# what do i have to do to avoid this...



## javajunkie808 (Aug 22, 2010)

everytime i shoot my bow...this happens...

i know this is such a simple question but i don't know what i'm doing wrong....

i know, i know i'm a complete noob!

thanx for your help ladies


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## buckchaser86 (Jun 10, 2009)

I am no lady, but you need to adjust your grip so your wrist isn't bent...which pushes your forearm into the path of the string. Also, you could try a arm guard. Good luck Ma'am


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## bdman (Jun 7, 2010)

maybe the draw length is to long?


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## Horses&Hunting (Oct 10, 2007)

I would adjust your grip and then I would take a look at your draw length. Can you post a picture of yourself while you are at full draw? This might help.


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## javajunkie808 (Aug 22, 2010)




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## bcstrat (Dec 30, 2009)

My wife has the same issue occasionaly. After watching her I notice that it only happens when she doesn't relax her shoulder causing her arm to be too stiff forcing her elbow to be too far in. When she relaxes, she gets a slight bend at her elbow and solves the problem.


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## tjb50cal (Jul 5, 2010)

im sure alot of us have done that, bending our elbows towards the bow string...i can recommend that you practise adjusting you bow arm, to slightly bend you elbow away from the string,
also try getting a new arm guard that is longer, and covers your elbow better.....i had a longer one custom made when i first started shooting, one because i had the problem of being double jointed and my elbow stuck out baddly too, plus the bow string would also catch under the shorter arm guard


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## Horses&Hunting (Oct 10, 2007)

Loosen up that grip. You only want you palm touching the riser. Your draw looks a tad bit long. But that might be because your grip isn't right. Don't be afraid to loosen your grip thats what the sling is there for.  try it and let us know how ya do.


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## MN_Chick (Jul 13, 2008)

First- get a better arm guard! 

There are a few things that can cause you to keep hitting your arm like that. The first is just that you are female- we are more likely to hyper-extend our elbows, causing our arms to get in the way. When you are at full draw, be sure that your hand would move across your body and not up towards your face if you bent your elbow. 

Also be sure to not lock your elbow. It should be straight, but not locked. 

Get your draw length measured. If you have the ability- play with it a little. Try a little longer or shorter- see how they feel. 

If none of those fix it, then try staggering your feet. Put the foot closest to the target about a half step in front of or behind the other. That can make a huge difference. But keep a good arm guard on until you figure out why its happening.

One other note-- it looks like you are leaning back a bit in that picture. That is often caused by pulling to much weight. Sit down and try to draw the bow without contorting your body. If you can't, then turn it down.


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## swbuckmaster (Dec 20, 2005)

I just noticed this post and hope this info helps you out. I help coach quite a few kids and also coach my daughters so I think I can help you with this issue.

first your draw length is too long. draw a imaginary line from the inside corner of your right eye "the part where your tears come from when smacking your arm" to the ground. Then look at where your string is in comparison to that imaginary line. if you look at your photo you will see the string is behind the line. it needs to be even with the corner of your eye. You will also notice that your body is not centered in that line. It looks like you are leaning back. Well if you shorten your draw it will bring your body more vertical and be in balance more. This will also give you some much need clearance and help out with the string slap. 

Second you have all of your fingers around the bow. shooting a bow like this will always make you slap your arm. You really only need your index finger and your thumb wrapping around the grip and lightly touching each other. The rest of your fingers need to be curled and placed off the side of the bow. 

Here is an example of what you need to look like. This is my daughter and she has some of the best for ive seen for a girl. Look at her grip "copy it" look at her straight arm " copy it" and look at her draw length and "copy it". She also used to hit her arm and need to wear an arm guard but no longer needs to. 

having great form will also increase your scores!:wink:


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## MN_Chick (Jul 13, 2008)

swbuckmaster said:


> I just noticed this post and hope this info helps you out. I help coach quite a few kids and also coach my daughters so I think I can help you with this issue.
> 
> first your draw length is too long. draw a imaginary line from the inside corner of your right eye "the part where your tears come from when smacking your arm" to the ground. Then look at where your string is in comparison to that imaginary line. if you look at your photo you will see the string is behind the line. it needs to be even with the corner of your eye. You will also notice that your body is not centered in that line. It looks like you are leaning back. Well if you shorten your draw it will bring your body more vertical and be in balance more. This will also give you some much need clearance and help out with the string slap.
> 
> ...


Not exactly. 

Very often women lean to compensate for too much weight- either the draw weight or the physical weight of the bow. Draw length is usually the first guess, but not always the right answer. The string seems to be hitting her nose in the right place, I have a feeling it will be right if she straightens her body. I don't know why-- but mens' answer for women is almost always "shorten the draw length". 

The fingers should be RELAXED- don't intentionally curl them. Any tension in your hand will torque the bow.


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## imadragonkeeper (Oct 30, 2006)

I personally prefer to anchor back farther - my first bow was too short to even straighten my arm. With my new bow I rarely hit my arm unless I am starting to get tired and I begin to hyper extend my elbow to compensate. Using a wrist release will make your draw length look longer as your anchor point is farther back, but if you look at the string itself(as MN Chick mentioned) it looks correct. I also use a wrist release. When I tried the other style like the younger girl uses I had to anchor farther forward and it felt 'wrong' to me - felt too short. Some of archery is how it 'feels' to the individual shooter (to a point - I know form is a huge factor). I know I find myself constantly thinking about my elbow position and forget all about my shoulder - thanks for the reminder to relaaaax


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## Cybercat (Aug 4, 2003)

When I had my bow set up right I did not have this problem. BUT when my string stretched and I did not know it it became a constant problem. So yes, DL looks too long. Elbow looks turned in and not out. Best way to pratice that is to put hand on door frame straighten arm and watch as you rotate elbow in and out with out moving arm or hand. Takes practice just make it part of your preshot check list.


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## skidooboy (Jun 1, 2010)

being right handed, take your right leg and turn your body to face the target a little more. it appears you are standing with your left side toward the target, too much. again take your rear most foot, and turn toward the target. this will put space between your arm and the bow string. 

sometimes ladies are alittle more limber and have wrist, arm issues when they are at full arm lock at draw. this causes the arm slap. my wife has a very akward wrist/arm limberness. it can be corrected with form corrections. generally the draw length, grip, foot stance or a combination of some or all make for the arm slap. easily corrected, and when done correctly you should never need an arm guard. ski


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## javajunkie808 (Aug 22, 2010)

It was my grip, shoulders needed to be relaxed.....still finding the problems as I go. along but other than that the string snap has ceased...thanx a lot guys and girls....the advice/tips are helping.... from the aloha state...mahalo!


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## swbuckmaster (Dec 20, 2005)

MN_Chick said:


> Not exactly. Very often women lean to compensate for too much weight- either the draw weight or the physical weight of the bow.


how can draw weight affect how you lean back? I can see how the bow weight or bow mass can cause her to lean back but not draw weight! Also I bet my daughters bow is heaver with her front and rear stabilizers. So I guarantee bow mass isnt causing her to lean back especially if you factor in size to weight ratio. Meaning little 9 year old with a 5lb+ bow and a adult woman with a 5lb+ bow.



MN_Chick said:


> Draw length is usually the first guess, but not always the right answer. The string seems to be hitting her nose in the right place


string touching the nose is an incorrect way to check draw especially in this circumstance. Her body is leaning back and you can clearly see that it is in the photo I posted. I can place my string in the correct place on the string of a 30" draw bow and shoot it but it doesn't mean I'm a 30" draw. Im a 27" draw. 



MN_Chick said:


> I have a feeling it will be right if she straightens her body. I don't know why-- but mens' answer for women is almost always "shorten the draw length".


 Probably because that would be the logical thing to do. 



MN_Chick said:


> The fingers should be RELAXED- don't intentionally curl them. Any tension in your hand will torque the bow.


You are partially correct! You want them to be lightly curled and relaxed. You do not want to have your fingers on her bow like she has even if they were relaxed. Especially if you are having problems with arm slap. Turning your hand the 45 degrees not only reduces hand torque it creates space so guess what "No more arm slap".

Sorry for posting in this forum. I'm done with it. I was just snooping around and saw someone that needed help. So I offered my help. Didn't know Id take a ribbing like I did. Like I said before I have coached for over 4 years in our Joad Program and literally set up hundreds of kids and adults bows in that time. So take my advise for whats its worth or as much as you paid for it. Free


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## swbuckmaster (Dec 20, 2005)

duplicate post sorrr


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## twilababy (Aug 9, 2010)

Wow.... just snooping, but sounds like someone can't take any criticism! He has coached for 4 years, so he must be an expert, and we all should just do as he suggests!

BTW, I am new, so I come looking to learn, I do not come knowing.


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## boosted98mitsu (Aug 11, 2010)

I have the exact same problem....this little beauty happened this past weekend. Some days are much better then others.


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## halfpocket (Jul 15, 2010)

I've experienced the string slap... thankfully only a couple of times, but the biggest problem is one that has been mentioned, and that is the double-jointed/hyperextension issue of the elbow. This is a problem that has come up in other sports for me in the past. I just have to remember to consciously think about where my elbow is and the position of it. I am still very new, but as long as I remember to correctly position my elbow (relaxing the shoulder and adjusting my grip helps tremendously), I rarely ever experience it. 

And MN_Chick, I found myself leaning more when the draw weight was too much for me. I don't think men truly understand that our bodies are different and are effected differently. I take the advice from the men with a grain of salt, but listen to what all the women have to say a little more, as they are built like me :smile: Even my friend who has been teaching me what I've learned so far agrees that he and I are quite different, and that changes how I have to adjust in order to shoot properly.


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## MN_Chick (Jul 13, 2008)

twilababy said:


> Wow.... just snooping, but sounds like someone can't take any criticism! He has coached for 4 years, so he must be an expert, and we all should just do as he suggests!
> 
> BTW, I am new, so I come looking to learn, I do not come knowing.


Nice of him to stoip in and help the little ladies.. its not like any of us have learned that men and women run into different issues when shooting. I hope he is more respectful to his daughter when she starts learning on her own or he will loose a shooting partner fast.


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## MN_Chick (Jul 13, 2008)

swbuckmaster said:


> how can draw weight affect how you lean back? I can see how the bow weight or bow mass can cause her to lean back but not draw weight! Also I bet my daughters bow is heaver with her front and rear stabilizers. So I guarantee bow mass isnt causing her to lean back especially if you factor in size to weight ratio. Meaning little 9 year old with a 5lb+ bow and a adult woman with a 5lb+ bow.
> 
> Obviously, being a coach doesn't automatically make one knowlegable. Holding up the weight of the bow uses muscles that most women don't use in their daily activities and it can take time to build them up. Its often a good idea for women to work on it by holding weights and soup cans. To compensate for the lack of muscle, women often lean back to help support the weight of the bow. WIth only one or two shots, its not a big deal. But when shooting enough to really practice it can become a real issue.
> 
> ...


Men are more than welcome to post here. But women do face a different set of challenges when learning to shoot. If you don't understand them, then it will be difficult to be helpful. I'm not saying you are one of them, I don't know you at all. But there are a lot of people who set up bows that shouldn't. I prefer to learn from people who have been trained to teach. That has worked well for me, so far.


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## swbuckmaster (Dec 20, 2005)

MN_Chick said:


> Men are more than welcome to post here. But women do face a different set of challenges when learning to shoot. If you don't understand them, then it will be difficult to be helpful. I'm not saying you are one of them, I don't know you at all. But there are a lot of people who set up bows that shouldn't. I prefer to learn from people who have been trained to teach. That has worked well for me, so far.


Glad to know men are welcome to post here. The general page can sometimes be only about which bow blows apart more Mathews or Hoyt ect. 
Sorry if I thought you were attacking me. Maybe I miss read your intentions.


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## swbuckmaster (Dec 20, 2005)

twilababy said:


> Wow.... just snooping, but sounds like someone can't take any criticism! He has coached for 4 years, so he must be an expert, and we all should just do as he suggests!
> 
> BTW, I am new, so I come looking to learn, I do not come knowing.


I can take criticism "Im married" lol :teeth:
BTW Im not new to archery Ive been shooting for 20+ years. :thumbs_upI know I dont know everything but I do know a heck of a lot about a bow and how to make it not shoot your arm. lol Do you need help in this department being new to archery? JK


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## swbuckmaster (Dec 20, 2005)

by the way JK means just kidding


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## mathewsgirl03 (Jan 30, 2010)

Buckmaster I thought yor advice was very well put. Yeah women are different from men, but you were only trying to help. I hope this whole thing doesn't deter you from responding to other threads. And BTW to everyone else...all the advice on this thread is great and very helpful. It shouldn't have been made into a "who knows more about bows" contest. Again that may not have been any one's intention, but that's how it came off.


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## Admiral Vixen (Feb 21, 2009)

*BUY A BOW RATTLER!! problem solved. Go to Bowrattler.com read what it will do for you. NO MORE STRING SLAP* Now go shoot. Good luck girl I think you will be happy with what the rattler will do for you.


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## twilababy (Aug 9, 2010)

I really appreciate all the tips, tricks, and advice I get from this website! I know that I don't know everything, and I am willing to listen to everyones advice. 

I think this is one reason they say face to face conversation is the best form of communication.... its hard to read intentions and attitudes in a blog. 

BTW, I have yet to pop my arm, I think I was blessed with an awesome bow and really good advice from the start! Thanks anyway!! (I really hope I don't do it today... knocking on wood..lol)


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## bowgal (Jun 12, 2003)

Just curious swbuckmaster, do you have an instructor/coaching level thru the NAA if you are coaching JOAD? Not digging, just giving validity to you.


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## Mathews_Lover (Jan 12, 2010)

I was told by the owner of the bow store I buy from that I was strighting my arm all the way out and that was causing me to pop myself badly. He has me slightly bend my elbow and it worked and kept my forarm out of the way and I dont pop my self nearly as bad unless I forget, then I remember pretty quickly.


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## z28melissa (Feb 8, 2007)

Totally agree with swbuckmaster - get that draw length corrected and it will be easier to hold your bow arm with a slight bend, bow hand relaxed and "pushing" into the bow rather than gripping it. Both very easy fixes and will increase your accuracy tremendously, not to mention keep that string from slapping your arm! Have fun!!!

And swbuckmaster - I'm totally jealous of your daughters flawless form!


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## z28melissa (Feb 8, 2007)

MN_Chick said:


> Nice of him to stoip in and help the little ladies.. its not like any of us have learned that men and women run into different issues when shooting. I hope he is more respectful to his daughter when she starts learning on her own or he will loose a shooting partner fast.


wow... really?? A man can't be familiar with helping both sexes with archery? I didn't see anywhere that he was being disrespectful, and I'd hope you aren't truly judging his ability to successfully coach his daughter.


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## redheadirishgrl (Aug 9, 2010)

Here is my beauty









There were several things wrong
1. Draw length was wrong
2. My arm was straight instead of a very slight bend
3. My form was crap

Haven't had a repeat since I corrected all of that. If all else fails, there are guards.


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## swbuckmaster (Dec 20, 2005)

z28melissa said:


> wow... really?? A man can't be familiar with helping both sexes with archery? I didn't see anywhere that he was being disrespectful, and I'd hope you aren't truly judging his ability to successfully coach his daughter.


Thanks for the kind words Melissa!

About my daughter, Ill give Steve Mckenna most of the credit for coach my daughter. Even though I am perfectly capable of coaching her. He was great with Lindsay and still is. I didn't want to teach my own daughter how to shoot until she picked up the basics. I didn't want her to feel like dad was criticizing her. I wanted to be the fun guy. I wanted her to hear the coach tell her what she needed to work on and I would then reinforce what he had taught her but only when she was having a problem. Now Lindsay will turn to me for advice when she is having problems with her groupings. 9 out of 10 times it was just the bow and a crappy stretching string or she had grown over night like a weed and needed a draw length adjustment. 

Both of my daughters love shooting and it would suck to have them not want to shoot with me, so I use positive reinforcement like ice cream cones after joad, dollars for x's, of just one on one time with dad. Then throw in a few hunts here and there and you get a kid that loves to shoot and loves to shoot with her dad! 

Steve calles calles Lindsay "Hollywood" LOL because Lindsay has been in two separate news papers this year and been on the front cover of a Japanese archery magazine all in her short archery career. She is a crack shot on carp and will shoot the 12 ring out of a 3d target. Cant wait till she is old enough to hunt with me!

Bowgal 
as for the NAA status im not certified. Steve just completed the course and i plan on getting certified in the near future. 

Here are a few photos of Lindsay and a few short videos if you guys would like to watch.

A black and white of the magazine cover shot. It is in color but I don't have a color scanner.









A few fishing photos

















Her first carp caught on video. Just click on the video and give it a minute to load.


A video of her shooting when she was 8 years old!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNlC-p22wXk

Here first Deer shed. I almost cried when she found it! I mean I did cry! LOL It was a buck I had watched all winter almost every day. It is a public land buck and we hike almost 7 hours before I saw it lying on the hillside about a hundred yards away. I started running and then stopped. I had to look for Lindsay. She was hiking all by her self about a hundred yards away. I didn't want her to feel like I just disappeared and get scared. That was when I noticed she was on a crash course for the big antler. So I just sat down and watched her through the bino's. The suspense was killing me. Would she see it or would she just walk on buy? That was when I saw he take off running yelling daddy daddy. So I got up and ran down to her. 









A look at her 27 yard 3D groups


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## Robert43 (Aug 2, 2004)

I agree your draw length is a inch or 2 too long. & if you have to lean back to draw a bow time to look at the weight of cams ie too hard to draw back.


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## Kimpossible (Mar 25, 2010)

This makes my heart sing! Go little girl go! Best of luck to you, but Im thinking you dont need any luck!


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## z28melissa (Feb 8, 2007)

:mg: will you adopt me?! Is she shooting a hinge already?? YOU GO GIRL!!! I bet she cannot wait to start hunting.


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## Broadside_Shot (Dec 18, 2003)

Sounds like he knows exactly what he is talking about. There are Adults that can't shoot a back tension and he has his 9 year old girl shooting one. Case Closed


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## swbuckmaster (Dec 20, 2005)

In our joad club I am the one who works with the kids and gets them shooting a hing release. The kids can learn to shoot it really quick if given the right kind of coaching. But you cant teach them how to shoot it without the right draw length. So I go over to the press and set their bow up. 

once their bow is set up I put them in front of a blank target and set the release up so it wont fire and then tell the kid it might fire when they pull back. I show them how to pull it back with the safety on so to speak. "Thumb and first finger" get to a anchor point and just aim. then release the thumb and aim. after they have held the bow back long enough and just before their shot deteriorates I have them let it down. 

I will then take the release and turn my back to the kid so he cannot see if I have done anything to the release. sometimes I advance it a touch and sometimes I don't do anything and then give it back to them and start the whole process over again. 

By the end of the night they will no what surprise release feels like and they will no they can aim. By the end of the month their scores go way up! 

I don't like to see kids using a trigger release because it is usually hard for them to not punch the trigger. Even the good kids eventually end up punching ive found out but if they learned on a hinge they can shoot a trigger cause they know how to aim. 

Lindsay learned to shoot a back tension release when she was 6 and has been shooting it ever since. She does shoot a regular trigger when she carp hunts and shoots it without any problems. you should see how long she can hold 40 lbs back if she knows if she misses i will get the next shot. 


Check out this really cool video of our joad program and kids using a hinge release at various stages. meaning some who have been using it for a week and some who just picked it up. This is also a pretty slow night at our club. We usually have 2 shooting lines. 

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


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## z28melissa (Feb 8, 2007)

That is really cool to watch - makes me feel like such a wuss though LOL. I might give my hinge another try next year. What is the kiddos' hinge release of choice?


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## swbuckmaster (Dec 20, 2005)

she is shooting a zenith. Id really like to get her the new tru ball. its small and fits a kids hand great. It is also very adjustable! I just cant afford it right now $150.00 money is tight!


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## z28melissa (Feb 8, 2007)

swbuckmaster said:


> she is shooting a zenith. Id really like to get her the new tru ball. its small and fits a kids hand great. It is also very adjustable! I just cant afford it right now $150.00 money is tight!


The Baby HT?


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