow with the tips of my thumb and forefinger touching, as recommended by another Tradganger, so that I can maintain a loose grip but hopefully stop the inclination to "grab" the handle just before release. Still struggling with finding a comfortable anchor though.

Red Dwarf

Offline Alaska Jim

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Re: New archer in need of advice. New video added
« Reply #17 on: January 30, 2007, 03:00:00 AM »
Red Dwarf, just one question, are the arrows all going where your looking? If so keep doing what your doing.  If not, follow some of the advise from above. Alaska Jim

Offline Curtiss Cardinal

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Re: New archer in need of advice. New video added
« Reply #18 on: January 30, 2007, 11:48:00 AM »
I watched the video a coupla times and it looks to me like your anchor point is floating just a bit. In other words it looked to me like you didn't anchor in the exact same place every shot. You were close but not exactly the same. Everything has to be the same everytime for comsistant results. at least when you are first starting out.
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Offline Red Dwarf

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Re: New archer in need of advice. New video added
« Reply #19 on: January 30, 2007, 09:05:00 PM »
Alaska Jim

I shoot in my basement at about 13 yards and my average 3 arrow group is 3 inch, and fairly close to where I am aiming. I really would like to be more consistant though as I still get too many flyers!!

C2

You are quite right; I just do not seem to be able to find a comfortable anchor.

RD

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