Trad draw length/form question

[Mike Javi Cooper]

You are right Bisch - that's actually a bruise from my bike wreck last Sunday.

Javi, I see what you mean about dipping my front shoulder - are you saying the bow arm should also stay in a straight line with the shoulders?

Yes it should... the top of the hand should be level with the top of the shoulders..

[jerp]

Yes it should... the top of the hand should be level with the top of the shoulders..

Thanks - that's a habit I need to break now before it gets any more ingrained

[Txnrog]

We all do it a little differently, but think you got pretty good advice above. If you keep your head upright and bring the string towards you, you should fix the little bit of chicken-wing that I'm inferring that you have going on, and pick up a couple inches on the draw.

Next time you're playing with the camera, get a pic from the back, and a little above, you should be able to see your alignment. Back elbow, string-hand, arrow, & bow hand should all be in a straight line. Looks to me like your elbow to string-hand is at a bit of an angle to the rest, bit it's hard to tell from those angles.

[Mike Javi Cooper]

Thanks - that's a habit I need to break now before it gets any more ingrained

here is what it should look like from the top

[jerp]

I guess I may be raising or lowering my bow arm to get the proper trajectory, depending how far I am from the target. Instead, I should keep the angle between bow arm and torso close to 90 degrees and bend laterally from the waist - right?

[Mike Javi Cooper]

I guess I may be raising or lowering my bow arm to get the proper trajectory, depending how far I am from the target. Instead, I should keep the angle between bow arm and torso close to 90 degrees and bend laterally from the waist - right?

Correct