Stickbow Target Archery Forums

I shoot with a Tab and a deep hook, I feel this helps keep everything relaxed during the shot, but it does slow arrow speed by 8-10fps. I know a couple of people shooting off the tips of their fingers this gives a fast arrow but can cause injury problems over time especially with higher poundage bows.

I just wanted to know people preferences on finger position and why.

steve -n
Sorry, but from personal experience, others I've spoken too, and most everything I've read, you've got it backwords. The Tab/deephook should give you a faster shot for several reasons, not the least of which is less tension on the fingers, and is also the most protective. If you're saying that by going deep, you're loosing 8-10 fps, I'd be more curious about the details of your release, you might be collapsing, or doing some thing else, you might not be aware of. The finger tip release, if nothing else, with shorten your draw length, and that won't help speed, at all.

BTW - I use an "Olympic" style release on bows from #35 to my max weight (Close to #100), meaning, (all %'s approx ), 35% on ring fing, 50% middle finger, 15% index finger. With the string in the first joint. Except for callousing of the ring finger, which by this time I have to consider an occupational hazzard, no real injuries to speak of.

Viper out.

Viper out.

My release through the Chrono is a consistent 189fps, my friend shoots my 47lb Longbow with my 27" arrows and he gets 199-200fps, the only difference I can see is our finger positions, as my release is shooting at a constant 189fps through the Chrono I don't think I am collapsing.
I do feel that it's the weakest part of my form hence the query.

Steve -
With the understanding that tele-coaching is almost always impossible, and doomed to failure, here goes ...

First that fact that you are comparing two different people, kinda makes all bets null and void, way too many differences possible, some apparent, and some not so apparent. If you can test both on yourself, that would be more informative. Second, are you both using the same release tecnhique? Dead releases yield very different results than pull throughs. Third. As far as the same fps through the chrono, (assuming, the chrono actually works correctly ), you may still be collapsing, but doing it reproducably. For a long time I had a nastly habit of droping my bow arm, the instant before the shot. Really bad form, but it was consistant enough to regularly slap arrows and take nocks. You can be very good at doing something very wrong.

Viper out.

In my experience Viper is right on the money, on both posts. every really good archer I know uses a deep hook, but of course I don't know them all.

We both use a dead release and I think 10fps is quite a big speed difference even if it is two different people, maybe I'll use a release aid to get a reference speed and work from that.

As always I'm always trying to improve my shooting form and I know I can make improvements on my release. What I'm looking for is the best possible performace while still keeping my accuracy
I've been using the chrono as a tool to tell me whats going on with the arrow speed when I try different release methods
I was after feedback from other archers as to what they feel the best release method is.

steve -
There's no such thing as a true dead release, only relative. The hand has to come back, even if only slightly, what looks like a dead release is one of the hardest things to quantify. You and your friend may look the same, but really sounds like you're not doing the same, not with a reproducable 10 fps delta. Get yourself a tab that allows both a deep hook and a finger tip release, and YOU do the chrono thing.

BTW - we are all taking it for granted that even though they're your 27" arrows, you're both getting the same 27" out of it!!!n
Just a few thoughts.

Viper out.

Your might consider how each of you hold the bow. Light vs clenched grip and high or low wrist. The bow will perform differently under each of these conditions.

Good stuff, you guys are showing the infinite variables on shooting a Bow. Thanks and keep it coming.

One more variable to consider -- if one of you pulls strongly with the ring finger, and the other pulls mostly with the first two fingers, you may find the ring finger shooter is faster.

Interesting question Steve. 10 fps is a lot of fps and I can see your concern. But I sure agree with Viper on this.
Biggest problem I had when i went to "deep hook" was letting the back of my hand relax. I found that my release was much smoother when I got rid of some of the tension.

And thinking about the release really caused problems.

Have you video taped yourself and your friend? I wonder if your string hand isn't creeping a bit.

String

Yes I do creep a little but only after a long days shooting and I’m getting tired, something we are all guilty of after a hard days shooting, sometimes I put to much pressure on my ring finger, I know this because this causes the arrow to bend a little on full draw and by the size of my callous
I cut my shafts to 27” to stop myself overdrawing and sinking back (a very bad habit I developed and worked hard to stop doing) it’s also to stop myself gap shooting off the pile, this causes me to have serious target panic, if I look at the pile rather than pick my spot and focus on it I get all kinds of problems flinching on release.

My anchor is in the corner of my mouth and stays touching the corner of my mouth after release, the release is subconscious, aiming and focusing on my spot from the moment I draw the Bow, I set myself up with a good bowhand push and shoulder tension and trigger the release by increasing bowhand pressure slightly or better described as squeezing my hand, again if it’s the other way round and I increase shoulder pressure or consciously think of release I start to get Target Panic problems
It all sounds unconventional but it allowed me to overcome my target panic problems from a couple of years ago and has allowed me to develop my shooting to a high standard, often giving the Recurve shooters a run for their money.
The important thing is my whole shooting process is very relaxed and controlled, I am getting respectable arrow speed from the Bow with my technique, I was just curious as to how my friend could get such a big increase using my setup and draw length.

Steve, it could be your friend is plucking the string. Oft' times that will increase speed, but at the sacrifice of accuracy.

I sure agree about what you said about gapping with the point, I had the same problem of keeping my focus on it rather than the target. Had good accuracy with it for a while but got so I released as soon as I looked up at the target. Now all focus is on the target and no more panic. Scores have climbed back to where they were before and I enjoy the shot much more.

How about tabs? Maybe your friend's is really slick?