String contact marks, on nose and chin?

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
I sometimes see archers with quite obvious string contact marks on the faces which stay visible for long after the shooting ends. Is this a sign that they are pressing their head against the string; tension in the neck perhaps? It isn't just novices who display these marks, they can be seen on some top archers,too.
 

Murray

Well-known member
Ironman
American Shoot
AIUK Saviour
It's a sign that they've got a tight reference. Some coaches (including some internationals) advocate a tight reference, of course the neck then has to stay relaxed otherwise you'll spend your time trying to expand against an unmoving jawbone, which can result in a tightening of all sorts of muscles at the top of the shoulders and neck and a resulting frustration in the execution.

Some Ladies end up with string marks simply because of the depth of makeup they use :)
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
Cheers both.
So the marks are a good sign in one way, but they could be the result of tensions that are not a good thing. They need examination to separate the good from the others.
 

Nightimer

New member
Geoff,didn't you know God was an archer!!
Feel the tip of your nose,there is a little crease in it.
Feel your chin,there is s slight crease in that as well.
God gave us reference points !!!!
 

Simon Banks

Active member
We have a high ranking target archer at our club and he damages his chin with the string..
Seems to spend most of the season with a plaster ;-)

To be fair I use the back of my jaw as an anchor point and I do occasionally swipe my lip, which then swells up and becomes a bigger target.
Fortunately ibugel is fast acting..;-)
 

Vagabond

New member
.... Is this a sign that they are pressing their head against the string; tension in the neck perhaps? It isn't just novices who display these marks, they can be seen on some top archers,too.
Yep, noticed this with the top Korean lady archers.

However, there's a difference between novice & top archers:
Novice: presses head against the string.
Top archer: presses string against the head.

But seriously though...
...how often do you see archers craning their necks forward to touch the string?

V
 

Simon Banks

Active member
Yep, noticed this with the top Korean lady archers.

However, there's a difference between novice & top archers:
Novice: presses head against the string.
Top archer: presses string against the head.

But seriously though...
...how often do you see archers craning their necks forward to touch the string?

V
You know I shot with a master bowman that did just that and moved his head as part of his draw... ;-)

It's guess as long as you can reproduce the draw anything goes..
 

hooktonboy

The American
Ironman
American Shoot
Novice: presses head against the string.
Top archer: presses string against the head.

But seriously though...
...how often do you see archers craning their necks forward to touch the string?


V
Park Sung Hyun.... nothing else to say there....

The difference between the Novice and Top Archer is the key - it's not the mark, but how it's made ;)
 

Jake Bullit

Member
My twelve year old daughter ends up with a sore chin after every weekly shoot ,we get in trouble with her mother when we get home.
Tried a plaster but it doesn't stick.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
Hi Jake, It sounds as if the string may be rubbing along your daughter's jaw as it starts forwards after release. The string should start to move forwards away from the skin at the front of the chin, not rub along the side. I am not saying that is the problem, just that it could be.
 

Jake Bullit

Member
Thanks Geoff she actually anchors on the centre of her chin, below the tip of her nose.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2
 

Vagabond

New member
Park Sung Hyun.... nothing else to say there....
The difference between the Novice and Top Archer is the key - it's not the mark, but how it's made
And just to illustrate this, click on the links below & enjoy...:poulies:

Park Sung-Hyun - 15th Asian Games (still photo):
Park Sung Hyun Photos - 15th Asian Games Doha 2006 - Day Eleven - Zimbio

Park Sung-Hyun - Athens (video - 3 mins):
South Korea's Park Sung-Hyun Wins Amazing Archery Gold - Athens 2004 Olympics - YouTube


V
 

Simian

Supporter
Supporter
Geoff,didn't you know God was an archer!!
Feel the tip of your nose,there is a little crease in it.
Feel your chin,there is s slight crease in that as well.
God gave us reference points !!!!
I was reading an archaeology magazine a few months ago which had an article where the author claimed to have found evidence for archery at 80kya. If they're correct, then the chances are that people have been using bows for long enough for it to have had an effect on the species. Cleft chins wouldn't have been first on my list of possible evolved features though...

Simon.
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
Hi Jake,
Thanks Geoff she actually anchors on the centre of her chin, below the tip of her nose.
That is a good place to start from. I wonder then, if the rubbing is a sideways movement of the string as she releases. Or, is there some roughness on the string centre serving at the point of contact?
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
I have that on my desktop, so simply done. But the simplicity hides the hours of refinement needed to get beyond the clumsiness that is plain to see when we start.
 

gster123

New member
Hi Jake,

That is a good place to start from. I wonder then, if the rubbing is a sideways movement of the string as she releases. Or, is there some roughness on the string centre serving at the point of contact?
New string/serving I always end up with a cut/graze on my chin. Its not from the anchor as such but the little bit of movement on release.
 
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