Back Tension and Fatigue

[BigWoods]

Well I've been dialing in with my Mathews Traverse after having a 10 year hiatus from archery. As broadly suggested, I picked up a thumb release (Truball Max Pro 4) that I'm overall really enjoying and seeing good results.

That said, I'm noticing that the first 12-20 shots each day release easily with back tension and then I find it takes increasing deliberateness in pulling through the shot. Have others noticed this? Might there be other causes other than simple fatigue and a need to keep building up strength?

Thanks!

 

[doverpack12]

Make sure your bow arm and shoulder are not collapsing back into your torso. Keep that shoulder low and relaxed vs hunched up back toward your neck. When I start having a harder time pulling through and getting my release to fire that is almost always the cause. I added a step to my practice routine, after hooking up my release I kind of drop that shoulder and push it away from me as I raise my bow up to target height which helps me keep that shoulder low and relaxed then I draw my bow.

 

[*zap*]

As you get tired you do not load the bow as much/the same.....with a true back tension release you increase the tension until it fires so the starting point tension (loading the bow the same) plays a big role in the process.

 

[BigWoods]

Make sure your bow arm and shoulder are not collapsing back into your torso. Keep that shoulder low and relaxed vs hunched up back toward your neck. When I start having a harder time pulling through and getting my release to fire that is almost always the cause. I added a step to my practice routine, after hooking up my release I kind of drop that shoulder and push it away from me as I raise my bow up to target height which helps me keep that shoulder low and relaxed then I draw my bow.

Ok that makes a lot of sense.... basically if I'm pulling again a softer wall on my bow arm, I have to pull harder.

 

[RosinBag]

I wouldn’t think of pulling harder as that builds tension. If you have been out of the game for ten years don’t think you have to be perfect every shot. Shot execution is the hardest part of archery to be consistent with. Relaxing as you increase pressure is what you want. A relaxed shot will also slow your pin float down.

 

[BigWoods]

Well I think I figured out what my problem was. I recently watched the School of Nock video about "Checking on the back wall"...well I think I was overdoing it.

Called TRU Ball today looking for help with the inconsistency and he said that with the caliper style Max Pro that if you build too much pressure it can actually make it harder to open the jaws...which basically counteracts the pressure applied on the trigger. With that, I'm now shooting comfortably from the valley without yanking into the back wall super hard and I'm a lot more consistent now. At his suggestion, I ordered one of their tear drop extenders that gives more leverage on the release.

Thank you for all the input!

 

[Beendare]

Good observation OP.

I notice it more with my recurve. When I start to lose back tension, I get increased muscle contraction in my arm to make up for it hurting accuracy....then I know I need to take longer between shots.

..

 

[fordnut]

When I get fatigued I collapse a little. Bow shoulder goes up & stops come off the wall. Very hard to make shot go off.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BigWoods]

Well after sending another arrow into my snowbank yesterday after attempting to let down (thumb completely removed from trigger) with the Max Pro, I was fed up with it and my local shop kindly took it back for an exchange. Hopefully I'll find it in a month when the snow melts.

I ended up getting a Spot Hogg Whipper Snapper and am much happier. I'm hoping to stretch out with it after work today. It seems I had doing all sorts of goofy things to my form trying to get a modicum of consistency our of the MaxPro to little effect; and that was quickly cleaned up with the new crisp release.