Quick way to quit slapping your arm guard . . .

[Txnrog]

Take it off!! I have been having a real issue hitting my arm guard - my elbow hyperextends when locked straight - it's been causing me fits, and more than one flier.

Well, yesterday, I took it off for practice - after a couple quality arm slaps - fortunately no whelts - I moved my grip around a touch, rotated my elbow, and got rid of that problem!

[Missouri Bowman]

It's all in how you hold the bow. Sounds like you figured it out.  Good shooting.

[BowHuntingFool]

Yeah, we were just discussing this last night while shooting. I pretty much stopped wearing one unless I'm wearing a long sleeve bulky shirt or jacket. Come hunting season I'll be wearing it again to keep sleeves clear! My buddy hit his just about every other shot! Kinda weird!

[robtattoo]

Here's a tip I posted over on the Shooter's Forum;

Originally posted by robtattoo:
I would say lock your elbow.
If your elbow isn't fully locked out, you're not maintaining bone on bone pressure & tire out quickly. Your alignment will suffer as a result.

You can rotate your shoulder to move your forearm out of the way. As you hold your bow-arm out, where is the inside of your elbow pointing? If you draw a line through your elbow joint, would bet that the inside is pointing to around 1 o'clock. If you rotate your shoulder, you can keep your hand in the same vertical or canted positon (canting alows for further rotation) & move your insside elbow position to 3 o'clock. This will then move your forearm out of the way.

Here's an exercise; Close your eyes & hold your bow arm out, as though you were shooting. Now bend your elbow until your hand touches your head or face. Where did it touch?

When I used to coach beginners & kids, 90% of them would bring there hand to the top of their heads.
What you're after is to get your fingers to touch your lips or nose.
If you start the excercise with your bow hand on your lips & then extend your elbow out without moving your shoulder you will end up with your arm fully extended, elbow locked & your shoulder rotated correctly, so that your forearm is out of the path of the string.      

[Over&Under]

[cacciatore]

I don't use a armguard since long tome without any issue.Most of the time when i am hunting i wear my KOM jacket and it fits tight so also there no need of it.Less staff I carry more I can concentrate on the hunt.

[crotch horn]

Very nice tip. I hit me gaurd every once in a while. Not a lot but hopefully this will eliminate those few times.

[sagebrush]

I always use an extra long armguard.The kind that goes above your elbow. That way I'm used to it when I hunt. All it takes is one miss on an animal from a shirt sleeve to learn that one. Gary

[Txnrog]

I am just saying the little bit of 'shock therapy' hitting your arm a couple times will make you pay a little closer attention to your arm position. . . will wear a guard or sleave to keep my clothes out of the way while hunting,

[cbCrow]

That exercise from Robtattoo is a good one. I was taught that when I first started shootin stik quite a few years ago. I shoot D bows and find when I start to hit my arm guard I'm actually relaxing my hold arm to soon, upon release,. allowing the bow to torque. I have to concentrate holding until arrow arrives at target.  

[Jeff Strubberg]

Hitting your armguard is a problem?

[Tim Fishell]

Originally posted by Jeff Strubberg:
Hitting your armguard is a problem?

I dont think so.  I asked a well known archer what I was doing wrong one time because I always hit my arm guard.  He told me that is what they are made for.

[BobCo 1965]

The bow arm is an important consideration for string slap, however so is the draw arm alignment and severe string plucks.

[frank bullitt]

I have a photo of Howard somewhere, shirtless, wearing a guard. Why?

Sometimes I hit, sometimes I don't. Does not seem to affect the accuracy of the shot.

I did see a gentleman shooting, and kept hitting the end of his nose though. Didn't seem to affect his accuracy, either!

Have fun and shoot often,  

Steve