# Bow arm rotation



## twelve-ring (Mar 3, 2015)

What are y'all opinions on how your bow arm should be rotated. Naturally, my bow arm sits with my knuckles at a 45 degree angle, while my elbow points almost straight out, but slightly towards the ground. Recently I was advised to rotate my elbow straight out, because I was having some problems with the string slapping my forearm, but it just isn't comfortable and I'm having to force myself to hold it there. Should I grit and bear it until it becomes natural, or go back to my usual arm position and try something else? All help is greatly appreciated.


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## V3505 (Jan 31, 2013)

Yes, your knuckles should be at a 45 degree angle with the bow riser to eliminate torque and string contact. Your elbow position doesn't matter so much, just make sure the riser falls on the meaty portion of your thumb base. 

View attachment 4017249


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## kballer1 (Aug 31, 2010)

Well if you enjoy pain don't bother changing just keep slapping your fore arm.


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## Pete53 (Dec 5, 2011)

a pro taught me this 40 years ago> make a fist with your bow arm put it on your heart if right handed otherwise opposite side for left handers,now with fist on heart raise elbow high open and extend arm out fully,now your arm should be set in the right position which is bone on bone. fully extended arm is like a wood board in this position which is what you want.


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## GrayTech (Jan 29, 2013)

twelve-ring said:


> What are y'all opinions on how your bow arm should be rotated. Naturally, my bow arm sits with my knuckles at a 45 degree angle, while my elbow points almost straight out, but slightly towards the ground. Recently I was advised to rotate my elbow straight out, because I was having some problems with the string slapping my forearm, but it just isn't comfortable and I'm having to force myself to hold it there. Should I grit and bear it until it becomes natural, or go back to my usual arm position and try something else? All help is greatly appreciated.


Is it possible you are trying to shoot a too long draw length? That can cause slap.


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## RCR_III (Mar 19, 2011)

The 45 degree+- angle is ideal, but if you're getting string slap there's some things to look at that go with that condition. Too long a draw length can cause you to be over extending and stretching/reaching and that will bring the arm in. Also, collapsing during the shot can pull the elbow down and get the arm in the way. 

Where the grip/riser is in the hand plays a part. Don't let it cross the lifeline in the hand. 

Stance can play a part. If you have a closed stance then this will put the arm in the path of the string too.


twelve-ring said:


> What are y'all opinions on how your bow arm should be rotated. Naturally, my bow arm sits with my knuckles at a 45 degree angle, while my elbow points almost straight out, but slightly towards the ground. Recently I was advised to rotate my elbow straight out, because I was having some problems with the string slapping my forearm, but it just isn't comfortable and I'm having to force myself to hold it there. Should I grit and bear it until it becomes natural, or go back to my usual arm position and try something else? All help is greatly appreciated.


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## Padgett (Feb 5, 2010)

With this kind of problem it is usually a combination of draw length and a closed stance and grip and front arm, for us to help you it will take some pictures of your shooting form at full draw from the side where you aim out level in front of you. Then we can see the issues adding up to the problem.


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## SonnyThomas (Sep 10, 2006)

In with Gray, RCR and Padgett


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## twelve-ring (Mar 3, 2015)

By closed stance do you mean perpendicular to the target?


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## RCR_III (Mar 19, 2011)

If you took an arrow and pointed the tip at the target then lined up on it. Having your toes on each foot touching the arrow shaft, or having the toes of the front foot(closest to target) over top the arrow while the back foot's toes just touched the arrow. 

A good stance to start out with is having the front foot's toes in line with the ball of the foot on the back foot. So stacking the toes, front foot toe tips coming to the base of the back foot's toes.


twelve-ring said:


> By closed stance do you mean perpendicular to the target?


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## Padgett (Feb 5, 2010)

To me closed is when your front shoulder is parallel to your arrow, many people have feet and hips and shoulders that do not line up so even though their feet may be open the rest of their body is closed. It is best when all three are the same and open so that the front shoulder is off to the left of your line of sight and the front arm is coming over to the bow at a angle. 

I just need pictures to see where you are at, in a pm is fine or here or you can send them to my phone if you can't put them here.


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## SonnyThomas (Sep 10, 2006)

I've tried what RCR suggested to do, left foot toes to ball of right foot and right foot toes to ball of left foot. Bow string doesn't even come close to touching my bow forearm....


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## oldpro888 (Dec 31, 2010)

Proper anatomical term is supinated. The two bones of the forearm rotate around each other. Supination is away from the body. I like the hold fist to your heart. It supinates the forearm. This also gives stability and string clearance. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## montigre (Oct 13, 2008)

To me, neutral is when the bow shoulder is perpendicular to the target and parallel to the arrow (toes of the feet are usually perpendicular). A closed stance the shoulder is slightly forward of the target and it's line will bisect the plane of the arrow in front of the bow (toes of the front foot are slightly ahead of the rear foot). With an open stance the shoulder is slightly behind the target and the arrow's plane will bisect that of the shoulder behind the shooter (toes of the front foot are slightly behind the rear foot).


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## Padgett (Feb 5, 2010)

I was watching a decent shooter in my area just the other day and he had his feet totally closed where the front foot was in front of the rear foot but then when you watch his hips and then his shoulders all three areas were different and in the end his shoulders wear actually in what I would call a decent open stance setting. Most people are totally opposite, they are trying to use a open stance so their feet look open but the hips are a little off and then the shoulders are totally off and basically neutral or closed because of their long draw length. 

That is why when I work with someone I spend as much time as necessary to get the feet and the hips and shoulders all squared up to the same setting, I prefer a slightly open stance and to get there the bow and the poor draw length setting is usually the hardest part to get changed so that we can even get started.


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## nuts&bolts (Mar 25, 2005)

oldpro888 said:


> Proper anatomical term is supinated. The two bones of the forearm rotate around each other. Supination is away from the body. I like the hold fist to your heart. It supinates the forearm. This also gives stability and string clearance.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


Palm rotated up to the sky is to supinate the forearm. Palm rotated to face the floor/ground is to pronate the forearm. Rotate the bow hand knuckles to 45 degrees.





If you have a hyper-extensive elbow, try to keep the elbow crease vertical, as much as you can.


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## montigre (Oct 13, 2008)

nuts&bolts said:


>


Looks like a pic from one of my old kinesiology texts. Seems they use the same male figure from the 1950s for their examples....Haha


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## SonnyThomas (Sep 10, 2006)

Much of everything archery today is a copy or near copy of years ago...some many, many years ago.


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## twelve-ring (Mar 3, 2015)

I think my problem does come down to my DL and my stance. My draw length I can change, but I want to know more about my stance.


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