First protect your knuckles if using a bow without an arrow rest and check to make sure all things are in working order, then warm up the bow and line up the arrow so that it is perpendicular to the bow, find the center of the bw with your bow hand by checking for a "sweet spot" when pulling back on the bow. Make sure that the bow is right side up.
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Taping the Knuckles and Checking for sweet spot while lining up the arrow
The grips that I have found to work well with primitive bows and arrows have been the one finger, two finger and three finger bow hand grips.
Note the finger positioning on the bow and the tilted wrist
My shoulder position is usually 35° from the target. Noter that the arrow is directly in line with my eye.
These two pictures abover show that the shoulders can open and close the stance regardless of feet placement. As in all things regarding form, consistency is crucial to better groupings.
Stance while shooting is important because you must have steady feet, legs, torso and shoulders in order to have steady hands and aim.
Here you may observe a closed grip on the bow hand and a mediterranean string hold, ie one finger over, and two under the arrow
Here we can see the full grip on the bow is different than the two finger grip used above. I find the full grip to be ineffective and prone to wrist slapping
Anchor points are another vital part of your form. Here we can see a hunting form I use where the base of the thumb is pressed snug against the front of my cheek bone.
It is a shorter draw, and very accurate. Note too, the alignment of the forarm and the arrow, allowing a clean release that goes straight back and not to either side.
For more information and videos on self bows and arrows you can check out my site at www.northwoodtraditonalarchery.com
