Alberta Outdoorsmen Forum - Warm up before Shooting!!! BYO

Warm up before Shooting!!! BYO

[BYO=Build your Own]

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Fact is many of us are getting older, and the onset of shoulder problems is on the rise with bowhunters.

Many of the same bowhunters will warm up before jogging, playing baseball etc…well why not before shooting a bow.

Warming-up and simple stretching before shooting.
this simple act can prevent harm to the shoulder or back, as well as the muscle/ligament group making up the rotator cuff / shoulder.

I know more shooters than I care to admit that have had rotator cuff/shoulder surgery due to injury; many didn’t heed to the pain warnings and paid for it by not being able to hunt for some time due to surgery.

Warm up before shooting and don’t shoot a bow that is "over-bowed" for you…
An old practice test we once used for tree stands when cold also is the best test to see if you are over bowed.

Sit in a chair with back straight, lift feet six inches off floor and draw your bow, if you struggle in the slightest it’s time to lower the poundage on your bow.

If you are tired and hurt during warm up, maybe it’s time to heal instead of shooting, shooting while fatigued or tired, usually just gives you bad form and shooting habits.

Intense pain during warm up is a warning sign, which could be made much worse while shooting.

Warming up can prevent those injuries.

One can use many exercise’s to warm up the one I use is I bend over and hold a counter with my left hand and swing my right arm in large round circles, it warms up my rotator cuff/shoulder which I have issues with.

Just this exercise eliminates all pain during and after shooting, I then use my “warm up shooter”, there are warm up shooters on the market but you can simply build your own [BYO]

You can get a rubber Chest pull expander which we used prior but wore out, or even a piece of bungee cord tied in a loop.

This is how and the material I used to build my own.

*20” piece of hardwood
*Spare bow grip
*Three feet of 3/8” Bungee cord
*Handle off 5 gal pail

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I with my wild imagination just freehand cut the “riser” and fitted the grip to riser, now one doesn’t have to get as elaborate as this a simple 1”X2”X 20” piece of hard wood with tape for a grip would work.
The 3/8 Bungee cord is fed thru holes drilled at top and bottom, top is secured permanently and a simple knot on bottom adjusts poundage.
I took a hard plastic handle that centers on a wire 5 gallon pail handle for a solid hand grip, if tight enough it can be adjusted to center when adjusting poundage.
This warm up shooter will produce about 40 lbs at my draw, more for longer draws and I will full draw with good form about a dozen times.
It really helps, see for yourself and more importantly protect yourself.

Neil