1 question a week for 10 weeks

[littlejohn59]

The static release or the pull through release?

Which type do you use?

[Mick Smith]

Static release for me. I believe that the release is the key to good shooting. A poor release will ruin more of my shots than any other cause, IMO.

I like to try to do what I call a 'dead' release. This is where my fingers suddenly go slack while remaining in exactly the same place. I find that if I don't constantly reinforce this basic action upon myself, I will end up 'plucking' the release, ie, moving my fingers away from my anchor point slightly before release, causing the shot to go left.

There's a lot more to know about the release than meets the eye. It's not simply just a matter of letting go of the string, although that's obviously a part of it. Which part of the fingers should be used to hold the string? Should you attempt to release the string by using a sideways sliding movement? What's going to give you the cleanest release, tab or glove? Do you use any sort of a lubricant, ie, talcum powder to make your releases smoother? I hope I'm not pre-empting any future questions here littlejohn.

[littlejohn59]

No Mick....its not a trick question.
i thought it be interesting and informative to ask a question and for archers to give their reply on the forum.... we might pick up some valuable information........
So the 10 questions.

Nobody has to answer if they don't want to......but its a forum. So i thought it would be kind of cool if archers contributed their thoughts in a friendly environment.....

i hope i am not wrong......

[Mick Smith]

I believe it's an excellent question littlejohn. We're never too smart or too old to learn something new. I'm also interested to see the results. It's a very important aspect of shooting a bow and one that's often glossed over by many. I can't see any possible reason why anyone should find this line of 'research' offensive in the least.

As I said, I much prefer the static release. I have had a long and boring problem with target panic over the years and I believe the 'pull through release' might well aggravate this condition, so I have stayed well away from it. I need a well defined release and the static release seems to provide that for me.

I must admit though, during speed shoots and other events, such as bow birds, etc, I do find myself using the pull though release. It seems better suited to fast action shooting, IMO.

[Stickbow Hunter]

I have always used the pull through release as I am a snap shooter.

Jeff

[GrahameA]

Hi Mick.

Static release for me. I believe that the release is the key to good shooting. A poor release will ruin more of my shots than any other cause, IMO.

I like to try to do what I call a 'dead' release. This is where my fingers suddenly go slack while remaining in exactly the same place. ...

The question is this. How do you keep your fingers in the same place? Assuming you are using anything above 35lb and you are using your back muscles you hand will move backwards when the pressure comes of the fingers. If the hand stays essentially still them you are using the muscles in your arm to pull the bow. Do you want to do that? Does that promote better accuracy?

Littlejohn's question made need a bit more clarification/definition as to what he means.

The static release or the pull through release?

What does he mean when says a "Static Release" or a "Pull Through Release".

[Jim]

The static release or the pull through release?

Which type do you use?

My release is dynamic, in that my hand moves back a little.. about a few centimetres, till I feel my index finger on my ear. When my finger hits my ear I have a little pause then draw my elbow back as far as possible, exaggerating the release (my hand ends hanging limply on my shoulder). That's just a little thing I do to make sure I follow through properly and keep my bow arm steady until that exaggerated phase is complete.

[Roadie]

I string my Bow, nock arrow to string, pull back till my thumb reaches the corner of my mouth and release. Simple Really. But then I shoot a stick with a piece of string and of the Knuckle. Why and What is this All about. Cheers Roadie.

[GrahameA]

Hi Grant.

I string my Bow, nock arrow to string, pull back till my thumb reaches the corner of my mouth and release. Simple Really.

However. do you pull hold the load with the muscles in your arm or the muscles in your back?

[littlejohn59]

Come on GrahameA. No more analysing of other archers..
Describe YOUR release, static or dynamic release?

[Roadie]

Afternoon Grahame, Experience has taught me to use the Muscles of my Back as one of my War Bows was 100lbs plus, BUT as I have grown OLDER I no longer shoot those poundages, Still shooting 50lbs ELB's though. JUST LOVE EM... Cheers Roadie.

[GrahameA]

Hi Grant.

No more analysing of other archers...

It was not an analysis it was a question.

Afternoon Grahame, Experience has taught me to use the Muscles of my Back as one of my War Bows was 100lbs plus, BUT as I have grown OLDER I no longer shoot those poundages, Still shooting 50lbs ELB's though. JUST LOVE EM... Cheers

Hi Grant.

I string my Bow, nock arrow to string, pull back till my thumb reaches the corner of my mouth and release. Simple Really.

However, do you pull hold the load with the muscles in your arm or the muscles in your back?

Roadie.

So your release will be "dynamic", i.e. your handle will automatically move rewards when you let go the string
and this is a deduction

[Mick Smith]

Hi Mick.

Static release for me. I believe that the release is the key to good shooting. A poor release will ruin more of my shots than any other cause, IMO.

I like to try to do what I call a 'dead' release. This is where my fingers suddenly go slack while remaining in exactly the same place. ...

The question is this. How do you keep your fingers in the same place? Assuming you are using anything above 35lb and you are using your back muscles you hand will move backwards when the pressure comes of the fingers. If the hand stays essentially still them you are using the muscles in your arm to pull the bow. Do you want to do that? Does that promote better accuracy?

Hi Grahame.

My hand does fly backwards upon release of the string. It's what happens immediately prior to and during the release that's important, IMO. I'd like to think that my fingers remain still until they're no longer holding the string, upon which they move to the rear. I am aware of using my back muscles in the later stages of my draw and perhaps earlier in the draw as well, but it's the later stages that I feel it the most.

I think the difference between a static release and a dynamic release is the time pause when the draw is held at anchor for a period of time with the static release, as compared to there being no pause at all for the dynamic release. The dynamic release is supposed to be one fluid movement from the start of the draw to the release, where the archer is mentally picturing the sequence of events and the target acquisition simultaneously. The static release archer will usually wait until they have reached full draw before they finally ready themselves for the shot. It's possible that I'm wrong in this, as it's only my interpretation of the different meanings of the terms.

[DrAK DaRippa]

static release or pull through.

do you pluck the string back [or overdraw] in order to force the string out of your fingers?

or do you let your fingers give way, like letting go of a heavy weight?

the main difference i have noticed, by shooting, is the pull through method results in my flu flus landing further away.

i feel more comfortable shooting by 'static release' personally, and i've got no idea about the difference in accuracy.

it would seem though, that anchor points become less effective with the pull through method, as fatigue could cause inconsistencies in the amount of pluck given to the string.

though it feels really awesome when i pluck the string and make a good shot and it also seems like my posture straightens out.

i'm conflicted... but old habbits die hard, i'll probably revert to static release if i'm going with the flow

[cmoore]

This is how I do it

1411360049336id375595.gif (258.68 KiB) Viewed 6790 times

[Mick Smith]

By gosh, I hope that isn't a carbon arrow, is it?

It take it that the bow you're using is a 'short draw' indian style bow, hence the very short draw length. As a matter of curiosity, can you manage to get much accuracy using that method?

[DavidM]

Hey Big Fella

Dynamic release for me. (the cobra )

Our friend Rod Jenkins would say a dynamic release is a consequence of proper back tension and if its not happening then you have stopped pulling.

But in saying that I have seen some pretty good shooters with a “dead” release.

Horses for courses realy

[Mick Smith]

By Gosh Professor, I didn't realise that you had the deadly speed of a cobra strike. My respect grows and grows.

[DavidM]

Hi Mick

LOL

Its sort if an in-joke, it refers to what my hand look like when it touches my shoulder after the shot. The boys call it the cobra!

I’m about as fast as a geriatric snail

[Mick Smith]

Oh, I see. What a let down. I preferred my mental image of you having super human speed.

[cmoore]

By gosh, I hope that isn't a carbon arrow, is it?

It take it that the bow you're using is a 'short draw' indian style bow, hence the very short draw length. As a matter of curiosity, can you manage to get much accuracy using that method?

Thats a carbon ... yeah it's a shortbow at a 19" draw, accuracy wise I would be hitting a 2 litre coke bottle from 10 meters with say 3 out of 6 arrows...but the other 3 arrows would be close. I'll post up a video on youtube soon

[Mick Smith]

There's no need to be embarrassed. I was just having a dig at you.

No doubt you will have some nice 'primitive' timber arrows that will match the theme of your bow in the works somewhere and if not, there's nothing wrong with the arrows you've got.

The reason I asked you about your accuracy, I wondered how you could achieve consistent results without a conventional anchor. I know of other accomplished archers who shoot in a similar manner and it has often puzzled me how they do it.

[hardgainer]

Dead release

[rodlonq]

Mine is much the same as Mick Smith described his release. My preference to have a consistent anchor point and to have a brief pause before releasing.

As for the short draw, I was amazed the young fellow that won the junior recurve at Tully on the weekend used a similar release, loosing at 3/4 draw length without pause, but pulling through to behind his ear quite a bit. It was freaky how consistent he was. I think he proved to me that it doesn't really matter what you do, if you do it enough times to be consistent, it works.

Great question by the way little john.

Cheers... Rod

[hardgainer]

Good post rodlong.....We have a German guy who drifts in and out of our club.... shoots a a short Osage Indian Bow... gets his feathers from the club grounds parrot whatever.... buys his shafts from Bunnings. Self nocked.... feathers tied on.
Short draws so many shots and I have lost count of how many butts he has kicked with this shooting style.
Endorse the question Ian. Good one.

[littlejohn59]

Thanks Rod and Hardgainer
i shoot with a dead release.
However i must concentrate otherwise i give what i call the royal wave. After the release my arrow hand will fling off to the right giving the illusion i am waving. A bad habit that i developed when i began archery which wasn't corrected for a few years. Now its the bane of my release when i try too hard...

[Mick Smith]

It's weird how certain little subconscious actions/habits seem to constantly appear to plague our shooting. You finally start to get your act together and then, out of the blue, something comes along to ruin it. How I envy the blokes who just seem to shoot consistently over and over again.

Now, we've got to wait a whole 3 days for the next question in the series, unless littlejohn decides to bring it forward a little.

[littlejohn59]

To sum up those archers that replied, thank you.

It is a 50/50 split between a dynamic and a static release.

Interesting.......mmmm

As we have 1 restless soul amongst us i am bringing the 2nd question forward to appease.