Re-building strength for shooting a BOW
Equipment
I've been a Bow Hunter for the most of my life. Unfortunately, I have had some medical problems that has seriously lessened my strength. I'm unable to do many of the regular exercises that I used to do (push ups, sit ups heavy weights etc.. I have shot recurves and longbows exclusively over the last 30 some years. If anyone has any wisdom or advice about building my strength back up it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you and may God bless.
Exercise bands. Do both sides regardless which you shoot with. Find a post or something solid in the house or a tree outside and tie (anchor) one end there. Put up a pair and you can pull at yourself, do a modified pushup, 5 of the 6 shoulder therapy exercises, stand in the middle of one and do forward and reverse curls. The nice thing about them over weights is that you can just move further or closer to the anchor as your strength dictates. build up slowly. Not free, but pretty darn reasonable.
Protex makes a wrapped version for when you pull at your face in case one ever breaks.
Have used for a number of years and they are perfect for what you want since they let you gradually build strength with little chance of injury.
Do what you can. EAT RIGHT. Clean food, exercise, rest, and a testosterone booster would do wonders. Best exercises is just exercise until you can shoot a bow. Then move up from there. Good luck. It is going to be a hard road. But, if Remember where the glory goes and, if you do your part, it will all work out. God Bless you too.
Larry has good advice.
I had shoulder surgery in 2012 and moved out of the country right after so didn’t get to do my PT.
I really struggled with getting my strength back in that shoulder for several months and was not able to draw even a 20# bow. I picked up some of the rubber bands with the handles and a pulley that goes on top of a door on a trip back to the states. Printed out a list of exercises from the internet and did them every day. My strength returned pretty quickly with the bands and I started drawing heavier bows till I was back up to my regular 60# range bows with no issues. To celebrate, I went red stag hunting on my birthday!
I started with the lightest ones and worked up to the heaviest over several months. I still do those exercises to prevent re-injury of either shoulder.
Good luck! Wishing you a full and speedy recovery!
WVMountaineer x 2 and take advantage of the negative.
Great post WV.
I battled Stage 3 Cancer the last 2 years, nearly lost my life in one of my surgeries. Praise the Lord and thank you Rapid Response Team!!!
Lost every ounce of strength I had. It’s been a slow road back, but I started shooting again this June.
Everything we do is based on our core strength. “Man strength” in other words. I needed months of physical therapy to regain that.
Once I had that, I needed to go to resistance bands, and basic exercises like pushups (start with little incline, against a wall, then slowly decrease the incline)
Most of all, patience, rest, and an excellent attitude goes a very long way
Saunders Archery make a bow exerciser. It has a bow handle that you can put up to five lbs and 2 bands of different pull weights. About $50 at Lancasters. I am using this for my shoulder rehab and am back up to pulling 70 lbs. I also use therabands, stretch, and do strength training. Nothing that I have found mimics a bow pull as well as this thing.
Good luck.
I started with a kids 12# long bow and then moved up to a 30 pound recurve. It took a couple of years but I am able to shoot 80’s now.
I shot 53 pounds for a year and then moved up to 63 and stopped there. I only used an 80# bow for Cape buffalo. I am back to 63#'s.
