The perfect weight for me, because I shoot 300 arrows in a practice day , is 38-41 lbs,which also happens to be what a lot of trad target archers shoot. Get a highly reflexed or tip forward longbow. 
I'm sure 300 arrows a day is normal for a lot of people but I rarely shoot that much. Just the way I work I guess. I'm sure I could benefit from doing it but I like to keep my practice in small stints as I'm usually busy doing other interesting things like guitar playing or hunting.
I think that the vast, larger percentage of trad archers are all capable of adding considerable holding weight to their current stickbows.
To do this properly requires a proper process .. and doing this properly requires dedication.
Once that heavier holding weight is attained, it also requires consistent "maintenance" - perhaps weekly practice at the least = dedication. Some have it, some don't. Not a good or bad thing, it is what it is and we all have choices.
There's nothing at all wrong with having the ability to absolutely control a 67lb holdiing weight stickbow during a hard hunt - that's to be admired, IMHO.
There is also absolutely nothing wrong with having the ability to perfectly control a 41lb holding weight stickbow during a hard hunt - whatever gets the job at hand well and ethically done, and critters in the freezer.
"Perfect control" and "consistent accuracy" is the name of the game.
Dedication is the key I reckon, mate. Everyone has a threshold that they can reach when doing something casually (any hobby/interest is like this) and then to get to the 'next level' it requires dedication - mentally, physically, etc. It's like the strength training; everyone gets a little bit stronger fairly easily because they are honing their technique and spacing their workouts out nicely, but once they start to plateau, they need to really look at their diet and rest in order to keep making gains.
Good video.One of the common issues I see is when introducing archers transitioning from shooting high poundage compounds to traditional archery is the mindset that a heavy poundage bow is necessary.They buy a trad bow that's a struggle for them to draw and as a result are unable to learn the basic proper form required to shoot accurately.They then become frustrated and give up on it.
Absolutely, mate. It's hard to convince someone who shoots a 70# compound that a 45# traditional bow will be a decent workout to start with.
Nice video indeed. I can still walk out and shoot my 64# MOAB cold without issue, but not my 70#er. Haven't shot the 70 in a couple of years so I'd need to work into it as I would be over bowed with her while hunting at this point. Been shooting since I was 8 and shot 70 - 80 for years and have been mostly shooting 60-70 the last 10 years, mostly 60.
Everyone is different, and one size doesn't fit all for sure.
That's a lot of shooting with heavier bows mate but I guess doing it for so long just makes it part of your DNA.
Great video. And this is a great thread. I enjoy shooting my heavier bow limbs, but it usually takes me a few weeks to build my strength back up after not shooting much through the winter. Even then... I think that 68# at my draw is probably the heaviest I will ever shoot. So many problems develop when overbowed, I've experienced it firsthand.
It would be interesting to see someone post a workout regimen (using a bow, but using workout equipment as well) that is specifically designed for getting one's self from "overbowed" to "bowed".
I think I might include something like that in a follow up video of sorts, mate. I'm not saying everyone needs to be a gym junkie by any means, but the way I lift weights directly relates to archery. There are also lots of exercises you can do that specifically engage your back so you know what that feels like, which therefore makes it easier to find back tension and maintain that feel when you go to your bows.
Being a weak old woman, I work out with elastic bands year long, just so i can shoot my 38 pound bows. One thing that I wonder about is my arrow weight, I am told that they are from 430 to 440 grains. My husband made some fir arrows for a friend's 47 at his draw Robertson longbow. He was shooting cedar and aluminums before. "They fall out of the air like lead balloons", he said. When comparing them at 24 yards out back, we could see little, if any, difference. He still insisted that they were falling from the sky. Then a bow sight was taped onto his bow. He took careful aim while we checked his draw length. It took a few shot to get the sight on target. He shot really well with it. Guess what the difference was between the lighter aluminum arrows with the 4" feathers were to the fir arrows with big feathers at a little over 20 yards. None. Sometimes I wish that I would have worked harder on my strength when I was younger, but I am repeated told, "don't worry about it, if I was worried about it I would still be shooting the heavy bows myself." He can talk, he shoots 55 pound bows all day, while I can only take a few shots with my 42 pound bow.
I think the arrow weight plays a big role in how a bow feels when it's shot as well. I hear and see people getting put off by heavy bows because they think they kick or recoil. similar to rifle shooting - they lose confidence and get a bit scared. If the arrow is heavy enough however, the bows behave beautifully.
At the moment I have 600gn arrows for my 62# recurve and 650gn arrows for my 65# longbow. I may make up some arrows for my longbow soon that'll be a little lighter, which isn't desirable but it's what I happen to have on me at the moment. In the future there are some arrows I want to look into that may come to about 700gns and I think that would be fantastic in my 65# longbow.
Topic: Being overbowed - are you overbowed? (Read 7902 times)
