Release aid use help needed.

[oldy]

For the attention of Marcus /Pyroarc/ geoff/& anyone else with an opinion.
As a self taught Compound archer can anyone tell me what is perceived as the best or most popular way to trigger a release ,I have both a Carter T4 & a wrist release ,I have experimented with the thumb release 4 ways ,1. hooking the thumb on the trigger then gently squeezing hand 2. same thumb but gently squeezing thumb 3 same thumb but relaxing index finger 4.same thumb but rotating back elbow= least effective. The problem with 3 & 4 is the angle of the release changes which appears to move arrows around. With the wrist release I draw the bow with tension in the wrist take a deep hook with my index finger then relax my wrist which triggers the release or I take a deep hook whilst pulling with my back which triggers it .I understand power lines & back tension as I shot to G M B standard with recurve but I am going around in circles with R/Aids. Marcus helped me with his comments about face pressure.I have looked around the forums for this info unsuccessfully as I am sure it would have been covered already.Anyway folks I will appreciate any advice you can give me. oldy

[geoffretired]

In some ways I am very new to release aid triggering. I have to ignore the 14 years doing it wrongly;which only leaves a few months of trying a correct version!
I have used the Carter ember and Loesch back tension in recent months. With the carter, I too could trigger it several ways. The list is like yours. If I had kept the Carter I think I'd have settled for increasing back tension. When I did this, I found the hand tightened instinctively, so as not to lose grip, and the trigger was activated. Shot gone and no collapse. No real thinking about "How" either.Very similar feel to recurve shooting.
I'm sure others will put forward different ideas. That's what this forum is good at.
In anticipation of that, I would add that the method YOU select should be given a fair trial and if it works for those who advocate it, TRUST that it works and can work for you too. Going round in circles has to stop sometime!!

[pyroarch57]

Hi Oldy,

I do have some advice to offer, but can you just tell me in detail, the reason why you don`t like method 1 & 2?
And also what your "preferred" general type of releasing would be, ie:- pressing, squeezing, a straight pull backwards, or true back tension.

[Sling-it]

I've shot a release for many years, and am also prety much self tought. As far as the wrist release goes, you are one of the few I've ever heard doing it right, so keep going in that direction (relaxing wrist).

The Thumb trigger should be set off in a similar manner. Set the release so it has very little travel. Preload the trigger, and pull. You'll find it works much like the wrist release. As the hand relaxes, just maintain tension on the thumb. Don't set the release off by activating the thumb....let the back tension and the relaxing of the hand do it for you. The release will move forward as the back of the hand relaxes, and the thumb won't follow.

Get a piece of rope and practice with it is the best way I can tell you over the net. I got the feeling you're on the right track, but don't let the thumb slip, and set the release close.

[oldy]

Great, I am already getting the response I was hoping for,to answer Pyroarc's question,the reason I am wary of 1. is that I think when I squeeze my whole hand my knuckles come up moving the release away from my face which moves the arrow ,2.I am worried about too much control of the shot as sqeezing the the thumb could lead me down the wrong road? although I must admit I like the way Geoff explains the release. Relaxing the index finger ,thats seems good but when I do it the 30yrs of recurve shooting kicks in from time to time as it turns into a loose,not too bad with the wrist release as I am strapped to it.I did have a TrueBall sweetspot 2 for a while but decided that I am not young enough to have the amount of years to spare it was going to take me to master it .So I guess I favor some kind of squeeze as it's the opposite to recurve loosing,the Loesch is interesting but that technology (Freddy Troncoso brought one out in the 70's)was around 30 yrs ago & if it was that good everyone would be shooting them by now.Anyway thanks for the input everyone it's much apprecciated ,I wish I had been able to get on this site 4 yrs ago..
oldy

[pyroarch57]

Hi Oldy,
I can understand your frustration with this release business, i went through it myself a few years ago, and unfortunately it often takes a lot of trial and error(and cost )before you settle with a particular release.

No1 is out for obvious reasons, and No2 although it seems to work very well for a while, sooner or later for most people it develops into a form of target panic.

I can tell you what works extremely well for ME. I think it MAY work well for you. I use a Carter 2.5 back tension 4 finger with a safety, although i don`t use it with true back tension, i have it set quite light and what i actually do is gently squeeze the release with my third finger. This way you get the same effect as true back tension but you feel that much more in control of the shot, also this finger is well away from your face so you wouldn`t have the same problem as with No1 .

Once you have this firmly implanted into your subconscious (usually takes me around 1000 shots on a blank bale) and provided you stay calm, your mind will be free to aim 100% on the gold, and before long you will be surprised how steady you will be able to aim.

Hope that helps somewhat

[oldy]

Thanks all ,well it looks like I am getting a general trend here ,a deliberate squeeze seems to be a no no ,a method of triggering which is indirect (not intentionally using the thumb) seems to be the way to go . I did manage to borrow a Carter 2.75 for a short while from a friend who has now emigrated,
neither he or me could get on with it ,probably for the same reason that I gave for the Trueball Sweetspot 2,too impatient I guess. I think the method of using it Pyroarc describes would work the same with a thumb release.So I have noted what Geoff ,Sling it and Pyroarc have said and I will experiment this winter, also I am trying to do what Marcus suggested by not putting face or nose pressure on the bowstring ,I think I am going to be busy.
It's nice to know that I am ok with the wrist release thanks for that Sling It.At least I now know what not to do .
Thanks again all of you .
oldy

[Marcus26]

4 things I find critical to getting a good release
1) Set the trigger deep at the base of the thumb. If I set it higher I don't get the shot away. This often requires rotating the release around teh index finger to get it into position, and thus aids with the next items.
2) I stopped using the four finger versions as I found by setting the little finger behind the release helped hold steadier. I recently tried an Insatiable again and this reinforced my opinions here.
3) When ready to shoot I apply pressure with the thumb but speeze with the middle finger. This stops right hand throw away shots.
4) Keep the whole hand relaxed. The more relaxed the more accurate I am.

[oldy]

Originally Posted by Marcus26

4 things I find critical to getting a good release
1) Set the trigger deep at the base of the thumb. If I set it higher I don't get the shot away. This often requires rotating the release around teh index finger to get it into position, and thus aids with the next items.
2) I stopped using the four finger versions as I found by setting the little finger behind the release helped hold steadier. I recently tried an Insatiable again and this reinforced my opinions here.
3) When ready to shoot I apply pressure with the thumb but speeze with the middle finger. This stops right hand throw away shots.
4) Keep the whole hand relaxed. The more relaxed the more accurate I am.

Thank's Marcus ,excuse my ignorance but what are "right hand throw away shots" please explain.Do you mean loss of back tension when the hand flies out ?
oldy

[Marcus26]

I mean I would miss the centre of the target to the right and usually drop a point.