[Horsebow] Thumbring conundrum for right handed archer

chuffalump

Well-known member
So...I was under the impression that the arrow sits on the left of the bow with a med release due to archers paradox (sort of) and the way the string coming off the fingers effects the nock end of the arrow. I was also under the impression that thumbring release required the arrow on the right hand side of the bow as the string reaction on release was opposite to Mediterranean.

Why do all the archers in the traditional Mongolian archery video I've just watched have the arrow on the left side but appear to be using thumbrings?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5jLMOzsClQ

Is this a case of a 'mechanical myth'? Or is it correct and the Mongolians are experts at compensating for the flight differences or....?????
 
D

Deleted member 7654

Guest
With these questions I like to experiment and find out for yourself. Become your own expert, there is no shortage of people who will offer second hand advice and perpetuate nonsense.
I'd guess...
Nope...
I'm not going to blether on about stuff I haven't actually done!
Del
 

Rik

Supporter
Supporter
Well, just because a large group of people does things one way, doesn't necessarily mean that it's right....
(That argument could be applied to either the mongolian archers, or the kyudo archers who do the opposite... :) )
 

chuffalump

Well-known member
I think I will experiment Del. As Rik says, there could be one group of archers who just never 'got it' or maybe this group of Mongolians were all taught by someone who didn't know what they were doing. Or the string reaction just ain't that important. Or Mongolians cant their bows more than Koreans. I think that canting would be easier for a right handed archer if the arrow us on the left. So many possibilities. 😀
 

chuffalump

Well-known member
Found a couple of videos showing the arrow on the same side as the string hand. Including one where the teacher was left handed and the student right handed but both put the arrow on the left???? What's happening to the world where correct archery technique is a free flowing, do as you please, affair? 😀😀😀
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
Is it possible that the draw hand is using a thumb ring, but also it looks as if the index finger is rubbing on the string at full draw? Could it be that the index finger is last to be cleared by the string and acts a bit like shooting the usual way?
The lady in red at1m 49sec seems to show that.
 

chuffalump

Well-known member
Could be. The thumbring was so well concealed that I wondered if they where using a 'third way'. Maybe a good thumb release is like a compound mechanical release.
 

Rik

Supporter
Supporter
Could be. The thumbring was so well concealed that I wondered if they where using a 'third way'. Maybe a good thumb release is like a compound mechanical release.
I suspect so. WA seems to count a thumb ring as a release aid, in any case...
 

blakey

Active member
So...I was under the impression that the arrow sits on the left of the bow with a med release due to archers paradox (sort of) and the way the string coming off the fingers effects the nock end of the arrow. I was also under the impression that thumbring release required the arrow on the right hand side of the bow as the string reaction on release was opposite to Mediterranean.

Why do all the archers in the traditional Mongolian archery video I've just watched have the arrow on the left side but appear to be using thumbrings?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5jLMOzsClQ

Is this a case of a 'mechanical myth'? Or is it correct and the Mongolians are experts at compensating for the flight differences or....?????
I'm no expert but I do play around with horse bows. I've seen trad Mongolians shoot off the left side of the riser before. I'm wondering whether there's a difference in technique between horse archers and foot soldiers. From horseback they seem to shoot with a canted bow with a pronounced wrist rotation forcing the arrow up against the right side of the bow. With the distance foot archery though they seem to have a vertical bow, without the need for so much pressure on the arrow, and can shoot off the left side. I've tried this and it's quite doable, especially if you push in against the arrow with your index finger. If you tried it on horseback though the arrow would bounce off. My feeling is that it might be a more accurate technique, because if you shoot off the left side you can sight down the arrow, whereas if you shoot off the right side you are in effect looking through the riser. :)
 

Riceburner

Active member
It's interesting that quite a few of them 'appear' to be stringwalking as well - not sure if that's actually stringwalking (as we understand it), or simply the technique the archer has learnt. (see about 2.00 in the video).
 

chuffalump

Well-known member
Aye. I saw one with his string grip quite a way below the arrow nock. I also saw another video where it looked like the archer was putting a biro mark on his hand as a sight aid.

There's a great old black and white video where they shoot off the right side though. I tried watching some mounted shooting but it was all too quick and jerky for me to tell which side was used.

Can't wait to try both.

EDIT Not the mounted stuff. There are limits on what I'll spend. :D
 

tony08

New member
So...I was under the impression that the arrow sits on the left of the bow with a med release due to archers paradox (sort of) and the way the string coming off the fingers effects the nock end of the arrow. I was also under the impression that thumbring release required the arrow on the right hand side of the bow as the string reaction on release was opposite to Mediterranean.

Why do all the archers in the traditional Mongolian archery video I've just watched have the arrow on the left side but appear to be using thumbrings?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5jLMOzsClQ

Is this a case of a 'mechanical myth'? Or is it correct and the Mongolians are experts at compensating for the flight differences or....?????
I've always been told that too. I tried to draw my 50lb with my thumb but it put too much strain on it, so I gave up on that idea and now shoot 3 fingers under. Can't be more help than that I'm afraid. The vid was interesting as the arrows they were using in the first half have a kind of collar just below the blunt points, which contacts the bow hand when the optimum draw length has been reached. Should improve consistency without slowing the arrow too much.

I string and face walk btw. Gets the pile on the target at 20y. I'm well below the nocking point and the horse bow doesn't seem to mind one bit.
 

chuffalump

Well-known member
Carrying on the thread. It's been said that a thumb ring counts as a release aid meaning that you can't shoot in any GNAS category in competition.... Except possibly compound :D. How about a thumb TAB? Others have mentioned using a leather patch and I've just acquired a nifty little thumb tab off the net. No idea how long it will last but, for only a few quid, it seems like good value. I can hold a full draw without serious pain but haven't actually shot with it yet. I'm pretty sure that a thumb tab can't be classed as a release aid.

Of course this just opens up the barebow category whereas I'd really like to try out against the longbows.
 

Riceburner

Active member
Carrying on the thread. It's been said that a thumb ring counts as a release aid meaning that you can't shoot in any GNAS category in competition.... Except possibly compound :D. How about a thumb TAB? Others have mentioned using a leather patch and I've just acquired a nifty little thumb tab off the net. No idea how long it will last but, for only a few quid, it seems like good value. I can hold a full draw without serious pain but haven't actually shot with it yet. I'm pretty sure that a thumb tab can't be classed as a release aid.

Of course this just opens up the barebow category whereas I'd really like to try out against the longbows.

Where did you get it from?

I made myself a thumb tab - but don't have the strength in the thumb to hold 55lbs!
 

azw409

New member
Great video. I tried this and my arrows went way left so much so that it could actually be a useful technique for shooting around corners ! Thumb release was fine on the right though, except that I haven't figured out a useful anchor yet.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
 

blakey

Active member
This one came from Amazon. Via China.

Tried it out and watched my arrows vanish off to the right. More knowledge required.
I've been playing around with tab thickness to counter this. A thicker tab seems to move the arrow left, and thinner goes right. This is with a 3 under tab. I suppose leather thumb tabs might work the same? I seem to remember somewhere reading that the Romans used leather thumb tabs sometimes? I did make some up years ago out of thick cow hide. I can't remember how they went. I'll try and find them and give them a go. :)
 

Riceburner

Active member
This one came from Amazon. Via China.

Tried it out and watched my arrows vanish off to the right. More knowledge required.
I've only used mine at short range (indoors too!), tbh I was impressed that I kept them mostly on the boss!

FWIW I made mine out of the outer-material from a work boot I found in a ditch.
 
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