# Back tension how does it work?



## BowHunter6666 (Dec 28, 2005)

I was told that when you shoot fingers they should be relaxed on the string for a cleaner release and back tension is a must. First off is back tension really a must? I talked a finger shooting and he said its really unimportant because you cant use it like a release shooter with a back tension release. Could someone explain it?


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## gregs (Dec 28, 2004)

*It's huge*

Think of your fingers like a hook. You make a hook, slip it around the string, and then everything else is done with your back. If a person is drawing with their arms, not their back, they will put tension on the string fingers that will create an inconsistent release.

It's much easier to notice on a recurve, where you are holding max weight at full draw.

GregS


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## jerrytee (Feb 5, 2005)

Back tension is very important for a number of reasons
1. It makes sure that you have a consistant draw lenght.

2. You can preload the fingers against the back wall. With a relatively low holding weight there is less to move the fingers out of the way on loose. So you pull back and keep the back pressure on throughout the loose. This puts more weight on the fingers so they are pushed out of the way by the string more.

3. It stops you collapsing.

I would be supprised if your finger shooter is shooting a hard cam bow off the back wall.


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## BowHunter6666 (Dec 28, 2005)

So I should have relaxed fingers and try and draw and release with my back?


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## jerrytee (Feb 5, 2005)

A kind of seesaw action between increased tension by trying to move the draw elbow back and opening the fingers until the string goes.


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## BowHunter6666 (Dec 28, 2005)

jerrytee said:


> A kind of seesaw action between increased tension by trying to move the draw elbow back and opening the fingers until the string goes.


so kind of pullin through the shot?


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## Jorge Oliveira (Aug 13, 2004)

I'm trying the 'tear the bow apart' technique. Still very inconsitent at it.
Vic Wunderly (Olympic recurver) is known to use it.

When I do it right, it really works.

It's based not so much on pulling with the bow arm (using the back muscles, of course), but in a slight twisting the torso motion, as if one just wants to open the arms, if this make sense.
The twisting motion is due that to keep the pin on the gold and spread the arm the only possible way is to turn the torso.


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## Robert58 (Oct 5, 2002)

BowHunter6666 said:


> So I should have relaxed fingers and try and draw and release with my back?


Let me see if I can put it in words.

Pull your bow back with your arm until you get it back to where your forarm is back parralel with your arrow and you come to anchor. Then transfer your pulling power to your shoulder mussels and upper back. Do a little exercize by holding at full draw and pulling back against the wall by pulling your shoulder blades together and them trelaxing them a little and then pulling back against the wall with your shoulder blades again. You should begin to feel what back tension is. Then pull back against the wall by pulling your shoulder blades together and hold on the x and just let your fingers relax. And your hand should come straight back and brush your shoulder.

Robert


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## BugZ (Feb 28, 2004)

I do it the same way as Robert58. I learned my release by blank bale shooting with my eyes closed. I concentrated on pulling the shoulder blades together and allowing my fingers to slip off the string. This will really give you an idea of what you are looking for. BTW use a large but and stand close. Until it becomes an unconscious motion you have to tell yourself how to do it. It takes time but I would say 50 to 75 arrows a day for a week will get you going good.


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## BowHunter6666 (Dec 28, 2005)

I was always told to shoot like this with my recurve and my groups were horrible ive always shot well by shooting with tense fingers and no back tension. 

I have a few problems too I shooting with a deep hook at the end of the padding on my finger glove and I anchor by the side of my eye I really dont use an anchor because ive found I can shoot from anywhere. I have been shooting with loose fingers tho and ive been shooting great people told me that back tension isnt for everyone so thats why ive stuck with a dead release.


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## BugZ (Feb 28, 2004)

If a dead release is getting you where you want with shooting then don't worry about it. I like the backtension because my follow through is more consistant and my overall shooting is better. For me a dead release allows me to pluck.


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## ia bhtr (May 22, 2002)

BugZ said:


> If a dead release is getting you where you want with shooting then don't worry about it. I like the backtension because my follow through is more consistant and my overall shooting is better. For me a dead release allows me to pluck.


Yep


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## Manhunter50 (Oct 23, 2006)

*Tough to explain...*

As you've probably discovered from some of the above posts, explaining back tension in archery is a little tough to explain; it's like the guy who said, "I can't describe pornography, but I know it when I see it."

My first coach, Chuck Wertz, a staff shooter for Bear and teammate of Vic Berger, explained back tension as trying to hold a quarter between your shoulder blades. He actually did that (made them hold a quarter between their shoulder blades at full draw) with some of his students. He further explained that back tension is critical to maintaining a consistent anchor point, as noted above, and just as critical to followthrough, which is probably more important to a finger shooter than a release shooter - at least it is in my case.

When I come to full draw, come to my anchor point, feel my shoulder blades "lock" together, and maintain that tension, I get off a good shot with a relaxed, straight-back followthrough. When I don't, I know it immediately.


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## AKRuss (Jan 10, 2003)

It's already been said a number of times but here's my take; I draw the string and hold the bow with arm and and shoulder muscles. Once back to draw, I transfer this dynamic arm/shoulder muscle tension to a static tension from my back muscles through my string arm and loosely held bow hand. Your fingers should be relaxed nearly mechanical hooks on the string. This allows you to relax your arm/shoulder muscles that you drew the bow initially and allows 1) a relaxed and stable platform for aligning the sights 2) a smooth release with your string hand springing back at release along your cheek to your shoulder and 3) a smooth follow through that doesn't push or torque the bow. If I can see the target during and after the shot and there has been no jerking or pushing, it's usually a good one and I expect a perfect centering of the target or animal.


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## BowHunter6666 (Dec 28, 2005)

I gave this a try is it typical to not be accurate you first couple shots because its new? That is what happend to me but I could deffenlty feel a diffrence should I keep trying it?


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## AKRuss (Jan 10, 2003)

Anytime you change your form you can expect a different point of impact. The trick is to find as repeatable a form as possible. It generally takes several days or even weeks to burn in muscle memory. You may want to go through a series of steps you can repeat from memory. Try looking at the NASP (National Archery in the Schools) steps that starts at stance and ends with reflection of how the shot went.


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## merlinron (Mar 23, 2020)

the muscles you use to "pull your shoulders back", as when standing at attention, in the service, are called your "Rhomboid" muscles. they are the biggest muscles that are in someway attached to your arms through your shoulder blades. those muscles are the muscles that you use to create "back tension". when your draw arm,is folded at the elbow when you ate at full draw, contracting your Rhomboid muscle will impart a swinging movement to your upper arm the swing will be back and the elbow moves towards the center of your back. accomplishing this movement, is what "using back tension to fire a release' is. further, you should involve your Rhomboid in the process of drawing your bow and holding it at full draw, because the Rhomboid is the largest muscle involved with moving you upper arm in a bow drawing action if you stand and pull your shoulders back hard, you feel the tension of your Rhomboids contracting. that is the feeling your should have as you draw and come to anchor against the stops.. now you have to have some movement left for your upper arm to swing, so you must establish a draw length that leaves some room for the Rhomboids muscles to swing your draw arm to rotate the release enough to fire it.. when you further contract your draw side Rhomboid. if your hand and the rest of your arm is relaxed, that swinging movement of your upper arm from the contraction of your Rhomboid, will impart just enough movement in your hand as an extension of your forearm, to rotate the release, and it can be any release, not just a hinge, enough to fire it. the most common problem people have with this process is that they don't allow thier draw arm to relax and follow the swing of thier upper arm. when this happens your release hand stays rigid and stationary and the release will not be rotated to fire. you need to learn to relax your whole arm, but keep enough tension in the muscles of your fingers to hold onto the release. this is usually accomplished by relaxing your forearm enough to allow the back of your hand to flatten out under the tension of the holding weigh of your bow while maintaining that "J hook" shape in your fingers to hold onto the release.
although this post is in reference to using a release, the same physical aspects apply to a fingers shooter.


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## Giannis_A (Feb 15, 2021)

is this simple enough?


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## Donniewholikesbowling (Oct 5, 2020)

With a recurve or longbow? As soon as I hit my point I release, so its not something I ever did, talked about or noticed.
On a compound with a release i had to learn to draw, hold and release completely differently. 
Just my opinion but they are two wildly different animals and at hunting weights at least I don't think you can apply the same form. I'm pretty accurate with both but by no means a professional archer so take it with a grain of salt.


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