Hand cramps from handle! What to do?

[kevinnator11]

So my new "off the hand" bow has started making my hand cramp when shooting.  The only thing I can guess is I'm shooting to far above center which puts all of the pressure into the muscle between my thumb and pointer.  I'm just learning so my form maybe poor.  I've tried to modify my grip but that just kills my accuracy.  I usually just let the force from drawing pull the bow back into my hand.  I've put around 500 arrows through it and this just started happening.  I did remove the backing and add silk so it upped my draw weight and I put around 50 through it last night to test it. 

I've shaped the handle to where I'm shooting from so it can't really be changed.  This isn't a unique problem for me.  Back in the day when I was lifting weights I couldn't wrap my thumb around the bar without it cramping so this maybe a freak thing only I get to deal with.  If not and you have a fix I'd really appreciate it.  I'm really liking this bow.  Pulls #60 by the way.

[vinemaplebows]

Get that way a lot...hanging on to a chain saw, working with a rasp, gripping a shovel. Don't know how old you are, but at 43 I figure it's arthritis starting to kick in a bit.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Im 40 and my hands started doing that a few years ago on the car wash wand. Its snowballed since. I just deal with it and move on. I agree with Brian, arthritis maybe.

[toomanyknots]

I don't got too much to add, but I think a bulbous handle can feel just so right sometimes, somethin to really fill up your hand. Also, I think (THINK, as in I have no real idea, but am just kinda guessin, so take that into account) but I think that stress of the bow hand should be more focused at the bottom or heel of the palm, the part you push the bow with. Verses the upper part near the thumb. I think it's better use the bow hand to just hold the bow in place mostly with the pinky ring and middle finger, and use the strength of the arm/shoulder/back, etc, to do the work of drawing the bow. When people shoot a Yumi, you can see the bow flip around after the arrow is shot, because they are holding bow the lightly in the hand, not giving it the grip of death. Holding the bow firmly with all my fingers wrapped around, clawing it for dear life I guess, feels unnatural to me. I have tried to shoot like that. But the best way for me, (especially for heavy bows) is to use mostly the bottom of my hand, pushing off with the bottom of my palm. I really don't know, but I thought I would share my thoughts.

[kevinnator11]

Also, I think (THINK, as in I have no real idea, but am just kinda guessin, so take that into account) but I think that stress of the bow hand should be more focused at the bottom or heel of the palm, the part you push the bow with. Verses the upper part near the thumb. I think it's better use the bow hand to just hold the bow in place mostly with the pinky ring and middle finger, and use the strength of the arm/shoulder/back, etc, to do the work of drawing the bow.  But the best way for me, (especially for heavy bows) is to use mostly the bottom of my hand, pushing off with the bottom of my palm. I really don't know, but I thought I would share my thoughts.

I appreciate that.  I'll give it a shot.  I am new to this so I'm willing to try to adapt my form.  I did try to let the bow press against the heel but I was missing my mark.  I even tried the 3 under.  Just glad I didn't break my arrow when I missed. 

I'm 37 and feeling it so maybe the arthritis suggestion isn't far off.  And it's Alaska and cold.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Hand placement is all about tiller. If the bow isnt tillered for a low wrist grip it wont shoot right, but it may feel better as far as pain. If the bow is tillered for a high wrist grip and you grab it low it wont shoot right. In a nutshell if your arrows are shooting great then you really cant change your grip or it will change your tiller. Self bows are much more sensitive to form than glass sandwiche's are.

[kevinnator11]

Hand placement is all about tiller. If the bow isnt tillered for a low wrist grip it wont shoot right, but it may feel better as far as pain. If the bow is tillered for a high wrist grip and you grab it low it wont shoot right. In a nutshell if your arrows are shooting great then you really cant change your grip or it will change your tiller. Self bows are much more sensitive to form than glass sandwiche's are.

Ok so now I show my lack of knowledge.  I understand that the upper limb needs to have a bit of positive tiller.  I don't remember exactly why.  I keep about 1/4" positive tiller on the upper limb and shoot usually about 1 1/4" above center mark of the handle.   How would I need to change that for future bows for the grip difference? 

I really appreciate all of this info.  To think I'm getting this kind of knowledge for free.  It's "mind bottling"!   

[bubby]

i've got arthritis real bad in both wrist's, heck the doc keeps tellin' me he don't know how i can even work, to many years pouring concrete, rodeoin' and breaking brick's, anyway just deal with it, experiment with grips and maybe you'll find something that will help, sometimes i'll wear my wrist wraps from lifting and that helps, or i get a shot, Bub

[lesken2011]

Thanks, Pearl. I finally get where I can get a good, even, bend going and you throw me the curve about different tillers for different grips. Well, back to the drawing board...

[sharpend60]

You need to find out 'why' your muscle is cramping, not what 'causing' your muscle to cramp.
Does that make sense?

Case and point...are you de-hydrated while shooting  or do you have a muscle imbalance in your arm causing the muscle to work out of sync and over stressing some part?

Dont just modifiy your behavior, find the root cause.

[George Tsoukalas]

Are you really squeezing the bow? Relax your hand and don't grip the bow so hard. All you need is a gentle pressure. It won't go anywhere.  Jawge

[toomanyknots]

Thanks, Pearl. I finally get where I can get a good, even, bend going and you throw me the curve about different tillers for different grips. Well, back to the drawing board...

LOL. I don't know about all that. It could make a difference if you have an arrow rest that is unmoveable, but other than that you could just move your hand up or down a half an inch or whatever. I don't know if you need to ask somebody what grip type they have before you make them a bow or nothin... 

[toomanyknots]

Are you really squeezing the bow? Relax your hand and don't grip the bow so hard. All you need is a gentle pressure. It won't go anywhere.  Jawge

Exactly. Words of wisdom.

[vinemaplebows]

Well if you feel better when it is warmer for your region I would think arthritis is your answer, or at least the beginings of it...good luck!

[johnston]

Maybe you just need to build yourself up to a 60# bow, specially if you shoot it a lot.

Lane