Pumping Iron (or timber...)

[gino]

Hi,

I'm currently shooting a 35lb longbow but I'd like to work my way up to a higher poundage. The option that seems most likely is to just keep shooting at this poundage and when I find it too easy just buying a higher poundage bow. Is there any way of improving on this without shooting increasing weights of recurves?

Cheers,

G.

[steve58]

Same as anything, work up the poundages gradually (mind you this is do as I say not as I did!). When I started I went from a 34lb recurve to a 44lb longbow. Wasn't too bad as I didn't hold the longbow at full draw for as long. Then I got over-confident and went for a 54 pounder. Big mistake. Shooting went totally to pot, shoulder and neck injuries, huge frustration. In hindsight that bow was not just heavy, but stacked towards full draw, not good; it felt OK at about 26", but my natural draw is 28" and it really did NOT want to go there and said so. I then went back to a different 43 pounder and got it together again. Then that one suddenly lost about 20 yds of cast and got demoted to my indoor bow. My current one is a Bickerstaffe, 53lbs @ 28", feels so smooth to draw that I can actually handle it, although my muscles noticed at first. Wickedly fast too. But if you can reach 100yds with the lower draw weight why go up in poundage?

[gino]

Well I can reach 100 yards but it's a bit of a struggle. Though saying that I've got a new set of arrows now that might help out because they're much much lighter and fly so well. I'll have to try them out at 100yrds and see.
Another reason is that I make shoot some medieval arrows as well (see other posts somewhere) and they're quite stiff shafts because they're a thick diameter. My bow is getting some ugly dents in it cos they're too stiff for it so a higher poundage bow would not only get them a decent distance (really heavy and massive fletching so they go very slow) but hopefully they'll shoot better off it.

oh and I want to show off of course...

[steve58]

I have heard really good things about the hi-force arrows, I would be interested to hear how you get on with them. I think I saw your post about the medieval arrows, was that the one with the powerpoint photo diary? What do you shoot them at? I can just hear the reaction to the notion of shooting those at a club boss! Or are you looking to do the BLBS "standard arrow" type distance shoot?

[gino]

I can't say enough good things about the high force arrows. They're extremely well made and the customer service was brilliant. They fly brilliantly are are tailored to my exact needs.
Yes the medieval arrows are the ones from the powerpoint. I normally use the bodkin points when practising and I'm only allowed to shoot at a very destroyed club boss, one that no-one else uses. I can't blame them, the arrows make big holes :S

[steve58]

sounds like a very tolerant club even so! folks tend to complain when they have to pull my arrows unless the boss is an old one and I am having a good day and putting them near the middle, goodness knows what they would say about medieval ones!

[gino]

I do get a few grumbles when I get out my medieval arrows or when I introduce one of our newbies to a longbow accompanied by shouts of
"No Gino! Bad Gino! you're not going to make a longbow army!"
But my captain is brilliant and very tolerant

[Gibbon]

bah! she likes the longbow much more than is natural

If I had my way you would only infect half the number of people you do

[gwynn]

Originally Posted by gino

Hi,
I'm currently shooting a 35lb longbow but I'd like to work my way up to a higher poundage. The option that seems most likely is to just keep shooting at this poundage and when I find it too easy just buying a higher poundage bow. Is there any way of improving on this without shooting increasing weights of recurves?
G.

Cruise the junk shops and find yourself a Bullworker - just made for building up those shooting muscles, hold it like a bow and haul on those straps. Or, failing that, I knew someone who wanted to train up to shoot a big warbow and he went off to B&Q, bought several strands of their bungee cable, threaded it thru a bit of short pipe [for a handle] and pulled on that for months on end, when it got easy, he added more bungee. Didn't do him any harm and he can pull up his socks without bending over now, always a bonus. And the last time I saw him he was shooting 120lb.
But then saying that, MIND YOUR BACK AND JOINTS - do not overdo it, I have, in the past suffered greatly in the pursuit of .... well I don't know, I suppose it's the 'If I can draw 120lb, my willy must be bigger than yours' syndrome. I shoot 70lb now and it's enough for me. [Damn, does this mean I'm 'little' ?]

[gino]

cheers gwyn, some good advice there. I may head down to B&Q soon...if i knew where one was in sheffield :-S *goes for the A-Z*