Thumb ring at GNAS shoots

[^HUN^]

Makes sense to me. A thumb ring is an aid to releasing the string or in other words a release aid

You could argue that this is true of the Sugakji thumb ring. This ring has a small up-turned peg that is grasped by the finger. The more common Amgakji, tear drop style ring, protects the pad of the thumb from soreness and the thumb tip is grasped by the finger. The Amgakji, in particular, certainly does not aid the string release any more than a tab would aid string release off the fingers. In both cases, it is the archer's grip that holds the string, which is why I was concerned whether the archer would find this style less painful.

Thumb rings can virtually eliminate the paradox of an arrow, just like a modern mechanical release aid, and so can't really be compared to a tab or glove.

This is not attributable to the thumb ring but to the style. Even without a thumb ring, there is far less paradox. But I say this comparing thumb release and Mediterranean release with an Asiatic bow, a modern recurve bow suffers less with paradox anyway due to its window.

I would rather see some relaxing of rules, we live with rules daily. In a pursuit that above anything else we do for enjoyment, does it really matter that 'Dave' uses a thumb ring? We all know the poor bloke is in pain with his hands, at least this way he can still enjoy his archery. I'd rather encourage more archers and keep the ones we have than stick to rules that are pedantic to say the least.

[English Bowman]

Having spoken to a judge about this one, his interpretation is that if the ring is totally smooth then he'd allow it, but, if like most of them it had a groove to help hold the string then it would be classed as a release aid. He did stress that this was his interpretation and he would have to check the official line on the matter. I guess that a kyudo style glove would be OK, but the bone, or brass tear drop rings with the grove wouldn't

Daniel

[NobleKnight]

Many thanks, Daniel!

[steve58]

Originally Posted by buzz lite beer

Thumb rings can virtually eliminate the paradox of an arrow, just like a modern mechanical release aid, and so can't really be compared to a tab or glove.

I don't understand why this would be so. Does it just apply to shooting off the thumb on the right of the bow (for a RHed archer)? In that situation is it the thumb ring or the shooting off the thumb? Surely if you suddenly apply the stored energy in the bow to the arrow it is going to bend, whether it's a tab, glove, thumb ring, release aid, whatever? Please help me get my head round this!

[^HUN^]

Steve58,
It's the technique and not the ring. In fact, the string should not be placed in a groove on the ring, it should rest behind the ring, on the thumb itself. Most archers using this technique use arrows that are overspined to the bow (50# bow-80# spine)
The Korean traditional archers don't spine their arrows, they go by arrow weight.

[barney]

I suppose a thumb release could be construed as offering an advantage over the Mediterranean style release because the drawing hand/arm is in a bio-mechanically superior position, i.e. the hand is horizontal rather than vertical. It’s sort of halfway between a Mediterranean release, where the palm of the hand is turned into the face, and an unlimited compound release where the palm is turned outwards.

Does this make sense?

[^HUN^]

I can understand what you are saying Barney but I see no advantage. Don't get me wrong, the supination of the hand for a Mediterranean draw puts emphasis on the bicep (supination being that muscles primary function) but it does not affect the ability to draw the string and it is still the latissimus dorsii doing the majority of the work.
I see it as simply another way of using bow and arrow and as with any style, the archer has to master it.

[Tropicalshot]

Originally Posted by Rik

My understanding is that a thumbring would only be legal if you wanted to put yourself in with "Compound Unlimited" as it would be classed as a release aid! I've never attempted to get confirmation of that though...

its funny you should bring that particular statement up.
we had an archer here who for medical reasons could no longer use fingers for releasing onhis recurve,(arthritis made it too painful)
anyway he started using a release aid, (compound equipment)
and shot in the compound division, then the compounders said no you dont have a compound so you cant enter our division, to start a new division here( when they are trying to reduce the number of divisions)you have to have 4 archers shooting the same equipment.
so he was stuck in no mans land at the discretion of the tournament organisers as to what to shoot in. he eventually shot alongside the competitions recording scores for himself but not elidgable for records/stars etc.
so we asked whether using compound equipment automaticaly places you in the compound division.
the ruling we got back from fita was as a compound bow is listed in the compound equipment (rule 7.3.3 book 2 outdoor archery)you have to have a compound bow.

[MATTeL]

Originally Posted by NobleKnight

Is it OK to use the thumb ring shooting in Barebow Recurve and Recurve Traditional (Gnas)? Do anybody use this device at GNAS target competitions?

Why don't you ask GNAS themselves for clarrification, rather than asking a forum in which you will get conjecture and opinion.

If GNAS say it is okay then iit is okay, get it in writing and then you have something to show a judge that may have an issue with it. All sorted for the price of an e-mail...

http://www.gnas.org/contactus.cfm

[yoda]

Originally Posted by MATTeL

Why don't you ask GNAS themselves for clarrification, rather than asking a forum in which you will get conjecture and opinion.

If GNAS say it is okay then iit is okay, get it in writing and then you have something to show a judge that may have an issue with it. All sorted for the price of an e-mail...

http://www.gnas.org/contactus.cfm

we've got tables for barebow but not traditional which is a bit annoying as well lol.