three under

[dick sable]

Every now and then I decide to try shooting 3 fingers under while shooting in my basement.  I don't seem to get it at all.  I keep shooting low and lower!  I've tried asking myself what is my brain telling me and trying to adjust but nothing seems to work. After years of split finger, nothing else feels comfortable.  Should I just give it more time? Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated.

[McDave]

If you keep the same anchor point, moving the back of the arrow up on top of your fingers will lower the point of impact of the arrow.  There's only two things I know of to do about that, assuming you want to shoot instinctively.

1.  Shoot enough arrows and your brain will make the necessary adjustment.

2.  Lower your anchor point.

In addition to those two things, minor adjustments can be made by changing your nock point or shelf material, but you have to be shooting close to your mark before trying those things.

[Greg Clark]

I have been playing with 3 under recently.  You will shoot low until your brain recalculates.  I have recently gone back to split because I just don't like the extra noise that seems to accompany 3 under for me even with a bow tillered for 3 under.  

I started with 3 under to help with longer shots on game (over 20 yards) where I have never felt comfortable with the "let her rip" style of instinctive shooting.  I knew this would shorten my point on distance and provide me with a reference for longer shots.  I recently played with split again and found that my point on distance between the 2 styles is only about 5 yards difference.

The stint with 3 under gapping and learning my point on distances has really helped me develop a better shot (good alignment with double anchor and proper back tension) vs. the sometimes haphazard "snap shooting" (in a bad way) style I had a habit of falling into before.  Hopefully I can continue this good form with my split finger grip.

[BillW]

I was a split finger guy but switched to 3 under so I could also have a double anchor (ala Rick Welch). It has worked well for me and I have a better release. It helped me but we are all diff. It did not take too long for it to become or feel normal to me. You may need to move your nock point to compensate. if you are shooting high, raise the nock point. By the way, I don't gap shoot and never have. You can continue to be an instinctive shooter with a 3-under draw. I think somehow because of arrow position people think this is a gap shooters method. It can be (I would not know) but not always. I always say I am such a bad judge of distance I could never gap shoot and that is a fact.

Regards,
Bill

[shadman]

It just takes time for your brain to adjust. I shot splt for almost 50 years and switched to 3 under for a couple of years. I changed my anchor point so that my sight picture really didn't change. I'm back to split now...just suits my style of shooting better.

[CDR]

I was very inconsistent shooting split finger, this past spring I switched to three under, touching my nose to the feather giving me a better anchor and instantly started shooting a lot better, as said above it takes a little time for the brain to adjust.

[graysquirrel]

give it more time, it is a very good method particularly for hunting distances

[Mark P]

Been a split finger shooter for 30+ years. Decided to try 3 under.  Wow! What a difference.  The bow is quieter, the arrows fly true.  Decided to cut my practice session short after splitting two arrows.

[dragon rider]

Originally posted by dick sable:
Every now and then I decide to try shooting 3 fingers under while shooting in my basement.  I don't seem to get it at all.  I keep shooting low and lower!  I've tried asking myself what is my brain telling me and trying to adjust but nothing seems to work. After years of split finger, nothing else feels comfortable.  Should I just give it more time? Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated.

I shoot 3 under and like that method because it seems to work best for me.  If split works for you and you're accurate with it, then don't change.  Remember, perfect is the enemy of good, so don't make yourself nuts trying to get to perfect if you've achieved good with split finger.

[FerretWYO]

I have recently switched from split ot three under. I also had the LOW problem. I was able to make the adjustment fairly quick though. After a week of good practice i was hitting where I wanted. I found three under to be very forgiving for me. It is not for everybody though.

[NDTerminator]

I don't think I could even shoot split finger anymore...

[Bruce Martin]

I've shot split to begin with and then 3 under. Then went back to split until I took Rick's course last April. Incredibly to me it only took about 30 minutes or less for me to shoot about where I was looking with 3 under. Maybe this was concentration because I was there to learn and admit to being a bit intimidated to start shooting with Rick. Fortunately I shot fairly well and settled down. This year I've killed 3 deer with the 3 under method and recently have stretched out my practice sessions to relatively long distances (40 + yds) and can find no down side to 3 under with the double anchor. Like BillW, I am shooting instinctively and do not gap at all, otherwise the longer distances would be very difficult. To me it is amazing how accurate you can be and how much darn fun it is to hit consistently what you are looking at. That being said I firmly believe you can do as well with split. Rick's explanation for his preference for 3 under is that it gives a more forgiving release.

[divecon10]

Would some one indicate where the 3 under advise and comparison from Rick can be found?
Thanks

[bshunter]

i go back to split for the noise reduction, but end up back at 3 so I can ACTUALLY hit something,,,

[Bonecracker]

I shot well for a number of years with the split grip but my consistancy stunk. One day I shot well and then next I was terriable. Went to 3 under and I stopped hitting my face on my initial draw with my big right hand and my accuracy improved greatly!

[Winterhawk1960]

divecon10,

I know that it is in the second dvd and also the accuracy factory one. I don't know that it is a "comparison" per se......but he tells you "why" he chooses and believes in the 3 under method.

Winterhawk1960

[Flingblade]

I shot split for 12 years and last year switched to Rick Welch's system and three under.  The first thing I noticed was my left/right accuracy improved.  I shot two deer this year, the first a quartering away heart shot and plan to stick with three under.  This year I am going to work on shooting longer distance.  Still battling tp but much improved with this style.

[Earthdog]

Dick,you don't say how you aim.
If you shoot instictive,try shooting POA or Split vision to get an idea of what your eye/arrow relationship is between both split finger and 3 under.
This should give you an idea of how to change your instinctive shot to compensate for that difference.
You can then return to purely instinctive shooting because you should now have a better understanding of the tradjectory change.
I shoot both split and 3 under with differant bows,but I use the same anchour point for both.
With 3 under I know I've lessened my arrow angle so it stands to reason I will shoot lower if I stay with my split point of aim.
Before you get all "instinctive is best" on me,,just consider the point of aim is simply the distance at which your arrow will impact if you place the arrow tip on the place you want it to land,,it's not a new old or any other form of aiming,it's just the knowlage of your bows performance,and a valuable tool you can use if you understand it.

[riarcher]

A few years ago I started shooting a wheelie bare bow at some club functions. There was one other bare bow and looked lonely - LOL.
Anyways, always shot split but the short wheeelie got me to eventually shoot 2 under (middle / ring) It became so comfortable this way that I've used it ever since.
The index just rides along barely feeling the string.
Don't know how right or wrong this is,, but seems to work well for me (especially on shorter bows).

[autumn spirit]

Another vote for three under.  I shot split for 20 Years.  Then after some research I decided to try 3 under, both instintive and point of aim.
What a difference.  I have not had to adjust any nocks on any of my bows, recurve or longbow.
My fingers do not take the abuse they used to.  The accuracy and consistency is incredible and there is so much less chance of torquing the string.  I am a diciple to say the least.