Anchors away

[Blacktail42]

Draw to anchor.......sounds easy but it's the simplicity of the action that fools you. When I started shooting recurves the advice I was given was finger in the corner of your mouth. Over the years that advice has been long forgotten. While everyone can offer what they feel is the best anchor, it is a personal choice that should be based on some simple guidelines.
1. Is it easily repeatable. If you can easily get settled into the same spot, all good. But if you need to gyrate and maneuver yourself into position, I'll say it's best you try another location.
2. When you are at your anchor, where is your drawing elbow. If it's outside the string, it's easier for you to creep and collapse into your release rather than have back tension and more of a dynamic release.
3. When you are at anchor, where is the arrow in relation to your dominant eye. This one may or may not have  influence on your aim but for me having the arrow closer inline with my dominant eye gives me a sharper view of my sight picture. I shoot instinctive/split vision and I need a clear view of the target or what I am shooting at.
I feel the anchor is the part you can easily overlook. For years I struggled with trying to maintain my back tension and it led to shooting quicker than I wanted and I never felt as if I could transfer to hold and begin to use my method of aiming. It wasn't until I really looked at how I was drawing, how I was anchoring that I started to make a change. Mirrors and video help a lot. I could see I had tension in my neck and I was creeping even though I felt I was holding steady and pulling. I changed to a lower and slightly rear anchor and the difference is not only easy to see but it feels so much better as well.
If you are not shooting as well as you like, break down your shot into the smallest details, you may come across something that dominoes your whole sequence.
Strong shooting everyone !!!

[Todd Cook]

Good post. I would also say sometimes too much thought is put into anchor and not enough into alignment. I believe in getting aligned first and then building the anchor around that.

[Blacktail42]

Exceptional point Todd, I completely agree that the proper anchor results into a stronger alignment that once you feel it, it's one of those aha moments in archery. 

[McDave]

Good post.  To underline what you are saying, bear in mind that a 1/8” difference in where you anchor makes a 6” difference in POI at the target.

[Mint]

I was told you anchor at the corner of your mouth etc and that worked for me pretty good but i had a tendency to creep from 26" to 25 1/2" since my back muscles weren't fully contracted at the draw. My friend started talking with Tom Clum and he advised to make sure your fully extended and then find your anchor. Now I anchor behind my jaw line and I am locked in tight with my back. Went to a 27 1/2" inch draw now which sure helped with bow performance too. Still working at it but my shooting even improved.