I started shooting a longbow in October & have been practicing 3 or 4 times per week in my basement (we have lots of snow where I live). I feel I've been steadily improving but in any given practice session I am quite inconsistent - I'll put several arrows in a nice tight group then I'll have a real flyer. Also my groups tend to move orotund in relation to the point of aim.
Yesterday, after a frustrating session I told myself to just relax & shoot comfortably. I started nailing the target! I noticed that I was actually drawing 3/4" less than I had been previously using the same anchor.
Is it possible that I've been drawing too long from the beginning? I was drawing to where I was comfortable but then, in an effort to make sure I was not creeping at full-draw I pulled a little further & increased my back tension. I'm 5'5" tall & quite broad-shouldered. I was drawing 27.5" but now I think My draw-length should probably be 26.75".
Any comments would be appreciated - there are no archery clubs nearby or I would have sought some help from an instructor or other experienced archers.
Thanks,
Adam
" I told myself to just relax & shoot comfortably" Bingo!!!! Don't use ANY muscle not required for the shot.
In general, your draw length should not be arbitrary. It should be the result of alignment at full draw, and I like to favor "bone on bone" alignment. Your facial references for your string hand are a RESULT of the draw, NOT a target OF the draw.
There is a place where your string hand is anchored on your face, AND you can continue to increase back tension WITHOUT your hand or string moving back any more. That's because your string shoulder and upper arm are moving perpendicular to the arrow line -- towards your back. NOT straight back along the arrow line and away from the target.
If you haven't looked a some videos I did a while back, see if they give you any ideas to try.
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheMoebow1
Arne
Thanks Arne, I'll watch your videos & I understand what you mean about the last part of the draw where tension increases but the only motion is at right angles to the arrow. I think I'll use a rubber band to practice this a bit.
Adam