The Implications of height in archery and bow choice

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Matblack
Cub Poster

Posts: 9
No Commercial Interest
Location: Maidstone

Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 9:27 am Post subject: The Implications of height in archery and bow choice

Hi Everyone I wanted to get some info on if there are any advantages or disadvantages of being tall and having a long draw length when shooting. I'm 6'3" and pretty substantial weight wise and having been doing my beginners course. During the first week my coach had me using the second longest club arrows, this week, my second I was pulling them off the rest and we moved up to the longest arrows the club has, I'm not sure what length they are but there was a slight concern that as my draw increases I might be drawing these too far as well I am adament about staying with archery, I shot right till the end of the session this week and loved every moment of it but are there any long term implications to my size and draw? From what I've read limbs start to "stack" when over drawn? Will I find myself in this area or are there ways to buy bows whcih will draw further? Will I need a longer bow/ riser/ limbs, there do seem to a variation in limb and riser length is this what this is to compensate for? Sorry for all the questions MB

Club: big one with nails in
Bow: Not yet
Sight: failing
Arrows: Not yet
Accesories: Not yet

Liam
Admin

UK East Mids Area Rep (NFAS)

Posts: 6620
Archery Website Publisher
Location: AR HQ

Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 9:35 am Post subject:

Firstly you need your actual draw length measuring, then you will be able to consider your options, I'm quite sure there will be something to suit even the longest draw. Finish your course get your measurements then consider your options, there is plenty of knowledge here on AR to help you when the time comes. _________________ Why not?

Club: Long Eaton Field Archers
Bow: Karel Osage Orange Hungarian Reflex Bow 50lb @ 28"
Sight: Not Brilliant
Arrows: Sitka Spruce 11/32's @ 31"
Accesories: 2 Funny gloves with not enough fingers on them

Matblack
Cub Poster

Posts: 9
No Commercial Interest
Location: Maidstone

Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 10:10 am Post subject:

Thanks Liam I know I appear to be jumping the gun but I'm a pretty analytical person and I like to do my research so I'm keen to find things out rather than keep waiting and hoping things will be covered in the course I am doing. I'm enjoying planing what I might get in the future for when I want my own equipment but I am concerned that I'll be limited in the selection I can get and wanted to get an idea of this upfront as it were. I'll get a proper measurement of my draw length, it was done when I started but only to see what the best arrows wuld be and I didn't make a note of it at the time, doh! MB

Club: big one with nails in
Bow: Not yet
Sight: failing
Arrows: Not yet
Accesories: Not yet

Liam
Admin

UK East Mids Area Rep (NFAS)

Posts: 6620
Archery Website Publisher
Location: AR HQ

Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 10:44 am Post subject:

Once we've got an idea of your draw length I'm sure we can start helping you plan for the future, unless you are abnormally long most manufacturers will have something to suit. _________________ Why not?

Mjollnir
Grand Master Bowman

Posts: 2767
Club Committee Member
Location: Cambridge

Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 11:34 am Post subject:

I am 6'6" and have a 32" draw. This seams to be about the maximum size that you can get arrows in (length wise), so by the time nocks and points are added I am usually ok. On problem comes in that, a lot of manufacturers decrease the maximum length an arrow comes in as the stiffness of the arrow decreases. The theory being that beginners (who use the weaker arrows) are children and therefore use shorter arrows, and so to save on wasteage they make the weaker spines shorter. This is most likely the problem your club has, in that it's training arrows are made for the weaker club bows, and therefore the longest length is shorter than arrows that you could get for a higher poundage bow. This in turn makes your life difficult because you don't want to go too higher poundage too soon as it will certainly lead to bad technique, but if you stay at low poundage you either use arrows that are too stiff and will never group tightly, or use arrows that are too short and introduce bad technique. If you do fall into this extreme, and as Liam said we'd need to know your draw length for that, then best bet is to get some cheep arrows the correct length that'll be too stiff, maybe Easton's xx75s, shoot them on the weaker bow, and just concentrate on your technique, and try not to get too disheartened as they will never shoot quite right until you get up to a more powerful bow. I hope this helps _________________ My shoes are too tight, but it doesn’t matter, because I have forgotten how to dance.

Club: Cambus Archery Society
Bow: SF PRO riser, with SF Carbon limbs
Sight: Sure-Loc Quest-X
Arrows: Easton Navigator FMJ 460 spine
Accesories: Merlin Triad Stabilisers