# Old muscles



## conquestador (Mar 28, 2010)

OK you young fellers, here's the background. I'll be 70 this season and have been at it for well over 50 years and I shoot almost every day. In the nineties I got my first center-shot bow, a 70 lb. Conquest and maybe 15 years ago I got a set of 60 lb. limbs which I now have backed down 50 lbs. I can shoot it all day long. I also have a 70 lb. Switchback that is backed down to 60 lbs and a 60 lb, Switchback dropped down to 56 lbs.

The other day I drew the Switchback at 60 lbs and I knew that it wouldn't be with me in my stand this year. Using it last year, on those cold days I'd often have to draw it every 20 minutes or so just to make sure I could do it and it was often a struggle. If I shoot my other bows for a bit and then pick it up, it's not a problem to draw, but with no warm-up it's a disaster. Last year I'd shoot it for a bit and then crank it down to 65 lbs with hopes of gaining more strength, but with out some warm up it's futile.

Has anyone else hit the stage where they're forced to shoot a lighter bow for hunting because that warm up period doesn't exist?


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## merlinron (Mar 23, 2020)

i'm 65 and I only shoot about 53 lbs, for humting and 47lbs. for target, lately. just don't need all that draw weight to kill a deer. I came up through archery shooting 3d, when 200fps was blazing fast,... i'll take accurately comfortable over fast any day of the week.


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## carlosii (Feb 25, 2007)

Wait till you hit four score.


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## conquestador (Mar 28, 2010)

carlosii said:


> Wait till you hit four score.


Yeah, when I was young I figured 80 was a ripe old age and hoped to live that long. Now that I'm getting closer and life expectancy has increased, 85 or 90 is certainly doable. My mom is 95 and still in her house. I hope to die in my tree stand, not from falling out of it!


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## 1canvas (Mar 29, 2009)

At 64 I not only had to drop poundage but I also had to find an easy drawing cams. I went with a PSE Response with easy drawing Evolve cams. At 50lbs this bow light weight and is just what I needed.


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## steelerzzz (Nov 25, 2006)

conquestador said:


> OK you young fellers, here's the background. I'll be 70 this season and have been at it for well over 50 years and I shoot almost every day. In the nineties I got my first center-shot bow, a 70 lb. Conquest and maybe 15 years ago I got a set of 60 lb. limbs which I now have backed down 50 lbs. I can shoot it all day long. I also have a 70 lb. Switchback that is backed down to 60 lbs and a 60 lb, Switchback dropped down to 56 lbs.
> 
> The other day I drew the Switchback at 60 lbs and I knew that it wouldn't be with me in my stand this year. Using it last year, on those cold days I'd often have to draw it every 20 minutes or so just to make sure I could do it and it was often a struggle. If I shoot my other bows for a bit and then pick it up, it's not a problem to draw, but with no warm-up it's a disaster. Last year I'd shoot it for a bit and then crank it down to 65 lbs with hopes of gaining more strength, but with out some warm up it's futile.
> 
> Has anyone else hit the stage where they're forced to shoot a lighter bow for hunting because that warm up period doesn't exist?


I have the exact same problem at 64. After a couple shots with 60lbs I’m ok... the first couple are tough though. In a cold hunting situation .. really tough. I think I’m going to hunt with a 50lb now also!


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## bowproPat (Jul 11, 2002)

conquestador said:


> OK you young fellers, here's the background. I'll be 70 this season and have been at it for well over 50 years and I shoot almost every day. In the nineties I got my first center-shot bow, a 70 lb. Conquest and maybe 15 years ago I got a set of 60 lb. limbs which I now have backed down 50 lbs. I can shoot it all day long. I also have a 70 lb. Switchback that is backed down to 60 lbs and a 60 lb, Switchback dropped down to 56 lbs.
> 
> The other day I drew the Switchback at 60 lbs and I knew that it wouldn't be with me in my stand this year. Using it last year, on those cold days I'd often have to draw it every 20 minutes or so just to make sure I could do it and it was often a struggle. If I shoot my other bows for a bit and then pick it up, it's not a problem to draw, but with no warm-up it's a disaster. Last year I'd shoot it for a bit and then crank it down to 65 lbs with hopes of gaining more strength, but with out some warm up it's futile.
> 
> Has anyone else hit the stage where they're forced to shoot a lighter bow for hunting because that warm up period doesn't exist?


I'm 79 gooing to be 80 in October. I have had to drop down to below 50 for hunting and around 43 -45 for comfortable field and recreation shooting.


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## conquestador (Mar 28, 2010)

Thanks guys! Sounds like sooner or later we'll all be in the same boat and have to face the reality of what is. I know I'll be good at 56 lbs this season and hope I can maintain it for a few years.


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## kballer1 (Aug 31, 2010)

Shooting 58# target & 64# hunting & shoot usually 100+ shots daily. At 75 & over 60+ years shooting archery I feel OK with the poundage now, but I had to lay off shooting for 2 weeks because of a back problem & that layoff took some work to get back at it every day. I can see where those older muscles
need the exercise daily to stay in shape.


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## carlosii (Feb 25, 2007)

You can get lots of stuff from Lancaster, but new muscles ain't one of 'em.


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## carlosii (Feb 25, 2007)

I'm dealing with some back muscle problems now. I had been using light weights trying to build up my bow arm so I can be steadier at full draw. I also change my draw cycle in order to ease some pressure on the shoulder.
Just hoping to get through PT and get back to shooting.


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## poosu (Jan 3, 2020)

I'm 76 year old newbie shooting compound for about a year now. I am continually impressed by the weight some seniors pull. However I'm coming from the opposite direction. My primary sport is tennis and I definitely see a drop there in what I can do now vs years ago. I limit my play to avoid injury and hopefully prolong activity. Anyway I've worked up to 39# only shooting target. I'm tempted to go up a little but I'm having fun now. I do have long arms so I draw 29" which helps a little but avoiding injury is my #1 goal.


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## riverrigger (Sep 12, 2012)

conquestador said:


> OK you young fellers, here's the background. I'll be 70 this season and have been at it for well over 50 years and I shoot almost every day. In the nineties I got my first center-shot bow, a 70 lb. Conquest and maybe 15 years ago I got a set of 60 lb. limbs which I now have backed down 50 lbs. I can shoot it all day long. I also have a 70 lb. Switchback that is backed down to 60 lbs and a 60 lb, Switchback dropped down to 56 lbs.
> 
> The other day I drew the Switchback at 60 lbs and I knew that it wouldn't be with me in my stand this year. Using it last year, on those cold days I'd often have to draw it every 20 minutes or so just to make sure I could do it and it was often a struggle. If I shoot my other bows for a bit and then pick it up, it's not a problem to draw, but with no warm-up it's a disaster. Last year I'd shoot it for a bit and then crank it down to 65 lbs with hopes of gaining more strength, but with out some warm up it's futile.
> 
> Has anyone else hit the stage where they're forced to shoot a lighter bow for hunting because that warm up period doesn't exist?


I'm 71 and have my matthews turned down to 53 lbs now for7 or 8 years. I get a deer every year but its harder to pull back when Temps get in the low 30,s.


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## MIKEY CUSTOM-G (Oct 5, 2002)

I'm not 70,will be 62 in November if I make it. I personally think that as I age, I need to maintain muscles and movements more than when I was younger. Not sure why,but I can only say,I stiffen up if I don't draw the bow for a few days, and lift weights regularly. 

For my money ? I think the lifting of weights with a bonafide exercise program is the first key to old muscles. I changed how I lift in my silver years now. I push out to 20 reps per set and burn the muscle with enough weight that forces me to get to 20 reps. My low reps are 16. I do this because I want the blood to circulate thru the body and the muscle more freely. I believe it is our blood which delivers what we need as far as protection to our muscles. Therefore I try to keep my blood good too,starting with enough water,and proteins. I have actually gotten stronger in my drawing the last year or so since I started back. I'm not like I once was benching 300+ pounds, but my muscles have enough endurance to shoot 100 arrows @ 70 pounds and I am pulling thru shot 100 as much as I was on shot 1. It's a program you must take an hour out everyday to do. But for me, it's worth it. I don't wanna hunt with a xbow just yet.


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## 1canvas (Mar 29, 2009)

One thing about reduced weight for hunting, I get better penetrating heads. I keep two Singers in my quiver, they will slide through anything. With low poundages I limit my shot angles also.


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## Dale_B1 (Jan 31, 2004)

MIKEY CUSTOM-G said:


> I'm not 70,will be 62 in November if I make it. I personally think that as I age, I need to maintain muscles and movements more than when I was younger. Not sure why,but I can only say,I stiffen up if I don't draw the bow for a few days, and lift weights regularly.
> 
> For my money ? I think the lifting of weights with a bonafide exercise program is the first key to old muscles. I changed how I lift in my silver years now. I push out to 20 reps per set and burn the muscle with enough weight that forces me to get to 20 reps. My low reps are 16. I do this because I want the blood to circulate thru the body and the muscle more freely. I believe it is our blood which delivers what we need as far as protection to our muscles. Therefore I try to keep my blood good too,starting with enough water,and proteins. I have actually gotten stronger in my drawing the last year or so since I started back. I'm not like I once was benching 300+ pounds, but my muscles have enough endurance to shoot 100 arrows @ 70 pounds and I am pulling thru shot 100 as much as I was on shot 1. It's a program you must take an hour out everyday to do. But for me, it's worth it. I don't wanna hunt with a xbow just yet.


62 LMAO younster!


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## Drew123456 (Apr 27, 2020)

I've been reduced to using one of those exercise band things. Just play with it when I'm sitting around. I'm disgusted to admit it works


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## moyneur (Aug 9, 2020)

I must be the young guy at 59, I have a bow for fishing set at 29 lb. and a target bow set around 35 lb. and then I have my hunting bow set at 65 but have not pulled it out since I tore both rotator cuffs back in November of last year. I'v just recently been able to shoot my practice bow in the back yard, 25 yds range but still waiting for the ok form the dr to use my hunting bow. What is the lowest poundage to hunt pig and white tail effectively?


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## DougInMN (Aug 16, 2020)

At 67 I am down to 51 pounds hunting bow and 44 on the target bow.
Modern archery equipment is pretty amazing, that 51# hunting bow moves a 476gr arrow along at 244 fps.
It will let the air out of any whitetail, I do keep my shots on game at roughly 30 yards and in.
With lower weight tackle cut on contact heads help get the most out of the set up.


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## carlosii (Feb 25, 2007)

At 80, years not pounds, I'm down to 40 pounds on my target bow. Not hunting anymore due to a bunch of things. But I still enjoy shooting a bow. A recent muscle strain caused visits to the rehab and I worked up to shooting the kid's Diamond IE Infinite Edge Pro at 25 pounds. And then pulled something else in my back while checking max draw on a 60 bow. Not a good idea. I hope live long enough to get smarter.


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## kballer1 (Aug 31, 2010)

One thing about age, you would think we would learn faster from our previous mistakes! Only 5 years behind you but the brain still thinks that the body is only 25.


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## carlosii (Feb 25, 2007)




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## Inverted ski bum (Sep 17, 2020)

I'll be 72 in another month and shoot bows from 36 to 60#s. Recurve not compound. A bit of a newbee but am quite passionate about the sport. As far as the old muscles go, It takes a LOT longer to recover from over-use let alone injury. I try not to over do it. I can loose quite a few arrows when using the 36# bow but shoot fewer when going up in poundage.


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## ka3grm (Dec 13, 2015)

kballer1 said:


> One thing about age, you would think we would learn faster from our previous mistakes! Only 5 years behind you but the brain still thinks that the body is only 25.


Man - I'm 67 and thought I was doing fine shooting 150 arrows everyday out of a 50# PSE Supra Focus XL LD. Now after read this thread I'm starting to wonder if I have been having these same problems but by the time I get home after shooting I've forgotten what I did earlier and not sure why my joint ache.


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## kballer1 (Aug 31, 2010)

Well wait till you get to be 75 like I am & then see what your muscles have to say to you.


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## automan26 (Oct 21, 2002)

I'm 70. Currently I'm shooting 45#. I could easily do 50-53, but why push it? Maybe us old farts don't know what were doing; the young bucks on the general forum know for certain that no one should be in the stand with anything under 80#. That's ok, years from now they'll right here asking how to bounce back from shoulder issues. LOL

I had sore shoulders until I got my PSE with Evolve cams. They really have a smooth, sweet draw cycle that my old muscles really like.

Automan


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## Goldwing (Apr 30, 2005)

Mikey, I'm going to try the 20 rep per exercise. I've been do 10 reps; 2 sets. But I lift 3 times per week; not every day. On days I'm not lifting I try to just fast walk on a thread mill. I'm 78 shoot 50 lbs for target and hunting. I can still handle to weight but I start to shake a lot when I apply back tension.


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## Konk1 (Jan 12, 2021)

I find that doing pushups helps with being able to draw my bow easier. If you have a have an exercise ball you can put your feet on the ball and adjust your feet position on the ball to make the pushups easier.


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## Don Bassett (Jan 30, 2021)

conquestador said:


> OK you young fellers, here's the background. I'll be 70 this season and have been at it for well over 50 years and I shoot almost every day. In the nineties I got my first center-shot bow, a 70 lb. Conquest and maybe 15 years ago I got a set of 60 lb. limbs which I now have backed down 50 lbs. I can shoot it all day long. I also have a 70 lb. Switchback that is backed down to 60 lbs and a 60 lb, Switchback dropped down to 56 lbs.
> 
> The other day I drew the Switchback at 60 lbs and I knew that it wouldn't be with me in my stand this year. Using it last year, on those cold days I'd often have to draw it every 20 minutes or so just to make sure I could do it and it was often a struggle. If I shoot my other bows for a bit and then pick it up, it's not a problem to draw, but with no warm-up it's a disaster. Last year I'd shoot it for a bit and then crank it down to 65 lbs with hopes of gaining more strength, but with out some warm up it's futile.
> 
> Has anyone else hit the stage where they're forced to shoot a lighter bow for hunting because that warm up period doesn't exist?


Your 90"s make my 83 look bad, keep it up and have fun


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## Bill_in_TR (Aug 1, 2014)

Well 74 here, pushing 75. Don't have a clue about cams and such. I managed to stick with my 59# longbow for hunting until about 8 years ago. But various ailments and age forced me to come to grips with the fact that I needed to reduce my draw weight. I have another longbow at 44# that I shot mostly for 3D and fun shooting in the back yard. I changed over to that one for hunting as well. At the same time I sanded the heavier bow down and dropped the draw weight to 52#. 

I can shoot the lighter bow for right at 100 arrows when I am shooting regularly. At those times I can pick up the heavier bow and still shoot 40 or 50 before I start to get fatigued. But if I have any sort of layoff I have to stick with the lighter bow for awhile to build back some stamina.

I also have an Olympic recurve all set up with 26# limbs for those times when I have to stay really light weight. But the longbows are my first love. If I am forced to I will get a new longbow at an even lighter weight. I already have a couple of options in mind.


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## 1canvas (Mar 29, 2009)

merlinron said:


> i'm 65 and I only shoot about 53 lbs, for humting and 47lbs. for target, lately. just don't need all that draw weight to kill a deer. I came up through archery shooting 3d, when 200fps was blazing fast,... i'll take accurately comfortable over fast any day of the week.


I’m with you on those poundages, 52 to hunt 48 for practice. For my recurve 35 for target and 40 for hunting.


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## triple HHH (Aug 23, 2014)

Any one of you 78 year old with serious neck problems due to shooting.. I will have to quite trad and go to compound


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## triple HHH (Aug 23, 2014)

Bill_in_TR said:


> Well 74 here, pushing 75. Don't have a clue about cams and such. I managed to stick with my 59# longbow for hunting until about 8 years ago. But various ailments and age forced me to come to grips with the fact that I needed to reduce my draw weight. I have another longbow at 44# that I shot mostly for 3D and fun shooting in the back yard. I changed over to that one for hunting as well. At the same time I sanded the heavier bow down and dropped the draw weight to 52#.
> 
> I can shoot the lighter bow for right at 100 arrows when I am shooting regularly. At those times I can pick up the heavier bow and still shoot 40 or 50 before I start to get fatigued. But if I have any sort of layoff I have to stick with the lighter bow for awhile to build back some stamina.
> 
> I also have an Olympic recurve all set up with 26# limbs for those times when I have to stay really light weight. But the longbows are my first love. If I am forced to I will get a new longbow at an even lighter weight. I already have a couple of options in mind.


Well at 78 I was told by my spine DR. to go compound to save the degenerative disc disease. Glad you can still shoot.


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## triple HHH (Aug 23, 2014)

carlosii said:


> At 80, years not pounds, I'm down to 40 pounds on my target bow. Not hunting anymore due to a bunch of things. But I still enjoy shooting a bow. A recent muscle strain caused visits to the rehab and I worked up to shooting the kid's Diamond IE Infinite Edge Pro at 25 pounds. And then pulled something else in my back while checking max draw on a 60 bow. Not a good idea. I hope live long enough to get smarter.


Your the man>


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