Spine question
I've been bareshafting with a thumb ring and noticed the arrow kicking to the right when shooting as I stated in another thread "Arrow Kick". This is the strange part. I'm shooting Vapor 3000 carbons. They shoot better when I place more pressure with the index finger on the arrow. This would mean that when I'm drawing, it is bending the arrow even before I'm shooting. Now, when I first thought about this, I was thinking that I need a weaker spined arrow. A few experienced people on this site recommend a stiffer arrow. So then I started thinking about it again. If I'm bending the arrow before it's shot, would it act as though it's a stiffer arrow because it would bend less on the shot and therefore have to bend less to recover indicating a stiffer arrow requirement? My mind is swirling right now:) Thanks!
Don't think about this or you'll get a headache.
If you are putting enough pressure to bend the arrow, you will end up with problems as you get tired. The pressure will be different and the arrow will perform differently.
Consistency is important in shooting, but it is hard to be consistent by doing something which by its nature is not really controllable. All the old shooting masters recommended the lightest practical pressure on the side of the nock and, when you are flight shooting with ultra thin barrelled arrows, you just touch the nock with no pressure.
If you are putting enough pressure to bend the arrow, you will end up with problems as you get tired. The pressure will be different and the arrow will perform differently.
Consistency is important in shooting, but it is hard to be consistent by doing something which by its nature is not really controllable. All the old shooting masters recommended the lightest practical pressure on the side of the nock and, when you are flight shooting with ultra thin barrelled arrows, you just touch the nock with no pressure.
If accuracy is at a premium, then you need to exert as little inward pressure as possible (i.e. don't bend the arrow shaft.)
On horseback, you tend to press in harder because of all the jiggling about, and that limits the accuracy of your shot. That is partly why it's hard to shoot accurately over a long distance from a horse.
I notice that the Tibetans often shoot with the thumb; but with the arrow set on the outside of the bow. They are shooting for accuracy over 80 metres. Maybe their choice of shooting method is influenced by a fear of pressuring their (very spiny) arrows too much.
On horseback, you tend to press in harder because of all the jiggling about, and that limits the accuracy of your shot. That is partly why it's hard to shoot accurately over a long distance from a horse.
I notice that the Tibetans often shoot with the thumb; but with the arrow set on the outside of the bow. They are shooting for accuracy over 80 metres. Maybe their choice of shooting method is influenced by a fear of pressuring their (very spiny) arrows too much.