string hitting arm
10-26-2004, 10:33 AM
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Virginia
Posts: 291
string hitting arm
Iam new here so Hi everyone and thanks for all the info. My question is how many of you have your string hit your arm whenever you shoot My natural form is for me to have my arm out straight but in order to not hit my arm I have to bend my arm at the elbow. and it is harder to hold steady like that. Can you think of anything that I can change in my stance that would allow me to shoot with a straight arm and not have the string hit me. I use an armguard but sometimes when Iam not thinking about bending my elbow and I have a straight arm the string hits my arm so hard that it throws the arrow way off.
Thanks
Thanks
10-26-2004, 10:40 AM
#2
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location:
Posts: 311
RE: string hitting arm
First off welcome to the boards! Im sort of new myself. You find alot of good people on these boards with great storys pictures and very helpful information.
Bending your bow arm at the elbow is the best way. I had to do the same thing. I only had it move it slightly so that the string woudln't smack my arm. With practice you will get more steady. It worked for me.
Stups
Bending your bow arm at the elbow is the best way. I had to do the same thing. I only had it move it slightly so that the string woudln't smack my arm. With practice you will get more steady. It worked for me.
Stups
10-26-2004, 10:55 AM
#4
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: NC/SC
Posts: 58
RE: string hitting arm
Hey Slo,
Welcome to the forums. I shoot a bowtech liberty that I just got a couple of weeks ago. I ordered a 29" draw and found I was hitting my arm as well. I went down to a 28.5" draw and was able to bend my elbow enough so it was not hitting my arm. Your draw length may be too long and if you're having trouble holding your bow back with your elbow bent, you may want to take it to your local pro shop to see if they can adjust the bows valley so you can hold it back easier at full draw.
Hope that helps some.
Welcome to the forums. I shoot a bowtech liberty that I just got a couple of weeks ago. I ordered a 29" draw and found I was hitting my arm as well. I went down to a 28.5" draw and was able to bend my elbow enough so it was not hitting my arm. Your draw length may be too long and if you're having trouble holding your bow back with your elbow bent, you may want to take it to your local pro shop to see if they can adjust the bows valley so you can hold it back easier at full draw.
Hope that helps some.
10-26-2004, 11:01 AM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Northern Illinoise
Posts: 2,464
RE: string hitting arm
For me, I hit my forearm about 2/3 of the way between my elbow and my wrist - closer to my wrist - when I grip the bow too tightly, or don't rest it in the crook of my hand between my thumb and forefinger. Try loosening up your grip a bit first before you go shortening your draw length, it's quick and painless, and if it helps then great, if not, then try shortening your draw length. Certainly can't hurt anything.
10-26-2004, 11:14 AM
#6
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Maine
Posts: 3,555
RE: string hitting arm
Welcome Slo-Pitch.
There are acouple of causes of arm slap and they've both been mentioned. a DL that's too long is the surest way to get slapped. also torquing your wrist can do it too. In most instances it's cause by an inporper DL and if you shorten it by 1/2 inch you'll be able to add a slight bend to you elbow to elivate the problem. This probably isn't the best form if you'll be shooting competitions where you've got to shoot hundreds of arrows but for hunting it get's the job done. Practicing with a slight bend will help to build up the strength needed to shoot consistantly with that form as opposed to shooting with a straight arm in which you skeleton takes the majority of the weight of the bow.
If you want to shoot straight arm I'd suggest a 1/2 decrease in Dl or buying an arw protector. Personally I wouldn't want to risk a shot at a book buck because the shot slapped my arm. I'd drop the dl a bit and shoot a slight bent elbow but that's me.
Good luck!
There are acouple of causes of arm slap and they've both been mentioned. a DL that's too long is the surest way to get slapped. also torquing your wrist can do it too. In most instances it's cause by an inporper DL and if you shorten it by 1/2 inch you'll be able to add a slight bend to you elbow to elivate the problem. This probably isn't the best form if you'll be shooting competitions where you've got to shoot hundreds of arrows but for hunting it get's the job done. Practicing with a slight bend will help to build up the strength needed to shoot consistantly with that form as opposed to shooting with a straight arm in which you skeleton takes the majority of the weight of the bow.
If you want to shoot straight arm I'd suggest a 1/2 decrease in Dl or buying an arw protector. Personally I wouldn't want to risk a shot at a book buck because the shot slapped my arm. I'd drop the dl a bit and shoot a slight bent elbow but that's me.
Good luck!
10-26-2004, 11:42 AM
#7
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Central Kentucky
Posts: 117
RE: string hitting arm
i used to have the same problem with my form. It took one good slap on the arm and a bruise over just about all my forearm to learn to drop the Draw Length. After that my arm got out of the way and i haven't done it again since.
10-26-2004, 11:50 AM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,358
RE: string hitting arm
Slap is usually a sign that the DL is to long, however sometimes it isn't.
Where in your bow hand does the grip sit? It should be out on the pad of your hand between your thumb and life line. If its further into your hand than this, you almost have to roll your arm in to get decent alignment and this will bring your forearm in to the string a bit.
Also, sometimes a high bow shoulder causes the elbow to rotate in, same result, smack.
these problems can be made even worse by a to long a draw length.
--Bob
Where in your bow hand does the grip sit? It should be out on the pad of your hand between your thumb and life line. If its further into your hand than this, you almost have to roll your arm in to get decent alignment and this will bring your forearm in to the string a bit.
Also, sometimes a high bow shoulder causes the elbow to rotate in, same result, smack.
these problems can be made even worse by a to long a draw length.
--Bob
10-26-2004, 12:23 PM
#9
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 799
RE: string hitting arm
I agree with everyone else, draw length too long and you can use a slight bend in the elbow. I also was told once that you could open up a bit more when shooting by turning your hips slightly toward the target. Whether or not that is actually good advice I am not sure, maybe someone here could tell me what they think about that.
10-26-2004, 01:14 PM
#10
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Dekalb, Illinois
Posts: 431
RE: string hitting arm
I had the same problem and this corrected it for me also
ORIGINAL: HNIJustin
For me, I hit my forearm about 2/3 of the way between my elbow and my wrist - closer to my wrist - when I grip the bow too tightly, or don't rest it in the crook of my hand between my thumb and forefinger. Try loosening up your grip a bit first before you go shortening your draw length, it's quick and painless, and if it helps then great, if not, then try shortening your draw length. Certainly can't hurt anything.
For me, I hit my forearm about 2/3 of the way between my elbow and my wrist - closer to my wrist - when I grip the bow too tightly, or don't rest it in the crook of my hand between my thumb and forefinger. Try loosening up your grip a bit first before you go shortening your draw length, it's quick and painless, and if it helps then great, if not, then try shortening your draw length. Certainly can't hurt anything.