Bow Hand
Place the bow hand in the grip at an angle of roughly 45°. The bow grip should rest on the thumb pad, not crossing the lifeline inside the hand. There are two different muscle groups in the hand indicated by the lifeline and resting the bow on both can cause inconsistency.
When looking at the position of the bow in the hand, remember that bows are made to fit most people, but the smaller the archer’s hand, the more likely you’re going to be straying over the lifeline in the hand. This is almost inevitable for really small hands.
Ensure the bow hand is:
- Relaxed and the grip pressure evenly spread throughout the contact area with the hand, top to bottom as well as side-to-side.
- Set as a cradle, not a grip or a vice.
- A small amount of pressure on the sides of the bow with the thumb and index finger helps to maintain the bow towards the target.
The index and middle fingers can rest on the front of the bow if it is comfortable, and the rest of the fingers turn in next to the bow grip, but with no pressure.
Release Hand
Ensure your release hand sits comfortably at roughly the same 45° angle of the bow hand. The release hand fingers are set in a manner that is appropriate to the chosen release aid.
Ensure that the hand is set with enough of a spring to allow for expansion in the shot.
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