I find that wearing an armguard also helps visually with the form. When my form gets sloppy, it's easier to notice that my arm is rotated incorrectly if I can see the armguard being misaligned.
That point about preserving speed is a great point I'd never been taught before. Thanks for teaching it. I would like to add a warning for anyone that shoots high poundage longbows though. While Nu-Sensei's advice may be true for recurves, longbows are a much different story. The combination of high poundage and short brace height means you can get some very serious injuries to the wrist area if you mis-shoot badly enough, including heavy bruising, damaged blood vessels, or hematoma. If you shoot a high-poundage longbow, wear an arm guard. Period.
Aye, and medieval bracers, such as those found on the Mary Rose warship, were a well-constructed, well-decorated and essential piece of equipment for every archer. At around 160lb draw weight those bows were not trivial things.
Nice video! While you sort of hit on my point, the arm guard does keep clothing tucked in and away from the path of the bow string. Even with a proper hold and elbow position, wearing heavy clothing can obstruct the bow string path. This is more of an issue while hunting with heavy clothing. As always, great videos!
Really great overview. I've seen some guys get some bad bow kisses for not listening to the coach.... That said, I often find that even with light bows, arm-guards on kids will help them from developing a flinch, especially those with hyper-extensive elbows. But that is more a coaches line of thinking than someone teaching themselves. Though if anyone is thinking of teaching their kid, its probably worth making sure they have a good experience, and bow bites really limit that. With little ones, (10-14 or so) you may need to cover past the elbow in case the elbow flexes inwards. Some kids don't have the strength for long to hold a straight arm, if they cannot lock the elbow. Shooting both left and right can help them build the strength, and I don't think hampers their overall shooting skill. In fact I shoot ambi when practicing with lighter bows just because I can, and I find it helps me stick to fundamentals.
I use a leather bracer, mostly because it looks cool and goes with my glove. I rarely hit myself anymore, I probably don’t need it, but it’s become part of my uniform, when I put on my glove and bracer, I feel like I’m ready to shoot. It’s habit more than anything. If I only had one of those plastic things, I probably would have stopped using it months ago, for me there is nothing enjoyable about wearing modern plastic arm guards.
I found with an English longbow, the most common contact point was the forearm just above the wrist, the low brace height fooled me for a while, until someone suggested rotating my grip a little. Glad I had a bracer that day.
Thank you Nu! I just picked up archery a little under a month ago and always feel a little self conscious using an arm guard at the range, especially since many of the archers I’m shooting with are far more experienced. That said, when I did my initial archery training I did it without protection, and after 5 hours of shooting a 30 lb. bow I had red and black welts going up and down my arm (also completely numb fingertips, it was a rough week afterward). Just goes to show a little protection goes a long way.
I like my armguard. Very occasionally my string hits it, and it saves me from having minor pain and bruising on my arm for days. If I'm wearing long sleeves, my armguard keeps the sleeve from getting in the way of the string. It's a piece of modern day armor that is both practical and comfortable. Shooting my bow without it feels weird. Now chest guards on the other hand...
Good explanation. As others have said, they keep clothing out of the way. And, don’t forget the cool factor, for traditional leather arm guards, anyway. Just don’t go overboard with it, because then, instead of the cool factor, it becomes the “where in the world did that guy come from?” factor. :)
On my previous bow I was getting a lot if string vibrations AFTER the string has left the bow. And that's another reason to have an arm guard, as these vibrations can reach the arm. It doesn't sting much, just some not very energetic slap. But if this repeatedly happena for a duration of a few hours - it can get painful.
NUSensei, just wanted to say I agree everyone should have an arm guard just to be safe. Also, I love all your videos and they have helped me be confident to make a start in archery myself!
Good video. When I first started, I used an arm guard, but then I learned how to twist my wrist/elbow. The only time I use one now is during the colder months to keep the string from impacting my coat or fleece.
Coming by to share my initial and current impression that from a quick look on your thumbnails and after watching your recent videos, you look fantastic with this bear! Oh, and of course thank you for your videos & work NUSensei! ^^
Thank you for all of your videos!!! I'm learning so much!! I'm just learning how to shoot this type of bow and I'm having trouble drawing it back all the way yet. I've smacked it 3 times over the last week and have a nasty bruise. I've started wearing my compression sleeve I use for when my fibro acts up for my elbow area for now.
When I'm shooting my recurve, I don't wear one because I simply don't hit my arm. But sometimes if I'm shooting my longbow I'll accidentally hit my arm and get a raised welt that will just keep getting hit again and again after that, so the arm guard goes on. I shoot longbow just like my recurve, but it's much easier to hit my arm with it. I guess it's the far more narrow handle, and maybe the shorter brace height has a little to do with it? Not sure about that second reason, if it is that it has something to do with how the string is rebounding maybe. I would need a high speed camera to know.
As a humble intermediate archer i find it preserves form. If i slap myself in the arm the next shot i execute i will consciously move my arm away from the path of my string. I wear a leather neet armguard that is so thick the only way i know i hit it is the noise from the shot, and like the koreans i tend to focus on other things like maintaining good back tension instead of whether or not im going to hit my arm.
I am much more likely to hit my arm if I don't wear one (or I wear one that feels different). Also, it doesn't take more than a few hits before you change your form to try to avoid it.
I now shoot thumb release and Asiatic bows, so no reason to, however, back many years ago, when I shot a120lb Longbow, I did wear one, after a hour using that, your form tended to suffer a bit and you might slap your arm, in the Winter, in the UK, it also kept your sleeve out the way, not all of us live in Australia!
Thanks for this video, I do not use a arm guard, I guess I use better bow grip form "naturally" now, or through watching videos like this one I've never had the use for one. Here in Thailand, where high humidity exists, and the sweat drips down my arm, it just making conditions very uncomfortable to use one. When I was a young boy in California, had to use one, where I was gripping my bow like it was going to run away from me, and the string would smack me on the forearm every shot. I also set up my bow properly. Lesson learned, where before I was unlearned, with the bow. Thanks !!!
I shoot composite bow so normally I wouldn't have much need for arm guard, but when it gets cold here in Finland and I have thick coat on me, I like to put that arm guard so my sleeve won't interfere with my shooting, because it can easily get in the way when I'm out doors shooting. So not so much to protect my hand, but more to keep things away from the string :P
It's a very rare occasion now that I actually hit my arm. That said, I hit my arm black and blue when I started out, and for whatever reason if I don't use an arm guard now, I seem to subconsciously do things to avoid hitting my arm that either: a) make my shot worse or; b) actually make me *more* likely to hit my arm (don't really understand that one myself!)
I've never had the string catch my elbow somehow. I did have it catch on my chest though so I'll never not use a chestguard after that. I can vouch for the affect on the arrow, I did have the string scrape down my forearm on a bad shot and it ended up throwing my rest somewhere and the arrow clipped the riser bad enough to break off part of the arrow and take out a chunk of the riser.
Not necessarily. But it can be good to have. The fastest part of the string has the same speed as the arrow and can indeed be painful and result in a big bruise.
Reminds me of weightlifters who mock those who use a squat pad... Until you show them pictures of Arnold Schwarzenegger squatting several hundred pounds with one. I did find though, that not using an armguard can teach one proper form really quickly. Especially with a hard cam hunting bow and very light arrows. One lazy shot resulting in an arm hit caused me to run down a mental checklist and take a relaxation breath for every shot for weeks after.
It seems to be personal opinion, I don't like using one because it lets me know when I make a mistake, I find pain to be an excellent instructor. I do use one when shooting my horse bow as that strike almost every time and can and has broken skin, once I find out what the problem is I will stop using it. I had never heard of using the armguard to prevent the fouling of a shot, I could see doing this in competition but I'd still rather train without one. On the chest guard you can get massive bruises from the string without one.
I find that "pain is a teacher" is common, but as a teacher I don't agree with it. It tells you when you are doing it wrong, but it doesn't show you how to fix it. Additionally, many beginners get into the mindset of "it must be me", when there are other causes of string slap, and they might end up with awkward form trying to avoid something that wasn't their fault.
NUSensei, Thank you for your answer about your target stands on wheels.You said you made them. However, I don’t know “how” you made them. Could you do a demonstrative video on making one? Listing the materials, dimensions of the lumber, what size & source for the wheels, hole dia. & location for the axle for the wheels etc.? I’m sure a lot of others who watch your videos would be interested in the “how to” of making one also. Thanks!
Good video, like I teach my students (and sometimes remind myself), if you are hitting your arm you are doing it wrong. I will still occasionally use one particularly with my longbows.
In old times many archers needed to protect the string from mail or some type of armor. Archers did on occasions use other weapons, so they often dressed in any equipment they could get.
The best Thing about the guards is, that the brain dont think "maybe it will be hurting" when you aiming. When i forgot the armguard and the string hits my arm, the next 20 to 30 arrows are Not so acurate because of Not correct bodyposition or fear in the deeper mind that it will be happen again.
Question. Newish to archery. Been shooting more this year for obvious reason with lockdown in lots of countries. I see pretty much all people wearing arm guard on there forearm. I how ever have to move my arm guard down because I sometimes catch base of thumb and or wrist. More wrist but in base of thumb. Is this something I'm doing wrong on release or grip. Thoughts please
Hi NUSensei! I am a new subscriber and also new to archery. I've learned a lot from your videos -- thank you for sharing! one topic I'm not sure you've covered but that I am having a hard time with is how to brush the hand back when releasing the arrow. my teacher says "like brushing your ear". is there a video that elaborates on this technique? also was wondering where you are based? thanks again!
So if the string constantly makes a slight contact with the thickest part of the forearm, what could be the problem? I was once told that apparently the string hits me on the way back from displacement after the shot. But I have never checked myself after that.
Me...didn't turn the elbow out first time i used my bow (self learning, not taking classes) my arm was all bruised in the end...ouch...bought an arm guard and started watching YT tutorials...lesson learned...
Mostly I don't need one .. but once in a while I still get things wrong. ... and as my favourite bow has a draw weight (with my draw) of around 54 pounds I wear protection, because man that shiz stings !
What surprised me as a new archer was that the part of my body i hit the most is my left boob 😂 I do lift weights so a bit bigger chest plus i cant my bow (just works better than straight with a trad bow with no arrow rest). Made me think about that myth that amazons cut of theit left boob 😅
If you know what you're doing, and you know how to prevent string slap, you don't need it. If you're hunting and possibly wearing baggy clothes, you might find you're hitting your arm but I have no idea how the heck you would get an armguard on thick clothes.
I use my arm guard when shooting carbon arrows, I have seen the damage they can do, one archer had to have splintered shards of carbon removed from his forearm after his carbon arrow exploded upon release, the splintered shards entered his arm half way down the inside of his forearm & exited through his wrist/hand. This horrific injury could have been avoided if an arm gaurd had been used. It's not the string that bothers me - we have all had a string slap, it stings a bit - but if a carbon arrow let's go you will have permanent damage & scarring.
@@wojtekimbier The injury I saw the splinters entered on the inside of the forearm & exited out of his hand, an arm gaurd would have prevented this. If a carbon arrow splintered later on in the release like you say your hand will be the next contact point.
@@wojtekimbier A modern thin gaurd wouldn't give much protection but a traditional full length thick leather gaurd like I use would. At the end of the day it's every individual s choice but if you shoot carbon arrows without a gaurd you are at risk of injury. I find it ironic that nu sensi condems trick shooting as dangerous but thinks shooting without protection that has traditionally been used for thousands of years is ok?
David Zermeno not saying don’t use one as I’ve seen photos of feathers ripping into flesh, but you don’t actually have to have one. If you nock the arrow a little higher you will find the feathers no longer scratch you. I use a Korean horsebow, and I can shoot all day without a glove on the bow hand without any scratching. But again, I’d always tend to use a glove just in case, but if you ever want/need to shoot without one, just nock a little higher, the arrow comes off your hand without the feathers hurting you.
I hit the back of my thumb most common. But I can’t figure if it’s the string or the arrow. Its very fast and I have like no time to identify what hits. Any advice?
New shooter here. I have a problem with the string hitting my hand near the wrist when i shoot and i wear a glove so i dont get hurt. Is this normal or is it my bow?
Being an archery instructor myself. Experienced archers may start getting string slaps about 80% of their daily shots in. That could be after 50 or even 200 arrows. It just depends on the stamina and training of the archer. When you get tired, your form suffers slightly. And that may cause string slaps. You would only see someone complaining their nipples got snagged when drawing a bow is when that shooter is a novice. When they tend to draw the bow awkwardly towards the outside too far, and then the string catches onto their nips and they yelp in pain. lol
There is another argument not to use an arm-guard: its a lot more comfortable without one, and personally I kept thinking about the arm-guard even after over 1.5 years of shooting with it and I genuinely think that the removing the discomfort of an arm-guard might improve the shooting. This is not a fact just an opinion from a not experienced archer with only 3 years of practice.
I've never heard of anyone saying that the armguard is uncomfortable. Most people don't even notice it's there - and many of our beginners go home while still wearing it because they've forgotten they were still wearing it.
In 40+ years of archery i have never found wearing an arm guard as uncomfortable as one decent strip slap.....even shooting in temperatures over 40 degree C.
Do you need an arm guard....yes, yes you do... if I only had photos of some of my bruises when I didn’t wear one. Saves your arm for the times you get lazy with technique.
ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-JbtqLM9kZVs.html If you look at this video you see THAT you will need an arm guard. Look at the video from 0:17 in speed 0,25 and you can see that the string hit the arm guard many times because of the finger release (the reason for arrow paradoxon as well). Further you can see it here: www.wernerbeiter.com/bilder/produkte/videos/Armschutz-Soft_fuer-Internet.wmv (One high speed video from Werner Beiter)
As I said in the video, it's not uncommon for modern recurve shooters to tap the armguard due to modern form, which is why top shooters still use them - though many clearly don't come close to hitting their arm. In the same video, however, we clearly see that compound shooters *don't* use an armguard. Furthermore, many traditional archers choose not to use one. It's useful to most, recommended for some, needed by others, but universally required.
Compound archers do NOT use armguards because there is no arrow paradox by using a release. The string will go straight in front without "jumping "from one to the other side. From traditional archers (at least here in Germany) I have heared many times, WHY they do NOT use an armguard, It's the funny saying: "REAL man/archers do NOT need an armguard!" xD I ALWAYS recommend an armguard for RECURVE archers and SOMETIMES for COMPOUND archers (especially for beginners).
