Am I overbowed?

[dposalski]

I am shooting a 56" 55#@28 in Chek-mate Attila.  I have only been shooting for a few weeks.  Probably shot about 400 arrows so far.  When I draw back the bow, I can pull it straight back with my arm straight ahead.  After warming up, I can put 5 of 6 arrows into a 5in. circle size area from 10 yards and a paper plate from 15 yards.

However, here are my concerns. When I pull back my arms will shake quite a bit.  Also, my ring finger is getting sore.  I switched from a tab to a glove and am still having the problem.  I am shooting split finger.  If I pull back and release immediately, i don't shake, and my accuracy doesn't really suffer.  If I sit there and try to "aim" I start to shake.

Am I overbowed?  If so, am I close enough that I should just keep at it and practice and conditioning will fix it, or should I try to get a lighter bow?  

Thanks in advance!!

[Danny Rowan]

Two things, if the ring finger is getting sore you are using that finger too much, the string should be distributted with even pressure on all three fingers. Second you have to use your back muscles, sounds like you are only using your arms to pull the bow. You should be able to pull the bow and hold for a few seconds,2-5, without shaking. Nothing wrong with releasing when you hit anchor as long as you get a solid anchor. Look at what you want to hit and release. Have fun.

Danny

[whitebuffalo]

I think practice and conditioning could greatly improve any archer, shooting any poundage bow.With that said I think you could build up to it. Give it a little time and if your not moving closer to where you want to be than go down.

[Ybuck]

Well first off, I AM NO EXPERT. I would guess that you may be overbowed? Shaking is a dead giveaway. I am overbowed @ 50#, therefore im going down to 40#. My goal is to engrain repeatable form, comfortably.(jmo) Hopefully someone with more experience will chime in. Good luck to ya, and keep us posted.
              Steve.

[longbowguy]

Well, yeah, you are overbowed. So what to do about it? Not everybody can master a 55 pound bow, even over a period of years. If you are young and sturdily built you could try. Otherwise just sell the bow and start over. The best way is to start with a target bow in the low to mid 30s. They are inexpensive used on ****. Once you master that, over a year or two, you can can move up to hunting weight, 45 to 50 pounds, adequate for large deer, black bear and elk.

Few men on the planet can master more than 50 pounds. They simply can't shoot enough thousands of arrows without breaking down in form.

Most any good bowyer could take your present bow down to 50 pounds, but I would still shoot a lighter bow for a year or so.

As to the ring finger. Sounds like you are drawing with your finger tips. It is much better to take a deeper hook on the string. Past the first joint on the middle finger, in the joint on the other two fingers.

[R H Clark]

First,what is your draw length? You could be overbowed because with only 400 shots in a few weeks it would seem so.Your strength will increase fast but you don't want to learn bad habits from too much weight. I would say keep your bow for later but pick up a 35 or 40lb to learn with.If money is an issue you should be able to get a used Bear or Pearson or some other under $100.Your accuracy will improve when Shooting is so much fun you will shoot 100 arrows in a day and not be worn out.

[30coupe]

Try a 45 pound bow. You would be surprised how much difference there is. If that works without shaking, shoot that one for a while. I don't know that I would sell the 55 just yet. If the 45 works, warm-up with that one, then try a few shots with the 55. Don't overdo it, stay under ten shots, less would be better. You may find that you shoot the 55 pretty well.

When I am practicing, I always warm-up with a lighter bow, usually my 45, then work up to the 55. I find I shoot much better with all of them when I do this. Make no mistake, a 55 pound bow is pretty stout. As longbowguy said, mastering it takes some doing. Work on the form with the lighter bow.

If the 45 pound bow is too heavy, the take longbowguy's advice and work up from target weight to hunting weight bows. My 45 pound bow would kill anything I am likely to shoot, but the same arrows sure do get there faster out of my 55!

Hope this helps.

[dposalski]

Thanks everyone.  Let me address some of your replies.

Longbowguy, your comment about using my fingertips was right on.  I had thought that I would get a cleaner release by trying to get closer to the tips of my fingers.  I will try with a deeper hold.

I have a buddy who will let me borrow a 40-45 lb bow and I can work with that for a while.  I am a pretty big guy(read 280lb), and can hold for probably 1-2 seconds without shaking.

When I pick up my son's 28lb bow, I can hold it all day.  It just doesn't get the arrows out there the same way at all.  I am sure there is something I can learn from that bow as far as form goes.  

Danny, I will work on more even pressure.  Thank you.

RH Clark, 400 shots isn't due to only being able to shoot 20 arrows per day, it is due to spring weather here in Oregon (read rain). when I do go out shooting, I shoot about 70-90 arrows per session.

All being said, I know I can't afford more than one bow.  If I do go down, I want it to be at least 45#, so I can hunt at least deer with it.  I will see if I can shoot a bow of that weight at the local shop and see if that helps.  

I find that when I use my back muscles, I end up with a straighter bow arm and the string hits my forearm.  I bend my elbow out, but I have to have a more open stance. I feel like there is less back musckle and more shoulder with the more open stance.  Am I right on this?

[Stone Knife]

I started out with a 50# longbow, that turned out to be too much. I went down to a 48# longbow that i can shoot better recently i started shooting a 46# recurve compared to the others it feels like i can hold it back all day. You would be surprised how much different and easier it is to shoot just a 4# drop in weight.

[Curveman]

Keep the bow. I started out with a 50 then jumped to a 60 soley because I was told you needed a 60# bow to legally hunt moose in New Hampshire. It took a little getting use too but now it fels every bit as comfortable as that 50 did. But if you just want to hunt whietail then 45 is OK though.

[DEERSLAYER1961]

David,  You are without a doubt overbowed 55#'s is way too much for anyone just starting out.  This is archery not weight lifting...  you will not get stronger by shooting that bow you will only develop very bad habits, and end up with an injury.  If you think you are having trouble now just try and draw that bow back on a cold day with a buck in front of you.  

You really need to go down in weight and develop good form or you will never give youself a chance excell in this sport.  I would start with a 35#-40# bow, and 40#'s with a well placed shot will handle deer sized game.  I have been shooting for well over 30 years, and have seen many people make this mistake.

>DEERSLAYER---->

[Scott S.]

David--Are you a former compound shooter?  The way you describe "aiming and holding" and your bow arm and stance lead me to believe you were.  You should be able to use your back and bend your bow arm.  A good many longbow shooters cant the bow and lean over the arrow.  You might try searching for form pics here on trad gang in the Pow Wow or Shooters Forum for some examples.

Whether you are overbowed (the vast majority of beginners would be at 55#) is somewhat relative to how many arrows you shoot in a session.  If your groups get bigger with practice rather than smaller, your form is probably slipping.  The real danger in being overbowed (aside from shoulder injury) is developing poor form.  When your accuracy starts to fade, stop that session.

I shoot with a tab and the tips of my fingers and early in the season if I shoot extensively, my ring finger gets sore too.  I may have less than perfect form.  I have a suspicion that I torque the string a little rather than pulling the string straight in it's axis (my fingers incorrectly at a different degree of cant than the bow).  Anyway, as the season progresses, I get some callous on the fingertips and they cease to be sore from shooting.

If you can borrow that lighter bow, I would do it.  I would think a guy of your size could work up to the 55# fairly easily.  Stone knife is right--4 lbs is a big difference.

[dposalski]

Thanks all again.  I think I will borrow that lighter bow.  Surprisingly, my first 15-20 arrows are the worst.  After that, my shooting is pretty consistent up to about 70 arrows.  I think my muscles get warmed up and then it is fine.  I definitely shake earlier rather than later in my shooting sessions.  I think I may be torqueing the string as well.

I don't have any callouses on my "delicate fingers".  Got an office job.  

[Ken999]

Your 55 bow is a good workout tool...draw the bow several times a day in the house and hold until you can't hold any longer.

[DEERSLAYER1961]

Scott,  Size has nothing to do with how strong a person is, so to say he should be able to work up to 55#'s fairly easy is far from true.  Also 55#'s is not where most beginners are at   most beginners can't draw 50#'s and shoot well.  I don't know any beginner who can draw, and hold that kind of weight, and shoot with any consistant accuracy.

It is all about form, and trying to shoot this weight from the start will only hurt your form, and not allow you to develop the form needed to become a well rounded archer....

>DEERSLAYER---->

[PrarrieDog]

The "deep hook" release will work different muscles. This will make a difference. Try something different on your practice. Shoot only 6 to 10 arrows then stop. Wait an hour or so before shooting again. If you can do this all day you can get your practice in but you will be fresh everytime. You'll improve. If you are shooting 70 arrows, the last 50 to 60 are not helping you.
Prarrie Dog

[jonesy]

Scott, your not overbowed if you can consistantly hit what you are aiming at, let your body develop the strength needed to pull the bow and just contiue to shoot, you will get stronger the more you shoot.

[dposalski]

I would love to be able to shoot all day long, but alas, other stuff to do.  PrarrieDog, If my last 50-60 are going where I want them, isn't that what we want?  I am going to try the deep hook and we'll see what happens.  I love the bow and would prefer to find a way to make this one work.

[dposalski]

Deerslayer, I am well-rounded!!!!  

[DEERSLAYER1961]

Hey at 6'1" 290lbs I'm well rounded too.