# Executing the Shot Using BOTH Halves?



## ILOVE3D (Feb 4, 2009)

For me I seem to do it best when I am not really trying to do it, that is when I try to make sure I push hard into the bow or when I try to pull the bow apart it seems like I get too much push and not even on the pull. When shooting like today, just trying to let the pin float and concentrating on the spot I am trying to hit I seem to get what I think is a good even push/pull effort. The bow just seems to go forward a little and not off to either left or right. Perhaps if someone was watching they might tell me otherwise but I was noticing the bow just went straight forward a bit. I did shoot real good and consistant today though and things just felt good. Unfortunately I have not been able to do that EVERY day I shoot but the good days are slowly outnumbering the bad ones as time goes on. I also felt the same and shot very similar scores using both the hinge and my old standby Carter Target 4. Both releases my release hand thumb ended back touching the top of my right shoulder.


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## ron w (Jan 5, 2013)

I try to push directly at the target with my bow shoulder, not my bow hand or arm.


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## Iowa shooter (Feb 23, 2013)

An intriguing part of this question is that different people will say they push with different parts such as the tricep, shoulder, lat, or rhomboids.


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## vito9999 (Jun 30, 2009)

Funny I have been going thru this very issue as I progress in this fine art. What to pull, squeeze, relax etc and doing it all without thinking about it. I read everything and practice it. Padgett's info very helpful as well as Ron's along with all the others. Went back and read Bernie's instructions just the other day and between it all I went to another level this week. Specifically, when at anchor being relaxed in the arms and fingers allowing the elbow to be rotated ever so little by the top of the rhombroid muscle and having a very clean crisp shot. It was amazing when it happened subconsiously as it did. This all happened at a 3d shoot on Sunday for me and I just smoked the final targets with 4 consecitve 12's and pulled out a 3rd place missing 2nd by 2 points. This was also the first time I used my hinge in a 3d event. For those who have seen me shoot, they know how crazy me hitting 4 conseciitve 12s was. None were gimmes either.


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## ron w (Jan 5, 2013)

you can't "push" with your rhomboids,...they are contraction muscles. they pull your forearm back, not extend it.


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## SonnyThomas (Sep 10, 2006)

ron w said:


> you can't "push" with your rhomboids,...they are contraction muscles. they pull your forearm back, not extend it.


Correct. Most coaches say "bow arm strong." Most say like a 2X4. It's out there and the back half takes care of the rest....It's that gray matter in between that messes things up


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## ron w (Jan 5, 2013)

the status quoi, is to changed from "push/pull" to "no push, all pull", when bows started having solid draw stops, because pushing showed a tendency to move the sight picture. that's when we started seeing the straight "like a 2x4" bow arms. push can still be accomplished, but it has to come from other than the arm or hand. it is more just an extension of the bow shoulder, directly towards the target, keeping the bow shoulder/arm/hand relationship intact.
try this, ....face a wall at arms length and take your normal shooting stance (consider the wall, your bow's grip), keeping your shoulder back and down, with your rhomboid, arm extended as if holding your bow at full draw, put your hand flat against a wall, leaning into the wall just a bit and try to push your body away from the wall by only extending your shoulder directly towards the wall. that is the feeling you should get when you "push the front half ".


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## straight2it (Nov 30, 2010)

Exactly. Bow arm straight with no movement. The back end is tricky for me to be consistent with. I am in between command and back tension. It takes conscious effort to roll my shoulder back till the release. When i dont think about it, it usually results in a shot that is natural and on target as long as bow arm holds on target.


SonnyThomas said:


> Correct. Most coaches say "bow arm strong." Most say like a 2X4. It's out there and the back half takes care of the rest....It's that gray matter in between that messes things up


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## SonnyThomas (Sep 10, 2006)

Don't say "straight." Strong like a 2X4. You can "chicken wing" your bow arm and still be "strong."


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## straight2it (Nov 30, 2010)

SonnyThomas said:


> Don't say "straight." Strong like a 2X4. You can "chicken wing" your bow arm and still be "strong."


Yeah sure how ever as long as there is no movement. Jesse isnt straight but gets the job done. A 2x4 is generally straight though haha. For me when my rear shoulder is lined up with my bow arm, i get a good result.


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## ILOVE3D (Feb 4, 2009)

SonnyThomas said:


> Don't say "straight." Strong like a 2X4. You can "chicken wing" your bow arm and still be "strong."


Thank you Sonny, I shoot with a very slight bend in my bow arm and while reading some of the replies I was thinking, "oh no, now that I've become comfortable and shooting fairly good I have to change it up to a 2x4". I'm going to stay with what works for me because when I try the straight arm I find myself trying to push and my arm is already extended and that extra try gives me fits. For me, the slight bend or "chicken wing" whatever you want to call it gives me a valley if you will or someplace I can find consistency in how much I push. If and when I give it too much my bow goes forward and left at the shot, when I do it correct (for my style) the bow just goes slightly forward but straight and not off either left or right.


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## Reverend (Nov 2, 2004)

Doesn't a slightly bent bow arm enable the front half to work better?


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## ron w (Jan 5, 2013)

doesn't make much difference, except with that slight bend, you have a potental to push by straightening out your arm, moving the sight picture and that is exactly why the straight arm started to become popular when bows obtained good stops.
my posts here aren't to try and instruct what to do, do whatever you want to, the info I post is just that,.... information.... that's all.


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## ILOVE3D (Feb 4, 2009)

Funny thing is that for some unknown reason my bow arm does not straighten out 100% anymore without exaggerating the push to do so even without a bow. I do not know the reason, perhaps artheritis or whatever, I do know however that with the slight bend extended to almost where I am not forcing it straight is where I shoot best. Maybe it's like a 2x4 from Home Depot, not going to be 100% straight. Wondering if this is common to people who have shot bows for many years with a slight bend?


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## ron w (Jan 5, 2013)

well, the "straight like a 2x4" is sort of an exaggeration, anyways. 
extending your arm to it's natural fully extended , but comfortable (not locked out) position is what "straight" means. some people do extend it forcibly straight, in a locked condition...... I never liked doing that. everybody's "straight" is a little different.


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## grantmac (May 31, 2007)

A fully locked arm just doesn't work for me, the float is all wrong and bow mass becomes unmanageable. I think because it leads to an increase in using the shoulder to aim the bow.
The key word for me is "balance". The front and back end have to each do their share.

-Grant


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## Mahly (Dec 18, 2002)

That's where I'm at. I don't focus on anything in particular as pushing for the front 1/2. I know something is wrong if I don't have that equilibrium, or balanced feeling.


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## SonnyThomas (Sep 10, 2006)

Posted this picture a few times, 2005 Utah Open Champion. And the kid in blue wasn't old enough to drink when he won Vegas the first time. Or was it the first two times he won Vegas?


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