#saracen archery

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Robin Hood (2018)- "I'm Still Here"

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One arrow at a time this time using the Slavic release (index finger over the arrows is called the Sassanid lock)

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(2) Thumb Draw Tutorial and Experience by Derek Bartlett

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Slavic Draw (Archery)

Hi it’s me again. Haven’t posted for a while but didn’t feel up for doing an archery video blog. Anyway, this is basically continuing the practice and experimenting I’ve don…

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When you’re too lazy to drive to the range and decide to practice the Slavic draw out in the snow. Lol

[sapper-in-the-wire-old]

An archer does not merit the title and status of master until he is truly competent and has control over such parts of the body as should be tensed, relaxed, or still…

In the various parts of the body there are thirty-four points to be considered. 

—Of these, twenty are points of tension.

-In the right arm there are eight.

1. The little finger;

2. The ring-finger;

3. The middle-finger;

4. The thumb;

5. The wrist;

6. The elbow;

7. The upper arm;

8. The muscle in the upper part of the forearm. 

-In the left arm there are six:

1. The little finger;

2. The ring-finger;

3. The middle-finger; 

4. The wrist;

5. The elbow;

6. The muscle in the lower part of the forearm.

-In the body there are six:

1. The right flank;

2. The right shoulder;

3 & 4. Each of the shoulder-blades;

5. The spinal column;

6. The belly. 

—Eleven are points of relaxation:

-In the right arm there are two:

1. The index finger;

2. The middle sinew of the forearm.

-In the left arm there are three:

1. The index finger;

2. The thumb;

3. The head of the forearm (i.e. the carpal, or wrist, end of the radius).

-In the body there are four:

1. The left shoulder;

2. The left side;

3. The waist;

4. The neck. 

-In the head there are two:

1 & 2: The lips.

—Three are points of stillness:

1. The heart;

2 & 3. The eyes.

- Ṭaybughā l-Ashrafī l-Baklamishī l-Yūnānī, a 15th Century Mamluk military writer. 

Translated and collected in Saracen Archery, by J. D. Latham, and Lt. Cdr. W. F. Paterson. Now specifically for rapping the wrist:

If the string is rapping your arm, that is indeed a problem, and something you should seek to correct (I am often confused about people bragging about raw wrists). It’s something that is a constant problem, and takes a very long time to get under control - it comes down to the amount of time with the bow. 

However, if you’re using a mediterranean or english draw, it is hard to eliminate completely. Thumb draw experiences rapping much less frequently. (If your fingers on the right side of the string, it will move left when you loose. Conversely, if your thumb is on the left side, the string will move to the right.) 

There are, however, things to keep in mind. Ṭaybughā gives us these following situations: 

"Rapping of the left wrist results from eight causes:

1. Slackness of the grip-fingers;

2. Slackness of the wrist;

3. Protrusion of the shoulder;

4. The internal draw (I’ll explain in a bit)

5. Too long a bowstring

6. Squatting obliquely in the case of an archer with a deep chest;

7. Too long an arrow;

8. Too strong a bow.”

The first thing is the protrusion of the shoulder. Do you know how to “lock” your shoulder? It’s essentially just a rotation of the arm. Start with your left arm in an “L” shape, with your fingers pointing to the sky. Keeping this position, pivot your shoulder so your hand is parallel to the ground. This is the position your shoulder should be in when you fire, with your elbow pointing out to the left, parallel to the ground. Your arm should be straight as well. If you compare the “locked” shoulder to the “unlocked” shoulder, you’ll notice that the unlocked shoulder can move to the left - whereas the locked shoulder cannot. When shooting, this prevents your arm drifting to the left once you’ve loosed. The rotation of the shoulder also helps with the rapping of the wrist.

Too long a bowstring - the largest distance between the body of the bow and the bowstring should at least fit a “thumbs up” fist. Plant the base of your fist on the body of the bow, and your thumb should fit under the bowstring. If it does not, twist the bowstring to make it shorter. 

Slackness of the wrist and hand - a bow will want to rotate in your hand, and if using a mediterranean or english draw, it will rotate into your left arm. Keeping the points of tension as Ṭaybughā details should help with this. 

"The Internal Draw" - Ṭaybughā describes this as when an archer does not draw directly to his knock point, but rather first draws it closely along the inside of his left arm and then sharply deflects the path of his drawing hand outwards across his face. With a tight grip, this results in a twist in the bow, and thus, when loosed, the string will spring over to the left. 

Too strong a bow - This does indeed happen when you’re unused to a poundage. The stress makes one mess up in many different places, slacking of a grip, etc. Practicing, and getting into the bow, will remedy this. 

I’m not sure which of these apply to you, but keep them in your mind as you practice.