Does anyone else do this? Any reason not to for a hunter? I’ve been shooting this way for a while but was wondering why more folks don’t. Thanks

It puts tension in your wrist/forearm.

Bowmania

Bowmania, please elaborate. Is that tension due to wrist rotation, non- isolated thumb movement, other?

rambler74, for a hunter it could be a very good choice, with a few advantages, like a longer draw and a clearer view. I shoot this way for over 30 yard. Many hunters shoot like this, so if you like it, go for it!

For me it creates too much string, face contact

The answer is yes, some really good shooters have anchored that way.

If you are anchoring with the thumb knuckle under your ear it doesn't create any more tension than anchoring any other way. It also should not cause any more wrist rotation than any other method.

Your anchor is simply where your hand ends up after you reach full draw and alignment. It shouldn't be a predetermined destination. And it makes exactly -0- difference where anyone else anchors.

But, we can't see you to ser exactly what you are describing.

I shoot split finger, and a few years back I changed my “anchor” point. It had been my index finger to the corner of my mouth. I found that I got better string hand/arm alignment by extending my draw until the tip of my relaxed thumb touched the back of my jaw, just under my ear,

It seems to work well for me.

I do. Helped me become more consistent and engage back tension.

That's what working for me.^^

Snow Crow, Just put your hand up to your face. Gravity has your thumb down - it makes a 'C' with your forefinger. God created that 'C' for your jaw bone.

Just look at that 'C' in front of your face and then move the thumb up. Feel the tension?

Bad habits do work, but good form is EASYLY REPEATABLE FORM. You can take the hardest form in the world (bad) and practice it enough, drill it into your subconscious, make it your self- image and it becomes EASYLY REPEATABEL. But if you started out with EASY where would you be now?

Go to the Lancaster Classic for the last few years you won't find one thumb up. And yet look at the last page here. There's our father with his thumb up. Don't make your life hard.

Bowmania

I shoot split finger, and the knuckle of my thumb touches the jaw bone--pointy part where the upper, and lower jaw pivots under the ear. It helps me as I use it as a reference point to be able to repeat the draw process knowing that when the knuckle of my thumb touches that pointy jaw pivot point I am where I need to be. Everyone is different in this process of drawing-anchoring a little, and releasing using a tab. What really screws up my shots is when I pluck the string instead of relaxing, and uncurling the fingers to get a smooth release. My process is simple. Draw to that point, and NEVER let my hand leave my face--uncurl my fingers without letting my hand leave my face as a follow through. For me if I leave my hand leave my face--moving it even in the slightest it really throws off my accuracy in a bad way.

You're in good company - Watch the instructional video on shooting by John Schulz and you'll see that's what he does. It worked for him just fine.

I shoot much better with my thumb locked behind my jaw as an additional anchor reference point.

Thanks for the reply, Bowmania.

Thumb knuckle under the ear is where it's at for me. It engages the back more, and it adds at least an inch to my draw length, which in turn lets me shoot a flatter trajectory. It's a win-win-win.

Verdeburl, After listening to several world class shooters I started anchoring at the same place and never moving my hand from my face for follow thru. I too had an issue of plucking the string upon release and it would throw off my shot, so I started looking into ways to stop it.

Holding my hand to my face, making sure that it doesn't move after the shot was the way to ensure that I was consistent. It is not taught by most of the coaches out there, but it works great. One other thing it does is it allows me to focus on my Bow Arm and the spot, because I am not trying to follow thru and make sure I pull my hand back to the "taught" method, on my shoulder.

Also, I have a double anchor point: 1. Middle finger in the corner of my mouth and 2. Thumb curled around the corner of my jaw. this gives me 2 points to lock into to make sure that my DL is as consistent as possible.

Verdeburl, you kind of bring up an interesting point. We talk about anchor a lot. And maybe that's a problem. Going to shoots I see very few archers getting to alignment. That's as important as anchor, maybe more.

Almost all sequences have anchor before alignment. Maybe it should be alignment, anchor, aim, back tension? That would put more emphasis on alignment and eliminate plucks and collapsing.

I'm playing a little with this. I draw back and don't touch my face until the elbow is in line with the arrow. Or so I think. I'm due to discuss this with my coach in a couple of weeks.

Bowmania

Thanks for all the advice guys.... good food for thought.

Seems to work pretty well for Rick Welch.

I've always shot that way.

I recently started doing that, after I realized I was not getting full extension with my draw. Much better form this way for ME, and a consistent draw length.

"Gravity has your thumb down - it makes a 'C' with your forefinger. God created that 'C' for your jaw bone."

Most folks don't have a jawline anymore.

I do.. For me at anchor I have my index finger just behind my eye tooth. And the first thumb joint rests under my ear and locks in at back of my jaw bone.

X2 what silverarrowhead stated.

Most all sequences these days actually do a pretty bad job of explaining the shot sequence and the associated physical activities.

Relaxed hand is one of those. You can't draw a bow with your hand relaxed. When your hand is relaxed your fingers are not curled. And even if they were you can't hold the string without tension in your hand and forearm.

Anchor is the act of achieving correct alignment When you achieve correct alignment you have anchored the shot. AND, you have also created the correct amount of back tension

Where you touch your face is nothing but a sighting reference.

I do.. My index finger goes behind my eye tooth and my first thumb knuckle locks behind my jaw bone. And the top of my thumb is touching my earlobe. That gives me my 3 points and a consistent anchor point. Then back tension and a straight backwards elbow takes care of my release, when the feather touches my nose. That's my trigger.

I draw using my arm till almost full draw then I start pushing my elbo around. When I start pushing, using back, my elbo drops and my hand flattens out at the knuckles. Those thing happen on their own from using you back. If you have a high elbo or have to conciously bring it down your back is NOT doing the work. Your bicepts are. I don't use the thumb thing because locking into anchor, which is what most do, usually means your using your arm and not your back. Which makes it impossible to relax your fingers. Meaning the string has to go farther out to get around them. That makes your bow noisier and makes spine more critical. Going around your fingers gets your arrow's flexing started. The farther it has to go the harder it is for that flexing to be constant. And if that varies so does your arrows dynamic spine.

Rick Welch puts all his students anchor back there. Works great for me. In my back a ton more and very consistent.

I've always pressed my thumb knuckle into my earlobe with a double anchor as described by Rick 3 above. For the best article ever on improving your shooting via consistent anchor points see Bob Lindberg's article on Rick Welch's instructional school in the Dec/Jan 2012 issue of TBM. I re-read it every year.

I'm with bowmania on this one, and yeah, I know it can be done, I have a buddy that keeps his thumb pointing straight up and has had a pretty good shooting career. But I believe it's going to cause string torque, especially on lighter bows! Heavier bows you might get away with it due to how much more pressure it takes to deform the string.

The OP didn't day anything about keeping his thumb pointed straight up. That's an assumption.

Explain how it would have a tendency to create more string torque.

The "C" Bowmania speaks of fits perfectly onto my jawbone. It also places my middle finger at the corner of my mouth. I can't find a more consistent place than that. I'll try it later but I feel like if I anchored farther back I would be overdrawing pushing my chest out and end up with string slap.

I think it depends on the shape of your jaw and face

The place where you touch your face should be the result of obtaining full draw and alignment. Most folks anchor at the corner of their mouth because that is the popular way. Not necessarily the right way.

There is no such thing as over drawing as was proven 100's of years ago by the English longbowmen

Overdrawing as far as in changing other aspects of your body. I would think any farther back that alters your alignment would be an overdraw. If my alignment is at 28" then what would my drawing back to 30" be called? If I have a 28" draw should I try to learn how to achieve good form and alignment at 29" to get more out of my equipment? My feeble brain doesn't understand this. A comfortable anchor with good alignment would be my draw. Anything over that for "Me" would be overdrawing.

Overdrawing maxes the power available at the expense of accuracy though.

However the English bowmen didn't actually have an overly long draw relative to what we consider a long draw. Maybe relative to their body dimensions they did.

Your alignment is something that you adapt to suit your requirements. You can adapt your body and head position to have alignment at 28", or most people can adapt their body and head position to achieve alignment at 30". It's a matter of what you want to do.

Runner had a point, maybe. But none of us were around to see how accurate the English longbowman was, so that assumption is only conjecture.

I don’t think of my anchor as a place to stop. I’ve tried that, and often creep, collapse, or pluck. As others have mentioned, for me at least, my anchors, middle finger to corner of mouth then thumb nuckle behind my ear are landmarks I pass leading to release.

Try comparing your anchor to a boat anchor. Think of two boat anchors each attached to a separate 10 foot rope. Drop one into 9 feet of water and the other into 11 feet of water. Then take a knife and cut the ropes. Which of these scenarios would you like your release to resemble.

Here is a good visual of what I do on each shot. It has helped me reach my full potential on accuracy.

Hope the above illustration helps. Here is the written description.

If you have already registered, please

sign in now

For new registrations

Click Here