# Split finger- anchor point finger choice?



## radebaugh03 (Dec 18, 2010)

OK, sorry. Boring question I guess... LOL..


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## theskyiscrying (Nov 24, 2015)

R-
I'm new to archery and noticed the same thing. The index finger is more comfortable but the gap on the middle finger sure does get smaller  . I also can't get comfortable with the middle finger as an anchor.

I'm curious to see what others post.


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## BarneySlayer (Feb 28, 2009)

Excuse the terse nature of bullet points...


Closer the nock is to your eye, easier to aim at closer 'hunting' distances.

At a given anchor point, three under gives you a nock that is closer to your eye.

Higher your anchor, obviously, higher the nock, and closer it is to your eye.

For most people, a higher anchor sacrifices biomechanically optimal alignment for the sake of improved aiming using the point of the arrow.

Everybody's got a different body, different geometry, and some people's faces/hands allow less sacrifice of alignment at higher anchors than others.

referencing the corner of the mouth is a relatively soft anchor, as your mouth can move wherever your finger pushes it.

If your anchor is low enough, such as index finger corner of mouth, a good primary 'trad' anchor is fitting the big thumb knuckle behind the corner of the jaw. The jaw does not move. Neither do teeth, hopefully.

Getting the thumb knuckle behind the jaw also allows it to not be sandwiched between your hand on the rest of your face, which may otherwise push a relaxed hand (which it should be), away from your face, and the arrow nock out from under your eye, which itself is desired for establishing the most direct, easiest aiming reference with the arrow.

Your 'anchor' points should be thought of as kind of floating, touch reference points. You do not actually want to hold the string hand into these areas. You want to be pulling the string straight back (when you're at full draw,) and simply be touching the anchor points incidentally, because you are in the correct position.

If you try to press your anchor points together, you often end up using your arm muscles to do it (instead of your rear shoulders and back), and as such, compromise your alignment, or collapse, often being the same thing.

Everybody's different, and what works well for some doesn't necessarily work well for others. There may be an adaptation period required, during which you might shoot worse or better before seeing consistent improvement. May also show quick improvement by simply changing things up, distracting your brain from interfering from the rest of the shot, but bring you backwards overall. Try and see. 

Good luck!


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## Azzurri (Mar 10, 2014)

I have been taught you want the anchor in tight and you want a bone (ideally bone to bone) anchor for repeatability. Otherwise i agree with Barneyslayer, three under gets you a more reasonable gap at the sort of distances most of us shoot. I do Oly split finger but I only do split finger barebow further out, like 40+. I use low poundage so I have to start dropping the anchor at that point to get the distance not aiming way over. When I have done split finger in close I get a massive gap that is hard to repeat. I do agree that middle finger versus index does close the gap and I have used that trick three under to move the gap a few inches up. But if that takes you off a repeatable anchor it's a trade off.


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## Easykeeper (Jan 2, 2003)

I shoot split and at anchor my middle finger is at the corner of my mouth. Why? It feels natural and I've always done it that way, don't have any better reasons.

Honestly, I'd probably be shooting three under if I could figure out how to do it without snagging my nose. I can kind of do it if I use a glove, with my tab it's really bad. Besides, I like the way my recurves respond when shot split finger, very little vibration and definitely quieter than three under for me (they are all tillered split).


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## fallhunt (Aug 2, 2013)

Split with the index finger in the corner of mouth. Yes there is a little rubbery play with that anchor alone, but my thumb bone also fits precisely locked into my cheek bone under my eye.

My hands, arms, shoulders, and the arrow are all lower, relaxed, at the same level plus that position feels very natural (I suppose more comfortable).

One would guess beforehand that using the middle finger anchor to just raise everything slightly would be of no noticeable consequence, particularly should there be some theoretical advantage.

However, anchoring with the middle finger makes my string forearm, string arm elbow, and shoulder feel uncomfortably elevated out of line.

I am thinking that individual innate body shape variations might play a huge role.


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## grantmac (May 31, 2007)

Switch to 3 under and puck the anchor which gives you the best combination of sight picture and consistency.

Grant


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## webster2 (Nov 24, 2013)

Some good points made by BarneySlayer and fallhunt, but don't assume that having the arrow closer to the eye is an automatic benefit. For some it may be, but seeing (conciously using) the arrow in your sight picture can also be distracting if with the style you seek you don't actually WANT to use it for sighting. 

As far as shooting split finger, as said above the 'best finger' depends more on your body geometry than most anything else. Some see no difference in their shooting between a middle finger anchor vs. an index finger anchor, others will find the difference enough to be problematic. Try them for awhile to see what feels and works best for you. 

Your mind and coordination ability can do wonders for allowing the arrow to go where you wish it to. Although gun-barreling the arrow can certainly add a degree of aiming certainty to your precision target shooting (if that's what interests you), don't be too quick to rely on aiming your bow and arrow like you would a rifle. They are very different weapons, and much of the fun and challenge factor in shooting a bow lies in the natural aspects of drawing and shooting without need for calculating through the process.


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## Hank D Thoreau (Dec 9, 2008)

My split point on is 20 meters longer than my three under. I use split for 70 meters and out, anchoring with my index finger in the corner of my mouth. I might use split at 65 yards with one of my slower bows. I personally would not use it for short shots. There are plenty of folks that do.


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## radebaugh03 (Dec 18, 2010)

Thanks guys. Lots of good answers and much to ponder for sure. I do rather like the three under approach but also understand that limb dynamics can be effected if not tillered for that setup.. My old body just seems to like the index finger in mouth corner and thumb under jaw so to speak. Thanks again!


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## Wobbley (Sep 26, 2014)

Split finger with my ring finger to the corner of my mouth.

Just felt most comfortable for barebow.


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## grantmac (May 31, 2007)

Zero issues with limb dynamics regardless of whether you use split or 3 under unless the bow is grossly mistillered (+1/2").

-Grant


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## bowhuntrmaniac (Jan 22, 2012)

I was taught split with index finger in corner 38 years ago. Shot that way with compounds for 33 years and recurves the past 5. Nothing else feels right to me.


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## Thin Man (Feb 18, 2012)

Rad, 

I shoot split-finger with index at corner of mouth. I've experimented with oodles of other configurations, giving many of them an overly-fair audition with enough invested time for them to "ripen". 

The split's index-in-corner gives me the "Three 'A's" (Alignment/Anchor/Aiming-eye) that best suit my physiology and sight picture. Each component is possibly corrupted away from the ideal, yet they combine to provide me with the most comfort and best eyeball on my shot. I've shot with far better anchors and alignments only to find my eye totally corrupted during the aim ... physiology vs. aim ... and therefore I have decided to defer towards aim a touch more, and physiology a touch less, for my personal situation. That's just the way my body and eye operate. I do so wish it were otherwise ... but it ain't. (I'd rather get good at being bad than stay bad at being good.)

Each individual is quite unique in the various aspects regarding the biology and the eye. There is indeed an "ideal" (and its variants) worth studying, working towards, and emulating. However, if that perfect Plan-A is found lacking after giving it a durned solid whack, then a step towards Plan-B becomes logical. I believe that the valid compromise is to truly understand why Plan-B needs to be employed before discarding Plan-A for a wrong ... or willy-nilly and whimsical ... reason.


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## Treeman732 (Nov 19, 2010)

I shoot split- finger with the 2nd finger at the corner of my mouth. That's how I was taught 40 years and just never changed.


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## marcelxl (Dec 5, 2010)

grantmac said:


> Zero issues with limb dynamics regardless of whether you use split or 3 under unless the bow is grossly mistillered (+1/2").
> 
> -Grant


Not true, a guy on Youtube said otherwise! (sarcastic smiley face)

I could echo what others have already said……shot split for years as the UK competition rules in the traditional classes (usually) called for it. So I just did it throughout.

Now I don't have such hindrance so I went split and haven't looked back, nothing changes negatively - all the changes are positive. My anchor remained the same but the arrow lifted and my point on brought much closer and even though I clearly do not aim consciously as others, so what some might refer to as "instinctive" the pointing process is way less detached and with no finger pinch either. Occasionally I make a shot split fingered just 'cos and it's horrible now

However, nothing wrong with shooting split but rules aside (if competition of some sort is your thing) the only reason to do it is choice regardless of what some online "instinctive archery" gurus will say. Nock point lift aside, no gear alterations are needed.


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## alekh (Oct 28, 2014)

I'm probably going to get some hate on this, but my anchor is thumb joint in ear. With the right cant, puts arrow RIGHT UNDER my eye. I've tried a lot of anchors over the years... and this one has improved my shooting tremendously.


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## Bowmania (Jan 3, 2003)

Aiming is 10% of the shot. So use what is most repeatable AND gives you easiest and best back tension. BT is probably the most important issue and that comes with the lower anchor index finger, but that may not be the most repeatable for some.

Oly anchor is probably the best for back tension, but it would give me a gap of 10 - 15 feet at 20 yards.

Bowmania


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## Chris1ny (Oct 23, 2006)

For split-fingers, middle finger anchor to the corner of the mouth. Because I initially learned Instinctive archery from Fred Asbell. Worked really well, and feels very natural. Great teacher. My love for Instinctive recurve started because of Fred Asbell's teaching.


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## 5 Arrow (Nov 20, 2015)

Never introduce any unnecessary tension or muscle involvement in the shot set-up. A relaxed touching is all that is necessary. I use the middle finger in the corner of the mouth and lightly touch off on the relaxed thumb on the jaw. Head a bit tilted to align the right eye along the arrow. Safety first: Have you ever seen a nock split upon release? The closer you anchor to the eye the more you put the eye in harms way when accidents happen.


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## GrayGooseShaft (Apr 11, 2014)

I use split finger with the point of my index finger at the corner of my mouth 
only because I learned to shoot that way long ago. Now I don't have to think 
about it and it works.


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## benofthehood (May 18, 2011)

I shoot split but anchor higher than most who shoot split.
My anchor is my pointer finger and middle finger on my cheekbone, which leaves my ring finger in the corner of my mouth. At expansion my first thumb joint hits my ear lobe as I began pulling through.

This leaves me with me a 39 metre point in . 

I firmly believe that face structure has a lot to with each individual finding a good repeatable anchor point. I changed mine after 35 years of finger in the mouth.

Loving the results .


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## grapevinedave (Oct 27, 2011)

Me too. Can't figure out why I nock the crap out of my face 3 under. So I shoot split and kill things that way. HAHA.


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## alekh (Oct 28, 2014)

benofthehood said:


> I shoot split but anchor higher than most who shoot split.
> My anchor is my pointer finger and middle finger on my cheekbone, which leaves my ring finger in the corner of my mouth. At expansion my first thumb joint hits my ear lobe as I began pulling through.
> 
> This leaves me with me a 39 metre point in .
> ...


This is very similar to what I was trying to describe! +1 on 'loving the results'


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## maddog20/20 (Oct 13, 2015)

Historically, when I used to shoot split finger, my middle finger was anchored in the corner of my mouth.

I now shoot 3 under with my index finger anchored at the corner. My point on spot is around 37yd.

I've honestly always wondered why we anchor at the mouth. It seems like the cheekbone close to the eye would have the highest accuracy because you're looking right down the string. I learned it the other way and it's just habit, but when I was trying out string walking, I noticed that at 20yds, the arrow was pretty much right in my line of sight and it made aiming super easy and I was wondering why it was that I wasn't gap shooting and anchoring somewhere near my eye.

I honestly don't know.


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## webster2 (Nov 24, 2013)

If getting the arrow close to your eye with a cheekbone anchor and three under improves your shooting then it's highly likely that you are using some form of gap shooting...i.e., using your arrow shaft or arrow point as a type of physical sight reference to estimate where to hold on the target (i.e., X gap high or X gap low). 'Estimating' in this manner obviously makes it easier to aim the bow more like a rifle...the closer the shaft (barrel/bullet) is to your eye the easier you can line it up.

The question is, if your main objective is to line it up like a rifle so that you can maximize accuracy does it make more sense to use the arrow shaft as a sight or to simply put a regular sight (pin, scope, etc.) on your bow? I suppose the answer to that question is why some archers don't use high anchors or gapshooting systems....their objective isn't to shoot (aim) their bow like they aim their rifle. 

Sometimes there's more to shooting than pursuing ultimate accuracy. It all depends on what you're most interested in.


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## SHPoet (Nov 13, 2009)

fallhunt said:


> Split with the index finger in the corner of mouth. Yes there is a little rubbery play with that anchor alone, but my thumb bone also fits precisely locked into my cheek bone under my eye.


This is what I teach and what I do.


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