trouble with LB form

[caleb7mm]

its been a while since I have owned a LB because of this. I don't have this issue with any recurve I have ever picked up and shot.

No matter what I do the string hits my wrist just before my hand. The only way I can get it to NOT hit is to hold the LB in a very UN natural grip with my thumb and forefinger. It feels like its going to fly out of my hand this way. Now my accuracy doesn't change with the gripping style. I'm very very accurate with both of the LB's I have owned. But this is getting real irritating AGAIN and this is why I sold the last one. Anybody have a tips at all?

[VA Bowbender]

I'm a recurve guy myself.  As you know I have the exact same bow, mine's a  Viper Long Bow    (as it says on the belly).    This is the only LB I've ever had.  I think it shoots VERY well especially for the price.  I also get arm slap but I get that with my other bows as well.  My only advice would be do as I do and use a good arm gaurd.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[moebow]

Caleb,  What is your brace height?  A higher fistmele may help.  Also, how strongly do your arrow nocks "snap" on the string?  A combination of too low a brace height and tight nock will drag the string forward and get you on the wrist.  I personally don't like snap on nocks at all but if I use them, I make sure they're as loose as possible.

[caleb7mm]

5 3/4" brace height. nocks seem fine. not sure what a "fistmele" is.

[David Sapp]

Fistmele is a "historic" term for brace height. Cool word, I kind of enjoy using it myself....

[caleb7mm]

ok, I just adjusted my brace height to 6.5" and out of 12 arrows 2 hit my wrist and they barley hit me at all. Pretty sure that was just fatigue. Now I have a lot of vibration. weird?

[Fletcher]

It is actually rather common for longbow to sting your arm some.  It's mostly a result of the low wrist grip combined with the lower fistmele.  5 3/4 is a pretty low brace for most any laminated longbow.  Try upping it to about 6 1/2.

[champ38]

Ive had the same problem. In my case just changing the string from a b-50 to FF eliminated it. So I changed all mine to 8 strand 8126..no more string slap, dont have to wear armgaurd.

[xtrema312]

I just started shooting LB’s a few months ago.  I had a lot of off and on problems with the one I have now.  It took a while, but now I am shooting it well with little issue.

I found brace height to be one thing to work out.  If you know who made it and they are still around give them a call to see what the correct range is for the bow.

Next thing I found is that I have to grip the bow a little out to the side kind of vs. so much in back of the grip.  The narrow grip has a lot less meat sticking out so if I try to get the same feel of contact like a curve I am in too far.

Release is more critical I think on a LB.  Use good back tension and a good deep hook for a clean release.

I had to drop my draw length down just a little shorter than a recuve.  That also helped me get a better arm angle to the bow.

I still get a hit now and then, but not too often.  When I do I usually check my release and draw length to correct it.  I still use and arm guard.

[Dick in Seattle]

Most of the straight traditional longbows I've had wanted brace height of 6 to 6 3/4".   also, most shooters of these longbows shoot with the bow elbow broken, not straight armed as is common with recurves.

[Overspined]

Yup, agreed with brace around 6.5 or higher a touch, and the "unnatural" grip you mentioned may be your ticket to accuracy and no string slap on the arm. I used to get into the grip too far for the shape of my hand and always hit my wrist with a little nip of the string. I learned that holding it a little more on the "side" of the bow applied the right pressure on the grip and was weird at first, but my groups zero'd right in tighter than ever before and no more slap. If you read Asbell's instinctive shooting II, he mentions his friend that shoots holding the longbow on the "side" of the bow and shoots very well. I think hand shape really plays a role in how the bow is torqued upon release.

[30coupe]

I'm going to make a suggestion from Master's of the Bare Bow III. Do some blind bale shooting (no target, just a blank backstop). This should be from about 3-5 yards. Experiment with the grip. When you find one that is right, the bow should kind of jump directly at the target. As Overspined said, I found that holding the bow with a different grip than I had been accustomed to was the ticket for me. It also rotates my forearm so that the bones are aligned vertically. This not only give me a more solid bow arm, it also virtually eliminates string slap.

As to the vibration, a skinny string of D97 or such like will take care of that. I use 6 strands on my Kanatis, but shock was never an issue with them anyway. I have an 8 strand on my Mahaska, and it WAS shocky. Now it is dead in the hand and fun to shoot. Just make sure you pad the loops and build up the serving to fit your nocks.

[moebow]

Guys,  I read Caleb's problem as the string hitting the wrist -- not the arm.  That is an indication of a low brace height (fistmele) not form. Upon release, the string follows the arrow well past the normal brace height position and in this case hits the wrist right about where you take your pulse.   Caleb says that he has raised the brace height and has reduced the wrist slap.  Try raising it then lowering it until the wrist slap and vibration goes away.  It can be a fussy project but you can usually find a happy medium.

[caleb7mm]

thanks guys! I have been playing around with the brace height all day and finally got it to a very good compromise. No more wrist to string contact and almost no vibration. just a hair over 6.5" is the ticket for this bow.

thanks again everyone.

and moebow, you hit the nail on the head  

[Rob DiStefano]

i shoot longbows exclusively, from hill classic to mohawk mild r/d to moab aggressive r/d.  lengths range from 60" to 66".

most typical longbows, both classic and hybrid r/d, work/perform best at around 6-1/4" to 6-3/4" brace height.  

the only need or reason for me to use an armguard is to hold down any loose bow arm sleeve.  

i don't need a functioning arm guard because i've learned to hold the bow grip in the web of my bow hand (thumb and forefinger) and angled very slightly to my left (for a right handed archer).  this allows more than enuf string clearance.  there is minimal contact between my hand and the bow's grip, for a more torque free approach.  this works on any grip style, from recurve pistol to dead straight longbow,