So I stepped up in poundage a few weeks back, just because I wanted to. I had hoped to find something between 55 and 60# at my draw, but ended up with 65#. Enjoying the new longbow, but here's the deal. I have been shooting 51@ my 27" which is more then enough for anything I hunt, but now that I stepped up my ring finger on my right hand is sore. Not like callous or blister, but the actual end joint hurts. Could this be release related (uneven pressure??)? or is it just my hands trying to get used to the extra draw weight? I shoot a glove, and have never found a tab I like. Mind you I shoot pretty much daily and somewhere between 50-100 arrows. I just REALLY like to shoot. Thoughts are welcome. Especially from experience.

-Bones

Likely a combination of all those things.

Could be both. If it's torque (uneven pressure), lowering your drawing arm elbow would help relieve it.

All of the above as Fdp said, is my guess.

The heavier draw weight is likely causing you to grip a little more with that bottom finger just to help compensate for the extra weight while drawing.

Once you get used to it, it will probably go away, but you need to try to concentrate on getting the pressure to the finger just below the arrow before loose, or it may become a habit hard to break.

Rick

Thanks for the responses, I will definitely try to concentrate on the pressure right under the arrow and will try lowering my elbow and see what that does for me.

Thanks for the help,

-Bones

Drop your elbow down at full draw.

Does it feel like a soft tissue problem or a joint soreness issue?

I think you answered your own question. You went up about 15 pounds in draw weight. You still want to shoot 50 to 100 arrows a day. You are experiencing pain.

DDave

I am not a heavy boy guy but have lots of joint problems. The heavier weight is stressing the joint more. It is possible you won't get use to it but would be better to shoot your lighter bow more and fewer arrows with the heavy bow to give it a chance to get use to it. It is not good to overstress a joint they tend to rebel. Mussel gets stronger joints tend to get stiff. That is not a good think for a smooth release.Good luck. >>>----> Ken

Try a Hill glove with inserts ; )

Thats a good size poundage jump,,but your young strong guy I think alot of it is mental to,,like Rick said your holding string harder cause your concentrating on drawing the weight more then your form and release Smooth is fast

I just went back up little in draw weight myself and i try to fo it gradually until the ole body is built back up som Ill go out back and shoot my 46# ASL,to warm up maybe couple dz arrows then shoot my 56# couple dz Then give it a rest and shoot the 46# some more Ill do that till shooting the 56# for my usall 5-6dz round feels good without discomfort

I knew the leap in poundage would have some kinks to work out, and I am sure it's more deep tissue in the joint. I expected a little soreness and what not, but the ring finger deal is down right annoying. For the release situation, I know not all my arrows are perfect, 3" fletchings on the bigger diameter wood arrows seems to show that pretty fast, but for the most part I do not get bad flight. That's why I asked the question if anyone has had more suggestions. Which ya'll have and I have a few things to work on now.

Thanks again,

-Bones

You don’t have enough protection from tab/glove. A heavy bow rips through the fingers at release, is not pushing the fingers away. Don’t shoot arrow after arrow, take a small pause between and stop shooting when you feel the discomfort. And get a better protection for fingers.

I'll 2nd MStyles, high elbow.

I shot a 68# Bear recurve with a thin Damascus glove. It's more likely that you are just going to have to get used to the weight. Pain is your body telling you to ease up a bit, or that you are doing something wrong. You went up 15 pounds...so that to me is a no-brainer. You need to get the fingers used to the extra weight. I doubt seriously that getting a thicker tab or glove will do much of anything since it's in the finger, not on the finger. Shoot a bit less until the finger heals up and take some NSAID's to help it heal.

The guy likes to shoot a lot and he will not stop. Endurance is not something you build up in a couple of weeks, not even in months. A couple of times shooting heavy bows is fun, constantly you need protection. I shoot bows in #70s, 100 - 1500 arrows per training is the norm. Meat needs protection, even if that will mean calluses.

PS 100-150 arrows per training indoor, not 1500.

Not bragging, but I have probably continually shot heavy bows more than most folks.

70# is light weight for me. You need ample finger protection, and most tabs & gloves (off the shelf) don't provide it.

I've found (for me) tabs to be much more protective, than gloves, and once padded to ample protection, the tab is much more consistent in the loose than a glove.

YMMV

Rick

Rick, your idea of heavy is twenty pounds heavier than mine. In my prime, I was in pretty good shape, but never 90# archery bow shape, nor did I want to be. So yes, it's okay to brag if you can do that regularly without hurting yourself. I hope you can continue that without hurting yourself. If I get into hunting something that big, I'll take a 418 Rigby or some such weapon, or just hunt with a slow fat guy. ))

"You need ample finger protection, and most tabs & gloves (off the shelf) don't provide it. I've found (for me) tabs to be much more protective, than gloves ..."

I considered American Leather Big Shot glove great until I started to shoot daily the #70 bow. The plastic inserts started to bend and stay bent. When I changed to a tab, things got much better. I never used a HH glove though, and I don't snap shoot either.

Two thoughts-

#1 - Listen to your body: No Pain, No Brain. “Ouch” is body language for Back Off.

#2 - Don’t just toss back the Vitamin M (Motrin) - regular consumption of 600 mg 2X daily has been found (in young men) to lower sperm counts and cause changes in the brain that look like those seen in older men who are experiencing some loss of function.

I was just trying to emphasize the need for ample finger protect due to my experiences with shooting heavy.

I've dropped down in draw weight considerably for my every day all the time shooting, but even they are still heavy by most standards, and they also need ample finger protection.

I have a very dear close friend, who is no longer able to shoot with his fingers. He shot primarily 65#, and he was hard headed about using ample finger protection, because (he couldn't feel the string).

After a very long life of archery, he now can't shoot at all, and can barely hold a pen to write with those fingers.

He isn't that old either, and it's heart breaking.

Rick

"I was just trying to emphasize the need for ample finger protect due to my experiences with shooting heavy."

x100

Ring finger, you’re probably torquing the string as well. That can lead to tuning issues like arrow bouncing off the shelf. Been there, done that. I shot heavy bows for a long time. I used a tab usually. Mostly the Black Widow tab with an extra layer if leather glued to it. The tab will help you line up the string easily which helped me pull the string evenly. That and your elbow position should take care of issue. Why so many arrows everyday? Your overworking those muscles. Even body builders work different muscles each day. Maybe that’s why I don’t suffer from strained archery muscles like so many here.

DB -

Hard to answer without knowing more about how you shoot, and what you are saying may not be what you're doing. Just reality.

Short, generic answer - learn to shoot with your index finger in priority, taking the weight off the ring finger.

Viper out.

It all works great until it doesn't. I would advise anyone who wants to shoot heavy weights...anything over 65 or 70 pounds, to not take it lightly and keep the muscles toned...all muscles associated with pulling and holding those weights. I had a friend, George Porterfield, who blew out both shoulders shooting 80# plus recurves over a long period of time. He couldn't shoot any bow either after that, and it wasn't his fingers that were at issue. Sure heavier gloves or tabs will help with the fingers, but you still need to let them rest between outings. Your body will tell you what you should be doing if you have sense enough to listen. A man has got to know his limitations.

Does your glove have inserts in the fingers, if not that will cause discomfort when using a higher poundage.

You may have to use a Howard Hill type or any that had those nylon inserts.

A lot of us that were shooting traditional equipment in the 1980's era were shamed into thinking that anything less than 60# was a "girly man" bow. Worst advice ever dished out by knowitalls. Lots of trad shooters from that era have all sorts of shoulder, elbow, hand, finger issues from trying to shoot bow weights that were just too darn heavy for them. Heavy weights are great if you can handle them but a curse to those who cannot.

When your 3rd finger is sufficiently healed, go back to moderately light draw wt. bow; come to full draw put your attention on each one of those fingers and DELIBERATELY try to relax just the 3rd finger. And/or also consciously try to feel equal pressure in all. I second Viper's advice:

"learn to shoot with your index finger in priority"

That's what I do. When I went back shooting RH fingers, I too had a ring finger pressure problem, (which I don't shooting lefty) - so I practiced with a bow that allowed me to finesse this finger pressure thing. You can, eventually, also shoot with less to almost no pressure on that ring finger if it is a particular problem. Some guys can shoot even heavy bows with only 2 fingers, (split or under).

In fact, many of the tough old English veterans of the 100 Year"s War shot what was called the "Two Finger Flemish" release. But of course, 2 fingers is 1/3rd fewer than 3, and probably counter productive when going UP in draw weight!

Can you get coaching anywhere? A second set of knowledgeable eyes & perspective will cut through so much trial & error, stumbling in the dark. Good luck, be careful!

Well, never know but I wonder how much you're shortening your archery career? I shot 68 for way to many years and it twisted my spine.

Bowmania

Just getting in from work and going to do a little more shooting. The reason I shoot so many arrows is because I really like it, and have the land to do so at any range I please (well to any range I would LIKE to shoot anyway). It's the fun of archery. It sounds like there may be a form flaw, which is completely acceptable, but I may also need to step up the finger guard. My Bearpaw has a solid leather finger stall with an extra piece of cordovan over the tips. The older one is much better built and thicker then my newer Bearpaw, not sure why, but the main thought here is that I may try to invest in a decent tab to try out as well. I should emphasize, I have no quarrels about hunting with less weight. I know it works perfectly well, as my last two seasons have proved to me. I just wanted to shoot heavier and so I am trying it. George, my brother has told me many times "A man has to know his own limitations" There is also some logic that says "I will do all I can, while I can. Sometimes I just have to learn more so I can."

That's the greatest part of the leatherwall, a lot of people have already crossed that bridge from most every angle and will share it with the newer guys like myself. (after a few years I still consider myself very much a newby.)

-Bones

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