Ok guys, need some help. I"ve been shooting my browning cobra a lot lately, and all is good. Went back to my brown recluse which has a super low brace height, but is is REALLY fast and I shoot it well. Problem is I"m now getting MASSIVE wrist slap with the Recluse...Talking right on the wrist bone, god does it hurt. I dont fell like my technique has gotten anything but better since shooting the browning. Help please?!?! I bow I used to love is now not really enjoyable to shoot :-( thanks!

The Recluse has the limbs forward of the riser, hence the low brace. If the grips are different (never shot a Recluse) you may be torquing a bit after coming off the Cobra. You could try making sure your grip is pulling into the web of your thumb/fingers and you aren't grabbing it on the loose. The Cobra is more of a medium grip that puts your hand into a good position.

Low braces can be problematic at times and I've had some bows that for one reason or another were intent on giving me a welt no matter what. I still keep armguards around for those cussid critters. If you weren't being hit before though, then it's something that you are doing differently...even if slight. Start with the grip and see if that's it.

Thanks geaorge. I'll give that a try. You're probably dead on--I feel like the cobra sits perfectly in my palm and I barely have to hold it, the recluse not so much. I feel like I almost have to rotate my wrist outwards(clockwise) on the recluse, creating more of a "C" shape grip with my thumb and forefinger vs. a "U" when I let my grip settle in on the cobra. Does that make sense?

Brian, That phenomenon of getting wrist slap is one of the things that tells me my string has stretched and that the brace height has gotten too low. I don't use a wrist guard, and the minute I start getting slap I twist the string a bit tighter. I figure there are plenty of bows that won't give me slap, and that there's no need to hang on to one that does.

The other possibilty that occurs is that perhaps your bow arm has gotten straighter? Do you keep a bit of crook in your elbow at full draw? I sometimes find that if I've been shooting a heavier bow, my arm will want to get straighter (and therefore stiffer) against the extra weight.

Changing your grip might be leading you to cant that bow more then other also Which will put string at different angle and give you some arm dlap

Wow, all good points guys, thanks lots to think about. crookedstix, the recluse is designed to have a super low brace height to begin with, and I"m pretty sure I'm right in the zone--but I'll remeasure when I get home and check for stretch, though I never leave it strung--def a good point.

Brian factory brace height is a recommendation for a base start Some bows are right on some need to be shot and adjusted Arrow flight and bow noise and vibs are good at that measurement? You have room to play

A trick that I picked up from a previous lifetime is to (assuming you're right handed) - hold your bow out (arm straight)... then rotate your wrist/arm clockwise as far as you can... then come back to your shooting position... then shoot.

This will help clear your forearm/wrist. You'll get the "fat part" of your forearm out of the way. In pistol shooting (where I learned this) we would do just the opposite... you'd rotate outward... this sets your elbow straight down which is what you want for rapid recovery during shooting. Shooting a bow... you want just the opposite.

Sounds a little crazy... but hold your arm straight out - rotate your wrist all the way one way... then back... look at your elbow angle. Then rotate it all the way the other way... then back... and look at your elbow angle when you're done.

I taught my 9 year old this... no more wrist slaps. Good luck.

Right on Scott--things are pretty good where it is--but you're totally right, no reason to no try heightening it up a little!

Guys this seems obvious to me. I don’t know the bow so I could be wrong but where he is saying the wrist slap is, right on the wrist bone sounds like a brace height too low. I’m a big grip guy but that’s commonly forearm slap not wrist slap

Yes Bowguy, right on the bulging wrist bone.

Bowguy, the Recluse is made for a low brace. He can adjust it to see if it helps, but part of the "speed thing" from that bow is more string travel, low brace due to that because limbs are ahead of the riser. I tried shooting one of those years ago at Denton Hill, and I was awful. Couldn't get used to it at all. Some folks, however, love the bow. I still think it may be a hand pressure thing, but try some different approaches.

George I wasn’t doubting what you’re saying as I don’t know that bow but it just commonly is the answer. I’m sure you know I’m very partial to certain grips so that’d be my first answer except where the mark is. Maybe the op can post a pic of the bow in his hand about to be shot. Try n show string clearance before you shoot as well as grip. Remember strings go forward past where they sit when at rest so if it’s close that’s why you’re getting stung.

Gonna try it all! Since it wasn't happening prior I'm leaning toward hand placement too. Thanks!

If you can't raise the brace height you and the bow are not a good fit. The lower wrist is pretty much in line with the string on any bow. The string just does not travel that far.>>>----> Ken

As George pointed out, those brown recluse bows are designed to have a lower brace height so are more likely to bite the wrist, not unlike a hill style longbow. Doesn't necessarily mean you're doing anything wrong, you just might need to use an armguard. No shame in that. Or just lengthen the brace a little until it stops biting. If you're not already using a ff string, you might give that a try as well. Works with hill style longbows.

I have never shot any bow that prevented me from having the string bisect my wrist where the nurse takes your pulse rate. Never have had a "slap" of any kind except a couple of times during a dry fire. Bow designs that rely on low brace and/or skinny strings to achieve desired speed do not impress me at all. Why suffer bad design for a few ft/sec?

You may have to open your stance a bit. Left foot to the left for a righty. Just a bit. Jawge

Fast flight.

Arm guards generally do not cover the wrist bone. I don't believe any stance would get the thumb out alignment with the string. The wrist bone and base of the thumb are pretty much right there if the string goes that far forward. It does travel a bit farther than the brace height. Try putting a few twists it the string. Good luck. >>>----> Ken

Brian, That phenomenon of getting wrist slap is one of the things that tells me my string has stretched and that the brace height has gotten too low. I don't use a wrist guard, and the minute I start getting slap I twist the string a bit tighter. I figure there are plenty of bows that won't give me slap, and that there's no need to hang on to one that does. The other possibilty that occurs is that perhaps your bow arm has gotten straighter? Do you keep a bit of crook in your elbow at full draw? I sometimes find that if I've been shooting a heavier bow, my arm will want to get straighter (and therefore stiffer) against the extra weight.

Same thing here . The 'slap' is an indicator for me.

Just wanted to circle back on this. I put a few more twists in the string and concentrated on good grip, and voila! All good. BH is still around 6.5 which is right in the performance zone, and its a hell of a lot more fun to shoot. Thanks everyone!

We knew you could do it. :^) >>>-----> Ken

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