a smooth release...

[DanielB89]

I have been shooting absolutely pathetic every since I was forced(finger pain on inside of index) to swap to 3u.  I feel like my release has gone to 100% pooh!!!  

I don't believe I am engaging my back, I am letting my forearm twist towards my body(what I believe is the initial cause of the finger pain) and upon release I can't stop my hand from flying out from my face.  I have not idea what to do to fix the problem, but I would like some of y'alls opinions on what all goes together to make a "smooth" release.  I will try to post some slow-mo video of it later if you guys would like.  I am a little frustrated with the results I have been getting.

On a brighter note, I swapped back to split and havne't been getting near the finger pain I was when I had to swap.  Hopefully it will hold off and I will be able to shoot split for this hunting season.

[hart2hart]

A Formaster is a pretty good tool to teach BT by just pulling with elbow/rhomboid engagement and with flying release when you use fingers(aka collapsing a tiny bit).
Plus,concentrate on getting from anchor to a specific followthrough point such as earlobe..turn the release over to a natural reaction to relaxing fingers.

[McDave]

As far as your forearm twisting toward your body, I believe it starts with the way your fingers grip the string.  These three  diagrams illustrate the angle the last joint in your fingers can make with the string, viewed from the shooter's eye, with the arrow point being the tips of your fingers:

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The first illustrates the natural way to hold the string, with the fingertips pointed slightly down (not as dramatically as the arrow in the diagram).  This induces a torque to the string when you draw the bow, and probably would result in your forearm twisting toward your body.  The second illustrates the fingertips pointed horizontally.  This would be fine, except you might need more help to get out of position #1.  The third illustrates the fingertips pointed slightly up, and is probably the best way to get out of position #1.  I get into this position by making sure that the first joint in my ring finger is in firm contact with the string before beginning the draw.  You can play with this when you grip the string before you begin your draw, and see that by rotating your hand and forearm, you can move from fingertips up to fingertips down.  I find that this totally eliminates string torque, and helps me to relax my forearm.

The second thing is a comment Arne made in response to one of your other posts, where he said to gradually relax your grip on the string until the string slips from your grip.  This is probably one of the more profound comments I've heard in this forum.  We all want a surprise release, like we would have by squeezing a rifle trigger.  Gradually relaxing your hook accomplishes this in the opposite way from squeezing a rifle trigger:  rather than gradually increasing pressure on a rifle trigger, you gradually decrease pressure on your hook until you have a surprise release.  You don't have to exaggerate this by taking 5 seconds to release; it's more of a feeling of a gradual release than feeling like you have to instantaneously relax your hook.  Of course, you have to do this without losing back tension and creeping.  I've found that this isn't as difficult as it sounds.

[forestdweller]

Hey McDave I just wanted to say that I had release problems myself and started to allow the string to just slip out of my hands and most of my release issues went away.

For me if I can apply continual pressure while at anchor I can gradually loosen my hook and when the string slips out I get a MUCH cleaner release.

I'd imagine as you go up in draw weight this would be much easier to pull off.

[Terry Green]

Acquiring what I call the Magic T.....and incorporating a double anchor really helps with that...

Then....don't tell yourself to release...just stop holding once you get on target.  If you stay with it...it will come to you.  Just don't get frustrated.