My draw length changed?

[FrankM]

Wow, I've been going like gangbusters on tuning. I've shot at least 1,000 arrows since beginning. The guy at the shop measured me with my #51 bow and said 27". This was when I first got the bow.

I've noticed lately that while settling down into my form I've begun to straigthen my arm. I grabbed my kid's 30 lb. bow and had my wife mark an arrow after I was really warmed up. 28 friggin' inches!  Can you believe it? Does this happen?

[Kris]

Yes all the time.  Also it is because you were only drawing...well a lighter bow anyway.  You're going to horse that thing back to who knows where.  You'll draw different bows different lengths for a number of reasons, two of the main reasons are the difference in handle type and where you measure your draw length on the front of the riser.

Have fun with it, good luck!

Kris

[Bowferd]

It do happen. As you develop back muscle using Terrys form clock, you will develop upper body stretch and strength. In the past 3 years my draw length has increased from 28" to 28 3/4".
So much for those 28-29" wooden shafts..
I now purchase them longer than neccessary.
Food for thought.

[robtattoo]

Yep, I started off with a 27" draw. After a few years of practice, training, muscle recognition, more practice, coaching & practice, I now draw 30  :D
The upside is the speed I get out of most of my bows waaaay exceeds most folks expectations (I've seen the shocked looks of compound shooters at the chrono    ) The downside is that all those beautiful little 52-60" bows are no good for me anymore!

[FrankM]

Spend an hour on the treadmill, grabbed my #51 bow and tried it again. 27 3/4". Guess that seals it.

Dang, my arrows are 28". Course the upside is, I'm guessing my pull is #53-54 now.

[BCWV]

I have a "floating" draw length. I pull 28" on my recurves but because of my shooting stlye it's right at 27" on my longbows.
I thought it was strange but after talking to other folks, I've found that I'm not alone.
Any of you guys see this happen?

[Orion]

If one did nothing else but switch from a low grip to a high grip, one's draw length would increase 1/2 to 1 1/2 inches, due to nothing other than alignment of the wrist on the handle.  A thicker grip will also contribute to an increased draw length.  Straightening the bow arm a little, standing a little straighter, not tilting the head in, getting excited/pumped, opening the stance a little, or is it closing it, etc, will all lead to little increases in draw length. In short, Frank,  what you're experiencing is normal.    

[KentuckyTJ]

My draw floats as well. I tend to draw different for different shots. I don't think there is one perfect draw for all shots. I think maybe years of shooting fish has made me do this. Oh well it works for me.

[Eugene Slagle]

Mine stretched from 27 - 27.5" after a year & 1/2 of shooting which suits me just fine.

[Doc Nock]

After learning to "work the bag" and emphasize back tension, I went from 28" to 28 3/4"..

If different shot angles cause you to draw different length, isn't that like having a clip full of shells with different amounts of powder in them?

My point of impact and my penetration go all to HE2xHockey sticks if I change draw length much...

[Txnrog]

I went from 27.5 to around 29 within a couple weeks of shooting. Had someone work with me on opening up my form, and as my muscles developed making the heavier weight at that length easier to get to. Suspect the muscle development didn't take as long as some b/c I shot a compound regularly prior to doing trad, so there weren't as many 'new' muscles to develope.

Accuracy went to crap when I lengthened draw length, but I got it back as I got used to it.

[Zbearclaw]

I have been shooting about 27" on the compound and my old recurve for ten years.  Last year switched to my new widow only and my 28" arrows that were made for the bow started being too short (back of broadhead occasionally hit the riser).

Had to bump up to 350 heritage shafts as my dl is close to 28" but I got a longer heavier shaft now so I have room to grow.

Funny that the general idea is you lose dl when you switch from a compound to trad, but in the end I gained an inch...

[Flying Dutchman]

Originally posted by BCWV:
I have a "floating" draw length. I pull 28" on my recurves but because of my shooting stlye it's right at 27" on my longbows.
I thought it was strange but after talking to other folks, I've found that I'm not alone.
Any of you guys see this happen?

I draw 29" on most longbows and 30"on most recurves. I think it is the different grip on the risers, on o recurve your wrist is more stretched