A properly selected bow tension in kg is the foundation of safe and accurate shooting, not just a number on the shoulder of the arc.
Choice tension It doesn’t start with buying expensive equipment, but with an honest assessment of the shooter’s fitness and understanding of the mechanics of the shot. Many beginner archers make a critical mistake, immediately taking recursive with a shoulder of 30-40 pounds, which leads to the formation of an improper grip, trembling in the hands and a rapid loss of interest in the sport due to the inability to hold the sight. The real strength you put on your bowstring depends not only on the markings on your shoulders, but also on your shoulder. stretchIt's a unique thing for everyone.
Always check the marking on the inside of the shoulders of the onion – it shows the base weight at standard stretch (usually 28 inches).
Selection process bow-tension requires consideration of the type of shooting: hunting, field or bear. Hunting often requires tighter arcs to punch game, whereas training on michas is more important stability and the ability to take hundreds of shots without straining the back muscles. Incorrect load calculation leads to microtraumas of the shoulder joint and elbow, therefore, to the question of pound-load We need to be mathematically accurate, not by eye.
Physics of the process and the effect of stretching on force
Mechanics recursive or block-work It is based on the law of energy storage, where every inch of pulling the string increases resistance. A standard label, such as “36#@28,” means that when stretched 28 inches, you will feel 36 pounds (about 16.3 kg) of effort. However, if your personal stretch At 30 inches, the actual force will increase by about 2-3 pounds per inch, which significantly changes the sensation of the shot.
For block bows (compound bows) is characterized by a peak weight that is dropped at the time of firing due to the block system, allowing the sight to be held with less force. In the classics. recursive There is no such reset, and the shooter must maintain peak weight throughout the aiming time, which requires the development of muscle endurance of the back, not just the hands. Understanding this difference is critical when choosing tension for different disciplines.
⚠️ Warning: Exceeding the permissible stretch for specific bow shoulders can lead to their breakage and injury to the shooter. Always check the minimum stretch length for your assembly.
There is a direct relationship between the length of the shooter's arms and the final strength of the arcs. If you are above average height, standard shoulders of 28 inches will be “lighter” at the beginning of the stretch, but “heavier” at the peak, as you will have to pull further. Use of the recosting-table Or consulting with a coach helps to adjust the choice of equipment for your anthropometry.
How to measure your stretching
Stand sideways against the wall, stretch your hand along the wall, squeeze your fist (imitating the grip of the bowstring) and measure the distance from the knuckle of your thumb to the opposite corner of your mouth + 1 inch (2.5 cm).
Weight selection criteria for beginners and pros
Beginner shooters are not recommended to chase high performance shoulder-pound. The optimal start for adult men is considered to be the range of 18-24 pounds (8-11 kg), and for women and adolescents - 12-18 pounds (5.5-8 kg). This weight allows you to work out shooting-stylePut your back and learn to properly release the bowstring without compensating for the tremors in the muscles.
- 🏹 Children's age (7-10 years): It is recommended to start with 6-10 pounds, using special children's recursive bows with minimal risk of injury.
- 🏹 Teenagers (11-15 years old): range of 12-20 pounds, it is important to monitor the growth of the child and change the shoulders to tighter.
- 🏹 Adult newcomers: Starting from 20 to 25 pounds, even if the physical form allows you to take more, technique is more important than power.
- 🏹 Experienced hunters: Often 40-60+ pounds are used to provide arrow penetration at a distance.
For professionals in Olympic shooting, the weight of arcs often varies between 40 and 50 pounds, but this is the result of years of training. A sharp jump in tension More than 4-6 pounds per season is considered risky and can lead to chronic tendon inflammation. The professional approach involves a gradual increase in the load in parallel with the growth of muscle mass and the improvement of biomechanics.
Table of correspondence of weight and category of arrow
To simplify the choice of equipment, averaged recommendations have been developed that take into account gender, age and approximate physical fitness. Below is a table that helps you navigate the starting values tension. Remember that this is background information and individual coach advice is always a priority over general advice.
| Category of arrow | Age/Paul | Recommended start (pounds) | Recommended start (kg) | Maximum for training |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children | 7-10 years | 6 - 10 lbs | 2.7. to 4.5 kg | 12 lbs |
| Teenagers | 11-15 years | 12 - 20 lbs | 5.5 - 9.0 kg | 25 lbs |
| Women (new) | 16 years | 14 - 20 lbs | 6.5 - 9.0 kg | 30 lbs |
| Men (new) | 16 years | 20 - 28 lbs | 9.0 - 12.7 kg | 40 lbs |
| Hunters. | Experienced. | 40 - 60+ lbs | 18.0 - 27.0+ kg | Depends on game. |
It is important to understand that maximum weight For exercise, it doesn’t mean you can pull a weight once. That’s the weight you can comfortably take 60-100 shots per workout while maintaining the perfect technique. If by the end of the series your hands start to shake and your shoulders start to crawl up to your ears, then work-tension It is wrongly chosen and needs to be reduced.
Methods for checking and calibrating arc strength
Real-life verification bow-tension It is possible only with the use of specialized equipment, such as tension-scale (draw weight scale) and dynamometers. At home, without a coach, it is difficult to determine exactly the strength, but you can use indirect signs: if you can hold a full delay for more than 10 seconds without strong tremors and can smoothly reduce the shoulder blades, the weight is probably chosen correctly.
For block bows, there is a concept of “let-off”, which can range from 65% to 85%. This means that at peak weight of 60 pounds, you will only hold 15-20 pounds at the time of aiming. Checking this parameter is carried out through the configuration of the modules of the blocks, but it should be done by a certified wizard, since incorrect adjustment can lead to the creation of a new system. blank and breaking the bow.
⚠️ Warning: Never idle (without an arrow) from a recursive or block bow – energy not transferred to the projectile returns to the shoulders and can split them.
There is a method of "dry" testing, when the shooter simulates a stretch with an espander or rubber to feel the work of the back muscles. However, this method does not provide accurate figures in kilogrammes Or pounds. Electronic bows are often used to fine-tune hunting bows. scale, which connect to the string and show peak force in real time when pulling.
☑️ Testing readiness for weight gain
Common mistakes in choosing equipment
One of the most common mistakes is buying. leg-bow One-piece bow with a fixed high weight in the hope of "pumping up quickly." This approach leads to the fact that the shooter begins to compensate for the lack of strength by improperly tilting the body, taking the elbow forward or using the muscles of the hand instead of the back. As a result, a persistent wrong stereotype of movements is formed, which is much more difficult to relearn than starting with a small weight.
The second mistake is to ignore the difference between recursive and block-bow. A beginner coming from a 50lb block hunting may not be ready for 50lb on the classic, as there is no weight loss and the length of stretch is fixed anatomically rather than mechanically. The feeling of weight in peak on the classic is much tougher and demanding for endurance.
- 🚫 Ignoring warm-ups: Attempt to work at maximum weight without warming up the shoulder girdle.
- 🚫 Savings on shoulders: Buying cheap glass shoulders that can have an uneven distribution of load and “crawl” (lose elasticity) faster than carbon fiber analogues.
- 🚫 Wrong grip: the attempt to hold the bow only by the force of the hand, which tension It causes the bowels to slip and hit the forearm.
It is also worth mentioning the choice error. bow-length. A short bow with high tension will have a sharper start and a larger “wall” (the moment when it is impossible to pull further), which may be uncomfortable for people with a large stretch. Long bows (longbows) give a smoother force gain curve, but require more space to shoot.
Safety and care of arcs under load
High-bow operation tension It requires strict adherence to storage rules. Shoulders should not be in a strained state (with a string) when the bow is not used - this leads to "fatigue" of the material and loss of elasticity known as "creep". Always use. string (bow stringer) when installing and removing the string to avoid shoulder skewing and injuries.
Regular examination of the shoulders for microcracks, especially in the area of grooves (fadeouts), where the load is maximum, is mandatory. At high loads of 40-50+ lbs, any material defect can be fatal. If you notice the separation of glass or carbon, operation should be stopped immediately. Security In this case, the cost of repair is more important.
⚠️ Warning: Keep the bow uncharged (without a string) or on a special stand to avoid shoulder deformity under your own weight or tension.
The temperature regime also affects the properties of the shoulder materials. In severe frost, fiberglass becomes more fragile, and the risk of breakage with high temperatures. tension It's growing. If you are planning a winter hunt or shooting, let the bow warm up to ambient temperature before starting active operation and check the lubrication condition in the blocks.
Proper care and storage extend the life of the shoulders of the bow, maintaining the stated characteristics of tension for many years.
How often should I change the bowstring on a high tension bow?
With active use (2-3 workouts per week) and high tension (40+ pounds), the bowstring is recommended to be changed every 1-2 years or when there is a noticeable "shakyness" (pulling) of threads. For block bows, replacement may be required more often due to friction on the blocks.
Can I increase the weight of the onions on my own?
You can increase the weight only by replacing the shoulders with tighter ones (in recursive bows) or by rearranging the modules of the blocks (in block ones, if the design allows). Stretching existing shoulders beyond normal or “accelerating” blocks without knowledge is dangerous.
Does humidity affect the force of tension?
Wooden elements (hands) can slightly change the geometry at high humidity, but the main effect of humidity has on the bowel (it can lengthen). The strength of the arcs from humidity is practically independent, if we are not talking about extreme conditions.
What to do if the bow starts to shoot weaker?
A decrease in power may indicate a loss of shoulder elasticity ("fatigue" of the material) due to prolonged storage in a strained state or overheating. In this case, the shoulders need to be replaced, since it is impossible to restore their properties.
What is the optimal weight for 3D shooting?
For 3D shooting (on volume targets in the forest), the balance between penetration and reaction speed is important. We usually use an average weight of 30-40 pounds, as you have to walk and shoot from uncomfortable positions, where control is more important than maximum power.