Bow arm follow through

[Zippo]

I've been helping out one of my juniors lately. He's shooting a standard bow (no stabs/plunger/etc). Upon release, his bow arm will move to the left (RH archer). I'm thinking its a natural action and that theres nothing to worry about, but want to check with the minds of AIUK to be sure. I don't want to be teaching the wrong thing. Also, the amount of movement to the left seems to vary shot to shot. Does this mean something? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[geoffretired]

I would like to see more beginners with bow arms reacting to the left as you describe. So many beginners seem to feel they need to stifle that natural reaction and keep perfectly still. The fact that the reaction/movement varies is probably down to the archer being slightly inconsistent at the point where the release is executed.For example, a strong pull or a much gentler one will give greater and lesser reactions. Getting the reactions to be more consistent will happen as they improve. But I would be careful about drawing too much attention to the reaction itself. It is so easy for beginners to start working on MAKING something LOOK RIGHT when the objective is to have it being natural. When there is no reaction in the bow arm, it is sometimes difficult for the coach to get a natural one.As soon as you explain what should happen, they start to make it happen and the natural side of it is lost.

[Zippo]

Originally Posted by geoffretired

As soon as you explain what should happen, they start to make it happen and the natural side of it is lost.

Thats so true! Was doing it myself before when I didn't know better.

[LineCutter]

Drifting a little from the topic: If you're a top class archer & you do the "my bow is a windmill" follow through then you presumably not only stifle the left motion but also induce enough right motion to stop the bow hitting your leg.

Are we doing the correct thing in expecting left motion when they seem to be pursuing the opposite?

[Murray]

The power in the bowarm should be heading towards the target. Look at the reaction as the arrow leaves the bow. If the sideways movement happens long after the arrow is gone, then fine - if not then it's very poor form and needs to be fixed. (it's often a symptom of an archer looking to see where the arrow is flying... worst case, they start the movement before the arrow has even left the bow)

Particularly important when the movement varies from shot to shot as the timing is likely to do so also. Get the archer to focus on making the bow head towards the target on release.

[Shirt]

IMHO, etc.

Bow should move forward towards target. At some point, it hits the end of the sling and can move no further towards the target. At this point, it's still moving.

Simple logic (no physics here!) says you have a heavy object that is moving at speed. Once moving, it is hard to stop. As such, it will keep moving when it hits the sling, and so has to go either left or right (as well as potentially down).

It's more likely to go left because you are using your back muscles. If it goes right, you're at some point, tensing half your chest. As anyone who's ever tried to bench press something with only one arm can tell you, this is difficult at best, and you end up using both sides of your chest, and the back half of your shot looks worse than mine.

Summary: Bow hits sling, keeps moving and should go left.

[Zippo]

Originally Posted by Murray

The power in the bowarm should be heading towards the target. Look at the reaction as the arrow leaves the bow. If the sideways movement happens long after the arrow is gone, then fine - if not then it's very poor form and needs to be fixed. (it's often a symptom of an archer looking to see where the arrow is flying... worst case, they start the movement before the arrow has even left the bow)

Particularly important when the movement varies from shot to shot as the timing is likely to do so also. Get the archer to focus on making the bow head towards the target on release.

Would you happen to know any method to test if the sideways movement starts before or after the arrow is gone? I'm also concerned with this. Btw, his bow is a wooden bow, so its very light and would move more than a metal bow.

[Tropicalshot]

Originally Posted by Zippo

Would you happen to know any method to test if the sideways movement starts before or after the arrow is gone? I'm also concerned with this. Btw, his bow is a wooden bow, so its very light and would move more than a metal bow.

take a video of the archer with a camera phone, you should be able to see if the arrow is clear before the arm movement,
as a cure our coach used to have a carbon arrow with a hyperspeed point (very sharp)and stand to one side and behind, and hold the arrow out so that if we threw aour bow arm out to the left(rh archer) we would cop the poin far fully in the back of the hand, the more you threw your arm the deeper the pressure on the arrow, you soo learn to stop throwing your arm, same for arm guards, once or twice with a string hitting your arm makes you rotate the elbow out of th way.

[Zippo]

Do you mean a cure for moving before the arrow leaves? Because it almost sounds as if your coach is making archers resist the movement of arm to the left. Haha for the string hitting arm, I know what you mean. Always the case for beginners. Anyways I'll give the video a try. Because I don't think I can see it while he shoots.

[Tropicalshot]

Originally Posted by Zippo

Do you mean a cure for moving before the arrow leaves? Because it almost sounds as if your coach is making archers resist the movement of arm to the left. .

no there is enough gap to allow natural movement to the left but not too throw the arm which is what newb's tend to do