seems like my draw length shortens a half to a full inch with a low wrist grip. Anybody else experienced this ?
Everybody looses draw length when moving from a higher wrist to a lower wrist/straight grip unless they continue to shoot the bow with a high wrist hold, which is rather hard to do, but some do it.
Your experience would be experienced by all who hold the low grip with a low grip hold.
The pressure point has been moved further away from you.
you might find that your elbow cocks out a bit more with a low wrist too
Yep
I discovered this moving from my MOAB to Big River Longbow. Bumped up @4#, so as I got used to it I started trying a straight wrist holding bow in thumb web on the locator grip and my form with follow through and grouping came back. Got the 1/2" back too.
:coffee: :campfire: :thumbsup:
Yep. That's shooting a low wrist/straight grip with a high wrist hold. Works for some. Most find it tiring, particularly with a heavier weight bow.
I'm good for @60 relatively quick shots, more if I space them out. Also, find I'm less likely to torque the bow.
:campfire:
This solves a mystery for me, I think. Measured my draw length a few months ago, and it was a half inch less than I remember. I chalked it up to old age, as my height is shrinking too. However, it was still puzzling, because I measured my wingspan and it was the same as always, and you would think wingspan would have more to do with draw length than height. Anyway, after reading these posts, I remembered that in my continual effort to improve my form, I have started conforming my bow hand more to my grip, whereas before I had a higher wrist grip. All my recurves have medium wrist grips, but the difference between putting palm pressure on the grip and just lightly touching the grip with my palm amounted to 1/2" in draw length. Which only goes to show that there ain't no such thing as a free lunch! Now I have to decide if my form has improved enough (if any) to warrant giving up 1/2" in draw length.
My shot is improved with a higher wrist position.
:coffee: :campfire: :thumbsup:
What I have experienced is this, I have mostly shot recurves and had a 29"draw. I just got a new Shrew classic hunter and have noticed that with the grip on this bow my draw length is now closer to 28". I am assuming that using the lower wrist hold is the reason why I have lost the almost 1" in draw lenghth
Yes. That is why. It's not unique. Happens to everybody (unless they continue to shoot a straight/low wrist bow with a high wrist grip, as Woodstix does). A high wrist grip puts the web of the hand (between the thumb and forefinger) forward; a low wrist grip moves it rearward. That's what causes the reduced draw length.
Yep, why me and long bows don't click. This old photo (1974) shows my high wrist and straight arm compared to my buddy with his heel down and slightly bent arm. His draw was 28. My draw was 30.5", now 30.25".
Thanks for the info everybody. I was thinking right I guess. Suprised I lost an inch though.
Yes! Absolutely. A curved handle bow stretches your draw length by jutting the web of your forefinger and thumb out and bending your wrist slightly downward.