Heavy Draw Weight

[Geno C]

i do a simple stretch before i start shooting...

[fasteddie]

I used to carry a rubber band thing that our Ergonomics Nurse gave me and use it to stretch . Sometimes I would sit in my cubicle and use it for a few reps . I rearranged the stuff in my backpack and forgot where I put it . Gotta get another one .

[Elmo]

I used to carry a rubber band thing that our Ergonomics Nurse gave me and use it to stretch . Sometimes I would sit in my cubicle and use it for a few reps . I rearranged the stuff in my backpack and forgot where I put it . Gotta get another one .

I believe you're talking about resistance bands. You can buy them from most sporting goods store in the exercise equipment section.

[sweet old bill]

I use to shoot in the high 60's lb peak weight, but after roto repair operation the best I can do is 58 lbs, also now 70 years young. I have found that arrows still go right thru deer and or stick very well in 3D targets... so I think the question should be do we need that pull weight for archery. I think with the current setup of equiptment, bows, carbon arrows, and the new BH designs maybe a 50 to 60 is all anyone would need unless you are going to hunt ELk or Moose.

[nyslowhand]

Ditto

[Early]

I once witnessed a guy miss a target butt while shooting inside a steel Butler building (two corrugated steel walls, sandwiched around 2.5" of styrafoam); range was about 22 yds...arrow went completely through the building wall. He was shooting a 45 lb. Bear recurve! (One could guess that few deer are as tough as that steel building!)

[nyslowhand]

Embarrarassed to say, but I had a similar situation.

57-58# bow - been shooting too long - got shaking - at 30yds shot just over the target.

Arrow ricocheted off gravel driveway and went 15yds beyond target into a steel, insulated exterior door I had left open on a shed.

Field point went completely thru both sides of door and was protruding ~2".

Gave me a whole new perspective on the set-up of my bow & arrows.

Am I going to bulk-up my upper body in order to shoot higher poundages and chance any repetitive injuries - NO!

[Danny]

38 yrs old and been bow hunting sinc1992 then it was pounds = speed = range i always shot a bow at 70# and even plyed with my buddys that was 80# now i picked up an alphamax that i set at 64# and iprobably would have been better off with a 50-60 maxed out at 60#

[MountainHunter]

I do believe you will be much more likely to repetitive stress injuries in your shoulders at higher draw weights. I have had physical therapy on both shoulders and I have been involved in exercise for my entire life.

There is no need to pull heavy draw weights on today's bows. A few years ago I had a pass through on a bear pulling 55 pounds with an expandable broadhead.

[skyhunter]

I started buying compounds in my early 30's. Bought an 80 lber ( I weighed 140 lbs at the time) and could draw it like you see others do; hand up and making a big movement. Didn't like that for covert hunting and went to a 70 lber which I kept at around 65 lbs.

When I was in my early 40's I woke up and bought a 60 lb compound and have since stayed with that weight now for the last 12 years. I can still pull 70 lbs at 53 years old but why bother?

I don't want to be the guy we all see on TV making all kinds of movement lifting his bow up when he draws it back. Sit flat on the floor and hold your bow out in front of you with your bow arm parrallel to the ground. If you can't draw it without lifting up your bow arm you are overbowed.

As far as Doc's question; I beieve there are lots of factors in play here as to the cause of injury to any individual; overbowing is certainly one of them.

Edited April 29, 2012 by skyhunter

[thrill of the hunt]

Abusing the "joy" of archery, is no different than any other "OCD".

Yes, drawing, anchoring & a clean follow thru is a "trip", but the joy can quickly turn to

a nightmare.

A frozen shoulder can and does happen, i know because it happened to me.

Undergoing physical therapy 2X per week for 8 weeks is no joy, but the options i had were

3 years to unfreeze doing nothing, or surgery.

To me, 3 years could be a lifetime.

I'm back, enjoying it as much as ever, not to exceed 4X/wk.,

and never out of sight of "mr.allen key" if needed.

[Fantail]

I shoot 55# due to some wrist issues & carpel tunnel. Can shoot 60# but definatly notice the difference after a few shots. Discovered I can hold full draw longer at 55# as well. Also since I like to practice in the back yard I don't push it, or practice too long. After about a dozen shots if I don't take a break I can feel my wrist talking to me. Another reason besides the fuel $ i don't shoot league at the club, i'm sure it would be a good time.

As far as hunting goes, had my best year Archery yet last season, all pass throughs w/coc heads.

[fisher2]

i shoot a 72# and a 90# traditional bow 72# recurve 90# longbow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INr8wUDjSjY

this is the very first day i got my 90# bow so its horrid form

it sure looks fluid and not excessive movement though

heres my 72# just last week this will be the bow im hunting with this year for spring 90# for fall season

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zqo4PbPs0ac&feature=plcp

Edited August 2, 2012 by fisher2

[sweet old bill]

at 70 years yopung I now draw and hold a 60 lb compound and a 50 lb recurve. I use to have the compound b ows all set at 70 lb, then came rotocuff repair about a doz years ago and never got back over 60 lbs. I found that the arrow still goes right thru a deer. I also found that a recurve trad bow at 45 to 49 lbs you can hold better and not have as many faults in shooting when you control the bow and the bow does not control you. I use carbon arrows and 100 gr points on the arrows...for the compound and 125 gr points on the trad arrows.

[chiefbkt]

My dad's friend got me started in bowhunting when I was 14 and he helped me set up my first bow (Hoyt Rebel XT with about 40-50% let off) that he gave me. It was a 60-70 lb draw bow set at 69 lb's. He took me outside, sat me down in a chair, and gave me the bow. Told me to extend my legs parallel to the ground and try to pull back the bow without raising it to the sky. Needless to say, I couldn't draw it back. We ended up at 61 lb's before I could draw it comfortably without shaking like a mad man. He told me at that point that he was always told if you can't draw your bow back sitting in that position, it is too heavy for you. I have used this advice ever since. I now shoot a bow at 72 lbs and while I'm capable of drawing more, this is what is comfortable for me to draw in a seated position. I have firends that shoot 75-80 lbs and can't draw their bow back from a seated postion. Let's just say they don't shoot a lot of deer.