Beginner's recurve draw weight -- WHAT !!!

Gee Emm Bee

New member
My son, (40 year old, around 6ft tall, of medium build and will probably have a draw length of 29 - 30") is considering having a go at archery.
Several years ago he did dabble a little with a bow but I'd have to consider him a beginner.

My guess is that he would be best starting with limbs of around 24 - 26lbs OTF but I thought I'd have a look on the internet anyway.

On the first Google page that came up I saw this :-

What is a good draw weight for a recurve beginner?

In general, children less than 100 pounds should start with a draw weight of 10 to 15 pounds. Small- and medium-sized adult females should aim for 25 to 35 pounds, while men of average weight should go for 40 to 55 pounds.
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WHAT !!!!! -- "men of average weight should go for 40 to 55 pounds". -- for a BEGINNER ???

WHO WRITES THAT STUFF !!!
:huge: :huge:

I don't personally know anyone who draws anything near 55lbs (recurve) and while there are probably more (top archers), I only know of Brady Ellison with a humungous draw weight like that!

Anyway, I'm really just posting this to ask for draw weight recommendations ???
 

Lammas

Member
Small- and medium-sized adult females should aim for 25 to 35 pounds, while men of average weight should go for 40 to 55 pounds.
It would make sense for compounds. Once you are over the peak, holding it is easy. And many model have a decent rise and are fairly easy to manage.
I'm below "average weight" (about 120 lbs, 5'8"), and started into compound archery with almost 40 lbs. Now I'm at 55.
For comparison, my comfortable recurve draw weight is 30...35 lbs.
 

DaveJW

New member
Minamoto, your son should have little problem with long limbs of 26lb as a starting point. I am similar in height and draw length, although some what older and started out with this weight of limb. A few months shooting these then on to 32lb limbs.
A coach at your club should be able to advise.
 

JohnK

Well-known member
I'm increasingly of the opinion that the lighter the better.

I started out at around 30lbs on the fingers, and after a break, finally got my own bow weighing 40lbs. I was young and strong and got away with it, but I also ended up with form issues that took years to resolve.

My club coaches start everyone - adult and junior - out at under 20lbs on the fingers. The results speak for themselves. I was shooting with a gent yesterday who had an 18lb bow and was putting most of his arrows in the red and gold on a 40cm face at 18m.

Start very light, learn good technique, progress in weight in small increments only and under coach supervision.

Have fun!
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
I agree with the under 20lb idea for beginners. It allows them to learn very easily, without struggling.They can take their time to find their anchor points and draw length that is relaxed.
I think it is also important to have higher weights available( not in large quantities) because one of the drawbacks of low poundage is a lack of " power" in the shots..We have just finished a beginners' course and those who handled the bows easily were put onto higher poundage to find out what they could consider when buying their own bows. Without exception they said they enjoyed the sensation of power from the heavier bows... and they were not struggling either. Even a little 8 year old wanted to try something " harder" because her bow was "too soft" for her.
The power should be exhilarating; not exhausting.
 

Corax67

Well-known member
That’s a silly generalisation and liable to lead to an injury being incurred by a beginner.

I echo the advice already given - start light, develop form & confidence, progress up in weight as required. Shooting needs to be fun and not a battle with the equipment.



Karl
 

ThomVis

Active member
I echo the advice already given - start light, develop form & confidence, progress up in weight as required.
No!
Only go up in weight when you can comfortable handle it. A certain poundage OTF is required to shoot 70m for example, but when the archer cannot handle it, he/she has to face the fact the time for 70m is not there yet.
 

ben tarrow

Well-known member
I too have always advocated light to begin with. Thats why it baffles me that juniors are expected to shoot distances in competitions that require higher poundages than I am comfortable with them shooting. Every time they've just worked up to that poundage, they fall into the next age bracket and can't reach the distances again
 
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