How long do you hold your anchor?

[Flying Dutchman]

Ok, I am working on a new form. In the past I hold my anchor a little bit too long before releasing, with as a result my arrow crawled back.
So in the beginning I pulled till 30", then hold my anchor and concentrated on the target. While concentrating, my drawlenght crawled back to 29, 28 and so on. Without I noticed it myself.

Now I work on a new form, in order to get rid of this. Now I pull my bow and aim at the same time. In one fluent movement, I search my anchor, pull trough, release and hit with my fingertips the back of my head. In this way my drawlenght stays on 29.5

But maybe I should hold it for just a halve or one second before releasing?

How long do you guys hold your anchor?

[fnshtr]

I usually hold to the count of two... or about two seconds. I know that it is easy to begin collapsing if you hold too long.

Once I draw (and aim as I draw) I hit my anchor which is middle finger to corner of mouth AND thumb knuckle below ear behind jaw bone. I shoot three fingers under the arrow.

At that point I switch my focus to my back muscles (continuing to pull my shoulder blades toward each other) while holding my aim steady. At the count of two I relax my holding forearm and fingers, letting the string slip away.

This is what seems to work best for me. I have also used a third anchor point, that being the cock feather to the tip of my nose... but that requires special fletching arrangement and I've stopped doing it.

Good luck!

[Sean B]

I dont hold at all, I focus on a spot and draw. as soon as I reach anchor I realease and draw through in 1 motion.  This has been working for me for years.

[JR Williams]

Just long enough for the magic to happen. Maybe a second or so, just until everything "feels" right.

[piggy]

As long or as little as I need to

[moebow]

I don't believe that the length of time you hold is nearly as important as getting the SAME references every time.  If you reach the same solid anchor on every shot, you can hold as long as the shot requires.  That may be an immediate release or it may be a hold of a few seconds.

 In the beginning a deliberate hold to be sure you have the exact references you want/need is what I would recommend.  After you are consistent with that, you will find that your "speed" of release can be dictated by the requirements of the shot.

Arne

[tarponnut]

What Sean B said.
I don't hold at all. When I hit my anchor, the arrow goes. It's worked(more or less)for 35 years.
I see a lot of guys that switch over from compounds tend to hold longer(peep, pins,etc).

I personally don't see the need for holding, but whatever works best for the individual is what they should do. I'm talking bowhunting applications only,btw.

[Terry Green]

If you do a search...there is TONS of info on this subject.

   

[Rossco7002]

I recently switched to a deliberate hold for a couple of seconds. This did a lot for my consistency HOWEVER while training this technique I seem to have pushed the envelope too far by holding for 5 seconds or so at times which has caused my middle finger to go numb (I think as a result of the string dragging along the nerve).

Not sure what to do now..... Lol

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

If you can't hold at full draw for a few seconds without collapsing, you're overbowed. It's not a form issue; it's a draw weight issue.

[Flying Dutchman]

Originally posted by Jason R. Wesbrock:
If you can't hold at full draw for a few seconds without collapsing, you're overbowed. It's not a form issue; it's a draw weight issue.

I know that, it normally is. But since I make the same mistake with 35 and even 25 lbs, I tend to think it is something in my form/technique rather then being overbowed.

[ericmerg]

it depends on distance for me
 10-20 yards 1-2 seconds 25-40 3-4 seconds

10 yards under - snap shooting

[gringol]

I don't know if counting while at full draw will really solve your problem.  It sounds like you may need to concentrate more on pulling through your release rather than on the time you spend at full draw...

[Flying Dutchman]

You are so right! I did so today on training and I am at a solid 29" every draw.  But is hard to get rid of old nasty habbits...

[BobCo 1965]

Depends on what you are doing.

For accuracy 1 to 3 seconds max. This is because of focusing potential however, not strength.  

I agree that a person should be able to hold much longer. In practice, I can do holding SPT's with hunting weight bows for 45 seconds at a time. But this exercise has nothing to do with accuracy; not directly anyways.

[arrowlauncherdj]

I tend to have more of a static release than dynamic, bc I tend to pluck the string a bit on a dynamic release... is that a form problem, yes I know it is, but still havent found a way out of it... So I therefore am trying to take my time at anchor a bit more and really expand my chest and shoulders keeping my hand pinned to my face for more of a push release than a pulling one.  This takes a couple, sometimes few seconds to achieve while getting my aim on.

Dave

[Brock]

in early years I would draw, hit anchor and release in one fluid movement...had good accuracy until after few years I got TP....

now I draw more deliverately...reach anchor and then focus down harder again. I release when my focus is only on the spot I want to hit and not on anything around me...

I noticed as my eyes got worse due to age that my ability to concentrate and shoot like before lessened with them...so now I wear some military issue glasses...ones they issue us for combat with rubber strap.  Only time I wear them as the finest of detail that you aim at DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

now...avg hold is 1-3 seconds....

[gretchen]

You need to separate the draw process from the aiming process if not then your brain will convince you that aiming is most important and your anchor will never develop.

Separate the two then aim at your target...normally no more than 2 seconds.

Dewayne

[Terry Green]

Originally posted by gretchen:
You need to separate the draw process from the aiming process if not then your brain will convince you that aiming is most important and your anchor will never develop.

Separate the two then aim at your target...normally no more than 2 seconds.

Dewayne

This is true if this is what works for you and your mental make up.  Its not for everyone.  

I do the opposite and aim before I even raise the bow and draw everything to me.  I have a fully developed anchor.....I also know and hunt with many others that successfully kill game that shoot/aim the same way I do.  Aim-Draw-Anchor-Release.

Good form doesn't know how you aim or when.            

Also...


Snap shooting is a style.....and its not 'target panic'. I snap shoot, and have never had target panic.

I just get on target rather fast, and don't ever stop pulling.

Rod Jenkins does the same thing I do, but at a MUCH slower pace once he reaches anchor.

Find what works best for you....BOTH can lead to target panic...yes, I've seen guys hold at full draw TERRIFIED to let go and GASP at release...holding also leads to forward creep and collapse.  That's why its important for everyone to find the style that works for them and their own make up.  Don't confuse style with form.

So, both work and both have negatives if not applied correctly.


If you are doing something and its working...stick with it. Don't include the fatigue factor, that will effect you whether you snap shoot or hold. Everyone performs worse when they are fatigued.

Now, if you are short drawing or 'pre-releasing'.....then that is more of a mental issue IF you are doing it when you are not tired.

[yekrut]

for me I hold as long as I want, which is usually for a 2 or three seconds but can hold longer!