Hit your arm a few times with a fast compound & you'll either straighten up your form or develop a flinch. They can get nasty. I often don't use an arm guard during practice because it keeps me honest; a slap lets me know my form is breaking down. Slap can also affect accuracy especially with a release tuned compound. When I hunt, I always use a guard if only to keep my sleeve out of the string. I've never really had any formal training so I learned by watching others & trying different things & using what worked. Thanks to some of your videos I can see I'm mostly on the right track.
I’ve been an archer my whole life and just found your channel. Great content every tip is on the mark. Wish I had a show like yours when I started shooting! Cheers
I hadn't shot a bow since I was 10 until last weekend. My forearm was so bruised it was pathetic. I immediately went outside to shoot after watching this making the adjustments shown. Not only did I not hit my forearm once, my accuracy was drastically improved. Thank you.
Thank you for a very clear explanation of different string slaps. I had a new bow, and after an hour of shooting I started to notice string slap at my wrist. I thought fatigue lead to worse form, and tried to focus better, but it didn't help. There was, of course the natural explanation: Brace height. Since this was a new bow, the string stretched and as I measured the brace height when arriving back home, I found it had shrunk to less than 6.5". No wonder it slapped. Thank you for clearing that up. As I am a beginner, I thought my arm guard was placed wrong, but that didn't make sense either, since no picture online showed an arm guard placed in that location.
The info is truly appreciated. I've enjoyed archery for nearly 30 years. In February of this year I was diagnosed with Non Hodgkins Lymphoma. I had to have a port put in my chest. I've only recently finished my 6, 5 day inpatient chemotherapy sessions. Making last weekend my first time stringing my bow since last years archery season. This was due to not wanting to put extra pressure on the port in my right chest during my chemo sessions. On my first draw and release I snapped my elbow. This was honestly the first time I can ever remember hitting my elbow. I've snapped my forearm countless times in nearly 30 years. I continued shooting, as I was out with my sons. But it wasn't until I watched your video that realised what my mistake was at first. The fear of damaging my port causes me to drop my right shoulder in attempts to relinquish the tension in my right pectoral area. However, when I had realised there was no intense pressure on said muscle group. I continued without issue. Basically relying on muscle memory, and re-realizing its the muscles of my back doing the work.
I'm an RN and was once made to take a piss test at work because I had bruises corresponding to a vein on my arm from stringslap. The tests were clean, but it was still enough of a humiliation than I went out and bought a leather protector.
Went for the first time to a real range today... I hit my elbow, aft forearm, wrist forearm, and wrist. ...I kept moving the tiny guard to the new spot where I'd get hit only to adjust my posture more or less each time finding a new place to get hurt. Great advice. Hopefully I can remember most of it for next time.
One of the most painful things to experience as far as non-bleeding skin injuries :( I always keep my extended arm slightly bent and never experienced it again :D
Oh I’ve been here ! Was too impatient and didn’t have the correct form ! It left a LARGE bruise and blood spot (meaning it was way worst then a regular bruise)
Thank you so much! I overbowed with a 45# longbow just for fun but since it was more fun than I originally thought it to be I stopped shooting my recurve and made the switch. I can draw the bow just fine now but it is still a heavy bow. Lately I have been shooting awful and I couldn't figure out why. But now I know thanks to you. I had been leaning back without thinking about it which made me pluck the string, shoot high, slap my wrist and sometimes completely miss the target. Thank you for helping me fix my mistake.
Thanks for the tips! I took up archery because of your videos. It would be great if you could post more videos about fundamentals in shooting form. Thanks again and keep doing what your doing!
Ok, regarding elbow rotation. What I know about archery you can put in a micro-thimble, but, I do know something about human anatomy. The human elbow cannot be rotated medially or laterally without rotating the shoulder. It is anatomically impossible. The 3 bones that make up the elbow joint (distal humerus, proximal radius and ulna) create a "hinge" joint. As the name implies, the joint operates like a hinge, just as you would find on a door. It can be swung open, or closed but it cannot be rotated on its axis. When you rotate your elbow, you are not rotating the elbow, but are in fact, rotating the humerus at the shoulder joint (ball in socket joint). That action rotates the entire arm. The radius and ulna bones, which are the long bones in your forearm and make up the elbow at their proximal ends and the wrist at the distal ends, have a minimal degree of rotation provided by the wrist. The only effect on the radius and ulna when the wrist is rotated, is a crossing of the radius, over the top of the ulna, at mid-shaft, however, this movement does not rotate the elbow. When you demonstrate rotating the elbow, put your Right hand on your shoulder and then conduct the movement. You will feel the humerus rotating as you conduct the maneuver. Have a blessed day.
Man this helped me a lot, I'd been using my palm to push the bow forward and was having issues rotating my elbow. Once I started using the web of my hand instead it changed my shot entirely, way better grouping now.
Not me watching this only now, after looking like I had a fight with a gator last night. Luckily the instructor gave me some good tips. Practicing the rotation of my elbow is gonna help a lot
I recently discovered your videos and I really enjoy watching and learning. I come from another World.. Primitive archery, instinctive shooting, hunting... But I find your World of competition shooting and techniques fascinating. Just as a matter of comparison, and not to cloud the issue: What you talk about is correct for your archery, on this side of the fence, some bows (like the sinew backed gull wing horse bow I'm currently working on) are very stiff.. 60 plus pounds, have very low brace heights..about 4", and short unanchored draw lengths.. less than 22". The slap on the wrists with low braces are as much of a function or arrow mass: Low brace, make sure the arrow is heavy enough to slow the string. Hunting distances are rarely over 20 yards so the arrow can travel slower and the extra mass helps carry force for penetration. Any way, pardon my yapping, and thank you for making such fine videos.
Mostly unrelated, but: the first couple times I shot a .308 rifle, I put my face too close to the scope which popped back and smacked me right in the orbital bone leaving a nasty bruise around my eyeball. I didn't want my parents knowing that I owned guns (because CONCERN), so when they commented on the bruise I had the really lame unprepared excuse of "I walked into a cabinet door" which was so bad I'm pretty sure they assumed my husband was beating me 🤣
Shot for the time two days ago, The inside of my elbow is blue right now ahaha. Not quitting though! I'm trying to to fix my stance mostly my elbow position (really difficult to tilt it horizontally). Thanks for the advice !!
Thanks for the tips. I finally got myself a bow to start shooting. the first time i shot at a range. no one tells me about the elbow situation and i ended up with a NASTY Bruise arm. lol. I was like. is this normal?
I did know an archer or two before I started to shoot, so heard of the dreaded "bow-slap". they called it worse than I found it, truth be told. still stings like a bitch when it happens lol. haven't had one in a while (touch wood) but I do try not to let complacency leave me with a bugger of a bruise half the length of my forearm ;)
HHAHA! I tried out the new bow at the range yesterday. only hit myself the first time i shot. after that. i avoided it pretty good. still think i need an arm guard of course. scontent-a-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xaf1/v/t1.0-9/251299_524569990910248_443624530_n.jpg?oh=bb3d8bfcb804c5dba4736cf5d93bbea0&oe=5567FD83
and NOW i find out about the elbow :D found out the hard way, good to know that i was my mistake, and my bow tought me the rough way how to hold it. Thank you NuSensei. :)
Leather arm guard. At least for me. I try to max my draw length every time so I hit my forearm every time. I am extremely stubborn so I don't plan on changing haha.
Thank you for this. I had one of those right on my elbow. Hit a vein and BOOM had an instant golf ball and scary bruise lol. That's how I knew I was gonna enjoy this....also that I was gonna start wearing my arm guard.
Great video, couldn’t figure out why my wife was hitting her arm guard so much, good elbow rotation decent grip..... after 20+ shots or so she was getting a little fatigued and doing the lean back draw and the forearm slaps would start. I was focused on her grip, shoulder and elbow and didn’t notice
many many thanks for this vid. my bow-arm position was always a straight arm, but my left hand held (loosely) on the riser straight to it, handle down my palm AROUND the heel of my thumb (if that makes sense). tried the grip with the hand slightly angled so the handle rested ON the heel of my thumb. much easier (& felt far more natural) to the elbow rotation. you're a gentleman & a scholar & (as the saying goes where I'm from) I'd smoke & drink with you any day ;) lol
Hi NUSensei, thanks for these videos. I just started doing archery in a local archery club and I've experienced it as amazing. I always wanted to do it and after another course and a few of your videos finally caused me to give in. Thanks for all the advice, heheh, I just had my second lesson, everything went amazing except for two draws where I forgot to turn my elbow twice, which caused a bruise on the side of my elbow. Again, thanks for the videos, I already had a little head start during the first lesson, and I'm excited for the next archery related videos :) Greetings!
I really enjoy this guy. His videos are helpful and full of valuable knowledge. That being said, some of these pronunciations are hilarious. Skeletal was way off lol. One of his other videos about buying a bow alluminum was became an alien sounding metal. Alu-mini-um lol. Obviously I'm just playing. Love the videos man.
@@NUSensei I know. We do everything a bit different and often pointlessly. I was just messing around lol. Really though, great videos man. I appreciate them and you. I was quite the proficient self taught Archer as a child. That was decades ago and I've found your content very helpful in picking it back up and ironing out old flaws in my technique. Flaws bound to happen from an 8 yr old teaching themselves and never having access to someone with your knowledge.
There's one more cause, a second posture issue. Some people arch their back and raise their chest up, and that's practically a guaranteed arm-slap. The cure is to tuck the butt under, flatten the lower back, tighten the abdomen and pull the chest down, the way a boxer or wrestler does.
one time when i hit myself with the string my arm had a really big blue and purple spot and the spot was thick like hell, and i was ad the time already 3-4 years in archery, but that was only the one time that it was like that and now 8 years later and nothing that serious happen't anymore luckily
Props for not getting caught up in the "I have to have a nice background" thing. More power to your messy room: people should be focussed on what you are saying...
Pronto: Sadly that tells me he lives in a single room or a flat. I make judgements based on that. It’s just a matter of life. One would suggest that he is very knowledgeable on the sport but perhaps his “working” job isn’t paying him that well. The human being is hugely visual and we make instantaneous assessments based on what we see. Even if it is background in a non descriptive RU-vid video. So let’s end on a positive. He is keen, articulate and easy to understand. I would prefer a more professional background or environment in which to progress his channel.
I was told by my middle school archery teacher that if you get string slap you are doing something wrong. don't know how accurate that is, but I never experienced string slap. Maybe I'm lucky?
Iv been doing archery regularly for the last 4 months and i didn’t get any string slap untill today where i got string slap quite badly. Remember always wear an armguard (i was wearing one but the string hit the inside of my elbow i have hypermobile joints)
Thanks for your video. I actually experienced the wrist slap you mention towards the end of your video. I saw another archer put twists in the lower side of the string and I tried that today at the range to experiment. In over a year of shooting I had never caught my wrist like I did today. I suspected that was the cause because it is the one thing I changed in my routine and you confirmed it. By twisting the string I altered the brace height and caught my wrist and have a nice welt to show for my trouble. Thanks for confirming it for me.
Im not an archer and i dont have a bow muy if i extend my arm my natural elbow position is the rotated outward one LOL, if i rotate it inward i feel werid
i just got a arch and slap myself a lot! and did a lot of mistakes like aim to high. So thank you so much! your videos are awesome! you are the best archery sensei!
right before i got my first own biw i always shot with right handed bows. at the shop i learned that i need a left handed one and therefore i had to relearn everything and thats why i always hit my elbow joint. about 30 times on the first day because i always held the bow the wrong way. my whole arm had all the colours of the rainbow for about a week! 😅 but i didnt back down, i knew what i did wrong and after some training i figuerd it out and i got the hang of it. yesterday i was at the range and trained on my own in about 150 shots not once did i hurt myself so im kinda relieved now
I've found a lot of improvement with string slap when I switched to an open stance, along with a lot of improvement with my aiming. Definitely a great tip. Thanks NUSensei for another great video =3
Huh... I guess the way my left arm & wrist bend (or don't bend) is a "good" thing. I've never been hit by my string; compound bow; Recurve/Longbow; or horsebow. 😁
My arm, near my elbow naturally sticks out further than most people's when I straighten my arm out. The first time I shot a bow, I annihilated my forearm just below my elbow. Now I just attach my arm gaurd further back so that it covers my arm from my elbow down past the middle of my forearm. I've never once had the bowstring hit anywhere near my wrist so having my wrist area exposed isn't an issue. Thanks for the video man. -
I went to try out some compound bows at a shop... no arm guard on... and the draw length was set too long. I absolutely destroyed my forearm. Was purple for over a week. Those compounds at 70lbs can tear you up 🤦🏻♂️🥴
If only I were able to post a picture you would see and badly damaged vein and huge hematoma.. freaked me out when it swelled out about an inch, and I was just getting over the first one I had gotten.. it was my mind distracted cause I was shooting a box and I made it hit and go straight down the crack in the middle.. awesome! Yeah, nope owwwie!! $&@#
The slap from a low power recurve it's not that bad but an English 60+ warbow with a low brace hight, you better wear that bracer let me tell you. I got proper slapped by a warbow once and that was a very painful experience and the welt was nasty and the bruise was there for an entire week.
when you have bad form and therefore hit yourself, you should nonetheless protect yourself until you correct your form. to avoid bruises. because even if not dangerous, they hurt and take away from the fun.
I have a question, I dont really have a problem with string slap I wear a arm guard and I shoot pretty well but the only thing is the string hits my hand just below my thumb, it's not a good feeling I shoot a traditional bow so it has no real arrow rest but how do I hold it so it doesnt hit my hand it really ruins the experience
There is a chance of getting hit by the string, even if you are wearing an armguard....if you wear it the wrong way. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-75X76bEvPvM.html Ouchhhhhhhh!
I find your videos verry helpfull. Ive been shooting since end of october last year. First shooting without a sight and with 3 fingers under. Ocasionaly I would hit on the inside of my elbow. Recently I've been tought using a sight at the beginning I hit regurly on my forearm. But that was mostly because I used a club bow and it wasn't that nice of a bow. Since last thursday I've got my own boy (hoyt horizon pro) and since then no problem. (oh and today we did a match for fun (18 meters) I shot a 215 and a 195. (2x30 arrows)
nice bow. hope the shine stays for you. you'll make some piss-poor shots, you will most likely learn what profound frustration feels like. I'd say this. DO NOT let that discourage you. take it on the chin, & learn from it ;) when you come out the other side of it, you'll think to yourself, "AHH! THIS is how this thing works!" & after that, you won't et be a master, but the increase in skill & art comes MUCH easier ;) have yet to reach that point with the bow. am still grinding out the frustrations. but that was how it went when I was learning guitar, & I find MANY similarities with the learning & honing base talent into skill into art with both. nothing worthwhile comes easy. patience & perseverance are KEY to becoming adept at your chosen field ;) stick it out. it WILL be worth the pain ;)
I'm going to use a 50 pound I have a 40 compound I'm 230 pound gym rat I bench 300 and pull more with a barbell I can use the 120 dumbbells. But a bow is way different in pulling back. The arm is in a different place more of a rear delt and romboid spelling? And bicep. The slap I have had it makes you nervous. If I apply what you said I can make it automatic. Like lifting weights theirs body positions you get in to isolate parts your trying to hit. It becomes atomic thank you
I consider an armguard as a quite useful item. Despite shooting for 4 years now, I am still using a rather long one. However, I have never seen the type you are describing as "fully covering your arm". What annoys me though is that there are no really good armguards for children with still thin arms. I think I will have to make one myself for her (no worries, I am well versed with leatherworks and crafting).
1st step make sure u had a fracture on ur shoulder and then there u have it u can now turn ur shoulder no not the shoulder but i dunno wat to call it tho lol XD
