c903

I read a passing comment in a recent thread that implicitly indicated that the person who made the comment has bought into the "bent bow-arm" method of shooting a bow.

The thread subject was actually about why the shooter was experiencing forearm contact from his or her bowstring. Eventually, he/she made a statement indicating (paraphrased) that he/she knew the bow-arm should be relaxed and not fully straight. A few readers reinforced the shooter's belief my saying that the bow-arm should be bent.

Additionally, a reader or two seemingly suggested that bending the bow-arm was wholly or partly the cure for string slaps to the bow-arm. Not only do I not endorse the bent bow-arm shooting form to be proper form, bending the bow-arm to prevent string slap would be a Band-Aid, would mask the actual cause, and would introduce new shooting problems.

I have read articles in which the writer casually recommended the bent arm form but did not explain why he/she believed the bent arm method is proper form. I have read articles in which the writer advocated the bent arm form and attempted to give brief reasons why the bent arm form was important. I have been around a few shooters who use the bent arm method, try to explain why the method is proper form. In none of the cases in which a bent bow-arm method was insinuated or said to be proper form was I ever clear or convinced that the method makes sense and contributes to accuracy.

I am curious and would like to read explanations as to how the bent-arm evolved and why some believe the method is proper shooting form or is not proper shooting form. I have many reasons why I believe some shooters shoot with a bent bow-arm and why I consider the bent arm method to be detrimental to form and accuracy, but I am going to sit back and read awhile to see if others that do not support the method for some of the same reasons I do not, and to see if someone who does support the method can clearly explain and justify the "method."

Rack-attack

The bent arm IMO is NOT the best "Form" for accuracy and Bone to Bone contact in the bow shoulder.

BUT for bowhunting It is the BEST way to do it - because of clothing issues - and the need for speed. And when 90% of bowhunters I see have there bow shoulder way to high - the straight arm looses its advantage. might as well bend everything[:-]

Rangeball

Truth be told, I personally strive for low bow shoulder and tensionless comfort. Once I arrive here, I shoot my best. No idea if my arm is classified as straight or bent.

Definitely not pushed straight out stiff as a board, but not overly bend either. Just, firm and relaxed...

HAZCON7

I am not educated on form enough to give an opinion.

I would like to hear everyone else's though.

My wife broke her elbow a few years back and can't straighten her arm all the way out since. She is just starting to get into shooting a bow and I was thinking maybe she would need a crossbow to hunt with?
If bent arm is good form then someone else might have to teach her because I shoot straight arm.

adams

I've got a feeling you may be refering to a post of mine. If you are I'll explaine a bit better, if not please excuse me. I was under the impression that the individual may have a dl that is too long for them. If this is the case and they are stretching to make the draw this could be causeing the issue. It has happened to me in the past.

By shortening the dl and bending the bow arm the issue is remedied.

Black Frog

Once again like many archery topics, the terminology can be different depending on how you're describing it.

An arm can have a sliiiiight bend to it, yet still be in a good bone-on-bone form. Everybody's arms are a bit different, and have slightly different makeup structure.

A straight-out hyper-extended arm is no good either. And an arm that is too bent can be very inconsistent and hard to reproduce the same way every shot. Anything that depends on muscles to hold form is a thing that leads to inconsistencies in form and shot execution. Ideally (IMO) the only muscles you really want to use are the ones required to keep the bow up and on target, and muscles to keep the bow at full draw while aiming and then start applying a good backtension for a clean release.

The more muscles you involve in shot execution, the more inconsistent you'll be. Of course that's a general statement and there's always exceptions. I've some very good shooting from guys who's form was so whacked that I would swear would be all over the place. But that rule generally seems to hold water. Bone-on-bone contact is fairly consistent, your bones don't change size from shot to shot and it's much easier to reproduce bone on bone placement. Muscles holding a position (like a really bent bow arm) are inconsisent, and much more prone to fatigue and form deterioration over time.

BobCo19-65

Personally, I have always shot better with a bent elbow. During the follow though, my bow arm goes slightly foward.

c903

As I said, I will sit back and see if those that do not advocate the bent arm do not for all or some of the same reasons I do not, and to see if someone can clearly explain and justify the method. However, in the meantime I'll be a devil's advocate.

"BUT for bowhunting It is the BEST way to do it - because of clothing issues…."

If the bent arm method is not good form, and is not good for accuracy, how can the method be the best way for bowhunting, regardless the clothing issue? In archery, bad usually remains bad and can become worse when trying to adapt a bad method to correct a shooting issue.

adams: I don’t want to debate the issues and comments in the other thread, but if a too long draw-length is the cause of a particular problem, and you adjust the draw-length of the bow and the arrow to a measured draw-length while having a bent arm, are you truly adjusting the bow and arrow to your actual draw-length?

If you adjust everything while drawing without a bent arm, but then use a bent bow-arm to shoot, are not you now technically using a shorter draw-length than what you based your tuning and setup on?

Black Frog has raised a good point; just how much bent is bent? That is a point I have never been clear about when shooters advocate a bent bow-arm. To me, bent is bent, no matter how slight.

Rangeball

Then put me down in the bent arm camp, for the reasons BF alluded to above.

Black Frog

You can get away with some fairly bad form (really bent arm, twisted around in a treestand, awkward angles, etc...) and still be able to hit the boiler room pieplate consistently out to 30 yds. But doing those same things will not allow you to be competitive in a target archery venue where you have to hit a little bullseye 60 or 90 times in a row to be in the top group of archers.

When I said muscles are not very consistent and are much more prone to fatigue and form deterioration over time, I maybe should have said "over a shooting session". With fresh muscles making only one shot, you can get away with a little more latitude on form vs. shooting a 100+ arrow target tourney.