Centre or side anchor?

[johnnyb]

I apologise if this thread has been raised before, but I couldn't find it! I'd like to know what anchor people use and why? I had, up until three weeks ago, adopted a centre anchor which seemed to provide a good reference point. I tried in the past to move to a side anchor but could never get the hang of it. One of the better archers at my club said to try it again and I found it much more relaxed and it seems that my scores have improved considerably and my groups have tightened up! Also I can now get my 'nose on the string', something that always failed me when I tried it with the string in my chin. Do other archers have a preference?

[Little Miss Purple]

I'm not sure where my anchor was before I changed tabs!! I have since returned to my original tab and I'm struggling to find a cosistant anchor!! I have twanged my nose so many times it is unreal!!! It will be interesting to see what others think

[Miner Willy]

This is something I struggled with for ages. I'm definitely getting more consistancy with a side anchor, with a chin/nose reference point I was all over the place. Don't know if it has anything to do with it but since I changed my anchor point I don't have a bad neck or anything.

I think the main thing is that we're are all built differently, try out a few different positions and stick with what you feel comfortable with.

just my 2 penneth...

[Shirt]

Side of chin, centre of nose.

[johnnyb]

Originally Posted by Miner Willy

This is something I struggled with for ages. I'm definitely getting more consistancy with a side anchor, with a chin/nose reference point I was all over the place. Don't know if it has anything to do with it but since I changed my anchor point I don't have a bad neck or anything.

I think the main thing is that we're are all built differently, try out a few different positions and stick with what you feel comfortable with.

just my 2 penneth...

I forgot to mention that was part of the reason for my changing, I too was suffering neck and shoulder pain, but this has also reduced....maybe it's all in the mind, but I do feel a lot more comfortable, which is probably why I am more relaxed and hence why my scores seem to have improved.

[Miner Willy]

I thought I was over bowed at first, but when I changed style I found I could complete a round with "relative" ease and no neck pain the following day. Scores have gone up quite considerably too, chasing 1st class this year!

[Big Boy Blue]

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

[LineCutter]

Me too. I did (spontaneously, before reading this thread) try a centre anchor & a corner of the mouth side anchor earlier tonight as part of some experimentation.

The centre reference gives me less rotation of my bow shoulder & feels less stable. The extreme side anchor got tried once before I decided that I like the right hand side of my face as it is

Originally Posted by Shirt

Side of chin, centre of nose.

Same for me too, when I shot recurve. I see more longbow archers going down the side anchor route. I guess both work. Check out some pics of Olympic archers, see what they do..Top archers use the best technique. They would anchor on the top of their head if they could get a medal doing it.

Sometimes things need to be worked on, even if they seem difficult at first.

[geoffretired]

If the archer moves the string by movement of the elbow, and not pulling with the fingers, the string is drawn in a curve. For right handers the curve is to the right of the line of sight. As the elbow comes into line with the dominant eye, so does the string.When the string touches the face, moved by the elbow,it reaches a position naturally, rather than a pre-determined one that may prove to be unnatural. If the natural reference is to one side of the chin rather than the centre, it will feel easier once the novelty has worn off. Many archers, who were told to use centre of nose centre of chin, are actually under-drawing and shooting off their arms, because their natural draw length was never found.