# Critique



## toughchick128 (Apr 11, 2012)

I just picked up my bow after years of not shooting. I am looking for some feedback on my form. Also, I have been thinking about investing in a nice stabilizer for my bow, as I just use the one that came stock with mine. However, I am not sure what would suit me. I am a compound target shooter - just for the record.


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## aread (Dec 25, 2009)

The bow is a PSE Nova and it appears to have V4 wheels. While it's looked down on by many because of it low cost and slow speeds, it's a great shooting bow. It's not the most comfortable bow in the world to shoot, but until you shoot some of the newer smoother bows, it won't bother you. I sometimes practice with mine because it has a smooth draw that's easy on my old shoulders. Get rid of the rubber band on the peep. It slows down an already slow bow and if not replaced regularly, can deteriorate, break and smack you in the face.

Since you plan to shoot targets only, I'd suggest that you get a hinge type release. This is often called a back tension release. Very few target archers shoot with a wrist released. 

As for your form, you really need to connect with a good coach who can get you started with the right habits. He or she can also recommend equipment changes that will work for you and get your equipment set up to fit you better. It looks to me like your bow doesn't fit you and you are adjusting your form to accomodate it. So step 1 would be bow fit. Then work on stance and the other basics.

Generally don't worry too much about equipment such as stabilizers or sights. Invest in your knowledge of how to shoot before you spend on equipment. The phrase "better archery through agressive spending" is meant to be a joke, not a recommendation.  A good coach will be able to tell you when better equipment will help your shooting.

Hope this helps,
Allen


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## mike 66 (Jan 21, 2010)

hi there , this is what i see the head looks like its low im guessing the peep is not in the right spot....try this;bring the bow to your anchor with your eyes closed do not move the head. then open your eyes the peep should be there in the perfect spot, if not move it. do this several times...till you get it perfect......the draw seems long but it think its a peep issue.....after you get the peep set im thinking it will be ok..and i think it will be on the tip of the nose where it belongs......and yes allen is right about that peep.100%... the grip.... in each pic its different the grip is very important, it MUST be in the same spot each shot. the hand should be relaxed and closed. not putting any pressure on the riser..... the elbow seems a little high but dont worry about that....it seems to be inline as far a s the stabilizer goes.. get one that will lets the bow sit in the hand without tipping it forward or back try it on the bow before you buy one....a active stab. will help one that you can weight to IF you need it..


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## toughchick128 (Apr 11, 2012)

Thanks for the advice! 

I went to a range yesterday and discovered that yes, my peep is too low. Unfortunately, it's been sewn in so I have to take it back to the shop to get adjusted and whatnot. 

The guys at the range also adjusted my grip by forcing me to let the bow sit on the "lifeline" as they called it, of my palm each time. Have you guys ever heard of this method? I attached my release and let my bow arm hang down while applying tension via the release, thus putting the grip in the right spot and curling my top two fingers around and keeping the bottom too loose. 

Yes, my bow is old and I can't really afford a new one right now, so I'm trying to make due with what I have. However, I can take it to get the draw length re-adjusted and I can remove the rubber on the peep. 

Also, I am pricing out back tension releases but, again, money is an issue for me. Do you have any reccommendations for affordably priced back-tension releases?


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## mike 66 (Jan 21, 2010)

YOUR WELCOME..............


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## aread (Dec 25, 2009)

toughchick128 said:


> ...The guys at the range also adjusted my grip by forcing me to let the bow sit on the "lifeline" as they called it, of my palm each time. Have you guys ever heard of this method? ...


I don't like using the lifeline as a reference for the bow hand. It often results with the hand too far into the bow which results in torquing or twisting the riser. 

Download the "Nuts & Bolts of Archery":

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1399457

It's free and has a pretty good section on bow hand. There is a lot of information on thing you can do to work on your own bow. I think that adjusting and reserving the peep is included.

As for a release, check the AT classified section. If you can't find anything there, the least expensive new releases are from Zenith Archery Products. Even though they are inexpensive, they are excellent releases. Jesse Broadwater shot Zenith before he got paid to shoot something else.

One thing that you could do to improve your accuracy is to take off the black plastic grip. It is so wide that it's difficult to avoid some torque. The corners of the metal riser aren't smooth, so you will need to wrap the riser with tennis racket tape. If you do this, you will almost certainly need to reduce your bow's draw length. The grip is thick as well as wide.

Hope this helps,
Allen


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## abdapt (Apr 15, 2012)

draw length is 1/2 too long 
you hammer the trigger 
carry a lot of tension in the bow hand 
over all looks like a solid base 
you are around a lot of solid solid solid shooters ! 
few out standing clubs near you

sorry but your gonna need to stop tossing those hips around - for archery


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## toughchick128 (Apr 11, 2012)

Thanks for all of your help! I'm actually looking at some of the releases and checking the classified section of this forum for a better bow. I have a competition this weekend and will try and get pictures for more critiques with my different form.


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## Stubby'smom (Mar 20, 2010)

You don't absolutly have to have a hinge release to shoot target archery though many people shoot with them. I shoot target archery with a trigger and know many others that do as well. The key is to learn how to set it off properly. I would not suggest to go to the classifieds and purchase a release you have never tried and know nothing about. If you want a new release, go to a shop and try out as many as you can get your hands on. With a hinge, you should try on a practice string before shooting an arrow with it. 

I suggest to start by squaring up your feet. They should be straight down from your shoulders and pointing at the wall. Get your draw fixed and it will fix some things. Your draw is a little too long. Nuts and Bolts has very good information. The guys at the range were giving you good info too. I like to put the grip in the meaty part of the thumb and rest my first 2 fingers on the riser and curl the others back to my palm. I hope your tourney goes well!


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## toughchick128 (Apr 11, 2012)

Alright, so here's something interesting. 

I went to the range and tried taking the rubber band off my bow, as you reccommended, and my peep no longer lined up with my line of sight - so I re-attached it. Does that mean that I should get a new peep sight if I want to remove the rubber band? 

I also moved my peep up - I haven't had a chance to shoot though because I'm getting my arrows re-fletched.


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## aread (Dec 25, 2009)

You may not need a new peep, but your strings will probably need to be twisted so that it lines up with your eye.

Years ago, string materials were not as stable as those that are available today. So the peep with the rubber tube was used. Today, string materials can be stable throughout the life of the string if they are properly made and maintained. 

The other old option is the type of peep that splits the string three ways. If your string is not made from the "latest & greatest", this is probably a less expensive option until you can get a new string. Unfortunately, strings and cables are not cheap and a bow press is needed to put them on and re-tune the bow. If your strings are in good shape, but you simply can't get the peep to stabilize in the proper orientation, the three way peep is likely the best option. 

Hope this helps,

Allen


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## toughchick128 (Apr 11, 2012)

Thanks so much for your suggestions Allen! I'm actually looking to upgrade my bow in the next couple weeks. I'd like to stick with PSE for now, and am deciding whether to buy a Chaos that I found from the classifieds section here or a Stinger 3G from the range I shoot at. Do you have any information one way or the other on the bows or suggestions for bows for me to consider in my selection?


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## Stubby'smom (Mar 20, 2010)

Shoot as many as you can before purchasing.


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## aread (Dec 25, 2009)

Both of those are very short hunting bows. Both of them are about $300 when purchased directly from PSE. Used they should be much less since you won't have a manufacturer's warranty. If you plan to hunt, either is a good choice. However, for strictly target shooting, the bow you have now is a better choice. 

In general, bows with a longer ATA (axel-to-axel) are a little more stable for target shooting. If you can get it to fit you, your Nova has very similar dimensions to some of the top target bows that cost over $1,000.00. The two bows that I've shot as accurately as my 1999 Nova was a Hoyt Pro Elite that was about $1,200.00 new and a PSE Supra that was $750.00 new. The biggest difference between them is that I can shoot my Nova more because the round wheel cams are easier on my old abused shoulders. 

Hope this helps,
Allen


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## toughchick128 (Apr 11, 2012)

Hey guys! So, I've actually been working on my form with some of the guys at the range and we took some videos of my form and my release - I was previously punching it. Once I get home tonight, I'll post them up for you guys to see. Also, I finally took the grip off my bow, which helps a lot with the side-to-side torquing I was doing.


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## Stubby'smom (Mar 20, 2010)

Having someone knowlegable help you out in person is the best thing you can be doing. Great job!


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## toughchick128 (Apr 11, 2012)

I'm fairly certain that this clip was from the end of the day. Let me know what you think!


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## aread (Dec 25, 2009)

That still appeares to be punching to me. 

Get the book Idiot Proof Archery. He has a very good description of how to shoot the wrist release.

Allen


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## mike 66 (Jan 21, 2010)

your form looks better.big improvement this is what i see, your bow hand..........needs help. you have to much bow in the hand ,which is causing the torquing. loosen up the bow sling, so you can get at least 2 fingers under it...this will help a lot.get the riser out of the center of the hand and put it on the bone on your thumb move the thumb to about 2 ocock this gets the riser out of the fatty part of the hand where is just floats around.and it puts pressure on the thumb to help stop L-R.... the hand MUST be relaxed. and the hand, fingers must not move................................ over all you have improved thanks to allen but there is room for improvement....


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## tpcowfish (Aug 11, 2008)

Stubby'smom said:


> Having someone knowlegable help you out in person is the best thing you can be doing. Great job!


Agree, Looked alot better in last vid


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## toughchick128 (Apr 11, 2012)

Thanks guys! I'll definitely work on my bow hand when I go back to the range. Thus far, my improved position has helped my groupings immensely. I'm at the point where the guys have me working on "back tension release" without said type of release - super complicated. Are there any tips you guys have for that? 

To clarify, this is how they want me to release: Come to draw, curl my finger around the trigger and apply a slight amount of pressure, then pull the rest of the way with my back muscles. 

I'm having issues finding the right balance between finger pressure and back tension. I find that I either pull too much with my back and screw up my form because I don't have enough tension on the trigger or push too much with my finger and prematurely release.


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## mike 66 (Jan 21, 2010)

hi , the trigger on your release should NOT have any travel in it if it moves ANY it should go off but.... NOT a hair trigger but it should be crisp with no movement...all you need to do is tighten up the back..... DO NOT try to time your shots... like .. im on the spot .. im ..off.im on.. im off BANG... start a little high come down relax breath, come down relax breath come down... then put the brakes on relax the pin is gonna float some dont worry... you should be saying something like this, find the center, find the center and tighten up ..LET GRAVITY WORK FOR YOU DONT TRY TO FIGHT IT..........only shoot perfect arrows if anything else crosses the mind or your shot seq. was not perfect stop let down start over and only shoot perfect arrows.. this should fix you up....your doing great.... mike66


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