# Technique when shooting back tension release



## da white shoe (Mar 10, 2009)

On number one... you answered your own question. 
"Unstable aiming" is not desirable. Muscle relaxation is always good. Feeling lack of control in some aspect of your shot... when it is the correct method to use... should be overcome up close at a blank bale, with much repetition.
As for number two... a slight squeeze with your ring finger might not be detrimental to your shot, as long as it's not breaking your concentration... or, giving away the timing of the release. The surprise is the main point of using a hinge. If it is helping you to break the shot in a reasonable amount of time, it's better than having to hold beyond your capability to focus.
That being said, it is possible to use that hinge in a reasonable amount of time... and, without finger movement... it just takes a lot of arrows with that goal in mind. The lack of accuracy when not engaging your ring finger, most likely comes from having not worked on shooting without the finger movement enough... or, possibly, the need to set the hinge a little "hotter."
The duration of aiming is usually best kept between 5 and 7 seconds. After that, muscles tend to tense and vision tends to fade.
Just about any aspect of your shot that you want to improve on is best worked on up close, no aiming... and, with your focus on that one, specific problem.


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## makassiouk (Jun 19, 2017)

Thank you for answering! 
It makes a world of difference when your own theories get validated by someone else.
Yes, I do spend hours in front of an empty bale. I try to balance against target practice at 50m though, as I see how radically things change when you move away from the target and shoot for points. So I feel like I should be practicing that, as well.
Yesterday I started moving my ring finger to the outside of the release, like pressing it against the "claw" on the HBC and then the balance between back-finger action is mostly towards the back now, I guess. I think it's becoming such a tight mix that it's hard to tell the difference. 
Anyways, quite happy with the progress for the time being: shot 626/720 yesterday on a 60cm target, at 50m - not my absolute PB but with the new bow it is, and I start seeing something resembling a tight group. 

Thanks again!


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## da white shoe (Mar 10, 2009)

You're welcome! Us Norwegians have to stick together! 
Looking at my reply, I see some other aspects that I didn't touch on.
I should have mentioned that the best way to fire a hinge release... if you're going to use a deliberate finger movement... is to relax your index finger, instead of tensing your ring finger. Relaxing is always better than tensing.
Also, a hinge will not want to fire in a timely manner if your draw length is too long. That is something you want to make sure of. It doesn't take much sometimes. Possibly, only requiring a slight shortening of your D-loop.
Good luck!


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