your shooting position?

[jammed05]

ive just recently got my new bow after comming off a beginners course. and everytime i shoot my left shoulder is several inches higher than my right. is this anything to with inexperience? if somone has posted this before sorry. your comments please.

[Cakemeister]

I suffered from this a lot. You need to practice keeping both shoulders low. One starting point might be to ensure your bowhand grip is at about 45 degrees to the bow- this put your arm into a slight bend which helps keep the shoulder down. Also, develop a pre-draw where you start with your shoulders low & keep it that way- don't lift your shoulders as you bring the bow to full draw.

[jammed05]

i have been struggling with my grip. i had a 'pistol' griep so i bought a bowsling but as many people have commented in other threads that its not always a good idea to shoot open handed due to a tensed grip after the shot that i get. it just seems extremely uncomfy to keep my shoulders low when preparing.

[wingate_52]

Keep the bow low. Predraw. Raise the bow and draw fully. Practice holding the edge of a door with the finger and thumb and web of the left hand (bow grip hand). Turn the wrist and elbow out away from the body so the back of the hand nears the horizontal. Then grip the bow in that manner. Keep the left shoulder low. Support the bow with the chest muscle, not just with upper arm and biceps.

[jammed05]

cheers
i knew this fourm would come in handy. for why i am doing it wrong. i am shooting at EAC. i suspect there are a few members on here.

[Cakemeister]

Originally Posted by jammed05

i have been struggling with my grip. i had a 'pistol' griep so i bought a bowsling but as many people have commented in other threads that its not always a good idea to shoot open handed due to a tensed grip after the shot that i get. it just seems extremely uncomfy to keep my shoulders low when preparing.

I may have explained badly- it's your hand that needs to be at 45 degrees to the bow- gripping perhaps with only thumb & forefinger. Don't try to push your arm out straight as that causes your shoulder to rise. It might feel odd & uncomfortable to practice but it's easier when there's something to push against.

& What Wingate said.

[jammed05]

cheers for the comments and help. i shall try and apply everything i know. i was on an all time high when i got my new bow but the day after i was on a all time low that i was struggling

[Cakemeister]

Give it loads of time & practice- it will pay off. If it was easy we'd all be gold medallists! Don't get despondent if new kit doesn't immediately mean higher scores- take time to get used to it but most important work on good consistent form. Get a shooting buddy to watch what you do.
PS. Key rule. Continue to have fun...

[jammed05]

yea cheers. i knew it wasnt going 2 be easy. and i wil continue to have fun.

[Max]

Upper body position and draw is probably one of the hardest things for newcomer to master and even harder to fix, if bad posture gets embedded with practice. The problem is that the body reacts naturally to the draw forces and uses the muscles it is most comfortable with - often these are the wrong ones for good archery form. The bigger the draw force, the harder it is to feel for the correct muscle position. One of the worst things a new archer can do is to go for a heaver bow too soon, before good posture is established.

Go to the garden centre and buy a whippy 5 - 6 foot bamboo garden cane and string it like a longbow - it will only have a few pounds pull but that is what you want. If you have no-one to help you, practice drawing, anchoring and loosing in front of a big mirror, or outside against a patio door where you can see your reflection. It can feel stupid, but if you are mainly working on your own, it is probably the best way to discover good technique.

Intersperse this practice with shooting your real bow, while trying to feel for the same muscle positions. Ideally, you need coaching through this stage, but it will speed your development no end - I still use one occasionally.