Eureka! - Touch Wood

After a lot of thinking about my lousy release with my recurve bow, I decided that I would have to change my hook because it was becoming clear to me that my problems with a proper loose was with the deep hook, which is curently in vogue.

So, I've gone to a shallow hook (which is what I think I used to use when I was shooting really good recurve in the mid seventies) - AND IT WORKS!!!

Gone are the wild shots. Now I can call my shots with a high degree of accuracy and the release actually feels as it should, ie the fingers just relaxing and sliding easily off the string.

I just thought I'd share this with you as it might be helpful to others who are having problems with their loose.

One thing about it that you have to learn. Try shooting it initally up close on a blank bale until your confidence builds. At first it feels like the string is going to slip off early but it doesn't. Even when it feels like this, don't tense the fingers up. Stay relaxed and keep drawing and you will find yourself at full draw and still in control. EEEEEEH HAAAAAAAH!!!!

[tel]

Sounds familiar! I have tried in the past but the feeling of it 'falling off' before getting to full draw has always put me off. Now however I'm convinced the loose is letting me down (amongst other things ), so on your recommendation I'll give it a bit more of a chance!

[Little Miss Purple]

I don't have a particularly deep hook (I think), but I do have a terrible loose - anything is worth a try!!!

DUH!! It never occurred to me to explain where the string now lies across my fingers. Bloody senility!!

I have the string lay across the centre finger just forward (ie towards the tip of the finger) of the last joint. On my hand the string also falls across the same position on the third position and in the case of the index finger, it lies in the middle of the end pad of the finger.

It is important to have confidence that it won't slip nor should you try to curl the fingers more as you go through the draw. Keep the hand as relaxed as possible.

[grantwomack]

I've always used a shallow hook and was pleased when I saw it in Total Archery that the recommended hook is exactly what I use! Deep hooks lead to trouble and I've never known anyone who didn't have at least a few wild shots due to it.

[Murray]

Just a word of warning - going too shallow will cause as many problems as too deep. Like Grant says, have a look at TA.



Many koreans shoot with a hook just past the first joint, which many would consider to be "deep"... but many of them are also closer to two-finger than three-finger hooks.

[Jerry Tee]

I use a shallow hook and have done since I started back 19, well never mind. back then you needed every bit of help you could get top reach 100yds with the bows available at the time and it was thought that the deep hook would drag on release and use energy that could be pushing the arrow.You did not mention it timugin but was there any change in sight marks? I kept with the shallow hook because just the thought of my fingers being dragged out of the way by a compound ramping up to 60 lbs makes me cringe.
Have you thought of actively unwrapping your fingers rather than just relaxing them?

Jerry Tee

I haven't measured precisely the difference in sight settings for all ranges as I haven't has time to shoot at them all but the bow is definitely shooting higher than before.

As for actively unwrapping my hook - I'd be worried that I'd start to pluck the string. I'm pretty happy with the way it is now. The string isn't occupying much of my finger space. Consdierably less than in the picture shown above.

MURRAY

I accept what you say but I have been persevering with the deep hook for long enough now and nothing was improving - if anything things were getting worse and I was getting very frustrated because I couldn't pick the problem.

The problem now seems to have disappeared. I ain't going to push the envelope any further now that I seem to have a workable solution up and running.

As the saying goes: "Sufficient unto the day, the evil thereof"

[Jerry Tee]

If you are shooting higher than before then there is more energy going in to the arrow. When you technique has settled down a little it might be worth checking you tune. With more energy going into the arrow it will bend a little more. The difference may be minimal but the arrows should flex more and give a weaker spine indication on the bear shaft tune. I noted this effect when I switched to a two finger loose, the bear shaft moved six inches to the right( soft ) at 20 yds.You probably won't get that much but I think it would be worth finding out.

Thanks Jerry I'll keep it in mind. A retune would probably be a good idea, when I settle into the new loose.