Where did my 29" draw go?

[T Sunstone]

Had my wife mark an arrow at full draw on my new Centaur and I lost an inch.  Haven't checked my draw in years it has always been 29".  Now I know it depends on what style grip your shooting.  Funny thing is my draw length stays the same just shows a different draw with smaller grips.  

   

 

[3arrows]

Same here, grip will change draw length,found out with a Black Swan years ago.

[Orion]

If you use the AMO measure to the throat of the grip, it won't change.  However, it will vary with the thickness of the grip if you measure at the back of the riser.

[Greybark]

28 years ago when starting Trad archery my draw was 29 1/2 in and receantly a measureing session at the local club showed 28 in .
   Also dropped an in in height .
   
  Cheers from the country that has everthing except the Stanley Cup....

[Blackstick]

Same as Greybark. I was shocked at first and have been blaming it on an A/C shoulder separation. However that doesn't explain lost length in other places.     :(

[mike g]

I'm with Greybark.
    When I was in the Corps I was 5'11 3/4"
Not anymore..LOL

[ranger 3]

Everything gets shorter as I get older   :confused:

[X2]

In my experience this if very common.  I meet a lot of archers that state they have a 29 or 30 inch draw and have 5-6 inches of arrow sticking over the front of their bow.  

I am 6' 1", and draw 27 inches.  It is just how I do it.  I struggled with it for years, trying to figure out how to draw more.  I can draw 29 if I use a target style, but I don’t like to shoot that way.

As long as you are consistent, and your equipment is tuned, it is all good.

[YORNOC]

Wait till you blow a shoulder. Took me a lot of work to get back to 29"!

[LittleBen]

Struggling to feel bad for you guys with only 28" draw LOL!

If I shoot target style (which I always do) I draw 25". Any shorter than that and I might as well start buying children's bows.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Go see Rod Jenkins bro... you'll get it back and some change...    

I did some serious form work last year and mine jumped from 29" to 30" and my shooting accuracy has seriously increased too.

[chase perry]

x2, X2.  You're right.  When I started shooting traditional I thought I would be drawing 28" or more just because I'm tall.  That, however, is not the case.  When I learned how to measure my draw I was surprised to learn I draw little more than 26".  It's just comfortable for me to shoot the way I do, and it makes sense; I was always told to 'stand up straight, boy', but never wanted to, and still don't for that matter.

[Old Chief]

I have to agree with Kirk.  I went through Rod's class, gained almost two inches and accuracy improved greatly.

[X2]

I agree that your draw length can be lengthened.  A lot of it has to do with how you shoot, and what style you use.  We all have to decide which way works best for us.  I have tried to shoot like Rod teaches, and for me it is not comfortable.  I can do it, but don’t like it as much.  I am sure it is like anything, if you do it long enough it becomes second nature.  It would be nice to have the extra draw length, but then I would have to buy more bows because the ones I have now would be too much to draw.  
After shooting like this as long as I have, I think I will just stick with the way that works best for me.

[T Sunstone]

I think some have missed the point.  If I shoot my old bows with the hill type grip I still have a 29" draw,  Now with the Centuar or pronghorn I have a 28" draw.  The only true way to measure is to the throat.

[X2]

I just make a mark on the arrow even with the back of the riser.  I measure from the nock groove to the mark and that is what I draw.  This method is not as accurate as from the deepest part of the grip plus 1.75, but it is close.

[chase perry]

Originally posted by T Sunstone:
I think some have missed the point...

You're right... I'm easily distracted.  

Your observation was very interesting, and I did originally intend to comment on that.  It prompted me to compare a bow with a substantial locator grip to another with a straight grip which revealed a similar disparity; about 3/4" in draw length.  

Best Regards, Chase Perry

[X2]

I agree there can be a big difference if measured from the back of the bow between different bows.  If you have a deep shelfed recurve vs a hill style bow, there can be about an inch difference (measuring from the back of the bow).

[Bladepeek]

Grip depth will obviously affect draw length measured to the back of the bow, but I've found my draw length has actually decreased.

I'm 73 and the "incredible shrinking man" syndrome is present. My height has decreased, so why wouldn't my draw length decrease a bit also. My form has evolved somewhat too in the last year and I find myself reaching the same anchor point, but with a slightly shorter draw length. My stance does not seem to be more open than before, and I'm not shooting with a bent bow arm, but my draw length has decreased about 3/4" and I am shooting far more accurately.

Magic?

[Keith Zimmerman]

Maybe u didnt lose it T.  U just missplaced it:)  I draw 29.5" with my recurves and 28.5" with my longbows.  Unless your saying u lost an inch with the same bow.  That I cant explain except maybe u are doing something different with your draw.