Got my new bow.......and im a wuss

[Kurt301]

SO i ordered in a samick redstag longbow for my first trad bow.
    I got it in yesterday and the bow is simply magnificent.

     Now what I am looking for is a comfortable to hold and draw target bow. so listening to the advice of all the others I went light and ordered the 40 lbs draw at 28 weight bow.
     That being said my draw length is 29 and I like to shoot an entire day.  I know you aren't suppose to do that but its fun. I may in any given day put 100 to 140 arrows down range.
     I am also extremely new to the archery scene and before my bow got here I was shooting on my wife's little 22lbs PSE snake bow which is also a great little functional bow by the way.
   
     SO here is the problem.  I feel like I got hit by a truck.  My neck is stiff, my shoulder hurts on my draw arm and the tendons in my elbow on my bow arm are sore. I kind of think it is just a case of like when you start lifting weights, and your muscles kill you for a bit. I cant hold the bow drawn for more than a few seconds before I start shaking a little and my accuracy is not the greatest I am hitting the box target pretty consistent from about 15 yds but certainly not the circle and keep in mind here that my arrows arent spined or weighted.

   Now I do still have the option of sending this bow back for an exchange on one just like it that has a lower draw weight and since SCA 3d shoots and trad target shooting is what my primary interest is, is that an option given the distances on these courses?
   
Or, is it normal for beginning archers to have a soreness and muscle weakness when it comes to target aqusition even with a bow that is only 40lbs of draw weight that they eventually work through.

If that is the case I will keep the bow and work up to it.

or...
Is this bow clearly more than what I need to do what I want to do with it and should I send it back for a bow with a 35 or even 30 lbs draw weight?

Those are my options

this may be a completely normal progression for a beginning shooter and if it is that's fine.

But if it isn't I would really like to know now before I cant return this bow in as new condition and end up having to buy another one to get the comfort level I want being able to take 5 seconds to aim the bow with out a shaking bow arm.

Cant wait to hear from the experts

[moebow]

Kurt,
45# is a lot to start with.  Not sure about the Red Stag, is it one piece or take down.  If it is a take down you can get lighter limbs to start with.

Sore muscles are normal when starting a new physical activity but it also sounds like you are doing several things incorrectly to have all the symptoms you are describing.

Have you checked out all the videos out there to get the best ideas for drawing and shooting a bow?
Do a search for Terry's form clock (top of this page), Jimmy Blackmon (RangerB) and mine, (Youtube- TheMoebow1)

Better yet, find a coach in your area to help you out.

Arne

[critman]

Kurt, I went through the same things you described. Too much shooting with a new heavier bow will give you some seroius pain. I posted several times about the same issues you are having and took the advice the guys here gave me. Rest a few days, don't overshoot and in time I beleive you will be fine. I shot a 45# recuve for a year then ordered a 50# long bow. What's 5 extra pounds. I will tell you it almost made me have to quit trad shooting! I stayed sore and miserable for several months but would not stop shooting thinking I would get used to it. I am by no means a little guy, 6'1 250lbs so I kept at it. Eventually I sold that bow and bought a 40# longbow and can shoot it all day. What a relief! I shoot more than some, less than others but the shoulder, neck, elbow pain is gone. I just picked up a 35# recurve and can't wait to shoot it. Patience and common sense will prevail. Just sayin.....
Critman

[Kurt301]

The Red Stag is a beautiful 66in one piece traditional bow. It is just a modern copy of exactly what you are holding in your hand.

the bad news is if I send it back and exchange it for a lighter weight, It wont ship for another three weeks so I have to wait and I am incredibly impatient but it might be worth it to get the feel of the bow that I want.

Thank you for the tips moebow I will deffinatley check out the vids and look for some direction on technique. Has for a coach, I dont think there is one around me anywhere, There isnt even in a bow pro shop in Mobile AL and it is a very large place however 60 miles from here there are two of them in a town that only has a population of about 2000.  I think someone should open a shop here.

Anyway I take it by your response that starting out with what I have is probably to much and will count that as one expert opinion on exchanging for a lower draw weight unless someone else who comes close to your qualifications can convince me otherwise.

Thank you so much for your response.

[Kurt301]

thank you to critman.

I am sure I am going to exchange it now I need to decide between the 30 and the 35 the one I currently have is the 40 and my extra inch of draw probably adds a couple pounds.

I am going to hit one of the archery stores that is within driving distance and try a few different draw weight bows to see what I am comfortable with.

I know my technique needs some work but I have figured out what feels comfortable to me and as long as I can stick arrows in targets at 25 yds and be competitive at it I really don't care about the draw weight.

[McDave]

You can really start with whatever draw weight you want....but not if you want to shoot 100 arrows a day. Back in the '80's, when I started, the thought was that a man in good health should be able to handle a 65# bow.  So maybe if you wanted to work up to it, you could start with maybe 55-60#. So we shot however many arrows we could out of our 55-60# bows, maybe 10-15 arrows a day. Eventually, I learned to hunt with my 65# Black Widow, which I took my first deer with, and still have.

That is just to put things in perspective.  Today we have gone in the other direction, and I do most of my target shooting with a 40# bow. But the point is, I'm sure you can learn to shoot fine with a bow that you draw to 45#, just not at 100 arrows a day, but probably a lot more than 10-15. And I think you will learn a lot more about archery shooting 30 good arrows a day than you would if you flung 100 carelessly.

[Diamond Paul]

45lbs doesn't sound excessive to me, but you are going overboard on the number of arrows to begin with.  I probably, if I were going to teach someone to shoot, would not even start out aiming at anything.  I would suggest just hanging a bag at shoulder level and standing about 5 yards from it and shooting maybe 25 arrows a session just to ingrain proper mechanics.  After about 2 weeks, your body will start to become accustomed to the bow weight and then you can move back and start shooting at targets.  100 arrows is a lot for one day, even if you've been shooting a long time.

[Mike in Reedley]

In prep for the archery season, I draw my bow without an arrow and slowly let it back down.  I do this for several sets of ten each night while watching TV.

I think you just over-did it, which is easy to do when you get something new.  I've found what works best for me in live fire is to loose a set number of arrows (usually 24) and focus on having each release be as pefect as I can.  Practice doesn't make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect.  Shooting too many arrows at one time not only causes aches and pains, it also ingrains bad habits.  Take some asprin and get back at it.  Good luck!

[Kurt301]

Moebow you are a lifesaver.

Thanks for the support and responses everyone.  I took a break yesterday...well not a break but I only shot about 20 shots or so.

Today alot less sore and more importantly, I took a look at moebows videos and started paying attention to form in particular back tension.  When I was drawing before my shoulder blades werent moving at all. I was using all shoulder and my collar bone and shoulder muscles were sore.  Just by changing that and paying attention to my shoulder blades while doing the rotational draw.  I can tell that my draw is A LOT smoother,  there is almost no shaking at all when holding between 3 and five seconds and today those muscles are a little fatigued but much much better.

and my groups at ten yards while still nothing to brag about, are 5 shots in 3 to 5 inches with very very few zingers

Who knew archery took brains and concentration.  I dont know if I would have gotten into it if I knew that before hand haha.

Thanks again Moe.

[moebow]

Kurt,

Very glad it helped!  Take it slow and one step at a time.  Not to be trite but it is a "journey" not an destination.

Hang in there and above all have fun with it.

Arne

[nineworlds9]

this even happens to people who shoot often.  i had been shooting my 46-55 pound bows mostly and yesterday shot one of my 65s for a while and sure enough i felt a bit of something later that evening...gives you pause and inspires one to stay conditioned always