# Firing Hinge Releases



## mike 66 (Jan 21, 2010)

pulling left like crazy... ill guess your a rt h shooter. without seeing you shoot i would say add more weight on the side bar.... find the sweet-spot.


----------



## bgviii (Feb 16, 2010)

Actually, I seem to pull right more often. Almost like the back hand overpowers the left. That's why I'm wondering if most people just hold the bow or if they think push towards X.


----------



## mike 66 (Jan 21, 2010)

im not a big fan of pushing with the bow hand... i like it dead... get on the bail with your eyes closed... you should be able to feel it


----------



## mike 66 (Jan 21, 2010)

a lot of shooters use a push pull of some sort. i find it very difficult to do it the same way every time. i call it reaching for the x . sounds to me like you don't trust the float your getting. i also don't like a bent bow arm. i think it takes muscles to keep it bent by adding tension. a real hard push i dont like. like pulling REAL hard into the wall.... i dont like that either. im sure we will get different opinions . if you bail w/ eyes closed you should be able to feel the shot...you should feel the bow jump, move dump etc. etc... watch the grip, bow arm close... just my opinion... mike


----------



## bgviii (Feb 16, 2010)

I am on the same page as you are I think! I don't like bent arm as well. So you are saying search for the relaxed shot that doesn't require micro managing? Just keep working on the feel instead of the aim? As the feel becomes more comfortable the left and right will straighten out?


----------



## mike 66 (Jan 21, 2010)

you can work all parts on the bail, i said this to get you to focus on whats going on. then you should feel what is happening.then work on one thing and move on .while still on the bail if the release aid is what you are working on stay there till you have this firmly stuck between your ears till its automatic...thats why i said with eyes closed .. so you dont fight the aim process. make a big sign hang it above the butt. write your shot seq. on this then follow it perfect each shot.after many days, then after a while few shots closed then shoot 1 open eyed. but follow the seq if something ...anything crosses the mind let down start over.. ONLY shoot perfect arrows....you can work a bail many ways my friend.


----------



## mike 66 (Jan 21, 2010)

I DID ASSUME YOU HAVE YOUR DL..... SET PERFECT.... if any question on this is not perfect i would say . work that first. small amounts new string?/release aid.something may have moved...... this can make a huge difference.... YES you will get LEFT& RIGHTS...MIKE


----------



## bgviii (Feb 16, 2010)

Thanks. I like a lot and will keep with it and continue blank bale. What is your shot sequence? I shoot all releases using back tension so even if you are not shooting a hinge, I'm curious as to whether you are just straight pulling or aiding the release with a pull/squeeze process. Thanks for your input!


----------



## kilerhamilton (Jul 19, 2010)

I also like my bow arm still. I get up to close to anchor let off my peg and she clicks with little movement. when my pin settles I relax and breath out. when my release hand lets up she fires. I like a little longer loop shooting back tension to get my release hand knuckle good and tucked behind my jaw line so i have a plently of room to relax my hand to fire. A lot of guys like there hand on there face and when I tried it that way have the same problems you have. Jerky shots. hope this helps


----------



## bgviii (Feb 16, 2010)

So you completely relax your hand to fire? No intentional increase in pulling or squeezing? I do use the click and wondered if this helps or hurts but since I click it almost immediately, it didn't seem like an issue.


----------



## mike 66 (Jan 21, 2010)

shot seq;i go through this every shot, stance. get the feet perfect, release hook up and hand in release perfect, bow hand perfect load arrow, pre draw, i stare the x down, saying ; there it is its mine. draw to my anchor in the perfect spot. i start my time clock its gonna go in 6 sec no matter what. i start my mind set, i enjoy the float...... i say to myself FIND THE CENTER, FIND THE CENTER. it goes off............bang............... my follow through is automatic. i hold for 2 sec [ because my hearing is bad]... i let down ....... any time something crosses my mind, i let down.. if you dont have a shot seq this is a HUGE problem... get one. the clicker......can, and for most will cause you to anticipate the shot. it can lead to T.P because your mind is trying to do 2 things at once..my opinion. the idea of the hinge is for the surprise release. its no surprise w/ a click....mike


----------



## kilerhamilton (Jul 19, 2010)

get to your click then start to relax and aim your pin and relax your back and release hand. Just breath and let up or let through the shot. It will fire.

its not like your release should be .......clickboom it should be ........clicksettle......boom


----------



## kilerhamilton (Jul 19, 2010)

pulling through the shot doesn't mean pull the strings off the bow it means follow through using back tension


----------



## subconsciously (Aug 22, 2009)

bgviii said:


> I could use a little input from the experienced here. I've been shooting a hinge for over 20 yrs. I've shot fairly well most of that time. I always squeezed the release while holding at full draw without any problems. I started having problems after an elbow injury with some target panic shooting this way. I found myself dropping low in the X or bullseye as I start my squeeze. Because of the weakened elbow, I would hurry up the shot before it deteriorated. So I did the blank bale and all the stuff to break the panic. One of the best ways to help this was to set the release a little heavier and just pull. I still find I want to drop but not as much. The holds are pretty solid. However, I shoot left and right like crazy! My draw length is set well and I'm in line as much as the elbow will allow. Does anyone think this is a pushing problem in the bow arm? When shooting by straight pulling *( no finger relaxing cuz it adds to panic) * do you also consciously push? I'm close to getting back to full form but my X count sucks because of the left and right. Any suggestions?


Super advice from Miike - absorb it. 

Also, I believe you answered your own question. Your not relaxing your fingers which means you are not relaxing your hand - which means your not relaxing your draw arm. If your not relaxing the draw arm your not using your back tension correctly. 

Draw arm tension will not allow for proper follow through. Cheek to shoulder. What tends to happen is the release hand will come away from the face and then back. - Which will throw your arrow left. When you have a good follow through your probably pushing it right. Also when the tension is in the wrong place you will tend to collapse in the shot which will also make you go right. That's my take. 

I could sit here and type out a solutions for your problem but Larry Wise has already did it. Get "Core Archery" by Larry Wise. Get the book and the video. Read it. Read it again. Then watch the video. Tons and tons of info. 

Or you can go visit Mike and he can get you straight. :shade:

.02


----------



## aread (Dec 25, 2009)

Great advice from Mike & Subconsciously.

There are several ways to shoot a hinge release. It generally falls into two methods & both can work. One is to manipulate the release with you hand or wrist. The other is to keep your release hand & wrist stead & use your back to execute. It seems that self coached archers use their hand / wrist & coached archers use their back. But there are plenty of exceptions to this generality. 

A couple of execellent archers who have won at the national level, told me that they hold full draw with their back & execute the release by relaxing their index finger. One described his mental picture as his hand "melting".

However, Larry Wise who has won more than both of them together on the national and international level, recommends using your back muscles to execute the release. I agree with Sub about getting BOTH his book and video. But if you can get only one, get the video. For those with short attention spans (like me) it will likely be more helpful.

Also, if your bad shots are consistently going right, check your draw length and your bow hand & shoulder. Bow hand has to stay completely relaxed and your bow shoulder should stay down. 

Allen


----------



## mike 66 (Jan 21, 2010)

Thanks for the bump sub.


----------



## slicer (Dec 18, 2008)

The low down dirty secret that no one talks about when it comes to firing a hinge release is this:

A hinge release actually ELIMINATES the release process in archery.

The string should hit your nose and the bow should just go off in your ideal hold window. You start nothing, you manipulate nothing, you squeeze nothing, you pull nothing...stay out of the way.

You've got to learn to program the right muscles to do the job and not the wrong ones, or you'll never shoot to your best ability.

I recommend Core Archery......the book and DVD and this is critical:

Plenty of time working through the process in a mechanical and conscious manner up close on a blank target.

Pretty soon it takes a hold and your bow will start shooting itself if you let it.


----------



## ron w (Jan 5, 2013)

slicer hit the nail on the head....
this is "THE" concept of using a hinge and back tension. it is also the exact concept that so many people have such a hard time understand and allowing themselves to adopt, because they feel they have to be "in control" of every aspect of their shot.
the ideal condition is that when you are doing it right, you feel as though you are just standing there on the stops, aiming and doing absolutely nothing to break the shot......it just goes off by itself.....that's the "spectator condition", or "staying out of the way", that we speak of.
it is what is learned at the blind bale....getting the muscles to learn to run the release execution all by themselves. notice I said....."blind bale".... as in shooting with your eyes closed, concentrating on the specific muscle activity that fires the release and nothing else. "blank baling" that we hear about so much is for and entirely different purpose and will do nothing to learn the sub conscious execution of the release process. there is where so many people get mixed up and wonder why they can't seem to learn back tension and the sub conscious release process. it is a relatively slow process, but it can be done in short drills. in fact, short sessions of blind baling are a good thing to get in the habit of , as you are learning this whole process. until you have this process well ingrained, it is a high maintenance item and is actually better supported by short frequent "reminder sessions", than less frequent long drills. when your mind has a clearly defined mission and understands that mission....to learn to run the release without conscious thought,...it really doesn't take long boring drills to teach your muscle memory what to do.


----------



## bgviii (Feb 16, 2010)

Thanks for the reply. I have been working more on the "get my mind off the release" and it has helped a lot. Blank bale has me finding the timing and I'm also developing the patience to not care when it goes. I think this may help the most. Staying patient or letting down. 
I appreciate all the input!


----------

