Question - Shooting Stance

[psedna]

First ten months, I have been using a very open stance to shoot. I shoot three under and with this stance, i am basicall looking straight down the arrow.

I saw on Jeff Phillips video that I actually should be sideways (Robert Carter also said in one of his videos to point your shoulder at the target).

I finally noticed that it may be easier to align by having a more closed sideways stance and have more back tension. Is it also correct that Iam probably losing some draw length due to the really open stance?

Appreciate yoru thoughts, early in the journey but enjoying every day of it!!!

 

[splatek]

I am having trouble even imaging how you could even shoot looking down the arrow and not standing sideways...

 

[psedna]

Sorry, I am sideways but pretty open stance.

I am def not aligned back elbow with left arm, my left shoulder is actually pointing way to left of target not directly at target.

Guess I can try being not so open, and I am hoping that will cause me to use more back tension and hopefully more consistency.

 

[trial&error]

Your stance and form will lead to accuracy through consistency. It really depends on how you want to shoot. Sitting in a blind, on a small tree stand platform, or squatted under a bush.

 

[psedna]

I mostly hunt out of small loc ons, one lone wolf and three melleniums. The smaller ones dont have a lot of room, the open stance felt more natural but i want to work on my form some during the off season... Seems like every couple of months, it all comes together a bit better. I have a long way to go. Will shoot a lot more once new time changes and we get into summer months, dont work fridays during the summer. five to seven weeks, the new hybrid longbow will be here. then I will decide to sell the ten months onld bear grizzly or keep it...

 

[psedna]

More like seven to nine more weeks before I will see it, getting ahead of myself here...

 

[JustUs4All]

IMO the line of your shoulders should point to the target. Your bow arm should point to the target and your draw forearm should point to the target. All three of those should be on about the same level as well. The human body can't do that exactly but it can get pretty close.

 

[psedna]

Thanks - that should help, I will work on it!!!

 

[splatek]

When hunting from lock ons you’ll early need to think sky shooting angle at the bottom of the tree.
Easy to adjust in the tree with a climber.

Skeletal alignment is key not only to consistency, which begets accuracy, but also to avoiding injury.

If you’re really concerned, you might consider a course, Tom clum sr, or a coach, or just a great shooting buddy.

 

[Gordief]

Jake Kaminski...

 

[Robust Redhorse]

I use the bottom one:

 

[psedna]

That is very helpful, thanks! I was more like botton drawing, is it better to be at top or does it matter? I was thinking, maybe wrongly that i could get in better staright line alignment with everything with top depiction?

 

[Hillbilly stalker]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with shooting from the bottom stance. Some actually prefer it. There are reasons and logic behind both. What type of bow you shoot has a lot to do with it . When I was taught to shoot a primitive wood bow,I shot a totally open stance, both shoulders pointing toward the target. You are directly behind the bow. A wood bow has limitations, I have a 31 inch draw and a wooden bow would have to be strongly overbuilt to handle that. The open stance shortens my draw length. A fiberglass traditional bow or compound bow can handle a long draw easily.

With compound bows I was taught to remove all muscles from the stance that I could possibly could. One should rely on the skeletal structure for their stance before the shot.

When shooting traditional, if you notice, a recurve shooter rarely uses a forearm guard. But a man that shoots a traditional Hill style longbow always wears one. If you shoot a Hill style bow with the “square feet stance” after about the 3rd shot, you will be putting it down or hunting a forearm guard. I’ve had them cut the watch off my wrist, cut the button off my sleeve…….they will smack you. The easy fix…..open your stance up like the bottom picture. Most arm guards worn by other archers are to keep bulky clothing out of the way. I’m no archery coach or Olympic archer, but I don’t have any bones hanging out. There are basic fundamentals, but a lot of peoples problems are created by themselves “ too much mind”. Good, solid, focused practice is rule #1, throw in a day here and there of stump shooting and you will be good to go. Don’t overthink it. Hope you kill a big un this year .