Drawing to the ear or chest, aiming and anchoring?

[Nance]

In days past, longbow archers have been known to draw to the ear or even to the chest (clavicle). Sunday was my first clout shoot and to get most out of my bow and light arrows I drew the full 28 inches. The string gave a satisfying twang and my arrows just got to the furthest clout at 140 meters. To do this I tried drawing to the ear but got smacked in the face with the string. Don't worry, no damage done. So I changed it to the chest (clavicle). No more smacking and the arrows landed really close. I have to work on form through the hips though.

I normally use a jaw anchor with the cock feather just touching my cheek at the corner of my mouth. I use that to check for height differences. The string touches my eyebrow.

I liked the long draw even if it's a tad too long for me. How would you use it for normal target archery? How would you get consistency? Can you use anchor or touch points etc.? How did they do it?

[Pat B]

I anchor with my index finger at the corner of my mouth and release as soon as I get there. Where you anchor doesn't matter as long as it is the same every time. Consistency in shooting comes with consistent anchor and consistent release. I had a friend that drew to the center of his chest. Looked goofy but he shot as well as anyone because he was consistent.
 Once you find the most comfortable anchor point stick with it. Your brain will make any corrections for you.

[Urufu_Shinjiro]

I use a thumb ring and anchor with my thumb knuckle resting in that hollow spot behind the jaw under the ear. Like Pat said, consistency is key.

[Nance]

I wondered about consistency. Drawing to the ear may get you a more consistent form than drawing to the chest. My husband shoots with a thumb ring also and he draws even beyond the ear, with the fletchings on his face as a touch point.

This is more of an interest question. I really like history and when I get to shoot like days past, it really makes me smile. I'm actually overdrawing when I draw back that far with a Mediterranean draw so I won't really be using it besides distance shooting.

[Urufu_Shinjiro]

I have really long arms so when I draw to just under the ear with the thumb ring it's about 33"-34" (I use a 35" bamboo arrow meant for Japanese Yumi). Traditionally the Manchus drew almost to their draw arm shoulder (keeping in mind these were smaller people) and practically leaned into the middle of the bow. They used the lower string across their chest as an anchor point.

[Tracker0721]

I've shot with my ear as a anchor before, most people don't realize that their head isn't straight on with the target till the string clips your cheek! Common problem I've seen with new traditionalist. It feels awkward at first but after a few shots or having someone take a picture of you at full draw you'll see. But I shoot best drawing till my knuckle slides behind my cheek bone and fingers are just behind my lips.

[Urufu_Shinjiro]

Also with thumb ring the arrow being on the "far" side of the bow you have much less chance of getting slapped with the string either face or arm.

[Nance]

I have really long arms so when I draw to just under the ear with the thumb ring it's about 33"-34" (I use a 35" bamboo arrow meant for Japanese Yumi). Traditionally the Manchus drew almost to their draw arm shoulder (keeping in mind these were smaller people) and practically leaned into the middle of the bow. They used the lower string across their chest as an anchor point.

Wooooow.... That is a HUGE.
My husband tries to follow Gao Yings methods and what his body tells him. 32" is almost at his max. Any further and you can see that he starts to overdraw.

[loon]

I have really long arms so when I draw to just under the ear with the thumb ring it's about 33"-34" (I use a 35" bamboo arrow meant for Japanese Yumi). Traditionally the Manchus drew almost to their draw arm shoulder (keeping in mind these were smaller people) and practically leaned into the middle of the bow. They used the lower string across their chest as an anchor point.

Wooooow.... That is a HUGE.
My husband tries to follow Gao Yings methods and what his body tells him. 32" is almost at his max. Any further and you can see that he starts to overdraw.

Wow... same. I'm 6'1" or 6'2"..

[Nance]

My husband is only 5'10" haha.

I would like to get that extra speed from gaining that one inch in draw length. My draw length is 27"ish. But I'm not willing to give up accuracy.

[bradsmith2010]

if your arrows landed really close at 140 yards , you can tell there is the potential for accuracy with the lower anchor,,
it may not be practical for short range target shots,, but if you practice it , it can be accurate,,
when I shot clout shoots, I would anchor under my chin,,, and there is no reason why you can't have a different anchor for your normal close range shots,, and a clout shoot anchor,one of the best archers I know did this,,, one of the guys I competed against had a very low from the chest anchor,, and he shot better than most,, good luck with your shooting,,

[jayman448]

Its absolutely practical. Look how ishi shot. Right to the chest was his anvhir and he did weel enough to survive. Peraonally i use middle finger at the corner of my mouth, my thumb lands behind my jaw, cock featger touches the tipof my nose. I like the three anchor points. I found for me getting my thumb behind my jaw was very very important

[loon]

My husband is only 5'10" haha.

I would like to get that extra speed from gaining that one inch in draw length. My draw length is 27"ish. But I'm not willing to give up accuracy.

32" draw length from the belly? That's a bit past the earlobe for me, and my armspan's roughly equal to my height. But I dunno. That's also with a collapsed bow hand, so putting the bow only on the web of the hand like Gao Ying would probably give me an extra inch.

With a longer draw, you can anchor with the arrow on the lips or something, maybe right above the lips. Also, Gao Ying argues for drawing to the arrowhead. Did I post something about drawing either to the arrowhead or to some wrapping (felt by thumb and/or middle finger w/ arrow on the outside?) on the arrow somewhere else? I don't really find a shorter draw more accurate so far... the corner of the mouth is fleshy, it's not an exact anchor. The head moves. Don't know if/how some of the great archers got around that..
Something about muscle memory of the back and Gao Ying going on about "true full draw" and how sometimes longer arrows may be okay.

[jayman448]

My husband is only 5'10" haha.

I would like to get that extra speed from gaining that one inch in draw length. My draw length is 27"ish. But I'm not willing to give up accuracy.

 I don't really find a shorter draw more accurate so far... the corner of the mouth is fleshy, it's not an exact anchor. The head moves. Don't know if/how some of the great archers got around that..
Something about muscle memory of the back and Gao Ying going on about "true full draw" and how sometimes longer arrows may be okay.

exactly because of the corner of the mouth being fleshy is why i use the corner of the mouth AND the fletching to the nose AND my thumb hooked behind my jaw. realize too that anchor is a poor word as your form should follow through (unless you practice a static release) therefore your not really anchoring there but referring to that spot as a crucial midpoint of the shot