Get a Grip!

[Wooden Spring]

In my process of ongoing improvement, I think I've stumbled onto a different way of holding the bow that brought my scores up, WAY up...   Well, a "different" way for me anyway.

When I teach people how to shoot, I tell them to hold the bow like you would a baseball bat or a broom handle, wrapping your fingers around the handle where the pressure of the bow is evenly distributed across the whole length of your palm. BUT, last week, in trying something new, I made the "OK" sign with my hand, and held the bow that way - that is, the pressure of the bow was on my thumb and forefinger only, and my other fingers were more or less pointing out towards the target. By doing this, I was able to adjust my grip much closer to the center of the bow than I previously had.

My scores went WAY up in doing this, and the best that I can figure is that it has taken more of "me" out of the shooting equation. Much like when you're at a shooting bench and you only rest the rifle lightly against your body while shooting, and you just let the rifle do what the rifle wants to do.

Any one else shoot by holding your hand in the "OK" position?

[osage outlaw]

I saw your post title and thought we were going to talk Aerosmith 

Sounds like you are using a grip style like the _compound shooters use.  Are you using a wrist sling to catch the bow with the new grip?

[JW_Halverson]

That grip is also known as a "high wrist" grip.  It's great for fixing problems with torqueing the bow on release and several other problems. 

[Pat B]

Art Butner showed me that and said you could shoot arrows of different spine with it. He used a loose grip and let the bow pivot in his hand when he shot. He said the bow would swing out of the way of the arrow making it tolerant of different spined arrows. I never could get the hang of it.

[Wooden Spring]

"Are you using a wrist sling to catch the bow with the new grip?"
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No, and I'll tell you what, you really feel the bow pulling against your wrist after the arrow leaves the bow! For the first few shots, that thing hurt like crazy!

[Wooden Spring]

"That grip is also known as a "high wrist" grip.  It's great for fixing problems with torqueing the bow on release and several other problems."
----------------------------------------------------

Cool! So I guess that's what Bob Ross used to call a "happy accident." Maybe I did inadvertently fix some issues that I didn't even know I had.   

[PEARL DRUMS]

Keep in mind the bow would have to be tillered accordingly. To shift the fulcrum 1-2" upward would throw it all off. I have a few tillered to shoot that way, but most I build are meant to be shot with the heel of my hand.

[Pappy]

I shoot with a flat wrist, bow craddled in the V between the thumb and index finger,fingers wrapped lightly around the grip,      have for years,never could get the hang of gripping my bow like I was mad at as Asbell told me to do years ago when I shot my first longbow. Everyone has there own way and I say what ever you shoot the best go for it. 
  Pappy