Hey guys! I have a super basic and possibly pretty silly question for you guys.
Are armguard/bracers standard for longbows/recurves? Or is it just a beginner thing that you should be able to go without once you gain proper form?
Coming from the compound world I never needed to wear one. But I am killing my arm now. Is the need simply a function of brace height?
Do you have a favorite armguard? I was looking at the bohning slip on.
Thanks!
All my bows are cut past center and I don't need to wear an arm guard unless it's to control loose clothing in cool weather.
However, many others wear them all the time.
When I have shot a friends selfbows I have whacked my arm a few good ones!
It seems that if I line my hand up with my bow arm correctly, I seem to have clearance on my cut past center bows.
I'm one who puts on an arm guard before I put on my tab or glove. I've had a couple of longbows that I just couldn't seem to shoot without one, or I developed a goose (ostrich?) egg on my forearm. For the most part, I don't need one, but always wear one.
I figure on that rare occasion when my string snags my shirt sleeve, that arrow is not going to hit point of aim. If it slides smoothly off my arm guard, the shot will not be far off unless my release/form was bad and that caused the string to hit in the first place.
I always wear an armguard. My longbow has a low grip and a 6" brace height, so the string always whacks me on the wrist. During the winter it also keeps my jacket sleeve out of the way.
If the string is hitting the upper part of your forearm, you can usually fix that by adjusting your form and rotating your elbow out.
I would recommend getting one. The last thing you want to do is worry about the string beating you up when you're trying to establish good form. I have a Bearpaw Dutchman that I like a lot, but it doesn't matter too much what style you get. They all do the same thing.
They're fairly standard equipment. The higher the brace height, the less likely the string is to contact your arm. Contact with the string is usually greater with low-braced longbows than higher braced recurves.
Coming from shooting a compound, you probably shoot with a very closed stance, i.e., straight bow arm and 90 degrees to the target. There are ways to grip the bow to rotate your arm out of the way. Putting a slight bend in your bow arm also reduces or eliminates string slap. Finally, opening your stance a little, i.e., turning your body a bit more toward the target, will also yield greater string clearance.
Good luck.
I only wear an arm guard when I hunt with significant amount of clothes on to hold back my sleeves.
never wear one. if you will rotate your bow hand outward a bit (more of a "longbow" type grip, you will move your forearm out of the way.
It's like a motorcycle helmet -- you don't need one UNTIL you need one.
I ALWAYS wear one.
Arne
And that from someone with REALLY good form.
Thanks Arne.
The big guy hung his recurve then grabbed my 70 pound hickory, while was lacing my arm guard. He said, "a real man never needs one of those sissy things." He then says, "can I try a shot?" I told him only with my arrows and keep it under 29". He hit his arm so hard the arrow barely made it to the target. Just past his elbow, it looked like he tore a blood vessel. Ice did not help much. With a recurve I never need one with bare arms, with a longbow I always need one with bare arms. The big guy figured that out as well.
I haven't hit my arm in a long time, but I still wear an armguard. Like Moebow says, kind of like a bike helmet (or a seatbelt). Plus, I got a cool looking one from Rocky Mt. Specialties.
I can rotate my hand without rotating my arm. Some folks like my wife can not. I only wear mine when I shoot my Hill style longbow or have long sleeves on.
I always use one, whether shooting the longbow or recurve.
Thanks for the input guys. I totally know what you mean about rotating your elbow. I have always dont that on my compounds. However, it just doesn't feel right to me when I do it with my long bow. That's actually why I asked. I always get it in the wrist and it is making me flinch now that I am bruised up. When I turn my elbow it seems I cant hit a thing. I'll order one up and keep practicing.
I always were one. No matter what the weather, always hunt in long sleeves. No question on getting the bowstring hung on a sleeve, and there is a "feel" when I have it on, more of a focus. That maybe mumbo-jumbo, but heck this thing is about 90% mental! Plus, stuff happens. Bust a nock at full draw.
Take Moebow's advice.
And try one of my 3DB Armguards....
Arm guard for me, I had goose eggs. :confused:
When I practice with just a T shirt or a light sweatshirt on I always wear an arm guard. I shoot a 75# longbow and have had string contact with my arm when shooting from certain positions. I don't need to be thinking about busting anymore blood vessels in my arm, LOL!
When I hunt and have a thicker top on I don't bother.
I always wear an arm guard. In cold weather, with bulky clothes, I sometimes wear two. One above the elbow and one below. Might sound weird, but it really works.
With a recurve you generally don't need one if you turn your elbow till the crease is vertical, except when you are wearing loose clothing then it works to hold the clothing our of the way.
With longbow you generally need one and yes it's because if the brace height.
My favorite is the leather ones www.rmsgear.com (http://www.rmsgear.com) sells. They are sponsors on here.
I posted a question about string slap once on the "Form Forum," and Moebow posted a link to a thread where he went into great detail about the proper bow hand position. In the pictures he clearly demonstrates that the knuckles closest to the hand (or "punching" knuckles, if you will) should be at a 45 degree angle from the center line of the bow.
When I remember to do that, as well as have the elbow rotated in such a way that if I bend that arm the bow goes in FRONT of me horizontally and NOT up or down, I don't get slapped with the string.
That said, I recently bought another armguard because (all too often) I forget to do one of those things and slap the crap outta myself!
Moebow had the perfect analogy with the helmet statement. Or as they taught us in the Correctional Officer academy, regarding security equipment..."It's better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it."
Sorry for the long post, but I hope it helps.
Only for sleeve control here
I always wear one.
If you wear it, you won't need it. If you needed it you won't have worn it.
it's all about yer shooting form. some require an armguard, some don't, there is no right or wrong, only necessity. i've never needed an armguard but sometimes i do need to lace in a loose bow arm sleeve.
QuoteOriginally posted by Rob DiStefano:
it's all about yer shooting form. some require an armguard, some don't, there is no right or wrong, only necessity. i've never needed an armguard but sometimes i do need to lace in a loose bow arm sleeve.
That hittin the nail on the head.
The only time I ear an armguard is when I hunt and have long sleeves on.
Bisch
I've never tried one. My bows are center cut and mostly not a problem. I've knicked myself a few times, but I just drive on. One less thing to keep track off. If I have long sleeves on I just slip a couple of my wife's hair ties on my arm, I always have a few hanging in my truck. I can see how some of the guys shooting some narrow shelfs need them though, that string is grazing right down their arms. I say try it, like mentioned - removing the mental worry could help cement very good form. Had a buddy who bought a wheelie bow slap his arm bad. Never picked that bow up again for fear of doing it. Turns out the bow was messed up. Gave him my old wheelie and it still took a while to not flinch-up at the shot.
I would add that if you're REALLY slapping, your stance may be too open and/or you're over-drawing. I would be cautious to accept that really slapping your bow arm is acceptable. ... it could be negatively affecting arrow flight.