# Barebow release follow through



## dchan (Jun 29, 2004)

As long as you can do the same thing every time. *Exactly* the same thing, it really does not matter. But I do believe there needs to be some follow through, Olympic style or barebow. I have seen some extremely good "dead hand" release shooters but it's pretty rare.

That being said, I am NOT an advocate of hand to the shoulder or back of the neck. It tends to drive an outcome instead of process. So even when a person has a sloppy release, and they try to get the hand to their shoulder, when it gets there they think "Ah, that was good" Seen it many times where a student was told "make sure your hand ends up.... " so they shoot and then back to see where there hand ended up..

I do promote a continuous draw through the release which keeps the archer from collapsing. I also promote the movement of the back of the upper arm moving back and around (see NTS LAN2) in both barebow and olympic style. When this is the process that is being used, I find the release gets better, the alignment gets better. Some of our less flexible archers actually start to have a consistent follow through where the less flexible students often had a hard time putting their hand on their neck or shoulder.


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## dchan (Jun 29, 2004)

and to directly answer your question about good barebow shooters with only a short follow through, see my comment about flexibility. I find that as long as the archer is pulling through the release there will be some follow through. If the shooter is already close or at their maximum extension there will be a very short follow through just because they can't go any further.


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## Sanford (Jan 26, 2009)

Higher anchors can limit flexibility as well.


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## dchan (Jun 29, 2004)

Sanford said:


> Higher anchors can limit flexibility as well.


Yes they can.
A lot can depend on muscle build of the archer as well. I knew some crew(rowing) members that came out to shoot. High poundage bows were not a problem but they could not stretch past 180 degrees (t stance). It wasn't that they were not "flexible", They Just had too many muscles bunched up in their backs.


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## Hank D Thoreau (Dec 9, 2008)

I have been working on applying a modified Olympic style form to barebow. I think the key with he release is that it has to be a natural reaction and not guided or forced. I find it much more difficult to continuously expand when you do not have a clicker. My back keeps wanting to relax. I frequently put a clicker on my barebow for practice to help ingrain the feel. I believe flexibilty also plays a role. Your body will act as a stop, especially those of us that have lost flexibility due to age and/or injury. I cannot get that far around, and I do not try to force it. The follow through I get is dependent on the energy I have stored in my back muscles at the time I release. The direction of my follow-through is dependent of the direction my muscles are pulling when the resisting weight is gone. I let it all happen naturally, therefore, I am able to see whether I am achieving my desired form by assessing my release and follow-through. I am still working on it, a lot of band work in front of mirrors, a lot of work with a very light bow.


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## steve morley (Dec 24, 2005)

Here is a video from IFAA World Indoors in March, Timo Leskinen from Finland (cap on backwards) shot 3 x WR's and the previous weeks shot 299 Finnish record on the 300 round, he just won Swedish open Field champs so it looks like he is in for a good year, nice solid style, simple but effective release. I'm wearing the Easton black shirt, various skill levels at this competition. The film is of the Flint round so looks very close range at first but 3min into the film we're at 30y, if your going to pick up Form/Release errors it will likely be at this distance, Timo is still solid as a rock (he out shot BB Compounds on all 3 days ) 

For me as I'm not using a clicker I'm more focused on the feel of balancing the front/back rather than going for a dynamic release you would get with a clicker, the follow through is fairly short but there is one, it's just a natural reaction to that balanced loading of the shoulders.


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## ryan b. (Sep 1, 2005)

Great vid, Steve. Thanks!


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## Markliep (May 6, 2012)

Apologies for off topic ... any idea what riser the left most woman is shooting - looks totally dead in the hand on release - thx - M


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## Maxbks (Jan 23, 2012)

Markliep said:


> Apologies for off topic ... any idea what riser the left most woman is shooting - looks totally dead in the hand on release - thx - M


If your talking about the gal in the tie dyed t shirt, Julie Robinson, probably her Spigarelli 2001 VBS.


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## granite14 (Nov 10, 2014)

steve morley said:


> Here is a video from IFAA World Indoors in March, Timo Leskinen from Finland (cap on backwards) shot 3 x WR's and the previous weeks shot 299 Finnish record on the 300 round, he just won Swedish open Field champs so it looks like he is in for a good year, nice solid style, simple but effective release. I'm wearing the Easton black shirt, various skill levels at this competition. The film is of the Flint round so looks very close range at first but 3min into the film we're at 30y, if your going to pick up Form/Release errors it will likely be at this distance, Timo is still solid as a rock (he out shot BB Compounds on all 3 days )
> 
> For me as I'm not using a clicker I'm more focused on the feel of balancing the front/back rather than going for a dynamic release you would get with a clicker, the follow through is fairly short but there is one, it's just a natural reaction to that balanced loading of the shoulders.


Is there a YouTube link for that? My phone doesn't play the embedded video.


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## granite14 (Nov 10, 2014)

granite14 said:


> Is there a YouTube link for that? My phone doesn't play the embedded video.


Found it when quoting..


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## Warbow (Apr 18, 2006)

granite14 said:


> Is there a YouTube link for that? My phone doesn't play the embedded video.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c50OGAW17vc


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## steve morley (Dec 24, 2005)

Markliep said:


> Apologies for off topic ... any idea what riser the left most woman is shooting - looks totally dead in the hand on release - thx - M


SF Forged+ riser, one my school/club members. I helped her set it up, I was pretty impressed on how nice it felt/shot.


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## Mr. Roboto (Jul 13, 2012)

Is Timo shooting a Greenhorn riser? Is that riser available any more?

On my release, when I am not thinking about it, the hand only goes behind the ear. I actually have to think about the release for the hand to go even further. Everyone keeps telling me that it is a sign of not using the back enough. But watching Timo and Dewayne Martin shoot, why is there this push to have all this body movement after loosing the arrow?


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## Demmer (Dec 1, 2012)

Pete, most of the people that have a dead release are very inconsistent on their pressure. 9 times out of 10 I can watch those guys release and have their hands not move, move away from their face, drop down, and/or creep forward a little all within the last 10 arrows shot. Some can shoot dead, but those guys that shoot it very well are very consistent in their release. it is way easier to use your back and have a follow through to be consistent.

Timo is shooting a greenhorn Sirius that is no longer available.


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## Markliep (May 6, 2012)

Thx Steve ... looks like the forged+ works great for her - never could get it to work as well as a Winex for me .... to each their own I guess - M


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## Mr. Roboto (Jul 13, 2012)

Demmer said:


> Pete, most of the people that have a dead release are very inconsistent on their pressure. 9 times out of 10 I can watch those guys release and have their hands not move, move away from their face, drop down, and/or creep forward a little all within the last 10 arrows shot. Some can shoot dead, but those guys that shoot it very well are very consistent in their release. it is way easier to use your back and have a follow through to be consistent.
> 
> Timo is shooting a greenhorn Sirius that is no longer available.


Thanks John, 

Bummer on the riser. The wife likes the look of it. She has T-Rex arms and a 25" draw, we are trying to find a replacement for her 25" Aerotec for a 23" or maybe a 21" riser for her. But she really likes the look of her Aerotec.

So with me, if my anchor finger goes from the lip to behind the ear, about 5", is that in the static release range, or is it just entering in the dynamic range. I am still learning and finding my way. I do know if I keep the hand still, I do tend to creep, and my verticals are all over the place.


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## lksseven (Mar 21, 2010)

dchan said:


> Yes they can.
> A lot can depend on muscle build of the archer as well. I knew some crew(rowing) members that came out to shoot. High poundage bows were not a problem but they could not stretch past 180 degrees (t stance). It wasn't that they were not "flexible", They Just had too many muscles bunched up in their backs.


So, for people like that, with heavily muscled backs that cannot over rotate from a squared up/barrel of the gun form posture, I think a solution, in order still be able to get their pulling/release motion inline, is to move their rotation epicenter from their spine to their front shoulder. If the archer in question is that powerful, then an open stance and stabilizing his front shoulder 'out' a little bit (instead of 'barrel of the gun') won't be a problem, and this will allow him to rotate his torso/drawing shoulder/elbow around into alignment as it breaks the clicker. You can gain this great sense of push/pull balance from such a drawing position, if your body type requires it.


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## wfocharlie (Feb 16, 2013)

Demmer said:


> Pete, most of the people that have a dead release are very inconsistent on their pressure. 9 times out of 10 I can watch those guys release and have their hands not move, move away from their face, drop down, and/or creep forward a little all within the last 10 arrows shot. Some can shoot dead, but those guys that shoot it very well are very consistent in their release. it is way easier to use your back and have a follow through to be consistent.


Thanks Demmer. This is the kind of thing I was looking for.

Dchan. Thanks as well. helpful input as usual.


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## wfocharlie (Feb 16, 2013)

The video clip is a great example of why I made the post. A lot of different stuff going on there.


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## granite14 (Nov 10, 2014)

Hank D Thoreau said:


> The follow through I get is dependent on the energy I have stored in my back muscles at the time I release. The direction of my follow-through is dependent of the direction my muscles are pulling when the resisting weight is gone. I let it all happen naturally


Great description. If I don't energize my back enough, my follow through doesn't happen.


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## limbwalker (Sep 26, 2003)

steve morley said:


> SF Forged+ riser, one my school/club members. I helped her set it up, I was pretty impressed on how nice it felt/shot.


These things make surprisingly good barebow risers. I have a couple archers in my club who shoot barebow, and have passed a SF F+ between them. Even with a much more expensive option available, they still chose the SF F+


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