# Looking For Help...Video



## SheWantsMyShaft (Oct 18, 2011)

I took a video of myself shooting in the indoor range not to far from my college. Just looking for some quick tips of things I can work on. I think my biggest thing right now is bow torque. I know i have to place my hand consistently in the same area and I try but i still seem to torque the bow. Any things do you see right of the bat that I'm doing wrong? Thanks...appreciate it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmTc_LelChs


Oh and my bow isn't as loud as the video portrays it hahahaha. Its quiet but everything is amplified to the extreme in this video.


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## da white shoe (Mar 10, 2009)

The torque you're getting is coming from a combination of things.

From what I can see in the video, your grip may be placed into the meat of your thumbbase a little too much... you should feel all the pressure of the handle at one point on your palm. Pretend that there is a steel rod running parallel and exactly between the two bones inside your forearm. Where that rod would exit your palm is where this point is. To stay away from the meaty parts of the palm you have to rotate the bottom of your bow-hand away from the bow a few degrees... instead of having the back of your bow-hand perfectly vertical. It looks like you may be rotating your hand somewhat already though.

Another thing I see that is a big no-no... after you draw the bow you are moving your bow hand. Shift your bow-hand... even a little, after you have started the draw and you have already torqued the bow. Find the right position for your bow-hand BEFORE you draw by pulling on the string a little to feel the right spot and then do not move your hand again once you start to draw. 

Muscle tension is present in both your hands... more torque. You're holding the fingers out stiff on the bow-hand and squeezing your fingers with the release hand. Your fingers should be completely relaxed on both your hands. In fact, the more muscles you can relax... hands, arms, shoulders, even torso, the steadier your sight picture will be.

You are leaning in with your head to find the peep. Watch the video... at the point where you come to full draw your head is upright and straight... that's the position you should be in when looking through the peep. Maybe someone else will chime in here, but it looks to me like you need to shorten the draw length a little and move the peep up the string a bit. The perfect fitting bow goes a long way toward solving torque problems.

Good luck, Zane.


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## 6bloodychunks (Oct 26, 2005)

you NEEEEEED to anchor your release hand!!!!

your hand is floating out in space. 

i think if you would anchor correctly the peep might be ok and you wouldnt have to lean in to see through your peep.

the big knuckle of your index finger should be anchored into the depression at the bottom of your earlobe.

and as was already said, you are stretching your bow hand fingers out at full draw,thats no good because it causes unwanted torque,

and you are moving your bow hand after you draw,you need to relax your hand "before" you draw and not move it after.

thats alot of movement in your bow hand that a deer would surely pick up on


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## 6bloodychunks (Oct 26, 2005)

here, i drew a few dots on a few stills i got from your video.

the first one is before you got ready to shoot, your head was upright,but your release hand wasnt anchored,

the green dot on your knuckle should be where the green dot under your ear is.

second pic is just before you shot,youre leaning in to see through your peep,and your hand isnt anchored,again the green dots represent where your knuckle should be.


when you start anchoring correctly you will prob have to move your peep,

you should draw and anchor with your eyes closed ,

and then when you open your eyes if you cant see through your peep without making any adjustments to your head the peep needs moved.


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## SheWantsMyShaft (Oct 18, 2011)

Thanks for the tips! See stuff like that I would have never picked up on. It's a 28 inch draw length and I was leaning towards it being to short but I think it feels fine. But I will definitely work on a solid anchor point like you said and try relaxing the muscles.


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## SheWantsMyShaft (Oct 18, 2011)

I have a quick question...Is it correct to bring my head into the string like I'm doing? I was told its better to have a tad shorter draw length than a longer one. I had a 29 inch on this bow when I first bought it and I went down to a 28 and feel ten times better with it. I just feels like if I want to get the anchoring point under my ear like shown my draw length wont accommodate that or maybe I have to adjust my release? To be honest and I know its bad form to not have that anchored release arm but the only thing I am struggling with is consistent gripping of the bow. I can shoot great one day and have the arrows hitting each other consistently but the next im shooting 2 inches left and I know it must be my hand placement. I watched the video on bowtube on hand placement and that helped but I just can't seem to stay consistent with my bow hand. Maybe I'm over thinking the whole thing. Im planning on swapping out the grip over the winter...but I still need a proper consistent grip.


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## subconsciously (Aug 22, 2009)

Draw length is one of those things that's hard to type about. On today's short short axle to axle bows, in order to get your nose on the string your either going to have to have a draw to long or dip your head. Here's a great article on draw length with pics. Enjoy

http://nockontv.com/index.php?optio...=58:anchorage&id=1:article&Itemid=56&start=10


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## mike 66 (Jan 21, 2010)

you got a lot of work ahead of you , you have so many flaws i highly suggest you get a coach for a day.your anchor, your release, your sling your arm, head, bow arm, release aid, your peep. your form is horrible you need help bad. get some pro help, not from a friend or neighbor who is a archery pro..


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## aread (Dec 25, 2009)

What do you want to do with your archery? 

Hunting only, competition only, both, occasional recreational shooting?


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## SheWantsMyShaft (Oct 18, 2011)

I basically hunt and have taken two deer with my bow so far. I never really thought my form was that terrible but I guess it is. I would just like to have good groups out to 50 yds i guess with in 6 inch range. I do it out to 40 yds now with no problem but don't shoot 50 yet. I'm going to have the bow re strung over the winter. Ill see what the pro shop says about my bow and maybe if it needs some tweaking he can help me out with that. I use a kisser button if thats relevant at all to this. Maybe its not in the correct place on the string.


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## TheAncientOne (Feb 14, 2007)

mike 66 said:


> you got a lot of work ahead of you , you have so many flaws i highly suggest you get a coach for a day.your anchor, your release, your sling your arm, head, bow arm, release aid, your peep. your form is horrible you need help bad. get some pro help, not from a friend or neighbor who is a archery pro..


A little harsh don't you think?

TAO


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## aread (Dec 25, 2009)

In archery accuracy comes from consistency. You don't have to have classic form to be consistent. However, over the many thousands of years that humans have been shooting arrows from bows, we know what consistently works best for most people. 

Almost everything about your form is not what most consider good form. Does this mean you are a bad archer? Absolutely not! First arrow in a 6" circle at 50 yards is pretty good. The problem occurs when we are under pressure. Good form holds up better under pressure. 

Good form doesn't necessarily mean the form that you see from Olympic archers. It is generally bone to bone form with as little reliance as possible on muscle. It is good balance so you have a steady platform from which to aim. It is as little interferance as possible with operation of the bow. And, as Mike66 pointed out, it's quite a few other things that are best learned from one-on- one sessions with a good coach.

If you are satisfied with the results you are getting now, continue doing what you've done in the past. But if you want to get better, a coach is the way to go.

For a good idea of good form, check out the archeryTV channel on youtube. They have videos of hundreds of great archers shooting under the pressure of world championship shoot-offs. There are a lot of recurve archers, but with a little digging, you can find the compound videos. They will give you an idea of what good form looks like. Most of them are a little different, but all are consistent and are more alike than different.

Good luck,
Allen


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## oldpro888 (Dec 31, 2010)

Don't be discouraged, form has flaws but you are not on the afternoon line in Vegas. Quick fix, kissers are for long recurves. On short compounds the strong angle is to severe cocking your head to get to it. The peep and a good anchor on your face as pointed out on the pics will make you much better


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## SheWantsMyShaft (Oct 18, 2011)

Thanks for the pointers. After doing what you guys mentioned about drawing with my eyes closed and getting the correct anchor position i now realize my peep is too high. I open my eyes and its just not there. So I figure I have one more day of archery before gun season on saturday and I shoot pretty well as it is that once I get my bow re strung after the season Ill have the shop adjust the peep so I can attain that correct anchor point.


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## 6bloodychunks (Oct 26, 2005)

i wouldnt mess with anything until your archery season is over.

but the biggest words of advice i can give would be to learn to make your own adjustments

the peep for instance, since you have a peep with the rubber tubing you can slide it down yourself to at least where it needs to be.

its not hard to do,but then you will have to move your sight to make up for the movement of the peep.



SheWantsMyShaft said:


> Thanks for the pointers. After doing what you guys mentioned about drawing with my eyes closed and getting the correct anchor position i now realize my peep is too high. I open my eyes and its just not there. So I figure I have one more day of archery before gun season on saturday and I shoot pretty well as it is that once I get my bow re strung after the season Ill have the shop adjust the peep so I can attain that correct anchor point.


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## mike 66 (Jan 21, 2010)

TheAncientOne said:


> A little harsh don't you think? sorry if you think this was harsh... but people pay me to find the weakness in the way they shoot. and i find these flaws, and address them. i dont blow smoke....or try to make friends, i do my job.honesty is my policy, ancient one....practice does not make perfect in the world of archery.you can practice forever with bad form, and never get any better.you must practice with perfect form, like allen says consistent form to get better....like most shooters i see 80% were helped by a neighbor, friend etc. that has no clue....but is trying to help.these people cause more problems ...the shooter gets upset ,never gets any better, or gets tp. and gives up the sport.when i see a shooter like this guy,and hes wanting to improve , i try to save him a lot of headaches and tell him to get a good coach...now and save him time , money, effort and put him on the right path to the 10 ring.... . mike 66
> 
> TAO


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## Zhunter1 (Oct 10, 2007)

I am certainly no expert, but to me your DL looks way too long. The string is back beyond your nose and your release hand is nearly behind your head. Don't get hung up on draw length, get what fits you, today's bow are plenty fast. I personally shoot about a 1/2 to 3/4' shorter DL because I am more accurate with it that way

Good luck


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