Problem with full draw.

[Nilirova]

Hi guys, i have problems with drawing full with my recurve. I cant anchor my fingers to my mouth correct. and when i focus on it, my arrows fly where eveer they want  :(  need help, have anybody figure same problem?

[pumatrax]

could be you're trying to pull too much weight...just try pulling and anchoring with no arrow on the string...good luck

[Gatekeeper]

What is your draw length and what is your bow weight? It appears (by what you have told us) that you might be drawing too much weight.

40 or 45 pound bows are a great weight to learn with. A lighter bow will allow you focus on your form and may keep you from forming bad habits from being over bowed.

[Big'n]

Get a clicker! It'll help, I promise.  DAVE

[vermonster13]

I tend to think you are overbowed also. I've worked with a lot of folks and that tends to be the biggest issue even with folks who have been shooting for quite a while. They started heavy and never learned the right form to begin with. Being able to draw a bow isn't the same as being able to control the shot.

[Nilirova]

hmm... my bow is 53# to my fulldraw. i have been shooting with compaund for years. i dont seems to have no other choice, but buy lighter bow, you guys think that my strengts grow, and i can start shooting with my dreamcatcher  

[vermonster13]

Yes. You should be able to build up the muscles for that with some practice. The lack of let off is a whole different world. I am working with a fellow now who has shot heavy compounds for years but struggled with a 50# recurve and set him up with a 43# one we are working hard on form with that.

[Scott J. Williams]

I tend to agree with everyone else who says you might be overbowed,  however the consept of holding at full draw is a misnomer. That anchor point is not some place we go and stay, you can get away with reaching your anchor point and holding with a compound, but with a stickbow you should continue the pulling process, or more correctly the tension.  

What helped me was to pretend that there was someone behind me with a rope connected directly to the elbow of the drawing arm. In my imagination, they would continue to pull as I reach my anchor and provide tension throughout the release.  

It removed all of my release problems, and my left and right arrow impacts.  Just a thought, advise is free, and it might help.

[eggomaniac]

scott is right about a quick, smooth release. however to build on what puma said,,,> I read a good way to tell if you are over bowed or under bowed is if you can hold at full draw for about 10 seconds. (dont confuse this with shooting, though one day you might need a 'hold' as the animal is stepping into position)
after a 10 second hold, you can either let the bow down, or let an arrow fly)
For me, the arrow is gone a wink after I get to anchor, but I found some 'practise' shots with some long 'holds' really helped my shooting; by spending this time on muscle memory.
A few times a week I shoot some arrows with a 10 second hold. It's fun. It's hard to explain, but since I began this drill I can now feel my form better on the normal quick releases...

[Al Dean]

Seems I read somewhere to bring bow to full draw and then make a figure 8 around your point of aim and then let off on bow.  I guess this gets you used to aiming at full draw.  I try it once in a while and it does seem to help.  Do as many figure 8s as you can before letting off on bow.

[pete Darby @ home]

There are a whole bunch of reasons you may be having problems.  The first thing I would look at is anchor.  If you don't have a good straight line between drawing hand elbow and the tip of tha arrow at full draw than you will always have problems.  You may find that if you actually anchor your draw correctly your fingers aren't where you have been keeping them.  You may also find that you aren't as overbowed as you think.  Most people can easily handle about ten more pounds when they start anchoring correctly with their body. I have also seen people gain up to an extra three indches on their draw length even with the same face anchor.