# Under Chin Release or Corner of Mouth Anchor



## NickF509 (Apr 2, 2012)

*Under Chin Anchor or Corner of Mouth Anchor*

I've been haunting the forums for a little while now and my first bow is getting here today (Samick Sage 30#). Before i get started really learning how to shoot it seems there are a variety of different anchor points to choose from. I've noticed that every Olympic recurve archer i've watched uses an under the chin anchor, however most people on AT seem to use a corner of the mouth anchor. Why is that?

I've done a few searches and looked at the threads discussing this but i haven't seen anyone really suggest if there are advantages or disadvantages. What do you guys suggest and why? And why do the Olympic recurve shooters virtually all shoot the under the chin anchor?


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## rsarns (Sep 23, 2008)

Oly Archers have a sight, and they shoot long distances, what I found with my OLY bow was I needed to anchor low to get sight clearance for distances past 50M's. WIthout a sight I anchor with middle finger at corner of mouth, index finger on cheek bone weith my nose touchning the feather. Without a sight I use the point of the arrow for sighting, and thats why I use a higher anchor, to keep my "point on distance" at a reasonable length and my gaps smaller.


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## thorwulfx (Sep 26, 2011)

The under the chin release tends to be used for target shooting, especially at longer ranges. It is very repeatable, being all "hard anchor point". It also allows a very long "point on" distance, because of the arrow being relatively further below your sight plane. For shooting 90 meters, it has its major advantages. For shooting close-up, it means that, if you use the arrow as a reference point, it's going to be way below the intended point of impact. 

Many of us use the corner of the mouth/thumb at the jawbone anchor, which is often a little easier for instinctive or instinctive/gap shooting at closer ranges. It's all about what you want to do with the bow. There are trade-offs with either one. For hunting, stumping, and backyard shooting, corner of the mouth, to me, is more useful and easier to learn. For Olympic targets, where your nearest shot is going to be "a far shot" for many of us, the under the chin technique could be your best bet.

Cheers,

Patrick


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## Ryddragyn (Jan 28, 2012)

There are other anchor points that are perfectly valid.


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## airwolf (Jul 28, 2005)

do what works best for you, once you start shooting you will realize that you do better with a certain achor point verses another,
fwiw i shoot 30# sage and my best achor is no achor i pretty much have a floating achor that does not even touch my face and i shoot the best that way.


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## rembrandt (Jan 17, 2004)

I use the conner of the mouth with my middle finger and its worked for me. I shoot 3 under and the arrow is up high enough that it gives me a whole bag full of confidence, well, most of the time it does.


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## Destroyer (Sep 11, 2009)

thorwulfx said:


> It is very repeatable, being all "hard anchor point". It also allows a very long "point on" distance


Yep. But they don't all anchor the same it just looks that way. A lot of them are anchoring under the jaw and the fingers & string end up at the chin.


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## Viper1 (Aug 21, 2003)

Nick -

Couple of things.

The corner of the mouth isn't an anchor. It's a reference point, since it's soft tissue and therefore a variable. With a good side of face anchor there needs to be bone on bone contact. Some people use their finger tip touching a tooth and that's a little better. 

With a side of the face anchor the real anchor (as in boat anchor) is usually the thumb locked under or behind the jaw. That lock up is solid and then the finger to the corner of the mouth acts as a reference or confirmation point.

The higher the anchor, the closer the arrow is to your aiming eye and that makes close distance aiming easier, but shortens your point on distance, causing you to hold over sooner.

The under the chin anchor used by Olympic target shooters is horrible. It's a very weak anchor since the lock up isn't as secure as the side of face anchor I described. However, as was mentioned, it's necessary to get enough sight travel to reach extended distances. The lower "anchor" also helps to align the back muscles a little better than the higher side of face anchors. 

Which anchor is best? Depends on what you are doing, the size/shape of your head and your personal preferences. 

Viper1 out.


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## thorwulfx (Sep 26, 2011)

Destroyer, 

There I go generalizing. There's always going to be some variation. I'd argue the differences are probably due as much to the dynamic of hand/jaw/eye interface as they are to conscious "difference", though, just as some of us like index finger at the corner of the mouth, while other prefer middle. Not to fight...


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## thorwulfx (Sep 26, 2011)

Whatever I may have said, heed Viper1's post above mine.


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## Hank D Thoreau (Dec 9, 2008)

As Viper points out, face shape and size is an issue with an anchor. I use a corner of the mouth refererce with my thumb under my chin. I cannot use the inverted C position as shown in Masters of Barebow, because my fingers are too long. The main thing I need to pay attention to is not pushing with my thumb. I have tried higher anchors but I have to tilt my head to align the string. You have to experiment and find the most solid and repeatable anchor that you can. On the rare occassions that I shoot an Olympic bow, I use an under the chin anchor. I manage to get more bone on bone contact when I go under the chin. That may just be my face....you mileage may vary.


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## Viper1 (Aug 21, 2003)

Pat -

Thanks for the vote of confidence. 

I try to teach my Olympic people to use the old school center chin anchor. It's a hard pressure point against the center of the chin and a light contact on the tip of the nose. It takes a while for most people to figure out exactly where the center of their chin is! 

Some folks can't make a solid contact there and get anywhere near decent alignment. In those cases we use the (currently) more common side of jaw anchor in combination with a tip of nose or side of nose reference. While it allows for better alignment, it's a little trickier to find the same spot on the jaw line every time, at least for new people. That's why some of the Korean schools teach a "scapular" anchor, where the lock up is felt by placement of the shoulder blade. Yes, it does work, but takes a very long time to get right. Personlly, I don't think it's really worth it. 

Viper1 out.


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## rembrandt (Jan 17, 2004)

I failed to mention (Viper1 reminded me however) that the thumb is down and up against my upper jaw bone. The reference point I go to is the conner 0f my mouth with the middle finger. When I get to that point, I'm locked in and then I pull my shoulder blades towards each other and I'm ready to aim and fire. When I do it right I'm in or all around the Xring but if I fail with my form in any way, it shows at the target........


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## Destroyer (Sep 11, 2009)

thorwulfx said:


> There I go generalizing


Lol! Never meant it like that sorry. I should have gone to a new line after the 'Yep', the rest was general response to a few of the other posts.


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## steve morley (Dec 24, 2005)

Viper1 said:


> Nick -
> 
> 
> 
> ...


30# bow a lower anchor will likely be an advantage at this stage of your shooting, In Europe (mostly Hungarians) I see under the chin anchor with trad Longbow/Recurve shooting the biggest advantage is a better Scapula motion/feel, it's all about compromise between form control and aim. 

In theroy if you shoot instinctive you shouldn't need a high anchor as you kinda teach your Bow/body to follow where your eyes are looking, if you gap off the arrow it will be an advantage to have the arrow closer to the dominant eye.

Human brain/eyes are very adaptable and will learn to aim whatever way you anchor, on the other hand making yourself uncomfortable just to get arrow closer to eye will give you big consistency issues.


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## c-lo (Jan 8, 2012)

I learned with an Olympic Anchor, shooting an Olympic type bow and a sight, when I started using traditional bows with no sight I switched my anchor to the side of my face on a tooth as I'm finding it is easier to have the arrow under my eye. 

I do however miss having the string against my nose and chin as reference points and in aiming with one eye closed the first step for me was to see the blurry string in front of my eye and make sure it was in the center of the riser, keeping everything in line so the arrow doesn't go left or right. Once you knew your alignment was good left to right, I would switch my view to the target and sight. My vote goes for side of face/under eye without a sight and under chin with sight, you of course have to do what you are comfortable with and works for you.

Good luck with it.


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## airwolf (Jul 28, 2005)

like I said earlier the best anchor for me is no anchor. once i get to full draw my hand is just floating out there it dont matter whare you hold, your mind will tell you whats right and once your mind has been made up you will release. once you get the physics down your mind will become the arrow and will automatically want to hit whare your aiming.


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## NickF509 (Apr 2, 2012)

Thank you everyone for all of the great responses. There is some great information in here. Basically I'm hearing is that trying different anchor spots is the best way to learn. Just playing around i'm finding it feels more natural for me to use the side of the face anchor. I have pretty small hands and my thumb just kind of fits right under my jawbone. We'll see how it goes when I get a chance to get out there a little more.


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## rembrandt (Jan 17, 2004)

steve morley said:


> 30# bow a lower anchor will likely be an advantage at this stage of your shooting, In Europe (mostly Hungarians) I see under the chin anchor with trad Longbow/Recurve shooting the biggest advantage is a better Scapula motion/feel, it's all about compromise between form control and aim.
> 
> In theroy if you shoot instinctive you shouldn't need a high anchor as you kinda teach your Bow/body to follow where your eyes are looking, if you gap off the arrow it will be an advantage to have the arrow closer to the dominant eye.
> 
> Human brain/eyes are very adaptable and will learn to aim whatever way you anchor, on the other hand making yourself uncomfortable just to get arrow closer to eye will give you big consistency issues.


So far, I feel confortable with the high anchor, with the arrow about an inch under my eye. You and Viper1 have me a little worried now stateing that it is not as confortable as a lower anchor.....I don't feel any stress but then again it might be the reason for my increased muscle fatigue and finger problems. Heck, I don't know for sure even tho it just might be from 200 arrows a day without rest.


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## rembrandt (Jan 17, 2004)

BTW, after watching RangerB with the arrow fairly close under the eye, I might not be that mudh off base here.....


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## airwolf (Jul 28, 2005)

yeah RangerB has a high anchor almost to high but he is also a master of the bare bow so who is to argue


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## steve morley (Dec 24, 2005)

airwolf said:


> yeah RangerB has a high anchor almost to high but he is also a master of the bare bow so who is to argue



A word of caution, some of the videos (not all) Jimmy is shooting a light draw weight, Indoor 300 round is in the low 30's, if you shoot hunting weights and try and get your arrow that close to your eye you *might* run into some consistency issues. 

Dont just copy somebodies form without fully understanding why they do what they do, a lot of factors come into play, for me I shoot a lot of IFAA Field so a lower anchor will help with my desired 60y point on.


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## BLACK WOLF (Aug 26, 2005)

steve morley said:


> Dont just copy somebodies form without fully understanding why they do what they do, a lot of factors come into play,


:thumbs_up :thumbs_up !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ray :shade:


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## WindWalker (Jan 23, 2005)

> _Dont just copy somebodies form without fully understanding why they do what they do, _


:thumbs_up

add _"...because there in so such thing as one-size-fits-all" _and carve it high on a mountainside for all to read.


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