New Split finger Draw

[valhalla]

Ive been trying split finger one above and 3 below and am shooting quit well, went from the
traditional split finger to give it a try and its working :shock:Does anybody else shoot like this

Regards Rob

[longbow steve]

I have never tried to shoot with 4 fingers on the string. Why do you think it is working better for you? Are you shooting bare finger or just allowing the 4th finger to be bare? Steve

[longbowinfected]

I just tried that without shooting and boy I could not do that.
I cannot see how you could line up your bottom first finger joint grooves without causing muscle strain in the back of your drawing hand. Strain like that causes serious issues.
I also suspect that it would be pretty hard to even out the bias of your draw above and below the arrow.
I could not see you shooting 150 arrows or more in a day. But hey whatever floats your boat. Your archery text book is probably going to sell more copies than mine.
My little finger is way shorter than the others....not going to happen.

What are you shooting at and what distances are you talking about?

Kev

[Stickbow Hunter]

I also don't know how you can shoot like that - interesting.

Jeff

[valhalla]

I am holding with all fingers Little Finger only the Tip,but find im using my back more Re tension
i shoot about 100 arrows today and seemed fine could have keeped going,im shooting at approx
20 meters at a small rubber cube target about the size of a tea cup plate

[longbowinfected]

Excuse me if you find my comments offensive but the more you say the worse this gets.

I seriously doubt that you would be very accurate at 30, 40, 50, 60 metres with such a method. If you can shoot any of those distances using the better known methods see what sort of results you get with larger target faces at those distances.

For mine there is a better case to use fewer fingers rather than more...especially at lower poundages. With more fingers and more finger surface area you just have to increase friction, drag and error not to mention finger pinch and muscle stress to the back of your hand. As to your comment about using the fingertip that is just ridiculous for mine.

I fail to see how using more fingers increases your ability to use your back muscles with increased tension. Seems to me that ou are relatively new at this and perhaps your back muscles are working up better because of more practice.

How long is your bow, bow nock to bow nock? I would be tempted to say pretty long to be able to use four fingers to release.
What poundage are you drawing?
How long is your draw?

This does not ring as fair dinkum for mine, based on my coaching knowledge and skills even if I have only been coaching for three or four years.

Have you received any formal training by an accreditted coach?

Perhaps you are pinching all fingers and thumb together squeezing the arrow with one finger above? By saying all fingers I hope you are not including your thumb.

Kevin

[valhalla]

Excuse me if you find my comments offensive but the more you say the worse this gets.

I seriously doubt that you would be very accurate at 30, 40, 50, 60 metres with such a method. If you can shoot any of those distances using the better known methods see what sort of results you get with larger target faces at those distances.

For mine there is a better case to use fewer fingers rather than more...especially at lower poundages. With more fingers and more finger surface area you just have to increase friction, drag and error not to mention finger pinch and muscle stress to the back of your hand. As to your comment about using the fingertip that is just ridiculous for mine.

I fail to see how using more fingers increases your ability to use your back muscles with increased tension. Seems to me that ou are relatively new at this and perhaps your back muscles are working up better because of more practice.

How long is your bow, bow nock to bow nock? I would be tempted to say pretty long to be able to use four fingers to release.
What poundage are you drawing?
How long is your draw?

This does not ring as fair dinkum for mine, based on my coaching knowledge and skills even if I have only been coaching for three or four years.

Have you received any formal training by an accreditted coach?

Perhaps you are pinching all fingers and thumb together squeezing the arrow with one finger above? By saying all fingers I hope you are not including your thumb.

Kevin

As Ive said, i am shooting from 20 meters and its working for me, ill see what happens as i move back
i am only experimenting with it at the moment,no need to get all upset about it,im sure there are numerous
ways people use there hands, draw, anchor Ect,im not saying its the political correct way to shoot and i dont
think i have even eluded to that

I'm using a 50IB, 56 Inch Red wing Hawk one piece recurve off the shelf,with 29inch 11/32 shafts
I'm 37 and have been shooting for approx 22years

Regards Rob

[longbow steve]

Hi Rob, What might be occuring to give you a better release is that you are keeping all of you fingers on the string better due to the pinky finger reference thus holding more consistent pressure across the other three? Alot of folks start to drop the third just before release giving them variable pressure.
Perhaps go back to three fingers but work on holding with a deep hook and maintain pressure across the three fingers right through the shot.
Can we see a picture of your bow ? Cheers Steve

[Andy]

Or...

I recently bought a Saker Soma tab that has a 'pinky' hook that probably achieves much the same feeling as four fingers but leaves just three fingers on the string. The tab feels a bit odd at first, but after a week or two mine started to feel very solid and I got the impression my release was crisper and cleaner.

That said, my scores are kack at the moment, but I don't think it has anything to do with the tab. Only issue is the Soma tabs aren't cheap.

Andy

[longbow steve]

Hi Andy, I think you are correct that the Soma tab encourages a similar feel to what Rob is achieving. I think it is important have it as your intention to get the pressure even across your 3 fingers for the purpose of a clean release. Steve

[longbowinfected]

Rob, it is ok to do your own thing and experiment. For mine your procedure flies in the face of every coaching manual that is written based on science......nothing about political correctness. As I said your manual might sell more copies. Doing weird things with your preparation, draw, release and follow through can have all sorts of consequences wrt form and injury. There are also a lot of politically correct/accepted trad myths that do not sit well with me.

Hey I hate compound bows and back to front recurve and long bows and there is a whole lot of science supporting how good they are. I expressed interst in your concept, gave you my opinion and was concerned for your well being. If you did not want people to express opinions, why post the question? Sorry if I ruffled your feathers, but I was being fair dinkum.

Kev

[muntries]

I tried this (without shooting) by drawing and holding I could feel the strain in my tendons after just a few reps of this on my bow. I was getting finger numbness when I first started (I shoot three under and not about the start chopping and changing) because I was holding the string on the pads of three fingers and this was incredibly painfull and then about a week of numb fingers which wasn't nice. Definitely give a deep hook ago it worked for me. Do a search here there is a thread I started entitled 'Numb Fingers' and someone posted a pic of a deep hook that might help you out it did for me.

[valhalla]

Hi Rob, What might be occuring to give you a better release is that you are keeping all of you fingers on the string better due to the pinky finger reference thus holding more consistent pressure across the other three? Alot of folks start to drop the third just before release giving them variable pressure.
Perhaps go back to three fingers but work on holding with a deep hook and maintain pressure across the three fingers right through the shot.
Can we see a picture of your bow ? Cheers Steve

That could be the case as i am definitely holding the string in a deeper hook now,Ive been shooting Compound
for a few years now,instinctive and Trad were in the first 8 years of shooting when i started,we also started back
then using Sticks with string, then shop bought equipment and eventually the Compound and all its complexity's
i have just come back into Trad and enjoying it more than i thought i would, and am now hooked

[valhalla]

Or...

I recently bought a Saker Soma tab that has a 'pinky' hook that probably achieves much the same feeling as four fingers but leaves just three fingers on the string. The tab feels a bit odd at first, but after a week or two mine started to feel very solid and I got the impression my release was crisper and cleaner.

That said, my scores are kack at the moment, but I don't think it has anything to do with the tab. Only issue is the Soma tabs aren't cheap.

Andy

Thanks i think ill try this tab,i have a Cavalier at the moment.

[valhalla]

Can we see a picture of your bow ? Cheers Steve[/quote]

Ill post some Pics up soon

[valhalla]

Hi Andy, I think you are correct that the Soma tab encourages a similar feel to what Rob is achieving. I think it is important have it as your intention to get the pressure even across your 3 fingers for the purpose of a clean release. Steve

Thanks for that,ill give it a go

Regards Rob

[valhalla]

Rob, it is ok to do your own thing and experiment. For mine your procedure flies in the face of every coaching manual that is written based on science......nothing about political correctness. As I said your manual might sell more copies. Doing weird things with your preparation, draw, release and follow through can have all sorts of consequences wrt form and injury. There are also a lot of politically correct/accepted trad myths that do not sit well with me.

Hey I hate compound bows and back to front recurve and long bows and there is a whole lot of science supporting how good they are. I expressed interst in your concept, gave you my opinion and was concerned for your well being. If you did not want people to express opinions, why post the question? Sorry if I ruffled your feathers, but I was being fair dinkum.

Kev

No worries,all good i wanted people to express there opinions or i wouldn't have posted it.

[valhalla]

I tried this (without shooting) by drawing and holding I could feel the strain in my tendons after just a few reps of this on my bow. I was getting finger numbness when I first started (I shoot three under and not about the start chopping and changing) because I was holding the string on the pads of three fingers and this was incredibly painfull and then about a week of numb fingers which wasn't nice. Definitely give a deep hook ago it worked for me. Do a search here there is a thread I started entitled 'Numb Fingers' and someone posted a pic of a deep hook that might help you out it did for me.

Ill keep an eye on it,Ive Been weight lifting for about 6 years now,and haven't had a problem with muscle and or fingers yet
but a Chin bar is a lot thicker than a string i suppose,and i can see were damage may occur,the tab i have now is very
protective i can hardly feel the string,i mean i know its there but its not putting pressure on joints,i have a deep hook

[valhalla]

Pics, not great quality taken with Web cam


http://www.ozbow.net/phpBB3/download/fi ... w&id=12833

http://www.ozbow.net/phpBB3/download/fi ... w&id=12832

http://www.ozbow.net/phpBB3/download/fi ... w&id=12831

[longbow steve]

That looks nice, is it fairly short? Thanks for the pics . Steve

[valhalla]

That looks nice, is it fairly short? Thanks for the pics . Steve

56 Inches, 50IB at 28 inches

[Stickbow Hunter]

Wow that is a short little recurve Rob.

Jeff

[valhalla]

yeah i like it,probably a little short for a 29inch Draw but ive got used to it

Regards Rob

[Stickbow Hunter]

29", you most certainly would be workin' those limbs.

Jeff

[longbowinfected]

Being such a short bow I can now understand how your little finger can get close to the string. The strength thing should not be a problem with your drawing hand. Your back delivers the strength component. Your arm locked straight and your bow arm thumb pad straight alignment separate or maintains the draw. The deep hooked fingers hold the string but leave the back of your hand relaxed which really helps to produce a smoot sub conscious release.

Kev