Centre or side anchor?

[SLOWHAND]

Originally Posted by Big Boy Blue

Same as Shirt, Side of chin, centre of nose and I must not pout my lips

Middle of chin, middle of nose and I do pout my lips when shooting. Not a pretty sight I'll admit but then again no one is standing in front of you looking at your lips when you're shooting.

Very interesting thread, I think that there are are various technical/biometric reasons why a side anchor is better but I just felt it was more comfortable and consistant drawing to the middle.

Over the past few months I've been having problems with my bow shoulder so I may just give it a try changing to a side anchor.

As with many things in archery, providing you're not doing anything outrageously wrong then whatever feels best for you is the way to go.

[Rik]

I shot for years with a front of face anchor (middle of nose, just to one side of centre on my chin), but I've now switched to a side anchor (side of nose, side of chin). I find it feels less cramped. My draw length has increased very slightly, and I feel that my form has improved. I'm still learning how to get it consistent, though. With a front of face anchor it was just a case of 'pull hard against the face'. Do that with a side anchor and you screw things up...

[geoffretired]

When elbow movement draws the string, the last mm or so is not so much extra draw length as slightly more noticeable contact between string and skin. The string seems to be moving closer to the sight from right to left.

[Jerry Tee]

Center of the chin for me. If I had the same problem as LMP I would be missing half my nose.

[Furface]

I was "taught" to use centre of chin/nose, and struggled with that for years. Then I was told that the ratio between forearm and upper arm is critical. As I have short little forearms (Avatar no exaggeration!), to get the central position, my elbow had to be WAY out of alignment, and a smooth release was virtually impossible. Moved the reference to where my forearm felt comfortable and naturally fell into side reference. Now I am in the process of unlearning all the bad habits I picked up in order to compensate for the previous "form", but, at last, I can now use my shoulders.

[doubletop]

i have struggled for so long with this and now just about got the hang of it i use centre of nose for string and my tab is on side of my jaw bone and it is only recently that i have been able to get string on nose and it feel comfortable and right and even now it can take upto 12 arrows to find it again after a break of longer than a week and also it feels different if i havent shaved for a few days. i know that it doesnt apply to our good lady shooters but do any men find this applies to them

[Kellog]

We tend to teach our beginners a centre face reference, and then move them onto a side of face reference.

Which is what I was taught.

Currently shooting a side anchor, and trying to remember its meant to be on the centre of my nose!

[morphymick]

Originally Posted by Shirt

Side of chin, centre of nose.

Snap.

Mick

[wingate_52]

Centre of chin, lips and nose. I pull hard and end up with a groovy beard and a fading lines on the nose.

[avalon]

centre of nose, side of chin... means my string alignment etc is easy to achieve