Controling that bow arm

[Little John]

After  reading the need help from you pros thread about accuracy and consistancy and after going thru a poor shooting slump, I finally put two and two back together. Manny (Normadic Pirate) stated to don'tworry about back tension but only concentrate on pushing the bow arm to the target till the arrow is in the target. I realized that this is exzactly correct, the bow arm is the main thing that can throw off a shot and has about 100 times the effect on the shot than the release fingers. Further more if you push with the bow arm it is much easier to get the perfect release and you automatically get the back tension. It is what Fred Asbell talks about in his instinctive shooting books. Any way my shooting instantly back to where I can be proud of it and feel good about shooting at live game. Hope this can help some one.        Kenneth

[Pat B]

Just don't shoot over game anymore, Kenneth.   
 

[Pappy]

Found the same thing Kenneth. Just remembering it seems to be my problem.
   Pappy

[Little John]

Oh I know it Pappy, normally my arrow is on its way before I think about what I am doing. Maybe one of these days I will shoot well under pressure.  Good luck with your upcoming season, and thanks for all you do for the traditional archery community.      Kenneth

[crooketarrow]

  Back tentions is a compound release thing. Has nothing to do with shooting self ro traditional bows. Your right about pushing your bow arm forward. It gives you all the back tention you need shooting traditional and a primitive bow. But you have to do it enough that it's not thought about.
  Do you thing indains set around and talked back tention no ofcorse not. They did'nt shoot at 10 rings across there  lawn. They learned to shoot what comes natural to them.
  If you have to think about any part of your shot other than picking a spot YOUR NOT SHOOTING INSTINTIVE.

[n2huntn]

I couldn't disagree more with the above statement. Form is everything no matter what type of bow you shoot. Back tension ensures a full draw and clean release. I see a lot of trad archers short drawing the bow . Back tension also prevents snap shooting. Pulling with back tension allows consistent anchor and allows the bow arm to settle.

[Bentstick81]

Crooketarrow and n2huntn both have itnteresting points. For hunting purposes, i think it would really be hard to use n2huntn's style with back tension type of shooting. If you are shooting at birds, or rabbits on the move, i don't see how a person could use the back tension method. Sometimes, you have to get a shot off quick. Now on the other hand, if you are target shooting X's,  i could see where n2huntn's technique would be very beneficial. I think each style has its place. But hey, who am i to ask. LOL JMO

[crooketarrow]

 N your putting way more into shooting that needs to be there. If you have to think about haveing  the right back tention when the buck walks out your already in trouble. I did'nt say you don't need any form. But only the basic's after that with trational ( after the basics) it's whats comes natural. Your not standing with a high speed compound where every grain and total form matters.
  If your pushing your bow arm forwand your putting on enough back tention. WITH OUT WORRY ABOUT IT.
  NEXT WORSE THING PEOPLE TRY TO DO WITH THERE BOW ARM.
  IS DROPING YOUR BOW ARM TO WATCH YOUR ARROW FLY.
  DON'T DO ANYTHING OTHER THAT PICK A SPOT AND NEVER ,NEVER TAKE YOU EYE OFF YOUR SPOT UNTILL YOUR ARROW HITS.
  THIS DOSE 2 THINGS
  HELPS YOUR CONSUTRATION ON YOUR SPOT.
  IF YOU DON'T MOVE (TAKE YOUR EYE OFF YOUR SPOT) UNTILL YOUR ARROW HITS THATS FOLLOW THROUGH. STOPS YOU FROM DROPING YOU BOW ARM TRYING TO WATCH YOUR ARROW FLY.
  Your not shooting 50 yards at a 10 ring. If you keep it 20 or under should'nt take any thought. If your thinking about any part of your shot other than picking a spot. YOUR NOT SHOOTING TOTALLY INSTINTIVE.
   SHOOTING IS SUREPOSE TO BE FUN NOT A CHORE.
   YOU SHOOT A SELFBOW WHAT COMES NATURAL. DON'T CLUTER IT UP WITH 10 THINGS YOU GOT TO DO. I JUST SHOOT THE BUCK AND I HAVE OVER AND OVER WITH NOT DOING ANYTHING SPECIAL.

  ONCE I KNOW I'M GETTING A SHOOT AT MY BUCK. I ONLY LOOK AT MY SPOT THE NEXT THING I KNOW THE ARROWS EITHER IN THE BUCK OR THERE'S A BLOOD SPOT THERE.

  WERE NOT SHOOTING A COMPOUND A 50 OR 60 YARDS.

[n2huntn]

Making the shot has a lot to do with muscle memory . Back tension is accomplished with muscle memory. Proper practice makes for consistent shooting, and consistency is the key, anchor , position on the grip, etc. It doesent matter what you are shooting primitive or not. Back tension is an archery thing period. So many have an effective range under 20 yds with trad gear. The gear is not the limiting factor. Younger and older shooters will benefit from back tension. Everyones shoulders will benefit from using it. So much garbage is spread on the net about form. Go to a class on form by an accomplshed archer and you will be taught back tension . It doesent matter if you are shooting game or foam. The execution of the shot is the same and can not be rushed, I.e. snap shooting. I highly doubt that trad or primitive gear is more forgiving than compounds, just the opposite. Tuning and form are more critical in my experience.
 Glad you can hit what you shoot at. Different ways to accomplish the same goal. Some better and safer than others. You have to decide for youself and form your own opinion.
Jeff

[hedgeapple]

Ok guys, define "pushing" with your bow arm.  I've tried that since I first read Manny's comments.  At first I was getting string snap on my arm guard because I was straightening my arm too much on the push.  I shoot a very loose grip with just the meat of my thumb against the handle and my index finger slightly holding the bow.  If I have a tight grip I tend to torque the bow.  When I release and the top limb rocks forward slowly, I hit a 10 ring 90% of the time.  This happens in about 1 in 5 shots.  For the life of me, I don't know what I'm doing on that 1 shot that allows this reaction.

Now I'm not shooting badly.  I'll put 8 or 10 arrows in the kill zone of my 3-d deer target.  Those 2 arrows that are not in the kill zone is do to lack consentration and usually miss the target complete.  I just want to get better.  I want 8 of 10 arrows in the 10 ring.  Feel like I'm almost there but there's some little something that I need to correct and train my muscle to do to do it.

And, it's not like I'm not practicing.  In the last 30 days I've shot 25 of those days for 30 to 60 minutes.

[NOMADIC PIRATE]

Pushing the Bowarm doesn't mean you want to straighten it, keep your normal form but push that arm like if you want to touch the target 

[H Rhodes]

What helps me is to limit the time of my practice sessions.  Proper concentration is a big thing in my shooting and I have found that I benefit more from two or three short sessions of shooting in a day - maybe ten or fifteen minutes at a time, rather than the hour long ones...  I shoot better with only two or three arrows at a time.  Too many arrows in a target makes me worry about damaging nocks and feathers, and it takes away from my focus on the actual spot I want to hit.  Sometimes I shoot one arrow at a time.  Walk up,  get it and do it again.  If I stay at it too long, my concentration is diminished and my groups may spread out a bit.  I practice only as long as my attention span will allow me to practice perfectly.  Does any of that make sense?     

[NOMADIC PIRATE]

That make sense for aiming practice,
but sometimes you wanna form practice, than you shoot alot of arrows even just a few steps from the bale no aiming just feel the sequence of the shot, if you feel comfortable even better doing it with your eyes closed 

[H Rhodes]

Yep, I do that once in a while too.  Shooting a bow is one of those things that is unique in life.  There ain't nothing else just like it and you have to do it, and do it a lot,  to get good at it.

[hedgeapple]

Manny, that is an awesome idea of shooting with my eyes.  That seems like the perfect way to develope muscle memory, because there would be fewer distraction, just motion.  I got to try that.