Hi folks

I am just getting back into tradional archery and shoot split finger with a tab.

I notice that I am building up calouses on the inside of my pointer finger and on the pad of my third finger but nothing on my middle finger. Is this normal or am I making an error?

Also I know that in pistol shooting the bullet's point of impact on the target indicates what shooting form error caused it to be anything but a ten ring. Is the same true for archery and where would I find this information? To explain further: assuming that my bow is properly tuned and my arrow always strikes to the left what an I doing wrong?

thanks for your help

Richard

It sounds to me like you may be torquing the string, which will make it react unpredictably.  I would expect the callous to form primarily on the middle finger for a split finger shooter.  If you don't employ enough back tension, though, you can end up drawing with your arm muscles (biceps are not the right muscles to use) and employ too many hand muscles, causing you to "manhandle" the string, twisting it as you draw.  This leads to callouses on the third finger and on the side of the index finger and will also cause the arrow to pop off your rest or shelf inadvertently while drawing.

Aha!! now I get it.

thanks Papa

Richard

The callous on the third finger typically comes from too  high of an elbow which is causes as Papa said from too much arm and not enough back.. Too much bow helps too. Not sure of the index finger, but probably the same thing. If you visualize yourself at full draw, then rise your elbow, you can see that is going to put extra pressure on the lower part of the third finger and the inside of the index too

I agree with the diagnosis stated above,as I have been guilty of a high elbow in the the early stages, and when fatigue sets in (gotta know when to call it quits for the day).As far as your question on diagnosis based on shot placement,I have heard some more knowlegeable folks on this site speak to this,but I'll leave that to those more experienced than myself.

I'd throw out the tab and buy a glove so you cant tell if you have a form problem... but thats just me and Im a...  

My ring finger callous is from torqueing the bowstring.  I've almost broke the habit, but my finger lets me know when I slack off.  Tge

Thanks for the answers

I ahve been trying to get that elbow down and a little more back into it but it is a process.

Being Canadian, I tried a hockey glove but that did not seem to work out. Go figure

Richard