Just started shooting a longbow....for about the sixth time...usually sell them off and go back to my recurves...anyway I'm trying. My question is this...what am I doing wrong....Everytime I shoot I always hit my forearm....am I holding it wrong or what? Thanks in advance.
You may be holding it wrong and/or your brace height is too low. Brace heights are usually lower on longbows, and it isn't uncommon for the string to hit one's arm. That's why we wear arm guards. On the other hand, if you have a very target like stance, which a lot of folks who shoot recurves do, quite upright, perpendicular to the target, and with a fairly straight bow arm, it's quite likely that shooting a longbow with that stance will cause the string to catch your arm. So, there's at least three things you can try. 1. turn into the target a little more, 2, put a little more bend in your bow arm, and 3, raise your brace height. Good luck.
Terry it sounds like your shooting it like a recurve.For me, I have to bend my elbow more & open up my stance.You will probaly have to cant the bow alittle more also.Hope this helps,and stick with it.
Leland
The bow arm bend was a good one for me. I draw about 1/2"-3/4" shorter on the LB than the curve. Also a good deep hook on release keeps the string from heading in the direction of my arm and eliminates some torque. I use the suitcase grip with less of your hand rotated behind the grip so more of your hand is on the side of the grip more. That keeps my forearm out a little more and the LB just seems to like it that way.
Sorry Jerry, we were posting at the same time.
Leland
I always found that when I used to switch from my recurve to my longbow it all came down to how I was holding the bow. I have to hold my longbows with more of the heel of my hand..
ive never shot a longbow that didn't have some kind of "string slap" on the bow arm. some have more than others. it would also help, for you to tell us what kind of long bow you are shooting also. on selfbows the brace height is fairly low, 5 1/2- 7 ", ive noticed on glass bows even hh type bows that the brace height are considerably higher. then you have the extremely short longbows with highly reflex-deflex profiles that have brace heights as high as most recurves. i agree with orion on 2 points, turning into the target more and bending your elbow more with the bow hand. what also may be a factor do you cant the long bow or not. this also may helpin your shooting or not. but you might want to experiment a little with this aproach. most long bows , particularly selfbows are not center shot so you will experience some " string slap" it just depends to what degree it exists. good luck and keep shootin
QuoteOriginally posted by Orion:
You may be holding it wrong and/or your brace height is too low. Brace heights are usually lower on longbows, and it isn't uncommon for the string to hit one's arm. That's why we wear arm guards. On the other hand, if you have a very target like stance, which a lot of folks who shoot recurves do, quite upright, perpendicular to the target, and with a fairly straight bow arm, it's quite likely that shooting a longbow with that stance will cause the string to catch your arm. So, there's at least three things you can try. 1. turn into the target a little more, 2, put a little more bend in your bow arm, and 3, raise your brace height. Good luck.
Exactly... :thumbsup:
QuoteOriginally posted by broketooth:
ive never shot a longbow that didn't have some kind of "string slap" on the bow arm. some have more than others. it would also help, for you to tell us what kind of long bow you are shooting also. on selfbows the brace height is fairly low, 5 1/2- 7 ", ive noticed on glass bows even hh type bows that the brace height are considerably higher. then you have the extremely short longbows with highly reflex-deflex profiles that have brace heights as high as most recurves. i agree with orion on 2 points, turning into the target more and bending your elbow more with the bow hand. what also may be a factor do you cant the long bow or not. this also may helpin your shooting or not. but you might want to experiment a little with this aproach. most long bows , particularly selfbows are not center shot so you will experience some " string slap" it just depends to what degree it exists. good luck and keep shootin
:eek: Wow...I dont wear an armgaurd at all, and dont get any "slap" at all..
i have shot other long bows besides my self bows and have gotten slapped pretty good by some. batman let me shoot a rw dakota long bow that got me pretty good right above the arm guard, i didnt shoot it long. i also have a vine maple selfbow that pulled 62 #@ 28 that would get ya right through the arm guard and would leave a welt. and i experimented with different brace heights on that bow in the beginning and found that it shot best @6 1/4 brace hieght. i guess what im trying to say is that part of the equasion depends on the bow
You can usually tune out arm slap. I don't tolerate it. If you can't tune it out, change bows! :)
Thanks for the info guys....I am shooting a Morrison Shawnee. I don't shoot with an arm guard with my recurves so didnt think to use one with the longbow...bad idea and I've got the bruises to prove it...ouchhhh...will try changing my grip and bow arm position alittle at a time and see how that works....I have the brace set at 7" right now...will also open my stance some...thanks again...
I have two bows. A 66" long, 42# @ 30" Blacktail Elite TD recurve that shoots a 32" long, 2018 aluminum arrow with 150 grain point weight. The brace height on the Blacktail is 7 3/4" and the nocking point is 9/16" above the shelf. The bowstring doesn't hit my arm so no arm guard is needed. I tuned my 68" long, 41# @ 30" Belcher Longhorn hybrid longbow today and I tried many different sized aluminum arrows (2016, 2018 and 2114), different brace heights, nocking point heights and point weights from 125 grains to 210 grains. This hybrid longbow likes a 7 1/2" brace height, with a 9/16" above the shelf nocking point and shoots a 32" long, 2114 aluminum arrow with a 210 grain point weight. The bowstring doesn't hit my arm, the arrow hits where I look, flies like a dart and no arm guard is needed. It can also handle a 175 grain point weight and the bowstring doesn't hit my arm either. With 2016 and 2018 arrows shooting 125 grains to 210 grains, the bowstring grazed my arm, but not too hard. Just experiment like I did and you'll find the arrow size, point weight, brace height and nocking point height which when it all comes together, the bowstring won't hit your arm.
Be sure to hold the bow like you are picking up a suitcase. It will feel odd for a while, but it will really help keep your wrist from torquing and your forearm from becoming shredded.
I agree with Frassettor. I don't even own an arm guard. Rarely to I experience string slap, when I do, it's me. As others have said, raise your brace height a little, change your grip a little. try one then the other, not both at once.
No armguards here either. And, I shoot my longbows and recurves the same. The Cheyenne isn't a longbow, per se, it is a three piece hybrid, so the brace shouldn't be such a big difference I wouldn't think.
I am glad you guys posted. I can't see how in the world with all the talk about a good release and minimizing arrow contact and such that a string slamming into your armguard is not going to effect accuracy. Then again I can't believe how a arrow bends like it does and still hits so accurate either. I have never used one except I did put some duct tape on some bulky coat sleeves one very cold winter to keep from contact with the string. Does it really not make much difference in accuracy?
I will agree with Frassettor also. Use your heel roll your pinky and ring finger to the L if you shoot RH.
For me it's all about hand position and elbow position.
Look at the palm of your hand and notice the line that goes past the base joint of your thumb and out towards your wrist. That line should be either centered on the grip or a little to the left for a right handed shooter. Next, when you draw your bow, rotate your bow arm shoulder and elbow clockwise. This will make your elbow point to the left horizontal to the ground and will also provide quite a bit of string clearance especially if your elbow is just slightly bent. For most guys, you don't have to deliberately bend your elbow, the natural bend is enough.
Lastly, if you bend just a little at the waist it will give even more clearance.
Been slapping my wrist with a longbow for fifteen years now.
Guess I just don't shoot it right.
String slap isn't a big deal unless you are digging holes in your forearm. An armguard takes care of the problem with little fuss.
That is what I was wondering. Just another one of those things that just works even if I don't understand how.
Someone with a slow motion camera feel free to correct me if I am wrong, but I would be surprised to find out that arm contact is occuring before the arrow has already left the string. Unless you get enough impact to twist the bow in your hand, I can't see that there would be much effect on arrow flight at all.
Brace hieght and don't put a death grip on the handle. Try seven inches or maybe 7 1/4 somewhere in there. If its center cut cant to the right if right handed. Catching your arm should be at a minimum not a regular occurance. This has probably all been said. Just keep at it, it will come together. Forget the recurve while trying to work it out. Have fun shoot straight.
the reason I was asking was because I recently shot a bow that I wanted to buy but it slapped my arm pretty good every time even at the longest recomended brace Height. If it would work with an armguard I would prolly get it. I just wanted it to bow fish and shoot bullfrogs with anyway.
Brandon, the type of string material can effect string slap too. Stretchier strings like the standard B50 dacron are more likely to slap your wrist than a low stretch like fast flight or dyna 97. Of course, that is only where the string hits as it bottoms out. Usually it'll hit you right where a watch band would lay on your wrist. If it hits you up on the forearm close to your elbow, then it's how you're holding the bow and my first post tips would apply.
You know now that you mention that stetchy string thing. I really thought that bow was actually stretching and going forward and hitting my arm about 3" above my watch. I don't know much about string material but it was one of the all black and I believe an endless loop. It was not a flemish twist style string.
How about some of you longbow shooters post some pic's of your grip??? You know what they say about a picture.....
You have not said what type of riser you have on the bow. The riser style has a lot to do with how you shoot (hold) the bow. If straight (Howard Hill style), or locater, or dished, or Recurve style.Recurve style I would think that you would have no issues. I shoot a locater riser and have no issues with string slap. It may be a problem with your release. If the release of the string is not clean it will cause you to slap your arm.
I had trouble with grip and form when switching to the longbow and finally found helpful advice in the few chapters on The Longbow in the second volume of Instictive Shooting, by Fred Asbel.
There's some great written detail about the behavior differences between the longbow and recurve and pics of grip differences.
Basically, the longbow is gripped from the side and pressure from the whole length of the hand is applied. So you grip the longbow firmly, and make it shoot. Kind of like a mule, you have to force it to work.
Anyway, when once I adopted these techniques my shooting improved and I too was able to lose the armguard.
I did some more experimenting today with my 41# @ 30" hybrid longbow and it will also shoot a 2213 aluminum arrow with a 210 grain point weight. The arrow weighs around 588 grains. The Longhorn longbow is very quiet upon arrow release too.
Did a little more tinkering and now both my recurve and my longbow shoot the same 32" long, 2018 aluminum arrow fitted with a 150 grain field point. Both shoot where I look. Next step, tuning with broadheads.
Oneshot-Onekill just wanted to bring this back to the top in hopes of the grip pictures. When I switched from curve to LB I hit my arm every shot. I am not sure when or what happened, but I no longer hit my arm.
Hitting your forearm is not a bad thing! How's your arrow flight. If you look at pics of Howard Hill shootin, he has an arm guard on, even in the summer with his shirt off! I have longbows I shoot and hit my arm. Check and measure the slap mark with the string height, and that will tell how much stretch your gettin after the shot. And it can be a tuning issue, arrow spine and such. In masters of the Barebow vol. 2,a gentleman is shooting a real high brace height on his longbow , try it it might work! There's nothing set in stone. Good shootin, Steve