Red Hawk

I am curious on what i can do to help strengthen my left arm so i can hold the bow longer and more level. What would be the best excrise or whatever to help me out? Someone suggested everything from rubber bands to an actually tool/work out band that Cabela sells but i haven' t found it yet. Open to ideas and thank you in advance

Rack-attack

A gym workout will help build some muscle and strength.

But I think the best exersise is to shoot and shoot often.

Work your way up in poundage and don' t overbow yourself.

jsasker

RA is right--i would say to drop your poundage and shoot alot more.Lower poundage lets you shoot longer and have more fun in my opinion.The more you shoot the stronger you will get.

CG

Pushups and pullups....seriously! Do as many push-ups as you can and then immediatly try and draw your bow....I' ll be willing to wager that it feels like 100# simply because you are using the same muscles.....

TFOX

If the problem is holding the bow up,then you MAY need a shorter draw and/or less letoff.Also having a straight arm instead of a bent arm should help.This allows you to have more back tension and in return ,making it easier to hold.

I am speaking from experience.I am only 140# soaking wet and only pull 58# right now but I pull hard into the wall with 65% letoff and am holding steadier than ever before.

Excercise and shooting are all good but without proper form,it will still be hard to hold steady.

VBM

Red Hawk, the excercise item from Cabela' s is called the Bow Fit. It costs about $30 with the video tape. I have been using one for about 3 weeks now and it is really helping me to increase my strength and condition. If you just want to strengthen your left arm/shoulder the best thing to do is get a weight and simply hold it out in front of you at shoulder height. Hold it with the palm of your hand facing in and keep your arm completely straight. Start out fairly light and work up in weight. Hold it as long as you can. Do this 2 or 3 times a day and your arm/shoulder will get stronger.

dick cress

I shoot every day that I can and at a minimum of twice a week. Then as a part of my daily exercise routine, I set my backside on the floor with my legs spread at around 30 degrees. From this position I draw my bow and hold a sight pin on a target mark on my livingroom window . . . I hold this position a nominal 30 seconds and repeat the whole draw and hold process a total of five times.

It is TOUGH to do at first but after more than a year, it is now much easier . . . it is just HARD.

Being a leather crafter I have some Thin Deer hide that I cut in 1/4" X 1/2" strips and wrap this leather strip just below my nocking point and attach my release to the leather . . . this prevents wear on my string. When the leather wears thin, I just replace it.

This is a great conditioning exercise.

CBM SC

Like everyone else said .....there is nothing better IMO than just shooting as much as you can ,all year long ! You hardly use these muscles for anything else , so it' s hard to build them up any other way. I have had some friends that work out a lot and benchpress close to 400 lbs that can barely draw a 70# compound back a single time. Watching that can be very funny and a great ego adjuster too !!