# Setting the bow side shoulder and shooting back tension



## subconsciously (Aug 22, 2009)

A simple simple "scooping" motion while bringing the bow up into the draw posisiton will set the shoulder and give newer shooters the idea of where the shoulder should be. I would see it hard to set the draw side lat with a high shoulder also. 


.02


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## 3SixtyOutdoors (Sep 14, 2012)

Tag


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## cbrunson (Oct 25, 2010)

I try to keep mine down while drawing. I also keep my elbow locked. It actually helps reduce fatigue in my bow arm.


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## Unclegus (May 27, 2003)

I understand this problem all to well. I solved it by realizing limb bolts turn counter clockwise as well as clockwise. I also set my bow shoulder and hold my bow out at full draw and draw to my face to anchor like I learned to do over fifty years ago. No locking of the elbow. Just big bone on big bone alignment. Learned that when I was a pup too. May not be text book, but it's been good to me for a long time.


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## Bees (Jan 28, 2003)

> How do you set your bow side shoulder?


turns out I unknowingly do it Just like John Dudley describes in his article back tension 2. 
I have always done it like that and never have had a problem. 
but I'm not over bowed either. 
Seems like High poundage promotes high shoulders.


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## Looney Bin (Feb 9, 2009)

Bees said:


> turns out I unknowingly do it Just like John Dudley describes in his article back tension 2.
> I have always done it like that and never have had a problem.
> *but I'm not over bowed either.
> Seems like High poundage promotes high shoulders*.



I agree that being overbowed is a cause of many shooters high shoulders. I don't really consider that the issue the I seem to deal with on occasion. I very capable of pulling 70 lbs and shooting reasonably well, but I don't. Most of my bows DW are set in the 48-52lb range these days. With hunting bows in the low 60's. Fatigue is bound to set in with high volume shooting.

The ability to utilize John Dudley's exercise and feel my range of motion has been valuable. Keeping a strict routine for pre shot through shot execution is helping.


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## ron w (Jan 5, 2013)

I try to tell people to get their rhomboids (back tension muscles) into the draw cycle right from the start of their draw. this sets the bow side shoulder down and back right away, giving your forearm the best posture for as steady a hold as it can have. raising the bow just a few inches above your shoulder will help facilitate getting those muscles into the draw, right from the start. just 6 or so inches high, certainly not as high as sky drawing. if a person needs more height than that, he's probably over bowed.


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## Bees (Jan 28, 2003)

ron w said:


> I try to tell people to get their rhomboids (back tension muscles) into the draw cycle right from the start of their draw. this sets the bow side shoulder down and back right away, giving your forearm the best posture for as steady a hold as it can have. raising the bow just a few inches above your shoulder will help facilitate getting those muscles into the draw, right from the start. just 6 or so inches high, certainly not as high as sky drawing. if a person needs more height than that, he's probably over bowed.


Reading J Dudley's articles helped me understand once I start to draw my bow with the rhomboids I never stop drawing the bow.
Just a continuation of rhomboid contraction, never stops, only increases until the shot explodes and the follow thru is over. 
One step blends into the other, smooth continuous action but not hurried. If at anytime this smooth continuous action is interrupted for any reason I have lost the tension I was building. I used to shoot the shot anyway, but now I'm learning I have to let down and start over because I can't get the tension back until I do.


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## Looney Bin (Feb 9, 2009)

subconsciously said:


> A simple simple "scooping" motion while bringing the bow up into the draw posisiton will set the shoulder and give newer shooters the idea of where the shoulder should be. I would see it hard to set the draw side lat with a high shoulder also.
> 
> 
> .02


Could you explain what you mean by scooping motion and if you can find a video of someone doing it correctly it would be very helpful.

Thanks


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## ron w (Jan 5, 2013)

Bees, that is just my advice that i learned about 40 years ago...I haven't seen J. Dudley's articles and have no idea what they are about, other than what is on this thread before I entered the above post.

what I don't understand, is that I post something and get called, "elitist", while a guy that writes an article about apparently the same thing, is praised and everybody wants to see the article. 
again,.... ignorance, simply the mass ignorance of this forums membership....., lead by a chosen few that don't have the capacity to add 2+2 and come up with 4. 
it's no wonder there are no real pros on here any more and all the shops that are worth there salt, think this forum is a joke. 
the sad thing is, I know all those guys lurk here once in a while, just to watch the and read the funny papers, but refuse to be bantered for giving advice that actually makes sense and is useful.


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## Bees (Jan 28, 2003)

ron w said:


> Bees, that is just my advice that i learned about 40 years ago...I haven't seen J. Dudley's articles and have no idea what they are about, other than what is on this thread before I entered the above post.
> 
> what I don't understand, is that I post something and get called, "elitist", while a guy that writes an article about apparently the same thing, is praised and everybody wants to see the article.
> again,.... ignorance, simply the mass ignorance of this forums membership....., lead by a chosen few that don't have the capacity to add 2+2 and come up with 4.
> ...


Ron maybe I didn't get that out of a Dudley article, maybe I got it from you and just got confused from what I read where.
All I know is I have been trying it and it seems to steady me up and lets me get on with the shot. 
there really isn't anything new in archery, Just a rehash of what has been talked about for years.


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## Looney Bin (Feb 9, 2009)

Ron,

did you start a thread on this topic already?


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## ron w (Jan 5, 2013)

I don't believe I "started" a thread about it at any time, but I know I've replied to questions containing the topic several times with the same content in my reply. 
it's true that there really isn't anything new in archery when it comes to form and it's mechanics, the basis of what I post about these topics, I learned 40 years ago, and it is all fully applicable without modification, to this day.


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