Always hitting left

[reini]

Hi all,

I switched from recurve to longbow and have a fundamental question about aiming.

Assuming a RH-longbow is setup perfectly, arrow spine is perfect, shooter's form is perfect.
Everything ok - if you then don't cant the bow, you hold it straight at release - will the arrow go straight to where you look over arrowhead?!

Or will there always be a certain deflection to the left that has to be corrected at aiming process? (maybe because a longbow is not center-shot?)

I'm gap-shooting and height is perfect but all arrows are always hitting left and I just want to know if that's a matter of fact or just a result of bad form, bad release or anything else.

thx reini

[moebow]

IF you are tuned well and IF your form is good, the answer to your first question is YES.

For your second question, NO.  Your tuning should not make you make a lateral (windage) correction in your aiming.

Hitting left for a right handed shooter is one (or more) of many things.

 Arrow too stiff is the MOST common equipment problem.

A flipping string hand is a very common form problem.

To answer with more detail will take -- more detail    :D     Bow weight, draw length, arrow spine, video of you shooting, etc.

[Marc Morton]

What, exactly, is a flipping string hand?

[reini]

Thanks moebow, clear answer!
So I can go sure the problem is my form.

Bow is a Falco Trophy Carbon flatbow, 51#@30", arrow length is 30" and spine is 66#.
Bareshaft testing is fine, dead straight flight and no difference to fletched arrows.

Guess it's caused by a release fault, but cannot find out what. Maybe a hint: sometimes the string is hitting my nose.

What do you mean by "flipping string hand"?

I'll try to make a video asap ....

thx reini

[moebow]

Marc, reini,

What I mean by a "flipping" string hand is that when you release, your string hand flies out away from your face (to the right for a right handed shooter) rather than moving straight back along your jaw line.  When your hand moves out away from your face, the rear of the arrow is pulled to the right and that makes it fly to the left at the target.

[reini]

So, here's a video showing me shooting from above:
     

Please don't mind the helicopter landing place on my head! It's just an optical illusion.    

All I can see is that my right hand is slightly going off right.
What's your opinion about release or alignment?

thx reini

[moebow]

Nice video!  Here is what I see.  You have really good shoulder and bow arm alignment at full draw!!! Overall very good form from this angle.

Now watch REALLY closely as you release.  Watch your string arm elbow.  See how at the last moment, the elbow starts back to the right?  It is a small movement but it is a collapse that is causing some of your string hand problem.  Try to keep that elbow moving toward your rear, don't let it come back forward. This is largely the cause of the hand moving out from you face (flipping        

Another thing that may help.  Try pulling your string hand thumb down and back.  Another way to say it is to see if you can pull the tip of your thumb down so it hovers over the palm of your hand.  At full draw, your thumb would ride under your jaw and lay on the side of your neck.  I know many folks shoot with an elevated thumb (laying up on the side of their face) but...
holding your thumb down and back actually reduces hand tension and allows the tendons controlling the string fingers more freedom of movement.

Over all your string release is pretty good but I believe it can be better with the above suggestions.

[Knawbone]

Other than the correction by Moebow, I see your arrow angling left slightly. There is a small sighting perspective difference between recurve and LB.That may be an understatement, but the mind becomes attuned to the sightihg picture of one type of bow and then must compensate for the other. This is further enhanced by center cut vs. off center cut.In other words you must adjust your minds eye from sighting straight down the arrow shaft on a RC, to sighting down the side of the shaft on a LB. This causes an off parilax affect. Try closing your left eye briefly before your mind establishes a final aim point.This would of course be opposite for a left hand shooter.I hope I'm clear enough on my explanation too be helpful.

[reini]

@moebow: Thank you very much - there's definitely a tiny collapse I was not aware of! I'll try out your suggestions and see what changes.

@knawbone: as far as i understand, you say there has to be a certain horizontal correction at aiming when the bow is not center-cut? Aiming straight over the point with a longbow will cause a lateral deflection?

[reini]

moebow, you're a genius!

Checked out your suggested improvements and that's it!
 
If I pull through in a steady motion and keep tension at release AND follow-through, the arrow hits exactly where I'm looking at.

Problem was, I lost tension exactly at release which caused that mini-collapse you identified.

I'm really happy with my shooting now, thank you very much!

reini

[targets3D]

I have the exact same problem. All arrows grouping to the left. Sometimes I get them to center, can't figure it out. Maybe I'll post a video too.

[moebow]

reini,

That is GREAT!! Keep at it, and now you can video and see for yourself if that little error is creeping back into your shot process. Post a video again if you feel the need.

targets3D,

Post a video anytime, we'll see what we can see.