String Slap: Is it bad form, target panic, or is the bow off?

[MountainMan]

Hey guys,
I've been shootin my bow (58" 50# Bear Grizzly) alot and haven't had any real slapping problems until just this last week. I DID fix the brace height, it was off by about an inch!

But now that it's back where it should be at 7.5, it seems like I've just moved the spot where my string punishes me. Do I now have a case of "recoil jump" or do I just need to work on gettin my form back? I shoot right handed three under with PO Cedar arrows. When I get bit, my arrows ends up about 4 inches right. It seems to me that I am death grippin the bow and that's why I end up gettin stung, but I don't know.

All I know is I have a heck of a welt/bruise on my forearm and while it looks pretty, it hurts like heck.

Any thoughts?

[BoneDigger]

Check your stance and your posture when shooting the bow. Has anything changed since when you were shooting the bow before? Are you canting the same?

Todd

[Ol Man]

Sounds to me like you are trying to heel the bow. A longbow needs to be hard heeled if it is not a locator style grip. By heeling I mean you are pushing down hard on the heel of your hand in to the riser. Try turning you wrist out slightly if you can. Most archers have a hard time doing this so I offer another suggestion. Try opening up your stance. This means squaring out to your target more.. Bring your back foot - in this case your right foot forward closer to straight on to your target. Almost like how you would be if you walked at a 45 angle to your target (left to right...) So insted of being at 180 degree angle to your target you may be about 120 degree.. You will notice immediately that the string no longer looks like it is going to glide down the length of your arm.

[MountainMan]

Check your stance and your posture when shooting the bow. Has anything changed since when you were shooting the bow before? Are you canting the same?

Nothing has changed except the brace height has been moved back to the correct length. I shoot my recurve at all different angles when I practice, but for normal warm up shooting, I cant the same

Todd

Sounds to me like you are trying to heel the bow. A longbow needs to be hard heeled if it is not a locator style grip. By heeling I mean you are pushing down hard on the heel of your hand in to the riser. Try turning you wrist out slightly if you can. Most archers have a hard time doing this so I offer another suggestion. Try opening up your stance. This means squaring out to your target more.. Bring your back foot - in this case your right foot forward closer to straight on to your target. Almost like how you would be if you walked at a 45 angle to your target (left to right...) So insted of being at 180 degree angle to your target you may be about 120 degree.. You will notice immediately that the string no longer looks like it is going to glide down the length of your arm.

Ol Man -
Thanks for the advice. I'll see if turning my wrist and my back foot out helps at all. I open my hand up on my recurve riser and try to let it settle into my hand. Should I not do that anymore?

Thanks again!

[axisbuck24]

Sounds to me like you are trying to heel the bow. A longbow needs to be hard heeled if it is not a locator style grip. By heeling I mean you are pushing down hard on the heel of your hand in to the riser. Try turning you wrist out slightly if you can. Most archers have a hard time doing this so I offer another suggestion. Try opening up your stance. This means squaring out to your target more.. Bring your back foot - in this case your right foot forward closer to straight on to your target. Almost like how you would be if you walked at a 45 angle to your target (left to right...) So insted of being at 180 degree angle to your target you may be about 120 degree.. You will notice immediately that the string no longer looks like it is going to glide down the length of your arm.

Welcome back Doug! Great advice!

[Ol Man]

Ol Man -
Thanks for the advice. I'll see if turning my wrist and my back foot out helps at all. I open my hand up on my recurve riser and try to let it settle into my hand. Should I not do that anymore?

Thanks again!

MM - it depends where the bow settles - if it settles deep in your hand toward your palm then that will cause string slap. The bow should settle in the portion of the thumb just as it comes in to the palm. Hold your hand out as if to shake someones hand - that "V" that is created is where the bow should sit.

[Ol Man]

Welcome back Doug! Great advice!

Thanks Jo... Really appreciated!

[jmack]

My Sarrels recurve had a longbow grip, and I used to get alot of string slap. I read somewhere to turn the bow completely sideways, and to grip it like you would a briefcase or a suitcase. Cleared the problem right up. I traded my recurve off for a longbow that was supposed to have a bit of string slap and handshock to it. I still use the same grip, and haven't experienced either.

[bob sarrels]

Sounds like good advice from all.

[MountainMan]

I gotta tell ya'll that Ol Man knows his stuff. Turns out the problem was where the bow was sitting AND my stance. I took one more step forward - very awkward at first - and made sure the bow was sitting properly and then proceeded to drill my target.

Doug - You're the MAN!

Thank you all for the help

[Ol Man]

You are very welcome glad I could help!