Help on smooth release

[rybohunter]

I think I’ve isolated my problem, now I need some help to correct it. I seem to be putting a lot of torque on my string due to my anchor position. I shoot split finger and draw and shoot with a canted bow, but I am having a hard time canting my release hand to the same string angle. I feel that I have too much pressure on my ring finger. I tried messing around to figure things out and here’s what I found. If I don’t cant my bow as much, it seems my release is much smoother, but I end up hitting the string off my nose often times. If I try to twist my hand to match the bow cant, I am all over the place and very inconsistent because it feels unnatural. I even tried drawing with only 2 fingers, and that actually seemed to work pretty well, but I didn’t know if that was an acceptable fix. As I also think if I moved up much in draw weight I’d run into issues with a 2 fingered draw. Am I best to just keep adjusting my anchor hand despite the unnatural feel to some of the “fixes” and retrain myself? Or would I be better adjusting my head/bow cant position to avoid string contact with my nose/face?
Any help is appreciated.

[Jeff Strubberg]

Keep your elbow down, pull with your shoulder and be sure you aren't bending your head down into the string as you draw (the nose thing).

It's mostly a matter of getting that string hand to relax below the elbow.  If your string hand is a claw, you will fight torque problems all the time...

[Orion]

Yep.  Elbow down and pull with your back muscles.  Will keep everything much more in line.  You might also be looking across your arrow and thus hitting your nose with the string.  Before you start your draw, turn your head a little more to the left (if you're a right handed shooter) to face the target a little more directly, with your head only, not your entire body.  Will feel a little wierd, uncomfortable at first, but that should only last a few shots.  God luck.

[kybowman]

I had similar problem. Try to put more tension on your middle finger at anchor. Helped me a lot.

[BobCo 1965]

If you don't feel the string on your face/noise when drawing the bow back. Then you are doing one of two things: 1. You are moving your face after you have pulled the strng past it (most common). or 2. You are drawing around your face/nose and then getting to anchor.

[rybohunter]

OK I seem to be trying the right things or I have just been making ALL the mistakes everyone has pointed out.

From the get go I had to concentrate on keeping my head turned left in order to sight better down the arrow. That helps my accuracy. On occasion I still forget. I also had to break the habit of lowering my head into the string.

I feel I am pretty strict with pulling with my back, but the elbow down thing has me a little thrown. I would say my elbow comes back completely level. Seems awkward to have it low, but I'll try this evening.

And one last thing, when I draw and drag the string past my face, I am MUCH more accurate than when I draw "around" my face and anchor.

I'm hoping that the elbow down thing will correct the torque, because besides the expiramental part of cant/head position/draw/anchor I get pretty decent accuracy drawing to a natural hold, but inconsistent releases.

Thanks for all the help guys

[Rick Perry]

After 40+ years of shooting 3 fingers ..... split style   .............. I have recently started using a 2 finger release  ......... I was having some of the same issues as you as well as finger pinch ( 31" draw)

 I watched Rick Welch video . He recommends 3 under ........... I have tried 3 under in the past and just cant get used to it ,so I modified it to 2 under and I let my index finger remain straight above the arrow . it actually touches the top hen feather  ............ This has helped my shooting tremendously   ......... I have suffered from target panic for years and this change shifted my brain into a different gear ..8^) ... and my target panic disppeared immediately !  ......... I can finally say I enjoy shooting again ! ...... 8^)

 I get a better release and I have shot bows up to 61# at my draw length . I think I was holding most of the weight with the bottom 2 fingers anyway . I am sure I am still pulling the most weight with my middle finger .

 If the weight is an issue you could try drawing with all three and then let your top finger straighten out when you reach anchor .

 ya might try it ! .......... it sure worked for me !

[rybohunter]

Well guys I am pretty excited. The elbow down thing really helped my releases. It's still a bit awkward for me, and I have to think about it as I am drawing, but it allows me to cant my bow, and anchor comfortably for me, and is giving me AWESOME arrow flight every time.

[eggomaniac]

For the couple of years I've been into archery I had trouble concentrating for a proper release; where I was anchoring, hand movement, and the string was hitting my nose sometimes; then by accident something happened which worked for me.
I heard or read somewhere? that you should be able to hold your bow, comfortably, at full draw for 10 seconds if you are not over bowed, and I also heard archers overlook warming up.
What started out as warm up session, stretching and holding at full draw for 10 seconds, turned into a bit of fun by doing a count down, like a rocket take off, release and firing on 0. I started counting down from 10, (the arrows almost missed the bag); Then I did some 3 2 1 0 releases, and it turned into a great practice session. I did some countdowns from 5 too.
I am not saying to use a count down for normal shooting, but it, by accident, turned into a great practice drill for me. Now, for the first time, I get a beautiful little pause at full draw where all the factors are in focus; anchor point, full draw, shoulder pinch release, smooth hand pull back, aim.
I probably won't have to do this funny little count down drill ever again, but I can thank it for increasing my confidence and my accuracy.
(Oh, another thing I just read, which helped, is how begiining car drivers aim the car but get over it as they become drivers, while archers seem to take a lot longer to get over the aiming thing.)
((Oh, in Bernie Pellerite's book a low elbow is one of his 46 form faults, because the arm muscles are used for aiming, instead of a high elbow which uses the back muscles; but then John Schulz looks like he uses a low elbow in his hitting em like Howard Hill video. go figure?))

[Dirty Bill]

You said you sight down the arrow. Although it has nothing to do with your release,I think you are hindering your ability to shoot instinctive.

  Try to focus on the spot you want to hit,and I think that will also help your shooting. Just my opinion.  

[Haldir]

Just a thought...a low draw (level) elbow tends to make you pull more with your shoulders instead of your back muscles, whereas a higher draw elbow tends to isolate the back muscles more (read: back tension...thats a good thing!!)  

[BodarkOkie]

rybohunter...

Try this (maybe it was explained, but I missed it):

Stand up straight and draw your bow to anchor. Notice the angle of your head, and drawing arm in relationship to your bow. (head turned and straight with the bow, right elbow "level" and approx. 90 degrees to bow)
NOW...bend at the WAIST to cant your bow. (Don't move anything except the bend at the waist.)
When you get to the angle of cant that you want to shoot from...STOP and take note of your bow, head, anchor, and drawing arm.  That's the position that you're looking for each time.

JMHO        
Gene

[Roy from Pa]

I never gave any thought to canting my drawing hand to the same angle as my bow, I always just assumed my hand would rotate with the string pressure. I have always had a problem of hitting high. Great left and right, but always high. And I have moved my nocking point up to about 5/8th high, anymore than that doesn't seem to help anything. My McKenzie deer target is torn in half from the top of the 10 ring to the top of the back. I never miss low, never. I read above to keep your head up and not put your nose down onto the string. I do that a lot, putting my nose on the string, I thought it would give me a more positive anchor point. Will lowering my nose onto the string cause me to shoot high?  I always felt it would get my eyes closer to the plain of the arrow. Thanks, Roy

[jhansen]

Roy,
Do you always shoot high regardless of the range?  Do you do the same thing with any bow you pick up?  The reason I ask is that estimating trajectory is a learned skill.  If I pick up a bow that is significantly faster or slower than what I'm used to I'll shoot high or low until my brain compensates.  The one thing that comes to mind is that you might try drawing three-under.  With your middle finger still touching the corner of your mouth the arrow will be higher and closer to your eye.  This causes most people to shoot low until they adjust.  Might cure your problem.

John

[Roy from Pa]

John, yes I always shoot high, no matter what bow I shoot. I make my own BBO bows and I am a skinny old fart of 59 years young:) So my bows are always between 40 to 45 pounds. But here is the funny part John. When I shoot my bows, I will say that 75% of the time, I miss high by maybe 3 inches. And through the course of the shooting, which may last an hour or two, there are rounds where I will put 5 out of 6 arrows right smack dab in the center of the 3 inch bull at 12 yards, the 6th arrow goes high by 3 inches. But I never miss low, NEVER. And like I said above, my left and right are perfect. It has to be something with my form is all I can think of.  

So should I hold my head higher and not lean my nose down to touch the string? The picture is my McKenzie target. Now many folks shoot this target, so there are holes all around in it. But you can see how I have it cut out from shooting high from the top of the 10 ring to the top of the back. Thanks John, Roy  

[jhansen]

Roy,
I could be wrong but I don't think the lowering of your head is the problem.  You can try keeping your head more erect and see if it helps.  What happens when you shoot at 20 yards?  Still high?

John

[Roy from Pa]

No not really too much at 20 yards.

[rnharris]

Roy i am a semi newbee but do you think you might be moving your bow arm up at release mentally not wanting to shoot low?

my deer target is just the opposite middle down is gone Ralph

good luck with your shooting  

[Roy from Pa]

Ralph, ya wanna swap targets? LOL  

I don't think I move my bow arm up Ralph, but I have some sort of form problem. Maybe I should video me shooting and note when I do get all the arrows down where they belong, compared to the high groups.

[rnharris]

i would do it now and post the video might save you some time i did one awhile back and got some
good feedback.i actually do move my bow arm down because of a rotator cuff injury it makes it hard for me to keep my arm up after the shot hence my consistant low groups when it hurts Ralph