Archery | How To Choose the Right Draw Weight 

Everyone told me I need at least 40lb bow, I'm 6 ft, 165lbs, 60 year old, played lots of sports when I was younger, picked a few bows in the shop, decided on the 20lb recurve. I love it. I do alot of shooting, got the proper arrows to match the bow, can shoot all day long, and groups consistently inside 4 nches at 20 yards. No stress and loads of fun.

I'm 6'3 and weigh 295 pounds so i figured i would start at 35 pounds on a Samick Sage. After one day i decided to buy a set of 25 pound limbs. It was extremely difficult to work on my form when I could barely touch the string to my face for more than a few seconds. Ill just keep the 35 pound limbs for a later date when I get stronger and my form is better.

I can’t take it seriously..... that shirt is too epic

If your purpose is to learn, "Archery"--ie the hand grip on the riser, the hand grip on the string, the proper stance, the pull to the corner of the mouth, the elbow turn to avoid fore arm slap, the aiming, the release, how to use "archer's paradox", all the things involved in being a skilled archer, you dont need a heavy draw weight. A lighter draw weight will do just fine as a learning and practice bow. Once you have learned all the techniques, and have practiced enough to become experienced and skilled at them, then you can go to a heavy pull bow--with the intent of applying your previously acquired skills to that bow. You should have a bow strong enough that you can "feel" it, a really low weight bow will feel like slapping air, you cant feel it in your muscles. But not so strong that you are straining in any way, even after the "one minute test" you should still be relaxed and not tired. Go to a bow that is a strain on the "30 second test" only when you have the knowledge, and are skilled and practiced.

Nice Job, Wish I had your lecture many years ago. Been a compound shooter since they came out and lost my interest in traditional shooting. Now I'm trying to get back into it and find that just a 23 lb. recurve taxes me after half a dozen shots. My 45 lb. compound does the same now too. Age is factor as well I'm 82 and things don't work as good as they use to. I didn't know they made traditional bows below 20 lbs. But after listening to you I see a possible jump down to a 18 or 20 lb. bow. I'm sure I can handle that. I'll do that 30 second hold to test my strength at the archery shop....Thanks again for such a clear and concise explanation

Ego and peer pressure, don't let someone force you into a high pound bow, just out shoot your competition with what you have ! 😁

Thanks a lot. You showed me how little I actually knew about being an archer. I'm glad I know I can still practice/exercise my archery in my room, even when it's too dark outside.

Most sensible explanation I've yet seen on how to determine your bow draw weight for an archery beginner.

I love you, just wanted to say that, started shooting about 6 months ago and use your advice so much.

Thanks for your draw weight videos...very informative

I am entering the world of archery, and your videos are very instructive. Thanks for sharing knowledge.

Your tutorials are very informative and we, as archers, truly excel from the benefit of your experience. Thank you very much.

I don't know if you still look at this but Thank you for the Video. I just started so I learn a lot from you

thank you so much for your help with recurve. I was trying to figure out if i wanted to progress with it and well you helped me on it .see I have a cheap wooden brake down recurve bow and i was thinking on stepping up to a much better one and well I am thanks to you I also shoot compound bow i just would like to try my skill with recurve thanks so much

Hey Nu I 100% agree with you. I've been shooting for a year now and started with a 30# draw weight and went to 40# within 3 months of shooting. I wanted to go up to 50# this summer but was able to talk myself out of going up in draw weight so quickly yet again. I really believe most archers ESPECIALLY traditional barebow archers such as myself are severely overbowed. I can do the 30 second holds with a minimal amount of shake and can hold a little past 2 minutes but with a good amount of shaking towards that 2 minute mark when I've been throwing a lot of arrows down range throughout the week. With that being said I still feel slightly over bowed as I feel like a bow should be a JOY to draw back and hold and should not feel like an exercise where you are shaking at all at any point. New archers and old alike should leave the ego at the back door when they go out to shoot and shoot a weight they can truly control and feels like a joy to shoot instead of some macho man contest. In this world where people want instant gratification so much we see lot's of people asking the wrong questions like, "how long will it take me to build up to 50#?" and so on. In reality we should be striving for SLOW progress to an increased draw weight even while working out with weights and doing drills to increase our strength and endurance. I'm much more impressed with the man that can pull back and hold for full draw a 35# bow for 3 minutes straight with no shaking vs someone that can draw back a 60# bow for 3 seconds while shaking like a leaf. With that being said I think a more reasonable approach to increasing draw weight (if one is lifting weights and doing drills drawing back their bows over an extended period of time while shooting hundreds if not thousands of arrows per week) would be 5# of draw weight a year MAX even for a traditional barebow archer. But, alas we live in a world now a day's where everyone want's to become the next Byron Furgenson shooting 72# bow's after shooting for a year or shooting 50# Olympic recurve's after 1 year and thus we will continue to see more overbowed archers asking the wrong questions and doing the wrong things. Enjoy your summer.

Thank you for putting out clear, concise, logical, and poignant information on archery. I am going to be buying a new bow very soon, probably tomorrow. I think it is silly and unsafe for people to have an ego about the draw weight. Kudos and cheers!

Thank you this vid was extremely helpful in deciding how to go up in draw weight.

HI new subscriber now, and I enjoy your information that you present. I find you both practical and enjoyable as a teacher, so I can see why you are also good at teaching in your school. Keep up the good work and again, thank you for all you do with these videos. I was very young when I first held a bow and fired it. I was around seven years old, and it was a BEAR recurve bow and had a 50lb string on it. I could barely pull it back, but I did hit the target at short range, maybe five or ten yards, into a haystack with a target on it. I have always wanted to practice and learn more about archery. I like that archery is also an ART, not simply for heavy weight in the string, or for high powered bows or compound bows, or just for hunting. I feel like it has an elegance, and like martial arts, one becomes one with the bow, just as any other martial arts weapon, as an extension of your own body. That said, every body is different and has different qualities that must be taken into consideration. I think you take these things into account and it is great that you do. Archery is NOT like weight lifting, and most human beings only consider heavy weight lifting, heavy bow strength , and high powered guns, pistols or rifles, when being healthy, well toned, and happy are much more important factors than what most consider to be important. Then again, MOST human beings are not ARTISTS either. Enough said.

Amazing tutorials! Thank you, I wish you were my high school teacher - you are very good at explaining new concepts.

I agree 100 percent with you on this staring with your maximum draw weight is a great way to start and over time it will certainly increase your draw weight if you shoot often enough.

You speak truth brother! When I was in the military we used to be redirected by having to hold out our weapon, and M16A1 at shoulder height with our arms extended outward with that 8 lb weapon in our hands. You amazed at how heavy that became just after a couple of minutes. This has been a real good video for someone thinking about getting into archery. Like myself.

Very nicely done young fella... I'm enjoying your common sense more and more

I found this video very entertaining. I use heavier limbs, but I also hunt large prey and am a rather large fellow to start with, and I think that a certain amount of personal feel needs to be factored in to figuring out what's not only best for the archer, but what they hope to accomplish.

The prolonged hold at full draw is a good test to get a feel for what a controllable draw weight feels like. Another test that simulates the physical demands of real target shooting is a set of ten to twelve reps of drawing the bow back, holding steady for three to five seconds to simulate aiming, and then letting the string down slowly. Then rest for a couple minutes to simulate the time taken to retrieve arrows from the target and evaluate/diagnose your grouping.

I started with a 35 lb bow, and I'm a fairly scrawny guy. It took me a few weeks of shooting 2-4 times per week, until I felt too weak to shoot anymore, in order to work up to the point where I could shoot all day with it. Never got the chance to really work up to 45 lbs though, it was considerably more difficult than 35 lbs. It would have involved practicing much more often (like I did when I started with the 35# bow) to work up to it. Shooting once or twice a week wasn't often enough. You really hit the nail on the head Sensei!

Excellent video. Thanks for producing it.

That answered ALL of my questions. You rule.

i have been an airgun shooter for years i am 62 years old and weigh 12st 5ft 10ins tall of medium build now i will give archery a go as well i have had a mylopathy operation 8 years ago i am not as fit and strong as i was in my younger martial art training days i have been looking at the Petron S1 recurve bow in 18lb-light 28lb- medium -34lb heavy draw weights after watching your excellent video i have settled on a 18 lb draw weight.Paul Baker Winsford Cheshire UK.

If you are taking up archery and watching this video to consider the poundage, do yourself a favor and get a lower poundage bow. I made the exact mistakes mentioned on the video. I am pretty tall and decently strong, so I thought a 48 ibs bow was a good idea. Nope, it ruined the initial experience and I struggle to keep good form. Now I am waiting for my new 30 ibs bow to arrive and will try it all again. Listen to NuSensei and get a beginner's bow. Save your money, time and back muscles.

Wish I had watched this prior to getting my son his bow! But thanks for all your brilliantl information!

Thanks for this video! I just bought two bows. One for me and one for my daughter. Based on online charts I bought one at 40 and the other 30lbs. The 40 I can draw it but I was really surprised at how heavy 40lbs is. I tried the the 30lbs and it's much more comfortable for me. So I have ordered 20lbs limbs for my daughter. My draw length is a little over 28 inches and hers is like 26 inches. So until I get those muscles in shape I'll use the 30 lbs and she'll use the 20 lbs. I do think with a little practice I'll get up to the 40lbs eventually. We're just messing around in the yard, bare bow probably between 10 and 30 yards. I also shoot firearms, shotguns especially and similarly when shooting targets you use light loaded shells compared to hunting where you use hotter shells. There is no reason to kill yourself. Heavy shotgun loads will beat the crap out of you if you're shooting hundreds of them in a session.

i quite agree, i am a senior citizen and i haven’t done archery in over 10 years and i could pull my old bow. i now shoot 24lb traditional and a 50lb compound at 80% let off. i live in the gym my whole life but eventually age gets to you. thanks for the info

I started with a 50# recurve because it was bought for me. I wouldn't recommend it for most people, but for me it was just fine. I had a goal of getting stronger and using a more powerful bow to hunt. I now shoot a 67# recurve and what you say is absolutely true. Being able to test your stamina and strength by going in and testing a bow is the way to go if you can. If not, and you have goals of shooting a heavier bow, you have to condition your body to be able to handle it. That means shooting frequently, even going to they gym to work on those muscle groups. Loved your video just because I've argued with people over a draw weight to start with. And it was refreshing to hear a similar view in that there is not "magic draw weight" for everyone that you can look up in some chart. It all comes down to what you want to do and your own physical capability!

I only recently started I've Got a total of 5hrs in so far I'm not very fit and still recovering from an injury from a few years ago in my shoulders so I have to use 20lbs but my goal is 30-35lbs The other day I shot with 25lbs for the first time and I wasn't tired from shooting but I was forced to try a but harder to get a full draw ,those 5lbs really make a difference lemme tell yah I'm definitely going to stay with 20lbs for awhile, slow and steady

Great discussion and advice!

Appreciate all the brotherly archer advice from this Korean fellow here. Since I got a great urge to dabble in archery for fun, hobby and recreation. I'm in a dillemma cant decide what bow to purchase first. I'd like to find a passionate spare time archer to give me a short trial on his bows, to pick the right one for me .

"And maybe this will help" hahaha that was so good, thank you for the info and that hilarious line.

For whatever reason we have our style , we have them, no need to change unless it causes problems, especially if it becomes a signature style, and yours is a signature style!

That is good information for the user to know and I know that for me to get bow with the pull weight of 50 pounds would be too much for me and I am looking at an average of 40 pounds pull weight. I could hold the arrow for 30 seconds before releasing it, but one minute is probably too long. Thanks for sharing this information with us.

very good vid nusenei

Verry good video, with important informations for bow-buyers.

The power! I used 34# limbs in the past. Thought about going a little higher, but that probably would have required stiffer arrows. After a long break, I reduced to 30#. Nice, easy weight for training technique again. One tip: Draw weight tends to feel heavier when you have no intention of releasing the string. The body knows. haha

Great video. Great advice. thank you Sensei.

when you hold your bow for a minute, what i noticed was that you were within like 10 second holding your bow handle way much closer to your string then when you started the 1 minute.

another big pro if you shoot at an outdoor range is locating the arrow when you miss the target completely... seems like at 40# or so the arrows have just enough juice to slide completely under the grass vs leaving fletchings/nock visible.

Good video on an important topic. Isn't it amazing how long 30-60 seconds can be when holding even 45#?

I think all the differences in opinion stem from defining what “archery” means to different archers. For competitive archers, it's about using a setup that facilitates the greatest accuracy/consistency given the current equipment regulations for the discipline. For hunters, its largely the same (with additional considerations because its hunting), with also using enough poundage for the game hunted (50-60lb is enough). However, some archers also like the concept of wielding the most powerful “bow” possible for their physique, akin to throwing the heaviest rock versus a small rock super accurately (or a small calibre gun vs large calibre etc). The challenge for these archers is trying to be accurate when physically operating near the limit/at various heightened draw-weights. Being able to simply draw a high-poundage bow is the basic necessity, with accuracy still being what distinguishes ability here. However, because no competition takes into account kinetic energy of the arrow in flight, this attribute is not valued by the majority of other archer groups as it interferes with accuracy. I think stating that archery isnt a power sport just reflects the current state of sport archery. So.. It CAN be a power sport if these factors were streamlined into having draw weight classes in competition, for example. Adding a draw-weight class system, akin to weight-classes in fighting or strength sports, interestingly seems to alienate the majority of competitive archers that have refined accuracy and consistency without a specific draw-weight requirement (and have possibly picked archery because other strength sports do not interest them). But the point is, their mastery wouldn't be affected, as they could continue to compete in the draw-weight class that they've developed and mastered. An archery sub-discipline that treats it as an accuracy-based strength sport with different draw-weight classes, with intra-class competition for accuracy would be interesting to watch, and provide some novelty/evolution in the sport without disturbing the current champions (they'd still be champions in their division, and any scores can still be compared between classes if an archer wants to be accuracy king/queen/genderless monarch of the world across the board). It would only add, not subtract anything to the sport, by adding draw-weight regulations. Personally I'd be intrigued to see how accurate different classes can get at the world elite level shooting barebow and Olympic.

Great content with great advice for beginner.. Thank you very much...

Great explanation. Waiting on delivery of my first 2 bows. Ive gone for 30lb horsebow,and 40lb longbow,so will work more with the 30lb to grow my stamina. Thats the theory anyway. The bow stance at the end earned my subscription. Cheers.

Great video! This info seems hard to find most places. :)

Personally, I find this Info Bloody good advice > > Thank You !!

This episode has convinced me to get back into archery :D

Very, very helpful. Thank you.

“His draw weight is over 9000!!!” 🤣🤣🤣🤣👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼❤️

Love your videos, and love the Goku shirt! 👍

Have you done a video about archery in video games and how it could be improved?

Soooo informative! Thank you!

You're correct According to the online recommendation chart I bought 45lbs. I couldn't able to hold for 30 secs as you said . So I have to buy another bow , its two time investment now. I am using 45lbs for exercise.

I love the little bit of nerd-ism in there. DBz FTW!! haha. You should do that more often. Thank you for the pointers.

So true. Charts are not always helpfull. The first bow I ever handled was a 30lbs compound bow (did not use the targeter on it), I was shooting for hours (also being lost with the strings, it had two strings LOL), the next day I had a very painful arm with which I was pulling the string, but I still did shoot with painful arm, after few weeks I tried out my bf's compound bow, a 50 lbs one, I could shoot from it well, it was much harder to pull the string but I got in condition soon. First time I could not pull the string until the right anchor neither, I could pull it just until the half of my arm LOL

I have the same Sage and glove from 3Rivers Archery. I'm happy with the 45lbs. :)

I'm a newbie, but I purchased a cheap Samick Sage breakdown recurve with multiple sets of limbs with different draw weights. If you're going for long practice sessions focusing on form then go light, and if you want to build strength and power then step it up. Also like to add that hunting regulations usually have a minimum draw weight (my state requires #50) which might be a deciding factor on where a person wants to end up being, but I don't recommend starting off with a #50 draw weight! Great videos, they are really helping me out!

I have a 55 pound Mandarin Duck Black Hunter takedown recurve with a 28 inch draw. I've never shot anything but a crossbow before. After about 50 shots this afternoon my left elbow hurts. I can't even draw the string to my cheek once so I just ordered the 45 pound replacement limbs.

I'm looking to get into this and have decided to start with recurve bows and draw weight has been one of my big questions. I'll need to check the local store to see - I body build and have pretty big lats/traps/delts so suspect I will lean towards a high draw weight.. guess I'll find out this week!

I just got into archery like two weeks ago. I made a pvc longbow with the fiberglass in the tube to get started and quickly started having fun. I found a well reviewed entry level recurve for a good price and ordered the 50# model because my ultimate goal is taking down game like turkey and deer and potentially elk that live in my region. Very rural. I just received my bow today and did the 30 second test. It was an eye opener. I could have bought new limbs for my bow but instead I just bought another one. Same size, same model, 35# draw weight so I can put in the reps on my form and accuracy. So for about $250 I have a hunting bow and a training bow. I want to be able to shoot a lot so when I go hunting I don’t wound an animal. I want to learn right. But I don’t want to go compound. They’re so op (compared to a traditional bow) I feel like I might as well hunt with a rifle. I have a lot to learn but I appreciate your info sir

2 years on from major Heart surgery I'm finding in difficult to use my 50' dw CB, love to find out how I can dial it down?

Now I know how Small country’s feel when the UN tells them “ you don’t need nuclear weapons”

My last recurve was 45#, it was easy to draw. But, got hard to hold for too long. My 65# compound now was easier to hold at full draw. After ten years since I last shot a bow. I am not as strong as I was. I decided to buy a #40 Martin recurve.

Great info. Thank you.

Encore un excellent vidéo de ta part!!!...tu parle tellement bien que même ma copine qui ne comprends pas à 100% l'anglais te comprendrais.... i have fire arms and i had to take a course and pass an exam to get m'y licence...bow seller should ask if they watched your vidéos !!.. you are awsome..... merci buddy !! Question ??? Est tu canadien?

Draw weight---I have a 50 lbs recurve---shot about 24 arrows each day (my physical limit without form break down). Felt really strong one day and shot 48 arrows. Screwed up my draw arm at the elbow and severely strained it and couldn't practice for over a week and a half. Learned lesson. Working on getting a much lower draw weight so that I can shoot 100 arrows without form break down and strain.

Very very good video, thanks!!!

From my experience, there isn't much reason to go above 40# for target shooting. I have a 35#, 40#, and 50#. I almost never use the 50. I'll swap between the 35 and 40 depending on my mood, but I'd say 35# is the dominant choice. Just because you have no difficulty drawing the bow doesn't mean you need a higher weight. I doubt there are any shots I can make with the 50# that I can't with the 35#. Only difference is going to be the type of arrow I'm shooting and the piercing power behind it. Which again, doesn't really make any difference in target shooting. So if you're hunting and need to rely on your arrow being able to kill your target, choose 45# and up. If you're target shooting and have no intention of hunting, get a bow between 35-40 (30 would be fine too if you're a person with a much smaller frame). You are going to shoot a lot more arrows target shooting than hunting, so it also helps to have a lesser weight to prevent your fingers from getting tired/sore.

Hi Mr. NuSensei. I bought on e-bay few day ago a blanck hunter bow 35 lbs left hand. It is my first one of my life. I am 67 years old and my choice is 35 lbs because of my age. i look first for a 40 lbs but afther a think is better fo me 35 lbs. It is not for hunthing because i like animals, it just for i always find archery it is a nice think for praticing a nice past time. (sport) and it is zen for the bring (head), 1K thank you for your vidéos, i like it very much. I give you always a upside thumb. Best regards, 2020 12 04.

Good information, thank you.

Respectfully, a proper strength training regime will get you where you want to go. Committment to a goal with time and persistence are vital. Personally, 45# works for me.

So like most exercise / endurance sport based things in life, start light and build up from there when and if you can...

love this, my instructor is NUSensei Goku

Very helpful, cheers 👍🏼😊

Check out Joe Gibbs’ archery training video on how to work out for heavy bows. Though he’s far beyond beginner

I am 78 years old I use a recurve bow 45lb, left hand bow, I weigh 147 pounds USA Tennessee prepper smoky mountains Tennessee. And I love it,🇺🇸👍, it has plenty of power, to kill about anything.

So I started on 18lb starter bows, got my first at 26lb, then moved to 30lb for 6 months but being unblessed with money, I really can’t afford to move up limbs every few months. So many people at my club were saying ‘big lad like you needs to be pulling more than 30lb you should be on 60, here use my 55lb horse bow’ etc etc. As a 5’11/6ft (depending on the shoes lol) broad guy I just went from 30lbs to 42lb, and fucking hell... yes I can pull it, now a month and a bit later I’m pretty comfortable with it and it’s perfectly fine shooting now, still get really tired after a few hours though, but god damn the little things at the start and even now really affect you- I keep getting this thing where I get an awful chest pain when I breath in, turns out it’s almost correlated to the poundage.

When I was 18 years old I could and shoot a 75# longbow and hunted with it. I'm 62 years old now and I shoot a 38 # Win Win. I also have 32# limbs but the 38# limbs seem to work better with the generic carbon arrows.

I got my southwest spyder and I went with 35 pound limbs. I just got to shoot it today and I was fairly comfortable shooting for a half hour. I draw 28 inches. I think if I had gotten the 25lb limbs for me I would have drawn very easily but would have probably gotten bored. But I can easily order the 25 lb limbs anyway.

I'm 13 and I go to a weekly club where I shot a 22 lb .first time:I was dying one week later I was much stronger and could pull it back no issue and hold it .i am looking at a 30lb for garden /club shooting ..also thank you for creating these videos for new archers 👍🏼👍🏼

even though you felt that you were feeling the fatigue from the minute-and-a-half at 45 lbs at 25 lb I noticed significant differences the most significant is that the Bowden why were you are able to maintain your line of sight without the bow slowly tilting towards the floor

I think it would be hard to learn with a heavy pull bow while at the same time working on your form. Putting your body in positions that may not feel all that natural while under heavy weights isn't a good idea.

12:49 Appreciate the Super Saiyan reference while wearing the Goku shirt. This is how Goku trained for Namek - he drew bows at 100 times his normal draw weight.

I bought a 45Lb as my first bow ... well lets just say, i was lucky that i was already a long time gym visitor. without prior training you wont be able to shoot a 45Lb bow easly. I even needed a few weeks till I had a good form with this bow. 45lb doesnt sound like much but when you have to draw it thats a completly different story :DD

lift,draw, sight,release.My 50 pounder taught me instinctive archery lol.

For compound it is different, I have a 73 pound bow and the let off is at 85%. The holding bow is easier for compound because of the need of hunters to hold for long period of time.

I just started and am going to use the clubs 24 pound bows for awhile. Then upgrade to 40-45 one day. 24# feels weak... but I am like 6 foot 240#'s

i'm from Pennsylvania U.S. here in Pa the hunting laws are kind of strict so if you can handle 45 pound draw or better the better off you are . but if you are strictly a target shooter than it really doesn't matter .

love the shirt

I can honestly say I’m enjoying these videos, btw if u can actually go super saiyan you don’t need a bow 🤣

I inherited a 47# recurve - so I learned how to shoot a 47# recurve 🤷‍♂️

good advice.

Hey nu sensei what is a good bow to get started but am looking at going into Olympic archer later on if I don't have a lot to spend at first

3:50 This is the answer that all of you clicked on this video for. And NUSensei I must say that is a great piece of advice. Thanks.

love bow hunting