Better Form?

[Muleyhunter05]

I keep hitting my bow arm with the string alot of the times I shoot and I was just trying to figure out what I could do to prevent from doing that so if there is any suggestions out there I am open to anything. Thanks guy

 

[bucklover]

Keep your wrist straight and use some kind of arm guard, (even wrap it with duct tape) until you learn to avoid the sting.

 

[Edpre]

Other guys may know alot more than me - but might be that you're "locking" your elbow - it should be bent - then it almost naturally moves your forearm away from the bow/string. Locked gets it closer. Just a shallow "V" between upper arm and lower arm. If you can't shoot the bow well without doing that, your draw length might be too long.

edpre

 

[CNEDEER]

Shorten your draw length. If you wear a guard and continue to allow the arm slap, you will effect your accuracy. Most common reason for arm slap were both mentioned above: Too much draw length and locked elbow.

 

[Brandon82]

Yes, that is exactly what it is. If you are shooting a compound bow and you are hitting your arm them your draw length is too long or you are locking your elbow. If you bought the bow at a reputable shop then likely you are just holding your arms straight. bend your elbow, this will bring your anchor point slightly back. if its too far back then you know you have the wrong draw length setup. you should never hit your arm shooting a compound bow. Armgaurds are for traditional shooters who use fingers as releasing with fingers can often times ungulate the string in flight.

 

[Elkhunter96]

All good advice. Just wanted to add to make sure you are using a proper grip on the bow. A proper grip keeps you elbow bent slightly and away from the string

 

[blazingsaddle]

One other thing to help a proper grip is to have your knuckles at a 45 give or take degree angle to your riser, this helps kick your elbow out/up.

 

[quest]

I'm new to the sport of bow hunting and that was some good advise thanks. 881

quest

 

[BigPig]

>All good advice. Just wanted to
>add to make sure you
>are using a proper grip
>on the bow. A proper
>grip keeps you elbow bent
>slightly and away from the
>string

Provided draw length is correct, this is spot on.

 

[GotBowAz]

It sure is refreshing to see people are asking questions about their set-ups and how to improve on it. Specially the new to archery guy?s like quest. There is a LOT of awesome advice from the people on here that really know archery equipment such as BigPig and swbuckmaster to name a couple. The sad part is that the majority of bow hunters dust their bows off out of the closet or worse yet, their garage two weeks before the opener and only with field points. Then they screw on any BH and go huntin. I see this with my own eyes in people I run across. This just happened again yesterday. Once they find out I bow hunt or was successful they start chatting about bowhunting and such. I ask to get together to go practice and even offered my target set-up then all kinds of excuses come up?go figure. In the mid west where I came from 30 years ago it's even worse.

My point here is I am really happy to see people asking questions and getting great solid advise. I am hopeful that there are a LOT of lurkers out there that are not a member of MM (yet) but read up on this forum and become better archers and hunters. That they take the advise here and as a result end up with clean ethical kills. Oh and as a side note. I was one of those guy?s that went and picked up a bow not knowing anything about them and just flung arrows. My bow was too long for my draw and there were many other issues to go along with it. Wish I would have had this advise you guy?s give 32 years ago. I had to learn these things the hard way and arm string slap was one of them! Bruised mine so bad it turned purple.


GBA

 

[jodog]

Like said above check your grip !!!
Try this... grip your bow with a full fist (like you would hold a baseball bat or hammer with one hand) and hold the bow out in front of you, look at your elbow it will be in close to where the string will be traveling when you pull the trigger. Now grip your bow the correct way ..knuckles at a 45degree with a loose grip, the grip of the bow should be in the meaty part of your hand, now look at your elbow it will be turned away from the string when you pull the trigger. Hope it all makes scense to you ....bottom line, the correct draw and the correct grip and you will never hit your arm with the string.

 

[jodog]

Take a look at this. Your grip is a really important part of form.

http://usm-archery.blogspot.com/2009/05/basic-yet-of-utmost-importance-bow-arm.html

 

[inline]

Like has been mentioned before the 45 degree angle on the knuckles is a great thing to watch for. You can also take a look at your bow hand after you have shot a few arrows, the red mark that is left on your hand from the pressure should be on the thumb side of the life line closets to your thumb.

As far as bow arm position. Extend your bow arm and lean against a wall or something stable, as if your were going to to lean against it for awhile. Your arm will aline the bones in your arm in the most efficient position with the least amount of muscle recruitment.

This bone to bone position is how you should have your front arm, when you shoot.

These will help correct your form, if you are still hitting your arm it is likely draw length.

Take out more than you brought in!

 

[swbuckmaster]

Draw to long, improper hand position, small brace height or you have huge popeye shaped forearms.

 

[Lien2]

Get an STS or other string stop device.

Lien2