string slap

[solo one]

#3083

So I met with a long time family friend this weekend for some shooting tips with my recurve, and we ended up changing my brace hight from 7 to 7 3/4. That and I was short stroking my draw. With the new changes to my shooting and bow I’ve started shooting better but slapping the hair right off my arm. So my question is – is it the changes or am I doing something else wrong now?

[Stephen Graf]

#16521

Normally, raising the brace height should reduce arm slap, so that’s good.

You also mentioned short stroking your bow which I take to mean not reaching your natural draw length. Expanding your draw length is a good thing as long as you don’t go past what is natural for you.

I suspect that if you open your stance some, meaning face the target a little more when you draw, you will reduce the string slap. I think what has happened is that as you increased your draw length, you are drawing the string closer to your body and your bow arm is straighter and closer to the bow. You may have increased your draw just a smidge too much.

Opening your stance will maybe reduce your draw length a bit, but will give you better clearance.

Another option is to pay attention to the elbow on your bow arm. Make sure you have it rotated out, not in. And that your bow arm shoulder joint is down and out not up and in toward your chin.

Hope this helps 😀

[David Fudala]

#17338

I would also add that I tend to hit my forearm if I get tired after a long practice session because I tend to start raising my string side elbow. Never knew I was doing it until I videoed myself shooting. Once I tighten back down into proper alignment, all is well again.

[David Coulter]

#17848

You can also rotate the bow slightly in your hand to move the string away from your arm. Dwc

[ChumpMcgee]

#20219

Steve Graf wrote: Normally, raising the brace height should reduce arm slap, so that’s good.

You also mentioned short stroking your bow which I take to mean not reaching your natural draw length. Expanding your draw length is a good thing as long as you don’t go past what is natural for you.

I suspect that if you open your stance some, meaning face the target a little more when you draw, you will reduce the string slap. I think what has happened is that as you increased your draw length, you are drawing the string closer to your body and your bow arm is straighter and closer to the bow. You may have increased your draw just a smidge too much.

Opening your stance will maybe reduce your draw length a bit, but will give you better clearance.

Another option is to pay attention to the elbow on your bow arm. Make sure you have it rotated out, not in. And that your bow arm shoulder joint is down and out not up and in toward your chin.

Hope this helps 😀

Sounds like you took some notes from Mr. G.Fred Asbell and his books and dvds! I spoke with him once and asked him why he recommends facing the target more, he said that it not only gives him string clearance but it also shortens his draw length to 28 inches. Not sure if you have every met the man but he is a very tall man 6 foot 5 plus I would say!

My other suggestion would be to cant the bow which will then rotate your bow arm elbow which was mentioned above too!

[Cladinator]

#20553

You’ve been given great advice above already but I’ll add some more.

I used to have a string slap problem. It stemmed from gripping the bow handle. Anticipating the shot and gripping with my fingers upon release caused the bow to rotate slightly, resulting in the string slap.

I corrected this by simply not gripping the handle.

The handle is held in place by tension. The fingers are loose and catch the bow on release.

[solo one]

#22445

That sounds like something I might be doing. Thanks for all the good tips, I’ll keep working on it.

[Author]

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