Push, Pull, Expand

[Barry C]

What do GNAS coaches teach? The Pull, the Push or Expansion? After reading through Total Archery last year and the Heretic Archer this year it seems an important part of the shot sequence but I never hear even a whisper or words similar from GNAS coaches, so it got me thinking what the current gnas coaching philosophy is based upon.

[grantwomack]

I'm not sure that there is a cut and dry "GNAS standard" for this. I've met coaches who know nothing about back tension (back pressure) and suggest "pulling" until you go through the clicker. Pulling isn't the right word for it though. You really push towards the centre of your back with your drawing arm.
The way I was taught was to have a strong and stable front arm, continue holding towards the target (not actively moving the arm forward, just keeping the pressure there) and initiate back pressure with your other arm.
So I wouldn't see it as only one of the above three, sort of a combination of them all.

[JohnK]

Just an observation - most of the coaches (badged and otherwise) that I've met talk about "getting it on the back", "continuous pull", etc. without any appreciation for the fact that if the shoulders aren't aligned properly (i.e. in a line with the bowarm pointing to the right of the target for a right handed archer) it's a pointless exercise.

[joetapley]

if the shoulders aren't aligned properly (i.e. in a line with the bowarm pointing to the right of the target for a right handed archer)

???
Crossed wires somewhere.

[geoffretired]

My personal description is OPEN, like opening a book(viewed from above)
I mime it and explain it. The reasoning behind it is to get both arms working as a matched pair. I know one is folded etc. but for those who have a stunted follow through, it gets across the idea that both arms are going to help draw the bow. It also helps to get the follow through, felt in both arms.
I've seen so many bow arms do nothing at the follow through stage, or worse, collapse. Opening is something familiar to us all. It matches the action of the arms and it matches the way we open books. Very few books can be successfully opened using one hand.

[JohnK]

Originally Posted by joetapley

???
Crossed wires somewhere.

No, although I could have explained more clearly . You should be able to draw a straight line from the rear shoulder through the bow shoulder and down the bow arm. This line should point to the right of the target (from the archer's perspective) for a right handed archer. It's illustrated very well in Total Archery.

[joetapley]

Substitute scapulae for shoulders and drop the reference to the bow arm

Shoulders and bow arm should line up with the target.

[Rik]

Originally Posted by joetapley

Substitute scapulae for shoulders and drop the reference to the bow arm

Shoulders and bow arm should line up with the target.

I think John's referring to the fact that the string and your arm can't occupy the same space... so the eye/sight/string line points at the target, while the shoulder/arm line is offset from it. It took me a moment to twig...

[moo-mop]

Barry, for the brief period when I was coached by one of the respected GNAS coaches, he recommended what the world would describe as pull. Of course it was a little more complicated than that and impossble to describe.
So you want a more professional thought on "pull" I direct you to the book: Archery Shot Execution - Larry Skinner, Jim Noble.
Always good to get different points of view from the usual suspects.

[joetapley]

I think John's referring to the fact that the string and your arm can't occupy the same space... so the eye/sight/string line points at the target, while the shoulder/arm line is offset from it. It took me a moment to twig...

That's getting into deep water - I would be more inclined to go for the bow arm pointing at the target with the eye-sight line marginally left of centre. (string picture to bow side of sight pin) Very small angles whichever.

I think John is refering to the draw arm scapula moving back and the bow arm scapula going forward resulting in line through the "back" of the scapulae pointing to the right of the target (RH archer) while the shoulders and bow arm point at the target.