Shooting "Thumb Up"

[CBH]

I just saw an old article by Doug Walker about Fred Bear with several pictures of him shooting. He drew with his thumb up, and at full draw his thumb would touch his temple. I was trying this style today and I have to tell you that I was shooting better when I did it!!      
Do any of you guys shoot this style?

[reddogge]

I tuck it in under my cheekbone.  Fits nicely there.

[bigislandmark]

Howzit Chris,

I too shoot this way. I have chipmunk cheeks and find that if my thumb is up, the arrow aligns better with the eye. I shoot three under and find that "for me" it is more consistant. I don't sight down the shaft but think that subconciouly I gap. When it feels right, arrow is set loose.

Sometimes I get strange looks from other archers on my form/anchor but I figga what da hell, it works so I'll stay with it.

Aloha,

     Mark

[TSP]

I once knew a fellow that shot that way and he was a very good shot.  But, folks are built differently and sometimes the face and/or wrist structure doesn't allow that kind of hold.  It also may prevent getting a deep hook on the string or tighten the drawhand muscles, which for most shooters is not a good thing.

[Bear Heart]

Facial structure means a lot.  Also go through shooting with some kind of winter glove that adds thickness to your thumb.

[Clint B.]

I hold thumb over little finger.

[Grant Young]

My thumb rides parallel to my forefinger along the top edge of my hand- its neither tucked nor extended straight up. I have very high cheekbones and one of my anchor points ( besides the middle finger behind the corner of my mouth) is the ridge behind my cheekbone between my eye and ear. It probably serves more or less the same purpose as Terry Green's method of locking his folded thumb behind a point on his jawbone. I doubt that the position of the thumb would make a whole lot of difference so long as it made your shots repeatable (consistent)and it didn't create tension in the drawing hand. I've seen some awfully good shooters with their thumbs pointing straight up between the eye and ear but I've seen more with the thumb tucked out of sight.                          Grant

[Guru]

I've always shot with it tucked in. I have tried thumbs up, but it created a lot of tension in my hand. Release suffered as a result...

[Shawn Leonard]

I have huge mitts and could never attempt thumbs up, my sausages would barely wrap around the string. Shawn