Arm Guard designs?

[Alexlebrit]

I started archery over winter, and I've been shooting outside in my old Barbour, but this week the sun shone on our club meeting and I was in shorts & T-shirt. While I liked the fact I didn't get rain dribbling down the back of my neck, it did have one less comfortable result.

I hadn't realised my elbow had such a weird lump before, but apparently I do and it meant the string was slapping off my arm no matter what I tried. I had an arm guard on, but not long enough and a few times the bowstring would hook on it to make matters worse.

I can't find an arm guard that covers the elbow, so I thought I might have a go at making one, so I thought I'd ask if anyone had some tips, or pics or templates, or just some good advice.

 

[Toddy]

A lot of the re enactors have this problem too.
Have a look for "Bracers" and it ought to come up with some ideas.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Kerne]

I made this some time ago - relatively straightforward and no sewing required - just some rivetting.

I've since replaced the thong with thin shockcord and it does the trick. I wear it to shoot my recurve but it's much too traditional for that - I need to get a longbow!

Why not have a go?

 

[TinkyPete]

nice work, and don't forget you should pratice with your longbow every week on the village green

 

[Ogri the trog]

I found that when shooting in tournaments, I came to rely on the bracer to fend off the bowstring - which meant I was getting lazy. So I made a deliberate decission to go without a bracer and allow the string to let me know when I was giving-in to getting tired - a smart whack on the forearm is plenty enough to wake you up and get you shooting properly again.

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[Alexlebrit]

Well I get a sharp whack from the outset, whether it's my arm, or the way I hold the bow, but no matter what I do, and believe me I've tried, from the first arrow I'm getting the wake up call.

I do like the bracer above, but I'm wondering how far up the arm it comes?

 

[Kerne]

The bracer (above) only covers the inside of the forearm. If the string is hitting the knob on the bottom of your elbow (technical anatomic term!) then it could be down to holding the bow wrongly. The joint of your elbow should be vertical (so that if you bend it your forearm moves parallel to the ground, rather than upwards at an angle.) (Try having a look at this:
http://library.thinkquest.org/27344/hitarm.htm
You can, however, buy bracers that cover this area as well.

 

[Ogri the trog]

I'd be interested in getting to the bottom of why you think your body shape is so different too. I know that trying to draw too heavy a bow will cause the front shoulder to collapse forward and upward, not only reducing draw length but arm/bracer clearance as well. I often see people new to the sport staring on in wonder as you show how you can rotate your elbow between vertical and horizontal planes while keeping the bow upright. Next comes the bow hand wrist being too bent, pushing the arm closer to the string.

Photos would definately help.

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[Alexlebrit]

See I can rotate my elbow to make it vertical no problem, but I really cannot then get my wrist/bow vertical, believe me, I've been the subject of a variety of archers showing me how, and I can get the bow to about 60° but no further. Whether it's from breaking that wrist as a kid, I don't know.

I doubt I've got a hugely fat elbow or anything, other people's elbows look pretty much the same, but as you say can rotate their wrists further so as not to get clipped by the string.