# Form Check please?



## Draugr Rekkr (Aug 29, 2017)

Yup I'm asking about my form. I'm being one of those guys.... I'm trying to use my strap release to it's best but something feels a little off but I'm quite new to archery so I'm having trouble figuring out what it is but any advice would be greatly appreciated.


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## aread (Dec 25, 2009)

First impressions:
- for a target bow, the draw weight should be a little lower. You obviously have the strength to draw the bow, but for the volume of arrows target archery requires, a lower DW is preferred. Many archers shoot very low DW. Reo Wilde used to shoot 36# for indoor.
- are you relaxing your back muscles as you anchor? Once you lose back tension, it's very difficult to re-acquire it and remain steady.
- you are moving your head to the string when anchoring. You should keep your head still and move the string to your face. Draw to a point about 1-2 inches away from your face, then move your hand to your anchor.
- is your bow shoulder as low as you can get it? It seems a little high, but I may be seeing it wrong.
- generally you have pretty good form. You need to work on refining your execution 

You seem to have had some coaching. Are these comments in line with what your coach is telling you?

Allen


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## nuts&bolts (Mar 25, 2005)




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## Draugr Rekkr (Aug 29, 2017)

aread said:


> First impressions:
> - for a target bow, the draw weight should be a little lower. You obviously have the strength to draw the bow, but for the volume of arrows target archery requires, a lower DW is preferred. Many archers shoot very low DW. Reo Wilde used to shoot 36# for indoor.
> - are you relaxing your back muscles as you anchor? Once you lose back tension, it's very difficult to re-acquire it and remain steady.
> - you are moving your head to the string when anchoring. You should keep your head still and move the string to your face. Draw to a point about 1-2 inches away from your face, then move your hand to your anchor.
> ...


Hey thank you for taking the time to look at my form and giving me some tips and pointers it really means a lot to me and I'll be taking all of what you said to mind next I shoot.

I've had 3 lessons at a archery shop to just go through basic form for shooting and so forth the rest I've taught myself. I don't have enough money for a coach so I've just been trying to find as much free information I can online. I forget a lot of the time that archery is a rich man's sport haha but I have been fortunate enough to be given some secondhand equipment here and there to help me along the way the rest is just me saving what I can when I can.

From here down I'll try and go through your questions and comments one by one. I might ramble a bit so just skim through if you want to.
At this point I'm still waiting to get my target bow (The one I'm using is a loner from the archery shop I go to) because it's being shipped from the USA to me here in New Zealand. I decided to go with a heavier weight so when I receive my bow I will have an adequately strong enough structure overall (I hopefully will find getting used to the new bow and correcting form flaws will be much easier with the muscles overdeveloped rather than under developed). Would you say that's a fair assumption since the bow I'm using is temporary?

I will pay attention to how my back feels next practice. I might be relaxing once there's let off so I'll try and mitigate that as much as I can.

I did not notice that! It's not something I thought I did because I know it's a big reason for bad shots.. I'll see how I can fix that right away!

I just went over the video again and by the looks of it I do raise my shoulders sometimes. I'll pay more attention to that from now on.

Thank you for the compliment on my form. It means a lot to me that someone is willing to take the time to offer some help.

I am hoping to join an archery club at some point by the way I just have to wait till I can justify the cost.

Kind regards,
Justin


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## aread (Dec 25, 2009)

One place that you can get some excellent free information is from George Ryals. His user name on AT is GRIV. George has done some excellent videos for Last Chance Archery. I think that there are 18 to 20 of them by now. This one is directly applicable to the back tension softening problem:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gexDLptcios

He did another one on the same topic for Bow Junky:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1t0wTr6nZ-A&t=30s

George also has some great articles and posts here on AT. He was involved in the beginning of AT. I think that he is member #3. 

Good luck,
Allen


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## Draugr Rekkr (Aug 29, 2017)

aread said:


> One place that you can get some excellent free information is from George Ryals. His user name on AT is GRIV. George has done some excellent videos for Last Chance Archery. I think that there are 18 to 20 of them by now. This one is directly applicable to the back tension softening problem:
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gexDLptcios
> 
> He did another one on the same topic for Bow Junky:
> ...


I'm slowly correcting it now and this is what I have so far.






I'm finding the string keeps slapping my arm but I think I can correct that with a bit more focus on my posture.


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