Middle Earth Ranger Forum

I was recently reading this article on medieval longbow technique, and I was intrigued by the instructions for how to position the string on the fingers of the draw hand.

hold the string on the second joint of the first and the first joint of the third finger

For one, I'm having a very hard time visualizing that, but I was also always taught to draw using the pads of my fingers, not the joints. That prompted me to look into different ways of drawing a bow, and I came across various online debates about fingertips vs "deep hook" and split fingers (Mediteranean) vs 3 under.

So, I figured I would ask you all what your preferences are, and why? I specified longbow in the subject because I know horsebows are sometimes drawn with the thumb, so that seems to be a slightly different animal. That being said, I would still love to hear any insights, regardless of type of bow.

I use the three finger format and I too use the pads/balls of my fingers above the first joint. I have used this grip with all types of bows, long, recurve, reflex/deflex and compound.

I do the same, with my index finger above the arrow, and my ring and middle fingers below. I know plenty of people who put all three fingers below though, and others who only use a two-finger grip. I don't think I've ever seen anyone draw the way you described above though. Seems counter-productive.

There are different draws for different purposes, but I had been taught the three finger, split two under for stregnth and one over the shaft pressing down on the shaft with the knock below the arrow, for control.
Recently I have been shooting with three finger together pressing up on the arrow shaft to a knock above. this was said to be faster and stronger, but has been a bit strange to get used to.
It seems to be working well as I am looking to start shooting at a much greater draw.

I use a few different methods if the bow has a stopper as I call it because I can never remember what it's called I use three fingers under with the pads if it has none I use two below one above. As for using joints I sometimes do If I am shooting a heavier poundage bow or for an extended time.

First joint of first three fingers, one above and two below. To me at least seems the fastest, most controlled and strongest grip.

I have tried others but haven't managed to get used to them.

Shooting from the joints may have been done by some cultures in period, I am not truly certain.
But I do know that though it is not a terrible thing to do every once in a while, it has very little longetudinal bennefit.
The continuous shooting in the joint of the fingers will eventually damage the joints. The pads of the fingers have the cushion required to protect the bones, the joints do not. They(the pads) can also be hardened or conditioned over time and the joints can not, they will still just deteriorate or calcify.
And lets face it guys, if you were to just shoot for a few hours, a couple of times a year, this might not show itself for a long time, but as Rangers, if we expect to shoot as much as we do, we are looking for consistancy and longevity.
The only way to get to a high level of expertese with anything, archery included, is constant repetition and that not only of the action, but of the proper action with the proper technique. Doing a hundred shots a day poorly will not increase the level of your technique, it will just cement into your muscle memory bad habits that are harder to unlearn when you get serious enough to learn to do it correctly.

It was told to me that: "Practice does NOT make perfect. Only PERFECT practice makes perfect."
Now I must say, I am not a perfectionist, but it does seem to make sense to me that spending this much time at something and wanting the best results requires a bit more effort and discapline to get you there quicker and keep you there longer.
The darkside that is your joint shooting (lol) is faster but stay the course and learn the proper techique and you will be doing it till your 90!

Just looked at my shooting form I don't use the joints actually stupid me thought I did but I don't.

Ringulf, that's a very good point. I really hadn't considered that.

Wow - time to change technique!

The only time I come close to shooting using a joint is when I use a thumb ring, and I'm using the ring, not the actual joint. I have never heard of using the actual joint. That just seems...awkward.

Three finger longbow draw is, and has been for nearly 50 years, the pads of the three fingers, sometimes covered with a shooting glove. I have serious callouses there from shooting.

There is no such thing as perfect anything, but we strive for it anyway. Practice will make you skilled and consistent, and consistent is what we are really after. Anchor point, draw method, good form..when these three things are in sync for an individual (and they will vary from person to person), accuracy and speed follow. Bad form is its own teacher, if one pays attention to what one is doing.

So I have found. As always, mileage varies.

So I was at the range the other day, and I actually tried out some of the methods mentioned in the above manual. I was surprised at my results.

The "punch the target in the face" approach did indeed yield a much crisper release. However, this was at the distinct expense of accuracy, because of the pronounced movement of the bow at the exact point of release. Perhaps I was doing it wrong (more likely than otherwise). That being said, with lots and lots of practice, as well as precisely regulated muscle control of the arms, I do believe this could be a viable technique.

And as for the finger grip, well, I tried that one too. I LOVED it. I was absolutely shocked at this discovery. Mind you, my interpretation of the description in the manual may be skewed (I know I wasn't drawing fully with my second knuckle of my index finger, for instance), but when I tried to recreate it as closely as I was able, I found a couple of interesting things. Firstly, my ring finger was saved a lot of pain. See, when I shoot normally I cant the bow slightly - but I don't cant my string hand, which causes a slight twist of the string, and therefore puts a lot of undue friction on my ring finger. Because of this I have grown quite the ugly callous on that finger over the last couple of years, while my other two shooting fingers (the ones I would have expected to be taking the brunt of the force) seem completely untouched. What I discovered was that, when I drew with the knuckle of my index finger, the in-between part of my middle finger, and the pad of my ring finger, it distributed the pressure more evenly, and twisted the string less, thus saving my poor ring finger from a world of hurt. I was able to shoot considerably longer than normal due to this. Secondly, I found that my index finger protruded into my field of vision slightly further than normal, which oddly allowed me to sight slightly better.

Now of course, as Eledhwen so aptly pointed out above, your mileage may vary. But I figured these observations were worth sharing to folks on here.

I use index and middle finger only (Split Two). Have always found three fingers awkward and pointless, since with my hand at least, the ringfinger seems to want no business being on the string and I don't notice that it provides much aid. If I were drawing 80+ lbs regularly I might feel differently, but I'm not. I do not use the joint, but the string sits nearer to the joint than the tip of the finger, so not in the middle of the "pad," but behind the flesh of it.

I use my index finger above the arrow, and my ring and middle fingers below. I have seen it done a half dozen ways. it really depends on what feel comfortable to you. don't change up, best to stick with one grip...that way, in time you will become more accurate.

Happy shooting Ranger,

RHG