keeping shoulder low

[nhbuck1]

I have recently been working on keeping my front shoulder low, it feels like im not even raising the bow and my shooting has been alot worse, what are the advantages of a low bow shoulder and is what im experiencing normal? shooting has been terrible doing this, prob because its something new?

[McDave]

Of course keeping your bow shoulder low as you draw the bow is desirable, as you know, so long as you don't exaggerate it.  "Keep" means to maintain the same position it was in before you started the draw, not force it even lower.

However, what may be happening, and this may apply to many of the other issues you have been raising, is that because you're focusing on one thing, you forget others.  Which others?  Who knows?  But you cannot become a good shot until you correctly execute all the elements of good form at the same time, which just takes a lot of practice and a lot of bad shots to get through.

This happens to me too, even though I've shot a bow for many years.  I just returned from a tune-up with Rick Welch.  As would be expected, or it would be a waste of money, he immediately saw things I wasn't aware of that I was doing (or not doing) incorrectly. In focusing on these new things, I forget to do other things I already know about.  This is embarrassing for the student, but instructors are used to it, and it is a normal part of the learning process.

So I doubt if your bow shoulder is the problem, because you're focusing on it.  The problem is something you're not focusing on, and you can only correct this by either getting help from someone, or through a long process of trial and error until you eventually stumble onto the problem yourself.  But I don't think anyone here is going to be able to help you much without seeing you shoot, probably in a video.

[nhbuck1]

so dont try to pull it down?

[moebow]

Absolutely not Kyle!  Try this.  Shrug your shoulders up, then just let them fall to a relaxed position.  That is where they should stay for the entire shot. lift the bow and string hand with the arms, NOT the shoulders.

[slowbowjoe]

Another way of saying what (I think) Arnie is saying: it's not really "dropping" your shoulder... it's just not raising it as you draw and hold.

And McDave's input is something you would do well to think about, also (and as always!)

These two guys have been offering you, and all of us, a wealth of valuable coaching.

[Draven]

You can't keep just the shoulder lower than it's natural position without introducing a weird tension in it. Low shoulder in a shooting stance is the result of things, not the leading element.