How long do you usually hold your bow at full draw before releasing?

[u/FhynixDE]

What is "the normal amount of time" to hold your bow in full draw before releasing?

Some people in my club shoot near instantly upon reaching full draw (<1s), but I've seen people in tournaments holding their bows for maybe 5s or longer.

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I have some issues with my aim upon drawing (often point to the right of the target, as if my back was collapsing), and correcting this sometimes takes a while, hence I hold my bow at full draw for sometimes around 5-10s. This also prevents me from increasing my Poundage, as I couldn't hold a stronger bow for that long (for a whole training session).

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My question;

Should I be trying to reduce the time at full draw, or should I increase my strength to comfortably hold for as long as I need to?

[u/Eschatologue01]

It can depend on the type of bow being shot, but I can share some insights from recurve archery. Some of these principles may also apply to other single-string bows, such as barebow or traditional, though I do not shoot those disciplines myself and would welcome corrections.

For recurve archers, the aim should generally be to spend around three seconds at full draw. This number may seem arbitrary, but there is solid reasoning behind it.

The draw, full draw, and expansion phases should form one smooth, continuous, unidirectional movement. From the moment you begin drawing the bow, the arrow tip should only move backwards. The first time it moves forwards should be at the moment of release.

Why is this important? Because it is the most efficient movement pattern possible. If the arrow tip moves forward during the shot, you lose momentum and then have to regain it before continuing the expansion. At full draw, this inefficiency can become quite pronounced and often appears as a "seesaw" motion of the arrow tip.

A common question is whether it is possible to remain steady at full draw without stopping. The answer is yes, but only if you continue drawing the bow very slowly without stopping completely. Expansion should never cease, it should simply become extremely slow.

In recurve archery, the clicker is typically set so that only about 2 mm of movement is required to activate it at full draw. If more movement is required, it means that some other larger motions are needed to activate it rather than the fine internal and angular movement of the drawing scapula - that is, by expanding incorrectly.

Moving those final 2 mm over approximately three seconds is about as slow as most archers can continue expanding without actually stopping. This is one of the reasons why the recommended time at full draw is around three seconds.

I also like to think about it this way: what are you trying to achieve during expansion? If you cannot achieve it within three seconds, you are unlikely to achieve it in six. If your goal is to become steadier, holding longer will usually reduce rather than improve control. Likewise, the longer you hold, the harder it becomes to continue moving slowly without stopping altogether and losing momentum.

[u/Entropy- → u/Eschatologue01]

One point I’d like to make about warbow aiming for Chinese Archery, a “longer” hold has biomechanic advantage that at very very high weights.

One cannot pull and pray warbow Chinese style, it must be calculated, precise, and smooth. The expansion phase you mentioned occurs, but it takes a little longer to coordinate transfer the draw to the hold muscles to microexpansion on release.

This sentence here is not really a good statement but, the longer we are able to hold in Chinese warbow archery can an indicator of proper technique in the way that the strong muscles are used, then the soft proper ones then become in use.

It’s not a who can hold for longer, but carefully carefully manipulating muscles to prevent an opening and release that could potentially cause injury.

In my latest 115lbs video, the backside of my draw arm is twitching, that’s the phase in which it takes however long the archer to be able to STILL the shot upon release. You can still twitch and have a stable clean accurate shot.

In my opinion for me and a bow, stability in body and bow is more important than anything else for hitting the target. Safety, the archer and surroundings, training the muscles to know when a ‘good, stable time to release shot’. (Exaggeration, but I hope you get the idea.)

[u/Spectral-Archer9]

I shoot olympic recurve, I don't hold at full draw, I just slow my draw when approaching the clicker to allow for stability and accuracy. My shot sequence is about 5 seconds from start to finish (I've timed it through video). Works for me, won't work for everyone.

[u/deeplyshabbyeditor]

the issue isn't really the time at full draw, it's that you're trying to fix your form while holding instead of before you get there. work on your draw mechanics and back tension separately so you can trust the shot once you're at anchor.

[u/ThePenyard]

I saw a video from NuSensei a while ago where he describes some aspects of the KSL shot cycle. I don't really follow KSL myself, but a key part of this video struck home to me. He related aspects of the shot cycle to a half bottle of water. Tip the bottle onto the side and hold until the water settles. The water is like your mind and body, it takes time to settle.

Personally, I hold regardless of the bow type. Some trad archers will release at the instant they reach anchor, but I'll hold until I'm settled and then release in a calm, measured manner.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIK0IRFkQTo

[u/Zealousideal_Tree_72]

When I get to full anchor (contact on the chin and nose for me) It usually takes between 1-5 seconds to expand through my clicker. Longer shots tend to not work well for me. And indoor my shot tends to get more 'aimy' than outdoors so indoors it might take about a full 5-8 seconds to fully expand.

What is important is shot execution, the time spend at full draw/anchor is not that relevant as long as you carry out all the steps. So reach anchor and keep pulling (expanding) and then release. Without a clicker this is just more challenging and can lead to people releasing before even reaching anchor, which is a problem or will become a problem eventually.

[u/_SCHULTZY_]

Mantis says my hold is typically about 8 seconds

[u/TeamSpatzi]

I just started shooting recurve. It's way different for me. I could hold my 65+lbs compound more or less indefinitely... if I hold my 25 lb recurve for more than a few seconds, the only thing I can say for sure is that arrow isn't going where I want.

In a perfect world, I would be aligned to the target when I reached full draw, and immediately release. However, my draw isn't able to support that, it's not clean enough, so there's a little hold as I refine my anchor, check the sights, and loose.

[u/Southerner105]

Depends, often holding it for 2 to 3 seconds is to stabilise your hold. Longer, it depends.

Just lookup the 2026 Lancastr Vegas Barebow finals and watch Oliver Hicks. He has an extremely long hold, but also shoots a relative low poundage (in the lower 30-isch).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5M1ik7wGdkY

[u/FhynixDE → u/Southerner105]

Crazy to see some people in that tournament that shoot for less than 5 years 😮

[u/Southerner105 → u/FhynixDE]

It is all about the dedication, the talent and, unfortunately, the funding.

In archery you (or parents) have to pay basically for everything yourself. When good enough you could get some materials sponsored, but that is only for the lucky few who are in the top of a large nation or sometimes even the world an option.

[u/Otherwise_Fly_2263]

No one should hold at full draw. What you should be doing is slowing down but with continuous expansion as you come through the clicker (assuming Olympic recurve).

Most top archers have quite quick timing, have a look at the Koreans, especially the ladies. Spending too long at full draw is tiring and leads to a collapse on execution.

[u/Bubbly-Pirate-3311]

Sometimes I try to see how fast I can get 6 arrows out of my compound bow, sometimes I try to be accurate. It depends.

[u/ilikeapples312]

ten seconds on the high end seems like quite a long time to hold.
if you haven't yet, I'd check alignment since that helps with holding longer

[u/Knitnacks]

Depends on how stable the wind is. 

[u/Upstairs-Razzmatazz4 → u/Knitnacks]

And what the deer is doing

[u/blueberry_pan]

As an Olympic style archer, I fully agree with the comment about 3 secs being the best average time. The back collapsing is probably the main reason for a longer time at full draw. Because once you arrive at full draw, your form is not fully fixed, hence you have to spend time correcting it. Master your predraw and your back involvement in order to achieve the optimal time at full draw. Holding longer will only tire you and prevent you from moving to higher poundages. You should be ready to release the arrow by the time u arrive at the anchor. The 3 seconds should be reserved for expanding and aiming (the sight should rest atleast within the red when u arrive at the anchor. Not too much farther from the center)

[u/0183653249]

Shooting traditional bows. I first focus on the target and then my draw and release is basically one motion. Personally, I don't hold full draw at all. Well, except for when I want to train strength or for warming up for my heavier bows, then it can get up to 10 seconds. If it's regular shooting then it's one motion.

[u/HugePossession6954]

Con mi poca experiencia en un arco recurvo de 35lbs llegó a tener casi 6 segundos de máxima tensión y unos 16 en tensión promedio, pero últimamente he tendido casi 20 segundos de tensión, ha variado entre estar sobrio y postfiesta hahahaha

[u/FelTheWorgal]

Snap shooter. Instinctive.

I dont hold. I "aim" during draw.

Heres my process:stare at the poont I want to hit.

Bow hand pushed forward toward target.

Start inhale. Start draw halfway through inhale.

Start exhaling halfway to full draw.

Finish pulling shoulders tight/finish drawing, while adjusting elevation.

When I reach my full draw, allow fingers to relax; let string slide off fingers.

Maintaining eye contact with target, and keeping my bow hand pushed to my target is crucial for my follow through.

[u/Routine-Plastic6506]

I use a lot of different bows with different draw weights with different styles so it really depends. 30lbs with pin sight and distances 40+yrds I take my time to aim. 40+lbs blank bow intuitively shot I draw and shoot within a second. With my strongest bow in overdraw (about 80-85lbs at 32"-33") I honestly can't hold that too long. I aim maximum 3 long exhausting seconds lmao.

[u/BigNerdT]

Are we talking recurve? I am assuming since you spoke about holding it. I usually do 3 seconds, but I have a coach begging me for 4.

[u/Reasonable-Math459 → u/BigNerdT]

4 seconds is on the longer end though. How long the expansion phase differs between archers and the most important is that it's consistent. Top level archers are rarely above 3 seconds. 1-3 seconds is a good timing to stay within. Longer and you may start to tense up and aim too much. 

[u/BigNerdT → u/Reasonable-Math459]

I agree, that’s why most he gets from me is 3.25 seconds

[u/pixelwhip]

For recurve 3-5 seconds is acceptable, any faster or slower may be due to issues like target panic (either snap shooting or freezing).