Is there a technique for good left shoulder position?

[BigBiker]

Hi

I'm a right handed archer. I'm getting fatigue in the front of my left deltoid(front of shoulder). I'm told it is because my shoulder is rising. How do I keep the left shoulder blade nice and low ?

Someone in the club recommended bending the left arm slightly. I'm not convinced this is the answer.

I was able to do it a few times last night and I could feel the weight of the draw in my back, which is where, I believe, it should be.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Kevin.

[geoffretired]

If the bow shoulder is UP when the draw starts, the more pressure you apply throughout the draw, makes it harder to get it down.
If the bow shoulder is DOWN at the start of the draw, and the draw hand and bow hand are a little higher than the shoulder, the increasing pressure help to keep it low.
If you stand in your full draw posture, without a bow, you can shrug the bow shoulder up then let it drop. Try the same thing holding a stretchy band and then move on to drawing the band, keeping the shoulder down. When you feel confident, use your bow without any stabs, and progress to the fully loaded bow when you feel ready.

[Good Sir Pete]

I've always found the best way to keep the shoulder down is to engage the lat. If you don't quite know which one that is or how to engage it (apologies if you do and i come across as patronising, but it is always best to explain just in case!) then the easiest way to get a feel for it is to put your hand against a wall and try to push it (the wall) downwards.

You should be able to see it here in the shot under the left shoulder: YouTube - Archery: Back use during shot

[TWIW]

Yeah.

You should work on getting the shoulder down before the draw starts. A bent bow arm won't help.

After you have lifted the bow up and before you start the draw, relax the whole shoulder line. it should drop a couple of inches or so. Just try to feel them sitting naturally.

Now to keep it down: There is a muscle just under the armpit that runs down your rib cage. If you pull down on this you will feel the shoulder being pulled down. So tighten this muscle and hold it so as you draw, this should stop the shoulder rising. It also helps to extend the front of the shoulder towards the target, thereby resisting the effect of the bow weight compressing your shoulder and trying to lift it. Try to feel the bow riser pushing into the heel of your hand as you draw and keep the arm relaxed.

Even if the shoulder comes up as you draw, pulling on the muscle under your arm pit may pull it back and down again.

Try practicing moving the shoulder up and down without a bow in your hand to get the feel of these muscles.

Colin

[BigBiker]

Many thanks to you all.

I bought a bow to help maintain my little lads interest, he is 7.5. We did the beginners course together, he already had his bow. I wasn't going to bother. He likes to watch me shoot, so, I had a Winstar package for my 39th birthday. I just knew I wouldn't be able to stand in front of a boss shooting reasonably random groups the size of a small continent!!

So, latisimus dorsi engaged to keep the scapula from sliding up the rib cage.

I'm a former pentathlete and target pistol shot(.22 live) was one of my strong points. There is just one hell of a buzz from doing something difficult reasonably well.

I guess i'm saying I'm addicted!!



Thanks again.

[TWIW]

Join the club LOL

[Albert]

Practice trying to slide your left shoullder blade down. If you do this in front of a mirror you will notice that your left shoulder moves down.

[wingate_52]

Don't raise your bowwrist at full draw, the shoulder drops.

[Beardy]

Originally Posted by Yorker

.
Another thing: your elbow of the left arm should be pointed outwards, this often slips people up.

Shot in the Euston park bowman's soup shoot yesterday and with this advice managed to complete the whole 8 dozen without my arrows dropping towards the end. The dropping arrows are usually an indication of fatigue related left shoulder rising.

So thank you for the advice

[link]

my 2 cents for getting the low shoulder feel........
arms by sides & relax shoulders..wiggly shoulder to relax it, palm at side of leg and..... keep it facing the ground while raising. now, slowly raise arm ...but concentrate on the inside elbow focus on keeping it as low to the ground as possible as the arm is raised..almost like you are raising the hand but keeping the elbow down. when your arms finally up clench fingers stick out thumb to make a horizontal thumbs up then rotate to proper thumbs up position.

don't forget grip shape high = tendency for high shoulder and vice versa