# Release: Follow through or Dead?



## JMLOWE (Apr 19, 2011)

I think a lot of dead vs. follow through release depends on the follow through sequence, does the shooter pull through the shot or setup against a firm wall. I personally have a dead release, very dead actually. I am a fan of Hoyt Cam 1/2 Plus and here recently the GTX cams, both with a reasonably hard wall. I set my draw length exactly where I want to be in the short valley on these cams and go fro there. I seem to hold better with a dead release as well (not pulling through)but honestly have not spent much time with the follow through method. If I can figure out how to post a video I will post a short clip.


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## thegoodnews (May 7, 2015)

I hold against the wall too, with a very short valley which helps keep me from creeping. Might be time for me to pull out the fiberglass recurve to play with follow through release on it. Maybe there's a difference since I don't hold as long and have no let off to throw off the follow through? I don't know, just thinking out loud...


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## JMLOWE (Apr 19, 2011)

I am to set in ways to change, I am sure there are others that have their opinion. I never did the master the art of holding dead still once I began to pull through the shot. I just prefer to get locked in at anchor, aim hard, and then execute the shot.


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## RCW 24601 (Dec 10, 2013)

For a "dead release," I was told to let the string go, not to let go of the string. As an example, I was instructed to hold a metal bucket full of sand by the wire handle, as I would the string of a bow, and let it hang from my hand toward the floor. Then just relax my hand, and the bucket was gone, no extra work work involved. "Just cut the power to your hand," was another way of saying it. Just passing this along in case someone may want to try it, and see how it works for them.


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## zestycj7 (Sep 24, 2010)

I shoot a dead release. I like a hard wall but I like a long valley and as much let off as I can get.

Once I get to my anchor point and settled in I pull hard against the wall. I find my gap and hold.

Once everything is there I just relax my hand and the string goes off.

I hope this helps.
Don.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5U67Eapg77o


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## Paul68 (Jul 20, 2012)

Dead release now, but working on a follow thru with the trad equipment. Not sure how well it will transfer to the compounds (Cam .5 & Accuwheel). My biggest issue with the dead release is plucking, and I'm hoping a follow thru will get away from that habit.


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## biblethumpncop (May 14, 2004)

These photos of me are about 7 years old, but my release has been the same for decades. I put some tension in my back and at the release, my hand comes backwards. Although it's not pictured, I shoot a clicker and use a pull technique.


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## grantmac (May 31, 2007)

I think with modern cams which can be shot off the wall there is a lot to be said for a dynamic follow-through. It does require a decent amount of holding weight though, less than 20-25# usually doesn't work well.

-Grant


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## mitchell (Mar 5, 2005)

Here is my suspicion. Holding weight may be a big factor in what works best for a person. Higher holding weight (recurves, low let off compounds) seems to be what works for guys that have the significant follow through (or vice versa). Hard wall and low holding weight seems to work with static release for others. 

My suggestion would be to concentrate on transferring the hold of the bow weight to your back muscles while relaxing your forearm, and then begin to relax the hand, and then just let the hand do what it wants to do upon release. All this is of course predicated on good alignment so that the natural response of the hand is backwards if anything.


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## biblethumpncop (May 14, 2004)

mitchell said:


> Here is my suspicion. Holding weight may be a big factor in what works best for a person. Higher holding weight (recurves, low let off compounds) seems to be what works for guys that have the significant follow through (or vice versa). Hard wall and low holding weight seems to work with static release for others.
> 
> My suggestion would be to concentrate on transferring the hold of the bow weight to your back muscles while relaxing your forearm, and then begin to relax the hand, and then just let the hand do what it wants to do upon release. All this is of course predicated on good alignment so that the natural response of the hand is backwards if anything.


I'm in total agreement.


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## thegoodnews (May 7, 2015)

mitchell said:


> Here is my suspicion. Holding weight may be a big factor in what works best for a person. Higher holding weight (recurves, low let off compounds) seems to be what works for guys that have the significant follow through (or vice versa). Hard wall and low holding weight seems to work with static release for others.
> 
> My suggestion would be to concentrate on transferring the hold of the bow weight to your back muscles while relaxing your forearm, and then begin to relax the hand, and then just let the hand do what it wants to do upon release. All this is of course predicated on good alignment so that the natural response of the hand is backwards if anything.


Makes sense, in that the tension would naturally pull the release hand back once weight of the bow is released.


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## zestycj7 (Sep 24, 2010)

Here is me shooting a recurve I had, don't mind the commentary...LOL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCdyWHS32Xw

Don.


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## biblethumpncop (May 14, 2004)

Deleted.


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## biblethumpncop (May 14, 2004)

Oops, I just reread your "don't mind the commentary". If you meant don't mind you talking in the video, then disregard my above comments. I took it as "you" didn't mind us making comments. Sorry!!! I'm not awake yet.


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## dmacey (Mar 27, 2015)

thegoodnews said:


> This is mainly for the compound finger shooters but all are welcome to add their experience.
> 
> As of last week, I have been trying to really fine tune my form and focusing on it the most. Thanks to good folks on my form thread in general forum, I have been making progress. However one part of my form that I just can't seem to do "correctly" is my release. Keep hearing that a good release should have good follow through, or an active release. However no matter how much I focus on this, it's inconsistent and the arrows fly all over the target. On the other hand, I can get good straight arrow flight with a dead release. It's not perfect, but it feel pretty clean and hit pretty consistently.
> 
> ...


For me, I can't command-shoot, which is originally why I went to a recurve + clicker years ago and stopped shooting compound/fingers. But I had this exact symptom when I shot compound/fingers - I always released with a jerk and the results in the follow-through were mixed. Sometimes my palm never left my face, sometimes it went back to the neck, sometimes it went goodness only knew where lol.

The follow-through, for me, isn't something I work on - in fact, I purposefully explicitly leave it alone because it's one of my main diagnostic tools of how the shot went. If the shot went well or went bad, a specific follow through results in either case that I can look at and helps me determine what happened. But for me, a dead release - a short stab or no movement backwards at all - means I didn't pull through the shot and instead activated a bunch of small muscles, etc.

So one suggestion I might throw out there is to investigate an unanticipated release instead of command-shooting. If I went back to compound/fingers I'd definitely fit a clicker or other draw check of some type onto the bow. That allows the fingers version of the "surprise" shot and can get rid of the anticipation problems of having to command the release. 

Just a suggestion (unless you're shooting a class that doesn't allow clickers) that you might look at? Here's an example of clicker usage on compound/fingers from a few years ago at the LAS classic. I imagine the shot cycle is similar to what's utilized on olympic recurve:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JDsQH0cI_o

DM


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## Bowguy867 (Nov 6, 2014)

Practice mechanics on a string bow. It's easy n will take minutes


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## JMLOWE (Apr 19, 2011)

What bows are they shooing in the Lancaster video? I haven't shot round wheels in years and considering giving it a try with a clicker.


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## dmacey (Mar 27, 2015)

JMLOWE said:


> What bows are they shooing in the Lancaster video? I haven't shot round wheels in years and considering giving it a try with a clicker.


They look like older predecessors of the Tribute, though I can't remember what they were named down through the years. The Tribute would be equivalent or close to it to what is being shot there...

DM


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## zestycj7 (Sep 24, 2010)

I was talking about my talking...LOL
Don.


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## Kriket (Nov 1, 2015)

RCW 24601 said:


> Then just relax my hand, and the bucket was gone, no extra work work involved. "Just cut the power to your hand," was another way of saying it. Just passing this along in case someone may want to try it, and see how it works for them.


I like this description!

I have a follow through, I cut the power to my hand and use my back muscles to move my hand out of the way. All at once. Sometimes my brains short out and I forget to engage my back and I can feel the string leave my fingertips funny. Like its dragging or catching. Like dmacey it's an indicator of the shot. If I'm standing there looking at an arrow way out of the group I probably also still have my hand on my face.


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