In Pain but Happy :D

[Witchie Poo Cat]

Hi Guys

Well its the morning after the night before shooting my own bow for the first time, as well as drawing 22lbs as opposed to 16lbs which I'd been drawing on the club bow, and I ache all over!

I have muscles where I never knew I had muscles and I ache in places I didnt realise archery could make you ache! lol Of course, worst of all is across the upper back area where I've been squeezing those shoulder blades together - ouch. BUT, despite the pain, Im happy!! I'm thinking "no pain no gain" here and that if Im aching in all the right places I must at last be starting to use the correct muscles!

What I have also noticed is now that ive increased the draw weight, when I approach full draw I can hear my bones grinding together in my back! eeewwww....has same effect on me as nails down a blackboard but its not in any way painful. My sacroiliac joint does the same thing sometimes when Ive been sitting for a while so I guess my bones are just a bit creaky!

Can I ask you guys if you get a bit more achey or creaky when you increase your draw weight and does it go once your body gets used to it?

Ive got my sports massage guy booked for Thursday to help iron out those knots and click the old bones back into their rightful place - another pain and suffering session but worth it

Ah, the price we way for the love of archery eh?

[clickerati]

WPC, if you haven't already, you should consider starting a journal to chronicle these sort of things and your progress with shooting.

[Sponge]

Welcome to real archery. First time I jumped up from about 32lb to 41lb as a beginner I didn't know if I could ever shoot more than 3 doz. Now, I can pull it through with no problem (Well, up to about 10 doz, then I start to know about it)

Your muscles will develope and your technique will improve and make it easier.

Just to warn you in advance, everytime you change your style (under the guidence of your coach) you will go through the same again. The first time you put longrod and stabs on your bow you will wonder how you can lift it, but you will get there. It's also likely that you will shoot more than 22lb in future.

Have fun,

Sponge

[Witchie Poo Cat]

Sponge - thanks for the reassurance. I had a feeling this was only the start of the achey road! I dont mind actually, I guess as long as you can tell the difference between aches caused by good form and working the right muscles, and aches caused by poor form which could lead to injury.

Just found out tonight that I can start shooting from Thursday as we joined the club tonight. Cant beleive I didnt bring my kit to the club, I could have been practising tonight! Oh well, Im going to stick to club nights only until the course ends so that I can keep getting guidance on my form.

Gonna take it easy, im in no rush to increase draw weight, Im just going to take it slowly. Mind you, I will be practising most days once the course is over until it starts to get too dark in the evening so hopefully it wont take too long to improve.

Clicki - great idea, might just do that. Mentioned it to hubby as well so he can journal his gold flinger fonz award incidents from yesterday!

[Timid Toad]

Yup, lots of creaking and clicking going on. The muscles feel a bit stiff the morning after a long day's shoot, but the clunks and clicks seem pretty constant!!!
You do get used to it, and the weight (both draw and the actual bow weight in the hand) seems lighter and lighter the more you shoot.
Once you settle down, if you experience pain it can be telling you something is wrong...so learn the difference between normal for you and anything else, and as you are lucky enough to have a coach, get advice.

[Tobytoolbag]

Originally Posted by Witchie Poo Cat

Gonna take it easy, im in no rush to increase draw weight, Im just going to take it slowly... Mind you, I will be practising most days once the course is over until it starts to get too dark in the evening so hopefully it wont take too long to improve.

Just be careful not to overdo it - I've just recently got back to archery at a vastly reduced poundage after an enforced 'archery-less' half a year due to too much poundage, too much machismo, and too many arrows without 'building up to it'...

My advice to anyone who's going up the poundage scale to use the higher poundage limbs, but reduce the number of arrows you shoot per week (at least initially!) until the muscles, ligaments, and joints adjust.

Oh, and of course you do 'warm up' before a session, don't you?!