Increasing draw strength

[Bob33]

I am a new archer, currently at 54 pounds draw weight.  I started at 49 pounds.  I would like to get to 60+.  After shooting about 35 arrows, my back muscle starts to get a bit sore from the exercise of drawing the bow.  Would I be better (a) increasing the draw weight now and getting sore at 20 arrows, for example, (b) sticking at my current weight until it's more comfortable, or (c) dropping the weight to something like 50 and shooting a lot more arrows? 

How do I know when to increase the draw weight?  (I plan to hunt in early September)

[Bean Counter]

I'm pretty new myself and don't shoot more than 35 arrows a day.  To get from 54 to 60 shouldn't be too tough by September, if you're diligent. I'm following the advice to up the #s every week by either a turn or at least a half a turn (just make sure you do the same on all!). Inch by inch is a cinch, yard by yard is hard, etc..  I practice almost every day, but am sure to give my muscles a break a few times a week. I also hit the gym up at least once a week for lateral raises, reverse flys, pullups, and bicep curls, all of which help, too.

[Old Dog]

Go at it every other day.  On the off day work on some other type of conditioning.
Back in the day when I was into wieght training we didn't work the same muscle group every day, because the muscles needed a day to "heal" from the hard work.  Doing it that way actually built the muscle faster.  We still lived by the saying "no pain, no gain".  That just meant we worked whatever muscle group we were on until it hurt a little.

 One last thing.  Todays modern bows and arrows are very effecient, and will easily take elk with as little as 50# of draw.  Shot placement is way more important than how fast it gets there.

[Hoytstaffshooter83]

The main muscles involved in the drawing motion of the bow are the posterior deltoid ( back of the shoulder) and the rotator cuff muscles so a few simple exercises to do are........


Exterior rotations
lateral raises
seated rows   

[Bob33]

Thanks for the advice on strengthening the muscle groups.

What's I'm really looking for is an indicator to tell me when to increase draw weight.  Increasing a half-turn a week doesn't work if I can't pull the new weight, right? 

For example, how many arrows should I be able to comfortably shoot before increasing the draw weight?  If I can shoot 100, then it's obvious I should increase the weight.  If I can only shoot five, wouldn't it be better to stay at that weight longer?

[WDFW-SUX]

If you can hold your draw for 4min then up the poundage

[KillBilly]

Get some surgical tubing and you can practice draw at your desk at work or other places. Get enough that you can double it if you feel necessary. Even if it isn't 50#, it will keep the muscles exercised and used to the work out.

[BULLBLASTER]

you should be able to draw while sitting down and keeping the bow pointed at target. without a struggle or drawing to the sky etc.

[Bob33]

"you should be able to draw while sitting down and keeping the bow pointed at target. without a struggle or drawing to the sky etc"

Thanks - that's the kind of thought I'm looking for.  In other words, if I can't draw the bow while sitting and keeping it pointed at the target, I need to stay at my current weight until I can.

[Ray]

That is a good test.

Sit on a chair which has small foot rests like a stool does. Put your feet on the foot rests and make sure they are not touching the ground. Then draw your bow and aim at a target. If you have to put your foot down on the ground and or off the foot rest then you are probably "over bowed".

[jackelope]

I think a lot of people shoot too many arrows for practice per day too...i try to shoot 25-30 at a time.

[Ray]

I shoot 100 arrows or less a day when I go. I suppose if I had better endurance with my current setups then I could definitely shoot more and say that it is not too many shots. Some people shoot light bows 10 lbs less than their hunting setups during the off seasons...

Even the bow tests described above are just interesting things to know and gauge yourself with. I wouldn't say that because someone cannot pass that test they should not be using a particular bow. But they should be aware that they could improve on their physical strength.

[BULLBLASTER]

Even the bow tests described above are just interesting things to know and gauge yourself with. I wouldn't say that because someone cannot pass that test they should not be using a particular bow. But they should be aware that they could improve on their physical strength.

exactly. it is no rule but i dont want to be sitting in a cold ass treestand fir a few hours and have a big buck come by and not be able to get my bow back, or move too much getting it back. i think it should be done slow and smooth also. my 2 cents

[MIKEXRAY]

I ordered a "bow fit " from Cabelas, basically surgical tubing. One nice feature is you can order for different poundages. Good exersise, exactly like drawing. Mike

[huntnphool]

I have torn rotators in both shoulders but as long as I can still draw my bow and golf I'm putting off surgery. My physical therapist had me using tubing to build strength without hurting the cuffs anymore, it worked pretty well.