# finger pressure and placement



## WIHoyt (Nov 22, 2004)

ok Im shooting at 26 pounds right now and have noticed that with that light weight being all I can handle right now i have a hard time with consistant finger pressure causing my groups to go high and low and low and high. Shooting great groups but they always seem to shift around. How do you guys keep them equal or consistant i shoud say


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## Viper1 (Aug 21, 2003)

WI -

It really has to be a conscious effort to place your fingers in the same position EVERY time and MAINTAIN that position from the initiation of the draw until the string slips your fingers. After a while it does become second nature, but it's a learned skill. 

Viper1 out.


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## archeryal (Apr 16, 2005)

Set your finger pressure on the string with some pressure on them - a partial draw which will help set both the fingers on the string and hand on the bow grip. A couple inches is enough to set them in. Unless you do this, both your hand position on the bow and string pressure can change before you get to draw.


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## kakend (Oct 30, 2007)

And then reap the benefits of amazing release when you move up in weight... I have been shooting light training limbs and found exact same thing to be true, light limbs make it easy to fool around with finger pressure. Leads to really good groups with heavier bows.

Kasey


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## WIHoyt (Nov 22, 2004)

archeryal said:


> Set your finger pressure on the string with some pressure on them - a partial draw which will help set both the fingers on the string and hand on the bow grip. A couple inches is enough to set them in. Unless you do this, both your hand position on the bow and string pressure can change before you get to draw.


I do this already and has been part of my shot sequence for the better part of 15 years but with a release. Its just with the light limbs the tinyest bit if pressure changes it. So it will get better with more weight? Should my fingers never touch the nock? seems like when my middle finger just touches the nock it shoots great but if my top finger has even the slightest touch its anyones guess where the arrow will go.


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## jhinaz (Mar 1, 2003)

WIHoyt said:


> Should my fingers never touch the nock? seems like when my middle finger just touches the nock it shoots great but if my top finger has even the slightest touch its anyones guess where the arrow will go.


You'll get a difference of opinion on that question. Some say to touch the nock with only the index-finger, some say to touch the nock with only the middle-finger....I prefer to NOT touch the knock with either finger.

Another thing, some say to use 50/40/10% finger pressure on the string, and some say to use 20/50/30% finger pressure on the string. When first starting to shoot using your fingers I'd suggest using an equal pressure on each finger....then later you can start experimenting with different finger-pressures. If your present weight of 26# seems light to you then you can improve your release by going to a 2-finger release (index-finger and middle-finger only). - John


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## cc46 (Jan 22, 2005)

Interesting thread. 
I'm looking at my three drawing fingers right now and my lowest finger has a blood blister on it....unusual for me, I ususally have a dry callus there. So it's a strong indication that I pull more with the lower finger. That said, I have not shot very much in the last 2 months and I changed 6 year old leather on my tab for heavier leather from an old construction boot during this time. I'm re-thinking this now as the heavy leather caused less "feel" and a bit of anxiety in my mind that the string would slip. I did shoot 2 FITAs with the new tab leather and did have high blues and low blues. I remember thinking at the time the thick leather changed the feel of the anchor on my face but I tried to ignor those thoughts and self talked myself back to shooting a proper sequence. As the FITAs got to the short distances I also noticed a distinct pain on the top of my drawing elbow and I've never had this before. So now writing this and reading this thread I think a new tab is in order for me. The lesson though that might apply to you is that maybe the tab is playing into how you put the pressure on the string, and with a lighter limb bow perhaps thinner leather will help you feel the string right, experiment.
Good luck


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## Lindy (Nov 7, 2008)

Interesting topic. I strained the tendon of my ring finger shooting hand (lowest finger) in March 2011. I shot with two fingers for a short time and then went to a very light bow 28# and three fingers. All this forced me to rethink how I placed my fingers on the string. In addition I have been experimenting with different tabs e.g. Black Mamba, AAE KSL, Fivics Saker. I had been using the AAE Elite for years. Since most of the pressure WAS on the ring finger (lowest finger) I questioned this technique. If you read Kisek Lee's book he recommends that the majority of the weight begin with the index finger (top finger) but the full draw be 30% index finger, 50% middle finger and 20% ring finger (lowest finger). 

Today I have settled on using the AAE KSL tab (and the Black Mamba tab). I changed the finger pressure as Mr. Lee's recommends and changed my anchor. The result is that my hand and fingers feel better and I am shooting good groups although I am still working on getting the finger pressure consistent. Yes, if I apply more or less pressure on the top finger or bottom fingers I get high and low arrows. And finally went back to shooting 46# in July 2011.

Kisek Lee did say that his experience was that if most of the pressure was on the ring finger (lowest finger) injury was more likely to occur. 

Ditto Viper above on finger position.

Regards,


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## WIHoyt (Nov 22, 2004)

I am currently useing a cavalier/AAE with a finger spacer and shelf that is super broke in from when I shot fingers compound 15 years ago. I also have a fivics saker and it is awful the leather is so thick i cant feel anything and the string comes out of it terrible as it rolls around the stiff leather. I guess i just keep working on being consistant.


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## bowgal (Jun 12, 2003)

A wider spacer will help you from touching the nock. But you still can add too much index finger pressure once you reach anchor and it will cause high arrows. IMHO, 30/60/10 works for me. Set your finger pressure on the string with the correct pressure on them then be sure to keep it as you draw.


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## TheAncientOne (Feb 14, 2007)

One of the issues that you may have is shooting with a high elbow, that puts more pressure on you bottom finger. One of the ways to check without a mirror is to see if the center of your arrow bows down at full draw. 

Another way to minimize the problem is to use a deep enough grip to force the string against the metal edge of your finger tabs. It adds the added benefit of being consistantly repeatable.

TAO


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## lksseven (Mar 21, 2010)

I added a 4th layer to my K1 Perfect tab (top layer cordovan, 3 underlayers of soft unfinished leather) and it's helped me eliminate 1) top finger tendon soreness, and 2) 'hangers' upon release. The thick 'grip' encourages a finger 'concert' release instead of the occasional finger 'solo' release 

Another thing that seems to have helped me achieve a smoother release is to have a deeper curl with my second and third fingers, thus making it easier to apply equal pressure to all three fingers (and more consistent vertical grouping) and easier to have the string run through my finger joint creases in a perpendicular vertical line (and more consistent horizontal grouping)


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## WIHoyt (Nov 22, 2004)

thanks guys I will give these a try and see what happens for awhile. I have to shoot some compound scores this week so my time with the recurve will be limited for a few days.


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## Vittorio (Jul 17, 2003)

Fingers relative pressure can be tuned by changing the thickness of the tab under a specific finger. More thickness, more pressure (tension), less thickness, less pressure. 
So, by udjusting the thicknesses you can "tune" your hand position that the drives elbow position. Quite opposite of what people tend to imagine.
To experimet and reach what you want, just use adhesive tape layers under any specific finger, and see the results. When you find your desired release, just change the tape tto one more layer of leather under that/those fingers only. Leather canalso be made thinner in aspecific area, if needed, by using a sharp knife.


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## limbwalker (Sep 26, 2003)

Brilliant stuff there Vittorio, as usual. And exactly the kind of help folks come here for. I can't imagine another top coach so willing to give out their "secrets" as you are. Bravo.

John


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## lksseven (Mar 21, 2010)

I had a thought flit through my head (which describes most of them  ) last week about cutting off part of the tab under one of my fingers, but I dismissed it because I didn't want to ruin the layer for a 'what if'. It never occurred to me to experiment on a temporary basis by putting adhesive tape between layers to find the 'just right' combo. Thanks, Vittorio!!!!


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