The beautiful arm guard photos on the other thread got me to thinking about my shooting this AM. I hurt my bow arm last night and wanted to shoot a 3d this AM.

I decided to shoot without the arm guard because of the injury where the straps go. Was only wearing a T shirt so no fabric to worry about. Shot the course just fine with no string slap at all.

Maybe I only need to wear it when keeping clothing out of the way. Anyone else not finding one all that necessary?

Only time I wear an arm guard is when hunting. Just to keep my sleeve out of the way. Not any other time. No even with ASLs.

I wear one in case my form suffers, but I have forgot it a couple of times and did not have any problems without it. I wear one while hunting to keep my sleeve out of the way.

They are like seat belts. Not needed until something goes wrong. >>>>-----> Ken

I haven’t used an arm guard in years. I can’t recall why I stopped.

Every now and then I forget to put my arm guard on when heading out to the back yard. Sometimes all goes according to plan and I dont even notice that I never put it on. Once in while though, the goose egg and bruise reminds me pretty quick why I wear one.

Jus -

If your form is very good or very bad, yes you need one.

If you're in the middle, using a tradition/side of face anchor, maybe not. I never needed one shooting "trad".

Shooting an Olympic bow with a low anchor and tighter form, I definitely need one and a chest protector too. It's all about your alignment, so we can't answer it for you.

Viper out.

I need one. I rarely have a bow braced above 6-1/2 or so and have a long draw so I'm right on the edge usually. I've also had arrows break on release and been glad I had it on.

I know were not supposed to 'need' one because we have perefect form, but I have found that no matter what I do or how I do it, I still get smacked once in a while, and ONCE in a while is all it takes for me. Never again will I shoot without one or allow anyone else to either. Just my 2 cents worth.

Only when shooting wood arrows they might break Gary

2 Bears x2

I smack my arm once every 500 shots. Boy it really hurts ! It then takes about 499 more shots to get it out of my head. So with those numbers I just wear it and forget it. :)

I’m with 2 Bears also. An occasional poor release combined with a bad bow hand grip can throw that string right up your arm. I always use them when hunting, so I put them on in practice. I’ve never heard anyone complain about an arm guard causing them to lose an opportunity at game. If I forgot mine, I might hunt without it, but it stays in my pack & I haven’t forgotten it yet. It is cheap and convenient insurance to prevent a hang-up on cold weather clothing. Just think of the lucky shmo downwind from your stand getting an easy shot while you’re cursing the string getting hung up on your puffy pirate shirt. :)

2 Bears x3. Stopped wearing one w/ bare arms.

I shoot with some what of an open stance. So when I shoot my recurve, I don't wear an arm guard. When I shoot my longbow I "NEED" an arm guard. I think it all has to do with the brace height. When hunting I always wear an arm guard to keep my sleeve out of the way.

I can shoot compounds with 5.5" brace heights without hitting my arm. I don't see a need for one shooting traditional bow with much higher brace heights.

IMO if you're hitting your arm you have form issues.

Something else that could make a difference is some people's elbow bends more than others. I seen some people couldn't get there arm straight and some could bend it past straight. Just something to think about.

Yup.

I always wear an arm guard. Takes 10 seconds to put it on and I don't even notice it. Can't see any valid reason not to wear one for the reasons Ambleman and 2Bears stated.

Arm guard and tab always.

You said “need”. Simple answer. No. Longer answer. If your grip is correct, elbow is correct and in the case of women, care is taken not to hyper extend bow arm the answer is still no. The heel of your hand should never touch the bow. Shoot w knuckles at an angle you’ll never hit it. I teach kids all summer and there’s never an arm guard around.

Why is it that those guys and gals that are olympic shooters all seem to have an arm guard. their form is darn near perfect. I have worn one for so many years it is part of me, like a bow with no arrows I guess.

Arm guard? Never

Sleeve guard with rain jacket? Yes but it's the top half of an old wool sock.

Almost never; I only ever wear one if needed to get my sleeve out of the way. I've modified a few pieces by sewing the forearm of the sleeve to take care of that, so an armguard is very rarely needed, even in winter.

I shoot mostly to hunt so I can't tolerate the noise of a slap. So no armguard, except to crush down a thick sleeve.

I try to shoot/tune with as low a brace as I can (for a longer power stroke). I haven't needed an armguard, except to hold back a thick sleeve, since I switched to low-stretch strings.

B-50 will follow thru and whop me on the base of my thumb with the same brace height I use for FF string.

I don't really much understand experienced archers slapping their arm occasionally. Doesn't everyone make sure their grip is consistent before they ever start to pull it back? Should be slappin' it most every time or never, seems to me.

Depends on the bow. I've slapped my forearm so many times it doesn't hurt so bad anymore. It does leave a bruise so if a bow slaps me, I put on a guard.

No I don't need a arm guard. I don't need one even when I'm wearing a heavy winter coat.

Every time I think I don't need one I do.

No.

Like others....when hunting with bulky clothing.

It should be obvious leathercutter. There’s lots of things dif about the way Olympic shooters shoot. Grip, anchor, slings. Wonder why they all wear polo shirts? Maybe they’re needed too? Of course not. If you think you need one use it. If you for sure “need” one I’d advise looking at what’s causing the issue. There’s no reason for it. If you like the slap and like the arm guard so be that too but the question posed was “is it needed”. Answer is still no

I would rather have it on and not need it then...... it just goes together with stick bows and arrows. Its like wearing a cowboy hat and sneakers :-).

not unless I'm wearing bulky long sleeves

I only wear one...or a facsimile of one, an arm sock...while hunting to keep the material of my ghillie suit out of the way. Otherwise I don't need one...EXCEPT, when I shoot my Darton Ranger. Then I will sometimes hit my arm. With my Bears, Hoyt, and Root Warrior it's not an issue.

Only time I use one is in cold weather to keep my sleeve clear of the string. Sure won't hurt to wear one at all times while shooting though.

Just a thought but I believe a less than perfect release will be deflected less by a smooth arm guard than a sleeve or even your hide. It is your hide so do what you wish. >>>>-----> ken

Not into pain, it hurts. So yes.

I tend to use one with a longbow...never a recurve. I don't hit my arm very often regardless of what bow I am shooting but it does tend to happen a little more with the longbow. Mostly it it useful when hunting just to keep my sleeve out of the way.

Arm guard only when hunting. A coat gets in the way, long sleeve shirt or T shirt guard not needed.

Hunting.....always. Just shooting.....never. Only exception is when I’m shooting a low brace ASL, every once in a while I’ll suprise myself and it hurts like hell when I do.

Yes I need one because the odd slap could give me a blood clot with the blood thinners I'm on and its to dangerous for me.

Only when I need to keep sleeves out of the way.

And I have a jacket with ties in the sleeves that accomplishes the same.

You probalby don't need one if you have good, consistent form - so, in other words, YES, I NEED ONE!

Never unless it is a longbow with low brace height, then I might just in case, but if my brace is 7" or more no.

Hico -

Actually, what I said that if your alignment is optimal the string will "buzz" your forearm. It's just the way things line up. But there's a difference between a light (and annoying) buzz and a hit that draws blood ;^).

You have to remember, that when an arrow is shot and the string returns to brace height, it can go as much as 2" PAST it's resting point AND oscillates not only forward and back, but due to paradox, from side to side. So yeah, the better your form is, the more likely you'll get a buzz.

Viper out.

Only when hunting.

Putting on the armguard is just part of my ritual. Never really shot without one. After 38 years of archery, I guess it's just a habit. I'm in agreement with 2 Bears.

I wear an arm guard while hunting or shooting 3D. Sometimes our local 3D coarse can get a little trashy and make us shoot from weird positions :)

I will add that I always wear an arm guard when shooting my selfbow. My selfbow will remind me on the first shot if I forget my arm guard.

I rarely wear it in a backyard practice session.

Not usually, just when wearing long sleeves. When I had an ASL bow I did always.

I always use an arm guard. Years ago some one watched me shoot then said I was doing it wrong. That if I shot correctly I wouldn't need an arm guard. Then he accused me of being a target archer to which I said thank you.

Last time I hit my arm, I was making a conscious effort to keep my arm out of the way. Shooting a 70 pound recurve. WHACK! I had a purple and green spot on my forearm the size of a softball for 3 weeks. I think I invented a few new cuss words and let the neighbors know too. Never again.

The only time you need an arm guard, is when you don't have one. I do with some of my longbows, so I carry one in my pack at all times.

LW has shown photos of busted carbon arrows pierced into fore- arms. I've remembered those.

2 Bears nailed it. Over the course of many years, I have slapped my arm maybe 3 or 4 times. I wear one shooting in short sleeve tee shirts because it is part of my ritual. I really need one when hunting but that is mainly to keep loose sleeve material out of the way.

Arm guard for hunting, and shooting self bows. I don,t use one when shooting recurves.It is a good practice to use one all the time though.

Yes and always. From personal experience I can say when a carbon breaks it’s better hitting your arm guard than your bare arm. Still hurts but not nearly as bad. Yes since that day I am extremely religious about flexing carbons.

RonL

I never wore an arm guard despite a rare slap. I figured I just had to correct my grip or form, and I hate taking any extra time to prepare and end after shooting. Even a few seconds.

But recently I've been shooting longer distances uphill with light bows. And heavier bows. I can't lean back to go higher b/c of back issues. So I have to raise my bow arm. But the more it's raised the more muscle strain there is and the less accurate the shot is. So I started lowering my anchor point as another way of elevating the bow. I figured if Olympic shooters anchor under or at the bottom of the chin, why not try it?

I quickly found out why Olympic shooters all wear armguards! That low anchor point leads to the need for one!

Viper, if you had told me I would have avoided some skin torn off and an infection in my arm! It's OK now, though, all is healed. And I wear an armguard.

Arm guard when shooting flight arrows only. Same with glove or tab because of the skinny string. Hunting, bare fingers and sleeve control.

Bow string doesn’t slap my arm. I don’t stand facing 90 degrees away from target and fully extend & lock out my bow arm elbow like the compound guys used to do in the old days.. I stand facing the target slightly and keep a little bend in my bow arm elbow. I also rotate my bow arm wrist about 15 degrees instead of keeping it perpendicular. This tends to turn my bow arm elbow outward, which provides even more string clearance. I don’t do these things to achieve string clearance, but rather to get a good “instinctive” shooting alignment.

Don't need one until you need one and you will know when that happens.

I don't need one when I shoot a recurve but boy do I need one when I shoot a longbow!

Shooter it’s your grip and bow arm elbow position. I’ll never figure why guys just band aid issues instead of really fixing them. I teach kids all summer. Women too. Used to do spring and fall classes and not one needed an arm guard. Now when I was younger in a karate class the Shihon would say to get your guards up. You didn’t listen your face would sting as he open handed cracked you. Keep doing it things got worse. Pretty quickly you kept your guards up. The guys I see walk into a class or a hunter ed session w arm guards I already know have issues. I let em know that slap is God telling em they have to change their grip. Everyone figures they have an issue that can’t be over come. They say things like a longbow straight grip forces you. (I shoot a straight gripped longbow, no arm guard). Just had a fellow who was older and seemed set in his ways in class. He wore an arm guard. I showed him some things, he made excuses why he personally needed one. I got him to try things differently and now he doesn’t need one. I also wanna say the bent elbow post is bad too. You don’t wanna shoot off muscles. They tire and things change. You should be shooting off your skeletal structure. Bone on bone is always the same. I wish I could help you guys cause unless you have a medical issue that prevents certain things just about no one needs an arm guard. Ask God, He keeps reminding you you’re doing it wrong. Fellows this is no dis but guys don’t know what they don’t know. Why don’t you find out what that is. I do understand the hunt fellows using it to hold down a sleeve

Only when I shoot my longbow or D/H Mamba

I usually shoot a low braced selfbow with a bracer. I don't need one with my recurves unless wearing heavier clothing.

I shoot in my basement without one. But anytime I wear long sleeves or a jacket I do wear one.

I wear one in the summer because my thin cotton shirt sleeves catch the breeze and sometimes will grab the string pulling it into my forearm. When that happens it causes a deep bruise and a goose egg that lasts for days. I wear one in the winter to keep the long sleeves out of the way of the string. I do shoot with out one in the summer when there is no wind.

"ask God" is the weirdest of these responses.

That wasn't all of the weirdness. When you see drivers fasten their seat belts I guess you know automatically they are bad drivers. The quickest way to cause a kid to quit archery is not insist on them wearing an arm guard. It only takes once and they are done with archery. Did you read all the posts? Knots,goose eggs,skinned arms,infection,blood clots,those are not good things. No excuse for not teaching safety. Do what you will with your own arm,protect the kids. >>>>-----> Ken

When I shot FG recurves with high brace heights I really did not need an arm guard. Now that I shoot self bows with relatively low brace heights I do. Jawge

It amuses me the amount of elitiest bullshit regarding form that you read on this topic.

I hunt on the grond with a ghillie and have trimmed up as much as I want on the chest and bow arm. I wear one with it to make sure everything is out of the way, so I just wear one most times.

However I can not wear one and not have a problem for a really long time, and by that I mean close to 1000 shots. But I will eventually break down and the string will hit me.

So what is the answer? Most times no, except when I do and then it's too late. It's not a life changing problem either way for me, but while hunting the lack of one could effect the accuracy of my shot if the string hangs up on my clothing.

Yes . You need my address to send it?

Thanks, Tony, but if I wanna feel a Buzz, I’ll crack one beer too many ;)

WRT the OP....

Only occasionally do I need one. And when I do....

Yeah, I REALLY need one!

I wear one and so does my 12 year old son. I could care less what anyone else does, it's not my skin.

Not with my Satori but with every other bow, yes. Don't know why I don't with my Satori but I'm not complaining. I only shoot that bow anymore.

I teach kids moms and agree that new archers do NEED one. Or they wont be archers for long.

At some point afterward they shouldn't, IMO.

HH didn't have no-stretch string. And his wrist ain't straight, either.

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