Bow arm.

[Cherry Tree]

Ok ive heard you guys talk about keeping your bow arm still after the shot well when i shoot my wrist drops a little and my hole arm drops a little and im not sure why ive tryed to hold it still but i cant so if this isnt right on how to shoot then could someone say how to fix it? (ive tryed and it always drops)

Thanks!

[moebow]

Cherry Tree,  That's pretty hard to answer without pictures.  The key to what you're asking is FORM!!!! Using the correct muscles and proper bone structure alignment.  A wild generality is that you are using your arm muscles and not using your back properly.  Don't know where in Iowa you are but there are many great shooters in that state -- go out of your way to find a coach to get you going in the right direction.  Good luck.

[NJWoodsman]

I think a Formaster might help with this. If you don't know what it is, it's a simple contraption of an elbow sling and nylon cord that goes on your bowstring. It's primary function is to reinforce using back tension on release, but if your bow arm is dropping or collapsing , it will show you that, too. Without the distraction of shooting an arrow, your movements after the release will become obvious.

[BobCo 1965]

Tough to know exactly without a video.

But here are a few bow arm tips.

Push forward directly at the target from the palm. You should be pushing as much with the bow arm as you are pulling with the draw side. Concentrate on pushing from the bow arm palm and push directly at the target (or trajectory of the arrow on long shots), you should feel a stretch on your bow arm and you should feel your triceps tighten. Bow arm side scapula should be forward toward target.

[cbCrow]

Cherry Tree, I think you are simply trying to see the arrow fly by moving things out of the way. Try blank bale to stop this. Stand 5-6' from your target, start to draw, when reaching 1/2 way close your eyes, continue to your anchor , release and keep perfectly still till the count of 1,2,3 than open eyes and see where bow arm is. Hope it helps!

[sputterman]

Cherry tree is it affecting your shot at all? If not dont fix what aint broke. Say the arrow left the bow before your arm drops at all then there is know effect.

The part where you said you dont know why your trying to fix it is what Im refering to. Just didnt want you to be doing something because somebody said it was correct. Everybody has there own correct way to do something.

Just dont drop your arm before the arrow leaves the bow, your arrow in the the target will let you know if its correct or not.

[Cherry Tree]

It must not do to bad to me since i can hit what im after most of the time but i dont no if this would make me a better shot to change it or not.

[Terry Green]

Peeking....or not properly aligned would be my guess.

[Earthdog]

I over came dropping my bow arm by griping the bow firmly,,,not conventional wizdom,but it works very well for me.

[jsweka]

This is something I struggle with as well.  If my bow arm is still on target when the arrow hits, it was a good shot.  If not, well you know...

The Masters of the Barebow videos show all sorts of shooting styles, but one commonality among all those top shots is a steady bow arm.

[Cherry Tree]

ok ive tried a few things closeing my eyes looking to see if it dropped and it did tried push toward the target didnt help but it held my rist still but not my arm......so any way on how to really solve this would help alot but i no all dont work for all so i will keep trying different ways but i have to know the way first.

Thanks!

[Greg Skinner]

For me dropping the bow arm is an effect not a cause.  If I have proper shoulder alignment and keep back tension with the shot the bow arm can't drop because it is pushing forward at the time of the shot (laws of physics - equal and opposite reaction). So I know that if I am dropping my bow arm I need to re-evaluate those other aspects of my form in order to correct it.

[Winterhawk1960]

Cherry Tree,

I have this same "bow arm" problem that you do. I had the chance to spend some time with Rick Welch last December and his take on the "why" of it for me was.........that I drop my bow arm as a secondary thing to raising my head to "peek" at the arrow in flight.

I have to say, that for me......that is exactly what happens. If I hold my head position on my loosing the arrow, I don't move my bow arm downwards......when I do raise my head, well...you know what happens.

This might, or might not be what your problem is. I just thought that I would throw it out there for some food for thought.

Winterhawk1960

[eric-thor]

when i slightly bend at the waist and forward knee my bow arm get better alignment on closer shots and it stays in place . but after seeing my vidio im still working on this from shot to shot. but i know it works for me.

[K. Mogensen]

I had the same issue because I was trying to watch the arrow.

[targets3D]

What about the grip? I noticed trad shooter hold the bow with a full grip as supposed to recurve shooter who barely have one or 2 finger wraps around the narrow part of the grip.

[s_mcflurry]

Well, like sputterman was saying, "If it ain't broke..."  If you can hit what you're aiming at most of the time you must be dropping your bow arm after the arrow is long gone most of the time.  You also say that you drop your bow arm "a little".  How much is a little?  Post a video if you can.  But again, if it ain't broke...

[Northwest_Bowhunter]

Targets3D,
Recurves are traditional, not just longbows.

[targets3D]

Originally posted by Northwest_Bowhunter:
Targets3D,
Recurves are traditional, not just longbows.

Yes your are right Northwest - I did not phrase this correctly. What I meant was, Olympic recurve archery look like they are holding the both with a very different grip then those shooting a traditional recurve. I am currently transitioning from Olympic recurve to trad and want to know if I should change my grip too.

[s_mcflurry]

I've been told that the grip is the same.  You still want the pressure to be on the meet of the thumb so that it's 'transferred' down along the bone.  And, of course, you want have enough of a grip so that your bow doesn't fall out of your hand upon release.     I think that's my biggest worry: forget that I'm not shooting FITA and that I don't have a finger sling... :/