tough draw

[ed]

got a new bow - needs some finishing touches to shape the handle and coat it all (tung oil?) but looks pretty good.

It has quite thick limbs, I thought it would be wider and keep an thinner profile but it still spits arrows out very fast. I couldn't acheive my normal draw - only managed about 29 inches but the thing is rated at 90# at 28 so I am not overly disappointed. I will be heading back to the gym to get it up to my normal length draw though and then be able to shoot a decent number without tiring.

Anybody else go through the process of training themselves up for a heavier draw?

[tracker]

Ed, 12 months ago I started with a 30 pound recurve. Went up to a 55 pound recurve. Then got a 72 pound longbow.

At 29 1/2 inches I pull a bit over 80 pounds.

I also have long arrows <32 inches, 900+ grains> that I shoot by anchoring midway between my cheekbone and my ear. The bow is pulling a smidge under 100 pounds at that drawlength.

All it takes for me to go up in weight is daily drawing of the bow. When I can sit on the edge of a table with my feet dangling and draw and hold my bow at anchor comfortably for 15 seconds I reckon it is under good control and I am ready to start shooting.

I have a new bow on order from the USA that is aiming for around 120 pounds at 28 inches.

I enjoy shooting a heavy bow for many reasons. Good luck with it.

Mick.

[Glenn]

Drawing a bow that is too heavy is one thing but shooting it is another, you might do yourself more damage than you reliase by shooting it and it might take a long time to get over it as I found out. I bought a bow in the early eighties that was too heavy for me and I was shooting it at a shortened draw and that effected my shooting for 20 years, so what I do now is I use a heavy bow to draw but never shoot it and only shoot with a bow I am comfortable with...Glenn...

[feral66]

Ed I personally would not go more than 60#-65#. Don't forget with a recurve or longbow there is no letoff. And to kill all game in Oz anything from 50# to 65# is more than enough. It's not so much the poundage but the weight of the arrow and placement of the shot that counts.
I myself have two recurves both Black Widows one is a 50# MAIII and my latest one is a 63# SIW and they both had taken game mostly feral pigs and I've got no complaints. And evan the coach had a couple of shots from it and it spat his arrows out like his compound.
What I'm trying to say is don't overbow yourself you'll regret it in the long run.

[tracker]

Feral66 and Glenn are both right. You could hurt yourself if your not sensible, and you don't need a really heavy bow to successfully take game in Australia.

If you plan on one day shooting an Elephant though, keep on practising matey. :D

Mick.

[Glenn]

With me I should have said that it was mental, after trying to shoot that bow for several months I finally stopped shooting it but the problem was that I short drew every bow regardless of weight, I just couldn't come to full draw. I wish it had of been physical damage because I would have recivered from that a lot quicker. I once told a good longbow shooter I had a bad case of target panic and he said that he would rather have aids...Glenn...

[humphrey]

tracker, i believe howard hill shot an elephant with a 60lbs recurve.

[Axe]

Thought that was 100# Humph, shot it from top of a "termite mound" :D No humph not the efelant, Howard was on the mound :wink:

Ed, don't need the big pounds, but if you enjoy & have success you go for it, I got razzed many times because I use 72#, good those extra pounds when you line up on a 2000lb bull. As said above as long as control & accuracy isn't jeopardised, why not? :D Don't all get up me, I don't disagree with whats been said, just say'n if ya can, & ya like, why not. :D

[HOOD]

Thats a great idea Glenn on the draw but not fire a heavy bow for training then shoot a lesser # bow to hunt.

Tracker a 120#bow FARRRRRK mate what you gonna use it for. you got Woolly Mammoths in your area :lol: :lol: :lol:

Me I'm happy with my 55# curve, and at 29" draw it is pulling about 58#

Hood 8)

[rimfire]

Hey fellas I tried lifting a 100 lb rock once and I couldn't throw it very far so I settled for a 36 lb recurve and thats great.

[ed]

thx guys.

I know I don't need a heavier bow to go hunting. I have a 55#@28 - 67#@31.5 that would do it for just about anything in Australia I think. Maybe not cape buffalo but not in a hurry to do that either. I got the bow because I also like clout shooting and the history of longbow. If buggers 500 years ago could do it then I want to see what it is like too. Just a hobby of mine, I also study ancient martial arts (not sports like boxing and karate) and could just as easy take most game with a sword or spear if my stalking skills were good enough. We don't all do that do we, I don't either but I could wax lyrical about all any of us really needing is a pointed stick! :lol:

I agree with you on the form bit Glenn, will not do anything to damage that - also a physio by trade so coordination training etc is my stock in trade and so will notice if I change it easy enough. Loss of form would wreck accuracy anyway and then what would be the point at all?

on training for heavier weights, good to do the exact same exercise I agree, but also good to do similar muscular exercises that help the strength and coordination of the synergistic and antagonistic muscles. When these are also trained well, there is less chance of injury and also there is smoother coordination of the primary exercise. Variations in posture are easier to cope with, and your concentration can stay on the target and not have to think about the drawing motion etc. This is much like the result you get from shooting 5# below your normal draw weight.

[bear]

I shoot a 70# recurve and do weights as my line of work(mining) dosn't allow me to draw my bow every day and I believe it helps in advancing to heavier poundages. I mainly stick to heavy compound exercises which utilise more than one muscle group as well as strengthing your core muscles of the body. Exercises like deadlifts, squats, bent over rows, military presses will all work the right muscles to help you advance into heavier poundages but the training has to be ongoing to be benficial.

BEAR