Open vs closed grip
Contributors to this thread:Equipment
From: DanaC
30-Sep-22
DanaC's Link
Good article on gripping your bow
From: WV Mountaineer
30-Sep-22
I couldn’t agree more.
From: Boreal
30-Sep-22
I agree with the premise of the article but the picture of Paige as a good example, with her index finger above the shelf, is just wrong.
From: Michael
30-Sep-22
Good article. Many years ago I read a similar article on bow grip. The author had talked bout touching the front of the riser with your fingers but not putting any pressure on them. Can’t remember who the author was. I am thinking Randy Ulmer.
From: midwest
30-Sep-22
What picture of Paige?
From: drycreek
30-Sep-22
Use the grip that works for you.
From: DanaC
30-Sep-22
I've watched a lot of shooters use an 'open' grip but 'snatch' the bow at release. Druther use a light-but-consistent closed grip.
From: LINK
30-Sep-22
Here you go Midwest.
From: Ironbow
30-Sep-22
I have seen photos of Randy Ulmer’s grip like that, with his finger above the shelf.
From: midwest
30-Sep-22
Never noticed that about Paige. I'd put my finger up there, too, if it'd help me shoot like her.
From: fdp
30-Sep-22
It's for sure something that you should consider. It may or may not work for you as an individual.
From: x-man
30-Sep-22
I've been preaching this for years... The key is not to use any muscles in your hand at all. Don't force it open or closed. Just relax!
From: 2Wild Bill
30-Sep-22
A few year ago I read an article on grip and followed the suggestion to touch the back of the grip with the fingertips, and not wrap the fingers around the grip. It works for me.
From: Matt
30-Sep-22
"I've been preaching this for years... The key is not to use any muscles in your hand at all. Don't force it open or closed. Just relax!"
Way back in the day I had someone tell me to just let my arm hang at my side naturally and then focus on the amount of tension in my hand (which was essentially none), and that is roughly what an archer should shoot for when gripping the bow. Made sense.
I do lightly touch the tip of my index finger and thumb when at full draw which keeps me from wanting to grab the bow at the shot which can adversely influence the shot. That is almost universally a form flaw of those who shoot with an open grip and don't use a wrist sling.
From: Bake
30-Sep-22
I let my hand rest there like it's dead. So fingers are wrapped, but no tension. Gripping and torquing the grip will happen when my target panic is especially bad
From: Corax_latrans
30-Sep-22
The looser I grip it, the tighter I group it.
From: Grey Ghost
30-Sep-22
Bad grip form was probably the most common problem I'd see with beginning archers back when I spent a ton of time at the range. When someone would claim their bow just wouldn't tune, it was usually because they were squeezing the grip like they where choking a chicken, or they were doing the open hand and grab thing.
Matt
From: Thornton
30-Sep-22
I've never used an open grip. Seems similar to some of this new ridiculous pistol shooting stance or long range rifle grip where they only touch the trigger.
From: Thornton
30-Sep-22
Apparently it's not a "new thing"... I stand corrected by my predecessor
From: goyt
01-Oct-22
I bought a new bow from a dealer that I did not know. We were trying to paper tune the bow and he insisted on me shooting it with my hand forced open so hard that I was using every muscle in my hand and wrist. He insisted that that was how to shoot torque free. He felt that I was wasting his time if I did not shoot that way. I bought a bow press and never set foot in his shop again. I wonder how many archers that guy screwed up.
From: DanaC
01-Oct-22
"or they were doing the open hand and grab thing.
Matt "
Yeah, as I said above, see a lot of that release-and-grab thing. IF you want to use an open grip you need a sling and you need to *trust* it. (I tried it, not my cup of coffee.)
From: Corax_latrans
01-Oct-22
“ “with my hand forced open so hard that I was using every muscle in my hand and wrist.”
Some people just don’t have much grasp of “opposite”, eh?
From: HDE
01-Oct-22
"...the picture of Paige as a good example, with her index finger above the shelf, is just wrong."
Now that's funny. A pro archer being critiqued on an opinion forum...
From: Hoytman2
02-Oct-22
I can't deny the success of a world class archer like Paige. I'm going to change my grip to this style immediately. As a matter of fact, I'm going to go do my fixed blade broadhead tuning right now. My draw length is 28.5 and my arrows are cut 27.25, I'll let you all know how my Muzzy 125's group.
From: midwest
02-Oct-22
Paige doesn't seem to have a problem with her grip and fixed blades, either.
From: DanaC
03-Oct-22
Could be she grips her hunting bows a bit different than her target rigs?
