Well, wih plans to order a widow in a few more months and upping my poundage 3 to 4 pounds, I want to start working out.

I shake after holding for only 2 to 3 seconds and can't make a good shot, leading me to snap shoot a lot of the time (I'm decently accurate snap shooting). I think it's because I haven't developed enough muscles for proper back tension

So what do you guys do for workout routines. I'm pretty limited to my set up dumbells in my school townhouse and gym. I'm looking for

-Upper body strength &
- How the heck do you strengthen your back muscles?

I do not work out specifically to shoot a bow but for general overall health benefits. Here is what I do for upper body strength.

Every other day:

5 sets of 20 reps 135# bench press
5 sets of 20 reps 100# military press
5 sets of 20 reps 50# arm curls
5 sets 25 abdominal crunches

I lift relatively light total weight but do lots of reps. I've been working out like this for many years.

BE sure to start out with reasonable amounts of weight to avoid injury.

Best workout for shooting a heavy bow is actually shooting a bow. Others will give you additional input on that.

QuoteOriginally posted by JCJ:

Best workout for shooting a heavy bow is actually shooting a bow.  

Agreed.

 

QuoteOriginally posted by danderson:

- How the heck do you strengthen your back muscles?

I use stretch bands to strengthen delts and traps. If you do a search online you'll find lots of info on specific stretch band exercises for different muscle groups. And like JCJ said, I prefer lifting lighter weights, but with lots of reps. Lifting slowly, and releasing slowly is more important than lifting a lot of weight, imo.

But I mostly just try to shoot every day and stretch a bit beforehand.

I highly recommend Bodylastics.com the best bands I have ever used. I get my workouts from Liveexercise.com New workouts everyday. TOTALLY FREE

I can hold the bands like my bow and draw back.

Every other day take your old lighter bow and draw, hold for as many seconds as you can, then let down. When you can hold for 10 seconds then start holding for that amount of time, then shoot into a blind bale. Hang a stopwatch around your neck, hit the timer and do NOT release until the beep. You will be amazed at how long 10 seconds can be, I promise ! You will also be amazed at how sore your muscles right between your shoulder blades will be if you are using back tension properly.

Invest in or build you a Formaster too. It will eliminate short drawing, creeping, etc, etc. When set up properly it will FORCE you to use your back muscles instead of your biceps. I am no expert only repeating what I was taught by one of the best coaches on the planet.

You may have to wait and build up for a while to shoot the new heavier bow properly. Be careful and do not let the new toy teach you bad habits because it is too heavy for you. I was WAAAAAY overbowed in the beginning.

There are several sources available on the web, with different goals: For pure back training, nothing beats a standard pull-up, but, you have to have some upper body strength to even do one.

for building pure strength and overall body mass, i have found the 5-3-1 program to be excellent. available on the web at :www.t-nation.com

For starting strength and learning body weight excerises and general physical fitness, try :  www.crossfit.com

If you want a difficult challenge on certain days, try:  www.sealfit.com

lots of general workout programs on this site:  www.bodybuilding.com

Google up a program called "Westside Barbells for Skinny Bas#ards. excellent program

if you dont want to invest in a gym, try the crossfit workout of the day, a new one is on their website everyday. Good Luck

QuoteOriginally posted by duncan idaho:
There are several sources available on the web, with different goals: For pure back training, nothing beats a standard pull-up, but, you have to have some upper body strength to even do one.

for building pure strength and overall body mass, i have found the 5-3-1 program to be excellent. available on the web at :www.t-nation.com

For starting strength and learning body weight excerises and general physical fitness, try :  www.crossfit.com

If you want a difficult challenge on certain days, try:  www.sealfit.com

lots of general workout programs on this site:  www.bodybuilding.com

Google up a program called "Westside Barbells for Skinny Bas#ards. excellent program

if you dont want to invest in a gym, try the crossfit workout of the day, a new one is on their website everyday. Good Luck

x2

A trainer told for shooting a bow to do, seated press, seated row, front and rear chest fly. Start with weight you can handle easy and do 3-4 reps of 10 or 12. I also add sit ups [crunches] and push ups. Also very important to stretch. I do this 3 times a week after my cardio which I do daily [40-45 min.]!

I shoot a bow every day, and I do a light circuit training every other day. My gym has a machine that works back muscles while seated, sort of  a hybrid lat pulldown/rowing machine....I hit that one pretty hard.

Not related to your question, but I have recently been hitting the eliptical machine pretty hard....my stamina crashing through the rabbit swamps has doubled in a month.

I was a personal trainer at Gold's Gym in Worcester, Ma.  A couple of things I've learned about client's priorities:  A gym membership costing 600.00 a year is far from necessary.
You have everything you need at your house right now if you have stairs and 1 gallon water jugs. The rest is up to you as to how far you want to go.

All the available programs are pretty good, BUT....for someone brand new to training, money spent does not equal results. Commit yourself first to simple at home routines. If you succeed, then go further. If you dont, dont spend money on gym memberships, muscle building equipment, etc.
Here's the SIMPLEST routine ever for at home. If you commit to this, you will be ready for further progress. If you can't commit to this, don't waste your money.
For bow strengthening/general fitness:
Use your stairs. Doesnt matter how many...3 or 30. Initially go up and down stairs until you start to lose breath.  Write down how many times you went up and down.
Pick a time of day to do this, and stick to it no matter what. Each day try and increase by 3 steps. No sweat if you cant, but try. Record your progress. Eventually you will find yourself able to spend considerable time on those stairs. Increase resistance by carrying water jugs.
No 5000.00 treadmill needed. Stairs are an INCREDIBLE stamina builder.
Strength for pulling a bow:
Yes, pulling a bow is the best strength builder BUT..you would need several bows of increasing weight to do what you want.
Sure, use your bow, but in the mean time...take two full 1 gallon water jugs 1 in each hand. sit in a chair and lean over your lap so your face is looking at the floor. Your arms are hanging at your sides, water jugs touching the floor.
Lift your arms up and out to the sides like a bird with spread wings while holding the water jugs. If you cant, pour out some water.
When arms are up and out to the sides, count to three and then slowly lower. Repeat for three times at first, then work your way up to ten times. When ten is easy, start holding the bottles at arms length longer. 3-5 seconds, 5-10 seconds, etc.
When this gets easy, start filling the jugs with nuts and bolts, sand, etc.
EXCELLENT exercise to strengthen the trapezius and rear delts needed to draw and hold a bow. Eventually you can buy a couple of dumbells if needed.
In between, draw and hold your bow...no arrow... for three to ten seconds at full draw. If you cannot hold your bow at anchor for several seconds...you are over bowed my friend, like it or not. Work your way up to it. Draw and hold several times EVERY day.  You will be amazed at your accuracy when you can draw and hold your bow at full anchor for ten seconds or more.  
If you have the funds for a gym or weights...seated rows, one arm bent over dumbell rows, seated flys, barbell shrugs, etc. all build those tough upper back , rear deltoid muscles needed for drawing a bow.
I worked my way up from an average 55# bow to being able to draw and hold my 76# Silvertip for ten seconds at full draw doing just this.
When I finally drew back on my first bison, it was effortless. Drew and held till he stepped out.
Give it a shot, its cheap and will test your dedication before investing in a total fitness routine.  Over 50% of clients did not commit to their very expensive gym memberships.  Ouch!

Use the bow you have, train yourself to use your back muscles to draw the bow and when you get to anchor "feel" your back muscles working not your shoulders. I like to do this with an arrow loaded and standing 5 feet from the target and hold for ten seconds. You will build shot endurance and the isometric hold will increase strength as well.

Also use the bands to stretch your muscles before and after.

Yornoc that's a great post!  I've been using kettlebells and I'm pretty impressed by the workout I can get.  They don't cost much and store easily but the water jugs are probably just as good and cheap!

thanks for the great response guys! Really helpful. Shooting isn't really an option for me while at school, so I wan't to strengthen myself. I watch my buddy shoot and he can smoothly draw and hold while I shake after 1 or 2 seconds holding.

Just for some comparison, I'm shooting a 50 pound bear and planning on ordering a 53/54 pound widow

Gheez bro, get the bow and shoot it, then shoot it some more.  Till your fingers are sore and you feel it in your back.  50-75 shots per day at first.  After a couple sessions like this in a week and a half, you will be fine.

In the latest G Fred Asbell book, there is a section on exercise to do that are bow specific! I think they are pretty good.

QuoteOriginally posted by danderson:

-Upper body strength &

Pushups, pushups, more pushups.
Bench press, prefer dumbels, barbel will work.
Curls

QuoteOriginally posted by danderson:

- How the heck do you strengthen your back muscles?

Pull ups and dumbel rows.

Pull ups! pull ups gotta love em. dont neglect those legs either. strengthening the legs contributes to overall strength.

here's a cool little ub workout i do. try it if you get bored!

5 x 10 pulls ups(nice and slow minimal rest between)palms away
5 x 30 push ups
5 x 50 sit ups

do this as a circuit and push yourself. Maybe start out w 6-8 pull ups, 20 push ups etc...

always always hit that cardio no matter how lazy you feel.

I do crossfit

You could always pick up one of the "Bowfit" exercise bands. they have a handle to simulate holding the bow and will store away anywhere. You could probably build one with regular exercise bands and a piece of PVC. I don't get to shoot everyday, but if I have to miss more than one day, I try to do some basic stretches and 20-30 pulls (minimum) with the bowfit to continue conditioning / strengthening the "archery muscles". I've only been shooting traditional for a short time, but this little routine seems to be helping. That being said, think I'm gonna have to try the milk jug thing too.

QuoteOriginally posted by JCJ:

Best workout for shooting a heavy bow is actually shooting a bow.

Right on.

I shot a 70# longbow for years (not very well) and got used to it.  Then I switched to a 56# bow and it feels like a toy.  I can shoot it all day long and never get that tired shaky feeling.  I can easily hold it for more than 5 seconds.  My accuracy improved dramatically as well.  Now I use the 70# monster for excersize. 20 to 30 pulls a day.  If you can manage it, I'd pick up a used heavy bow and use it like a weight machine.  Pull ups and other excersizes are good, but for my money actually drawing a bow is the best.