After a long hiatus, I picked up the practice of Eastern archery once more, and now I think I'm sufficiently well-versed in the basics to know that I'm not getting the technique quite right. Let's start with a couple of pictures to show what I'm talking about:
Of course, much of the mess is simply due to the fact that I haven't been practicing for so long. I could use more specific pointers on what I'm not quite doing right, though, like:
1. My arrows are too short, aren't they? I didn't feel like I was getting anywhere like full draw, which is funny since before the break I thought I was drawing slightly too far back.
2. Strangely enough, my arrows fly straighter and with much less fishtailing when I twist the drawing hand so that the index finger presses lightly against the string and the arrow nock. Is this wrong?
3. Am I covering the thumb with too much of the forefinger? It didn't feel that way when I was shooting, but from the outside it somehow doesn't look quite kosher.
And just about everything else, really. Thanks beforehand.
Bede
1. Draw length is really dependent on which style of archery you are interested in. The Turks and the Mamluks drew to the ear. In at least one case the authors only specify that the hand should touch the lobe of the ear. Taybugha is more detailed and expects the thumb to be drawn back to the lobe. Persian and Crimean Tatars drew farther. At a minimum, the thumb would be just behind the lobe of the ear in most cases. However, because most Middle Eastern archers were sensitive to body shape, they listed shorter draws for rounder persons and longer ones for those who were taller and leaner. The Manchus, Koreans and Japanese preferred longer draws until the hand was behind the head, but modern Korean archery seems to adjust the draw length a little shorter than the others so that the nock of the arrow reaches somewhere between the back of the ear and the back of the neck.
None of these are so specific that you should worry unless you are trying for a particular style.
2. Except in flight shooting with a siper, you should have some contact between the index finger and the side of the nock. It should be a gentle touch without real pressure. The Turks recommended contact with the string sometimes with the side of the tip of the index finger below the arrow. Turning the hand so that the base of the index finger pushes against the string above the arrow clears the index finger from the path of the string, but if done excessively the index finger unconsciously tightens over the thumb and causes a poor release.
This is very much determined by the shape of your hand and the length of your fingers. It has to feel comfortable.
3. It is difficult to say about the coverage of the thumb from the pictures. Usually, for a sure release you can cover all of the thumb nail with the middle segment of the index finger. However, as you develop more control, you will be able to cover just the distal half of the thumb nail. The release will become faster and more dependable.
The most important thing is not to press hard on the thumb. The thumb should be pressing hard against the middle finger, but the index finger should simply rest on the thumb.
Hyarmendacil
Bede wrote:
None of these are so specific that you should worry unless you are trying for a particular style.
Hmm...I've been mostly trying to follow Taybugha and Arab Archery, if rather loosely at that, hence the mild panic when my arrowhead started riding on the web of my thumb before my drawing hand had quite managed to reach the corner of my jaw.
Turning the hand so that the base of the index finger pushes against the string above the arrow clears the index finger from the path of the string, but if done excessively the index finger unconsciously tightens over the thumb and causes a poor release.
It's exactly what I've been worrying about, since the position of my hand during the draw and release hasn't been as consistent as I would have liked it to be.
The most important thing is not to press hard on the thumb. The thumb should be pressing hard against the middle finger, but the index finger should simply rest on the thumb.
I think I got the part about not pressing hard against the thumb, because the corner of my thumbnail digs painfully against the flesh along the inner side of my thumb whenever I do that (thus giving me a convenient early warning mechanism). As I said before, though, the position of my forefinger may not be consistent enough, since on a few occasions it still managed to get in the thumb's way during the release. Maybe I'll try taking more detailed pictures once the problem with the camera's power supply has been fixed.
Bede
It is really important to concentrate on opening the index finger only. let the thumb take care of itself.
If you are trying to shoot in one of the styles Taybugha recommended I suggest you need slightly longer arrows. If you wish to shoot with a square stance, those arrows should be long enough, but the oblique stance might be better for your physique.
Justin Ma
Posture-wise, I would suggest making sure your spine is not arched. Tuck your tail bone underneath you as well.
You will feel more grounded and less tense, and it will be easier for you to generate power with your core (abs and back). Once your spinal column is vertical, your arms/elbows essentially pivot around your spine as you draw the bow. This back and hip posture is used in most dancing, martial arts and various sports.
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