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The proper hand grip does not seem to work for me.

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kornholio

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
So after a month of not shooting my bow due to covid and other issues I finally came around to shooting my bow again. Now it is important to note that I did not bother taking any lesons. I just went out and made all the mistakes possible and learned from them. This time around I took the time to learn about proper techniques. So one of the first things that I tried was holding the bow by turning my hand so that it was 45° to the riser. The way I have shoot the bow so far was using the entire wrist area.
So what happened was that the arrows started going more towards the left and that infuriated me as I spent a good deal of time setting up my sight. Above that the arrows just were not grouping. So I went back to using the entire wrist area again and then I started to group again.
What I did notice was that I was grouping a bit better than before I got covid. Now I do not know whether that was due to the fact that I shorted the arrows or was it the thumb release that I bought. So I was any way happy with the shooting exercise despite the fact the proper hand grip did not seem to work for me.
So what do you think I should do? Should I continue shooting the way I have so far or should I go for the proper hand grip and set my sight accordingly?! How do you hold your bow?
 
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#2 ·
Hand grip is a very personal thing. If you are going hunting soon, I would not change but if not, I might change but don't know what your current grip is. I used to shoot with an open hand, but changed this past spring to Closing my lower 3 fingers and just touching the riser with my index finger. Try shooting bare shafts once, they will tell you if you are inducing torque. I practice with three fletched and 3 BS.
 
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#3 ·
kornholio said:
So after a month of not shooting my bow due to covid and other issues I finally came around to shooting my bow again. Now it is important to note that I did not bother taking any lesons. I just went out and made all the mistakes possible and learned from them. This time around I took the time to learn about proper techniques. So one of the first things that I tried was holding the bow by turning my hand so that it was 45° to the riser. The way I have shoot the bow so far was using the entire wrist area.
So what happened was that the arrows started going more towards the left and that infuriated me as I spent a good deal of time setting up my sight. Above that the arrows just were not grouping. So I went back to using the entire wrist area again and then I started to group again.
What I did notice was that I was grouping a bit better than before I got covid. Now I do not know whether that was due to the fact that I shorted the arrows or was it the thumb release that I bought. So I was any way happy with the shooting exercise despite the fact the proper hand grip did not seem to work for me.
So what do you think I should do? Should I continue shooting the way I have so far or should I go for the proper hand grip and set my sight accordingly?! How do you hold your bow?
Click to expand...
Post picture of you holding the bow at full draw, with arrow perfectly horizontal.
No hat. No long sleeves. Wear short sleeves. Have camera far away enough, so camera phone can see the floor, can see your shoes, can see all of you and all of the bow.

Photo like this.

 
#4 ·
I do not use the exact same grip with my different bows. Some have a position they just settle into naturally. So if I can tune them that way and shoot okay I just go with it.

If you watch a lot of the target archers, they actually use a grip which puts part of their hand on the shelf of the bow. Its a position that helps remove possible torque. But its not practical for hunting.

If the grip is something you should not be doing, you should catch it when tuning. A lot of times starting out I just paper shoot the thing in the basement to see if the grip causes a bad tear. If you find a grip that always produces the best tear or bare shaft tune. And its a grip you have to sort of make yourself get into. Then you just have to shoot a lot until that grip becomes second nature with that bow and you build muscle memory with it. If it happens to be a position that your hand just happens to fall into naturally with that particular bow, so much the better. I am not opposed to wrapping grips to make changes that feel better and more natural.
 
#5 ·
While there are most certainly right and wrong ways to hold your bow, it is, for the most part, a personal preference. I had a really solid grip that I liked for a long time that I only recently had to change because my fix bladed broadheads were flying to the right. Long story short, I was unintentionally torqueing my bow just enough to get the broadheads to veer off every time. I just never noticed because my field points wouldn't show that.

Anyways, stick to what is comfortable for you. If you have a situation like mine happen to ya at some point, then maybe change up the grip if that is deemed the issue, but definitely try other things first.
 
Discussion starter · #6 ·
Image


So my grip is kind of like the death grip but with out me actually griping the bow hard or extending my fingers. The grip extends from the thumb and goes across the life line. This is wrong but this is how I seem to shoot best.
 
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#8 ·
In my opinion (for what it's worth) "proper form" is nothing more than ways to achieve repeatability. "Proper grip" helps remove torque from the shot also. If you feel better and are more comfortable with an "improper grip" it may be the way for you to go. It doesn't sound as though you gave the proper grip much of a shot, as far as the grouping changes with grip changes, that's what's gonna happen with almost any changes in form.
I would stick with what I'm used to til after hunting season. If you ain't hunting I'd give it a more legit try.
 
#10 ·
Adjusting from your original grip can change point of impact along with bow tune. Trying something without adjusting for the change and giving it time doesn’t always mean it is the wrong thing to do… Not saying one way or the other is best for you but you have to give each method an “equal” chance before deciding.
 
Discussion starter · #11 ·
zhickman said:
Why does this surprise you? Any time you make a change with anything in life you will get worse first, before getting better. If putting a few clicks in your sight infuriates you then you should find a new hobby.
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Well today I went out again and tried it with the proper grip. I adjusted the sight including the pins because I was shooting more to the left and lower than before. In the end I realized that I was not shooting a whole lot better but for sure my hand did not get tired at all for one. I could shoot all day like that but what I realized that the consistency part seemed easier with me holding the bow the wrong way. With the right way I was checking if I was holding the hand so that it was 45° to the riser and I was trying out I guess to many positions and that is why I was getting flyers. I guess with time I am going to nail this hand grip.
 
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#12 ·
kornholio said:
View attachment 7696760

So my grip is kind of like the death grip but with out me actually griping the bow hard or extending my fingers. The grip extends from the thumb and goes across the life line. This is wrong but this is how I seem to shoot best.
Click to expand...
if your locked on that method, use your fingertips to touch the very front of your grip, like if you were going to grip a baseball for a knuckle ball......if that makes sense
 
#13 ·
kornholio said:
Well today I went out again and tried it with the proper grip. I adjusted the sight including the pins because I was shooting more to the left and lower than before. In the end I realized that I was not shooting a whole lot better but for sure my hand did not get tired at all for one. I could shoot all day like that but what I realized that the consistency part seemed easier with me holding the bow the wrong way. With the right way I was checking if I was holding the hand so that it was 45° to the riser and I was trying out I guess to many positions and that is why I was getting flyers. I guess with time I am going to nail this hand grip.
Click to expand...
It’s likely more comfortable and consistent because it’s what you have been doing. Personally I don’t evaluate changes until I’ve had a thousand arrows sent using whatever I changed. For me different is always less consistent and uncomfortable for a whole, then when it’s not “just different” I will see the real benefits.
 
#14 ·
If you watch the WA World Cup a lot, you'll notice that pretty much anything works as long as you're able to do it over and over again. Stand up straight, lean back, straight arm, bent arm, no fingers, all fingers, back tension, punching, you see it all. And I'm willing to bet those people shoot better than any form purists here.
 
Discussion starter · #16 ·
Today I was holding the bow like Paige Pearce. I thought it was kind of funny how she was holding the bow but now seeing that my grip evolved thus far it seems normal.
 
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#17 ·
kornholio said:
So after a month of not shooting my bow due to covid and other issues I finally came around to shooting my bow again. Now it is important to note that I did not bother taking any lesons. I just went out and made all the mistakes possible and learned from them. This time around I took the time to learn about proper techniques. So one of the first things that I tried was holding the bow by turning my hand so that it was 45° to the riser. The way I have shoot the bow so far was using the entire wrist area.
So what happened was that the arrows started going more towards the left and that infuriated me as I spent a good deal of time setting up my sight. Above that the arrows just were not grouping. So I went back to using the entire wrist area again and then I started to group again.
What I did notice was that I was grouping a bit better than before I got covid. Now I do not know whether that was due to the fact that I shorted the arrows or was it the thumb release that I bought. So I was any way happy with the shooting exercise despite the fact the proper hand grip did not seem to work for me.
So what do you think I should do? Should I continue shooting the way I have so far or should I go for the proper hand grip and set my sight accordingly?! How do you hold your bow?
Click to expand...
I would not go off of the angle, go off of how the bow sits on your thumb pad comfortably. There are many resources that show with a marker or something where the grip should be roughly. Get the feel for that and the repeat that. The 45 degree thing is because once you are on the thumb pad, then you are usually around that angle. I am not quite at 45, and if I forced it then it would mess up my grip.

If you sighted your bow in with the wrong grip (full hand), then when you achieve a better grip, it probably will shift your point of impact and cause you to have to move your sight. This is not a bad thing.

If you practiced with the wrong grip, then you might shoot better that way....but you should stick it out and with proper form you'll shoot better than ever, eventually. My brother shoots holding the bow like a hammer and bends his elbow to put his eye right up to the peep. When I show him another way, it doesn't feel right to him and makes him shoot worse at first, so he won't stick with it. He might be able to hit a basketball at 40 yards.
 
#18 ·
I don't look for a 45 deg either. just the three fingers cupped like a fist. I have a Timberland No-Peep on my bow so I can see any induced torque. I know with the index finger that I place on the riser front, I can put torque into the bow very easy if I add any amount of pressure. Face pressure will also throw an arrow off big time.
Ches.
 
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#20 ·
How straight are your arrows flying, how do they look in the target?

If you're just starting and going by "feel", you may learn to grip the bow wrong, eg. with lots of torque to one side. This may not be visible with normal fletched field point arrows. I learned a torque grip first,by myself. Tough to repair.


Shooting a bow is not a very natural thing for anyone to do. I suggest learning the right form from the start,not by "feel". I didn't learn right the first time. Proper form is not for the looks,it's for many real reasons. It may feel wrong for a while. After that you will know better and can adjust anything you like.

Post a pic of your form and grip like Nuts&Bolts suggested. He is good.

Good luck!
 
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