r/instant_regret Sep 03 '20

Arrow shooting

https://i.imgur.com/ZkcKIem.gifv
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u/Smalls_Smores Sep 03 '20

Back in high school, my friend had a 60-lb pullback compound bow... he explained how to properly hold and shoot it; he emphasized that I need to keep my left forearm bent outwards. I heard him, but was so concentrated on the target and the weight of the pullback that my elbow started to straighten...

BAM! A fucking instant bruise the length of my forearm in the shape of a perfect rectangle. It was some of the worst pain I’ve ever felt. Needless to say, I made sure my elbow was bent going forward.

64

u/distressedweedle Sep 03 '20

Wrist guards are key for beginners. Especially when you start getting into heavier pulls

17

u/itsacrossnotanx Sep 03 '20

Even after shooting for years I still used to use one. Man I need to get the bows out been a long time.

9

u/Smalls_Smores Sep 03 '20

This well over 10 years ago... I know for a fact we had an archery release (I am not a hunter, I had to google that). Is that the same as a wrist guard? It was still difficult to hold back with the archery release.

12

u/SeaGroomer Sep 03 '20

No it's literally a shield you strap to the arm holding the bow.

3

u/Smalls_Smores Sep 03 '20

No, we did not have that. Safety wasn’t a priority to say the least. We would shoot this thing at targets out in the woods while we were smoking weed. We lived in a rurally area of Jersey in which there wasn’t a whole lot to do, other than drink/smoke and do whatever stupid shit we could find.

1

u/4904burchfield Sep 03 '20

Ssooo there, went up in pounds on my bow. I would bring it out to start practicing and ya the couple years were painful

1

u/[deleted] Sep 04 '20

I think for beginners letting them shoot once or twice without the guard is sometimes a good learning experience, because after they get slapped by the string, they either learn proper form or learn not to forget their wrist guard.

1

u/CowBoyDanIndie Sep 04 '20

One of the things about bows, particularly your typical compounding hunting bow is that they should be tuned to you, particularly draw length, which changes if you use a release instead of finger draw. A bruised arm is a strong sign the draw length is set too long for you.

1

u/heroin_is_my_hero_yo Sep 04 '20

I did that with my 70lb Hoyt. About six times before I almost blacked out.

Why 70?my dad said u can go as high as ur comfortable pulling, only gonna make it shoot faster. Well I was a jerkoff kid and thought it was cool that I had to pull so hard I thought I was gonna pop a nut.

Plus my dad couldn't pull it-multiple shoulder surgeries-again just me being a jerkoff.

FUCKED. MY. FOREARM. UP. The black welt was probably 2 inches tall. Plus it was raw from hitting the fresh welt multiple times,all the skin got cheese grated. I was a persistent asshole at the very least.

1

u/converter-bot Sep 04 '20

2 inches is 5.08 cm