How tightly should I hold my bow?

Lightly. Many coaches teach letting the bow push into a relaxed hand rather than squeezing it, because tight fingers tend to twist the riser. A finger or wrist sling lets the bow jump forward after the shot without falling.

Why do I miss left and right?

Left and right misses have several causes, and grip pressure is a common one: a hand that twists the riser, or pressure that moves from shot to shot. Others include release, anchor, string clearance and tune. Shoot at close range on a blank bale and watch the bow hand to rule grip in or out.

Tlak na rukojeť

Grip pressure is how the bow hand holds and pushes against the grip through the shot. Where the pressure sits and how tightly the fingers close both affect torque, the twisting of the bow, so consistent, relaxed pressure is a foundation of repeatable shooting. Many coaches teach letting the bow push into the hand.

Detaily

As you draw, the bow pushes back into your bow hand. If the hand grips tightly, the fingers can twist the riser one way or the other, and the bow reacts differently from shot to shot. That torque often shows up as left and right misses that look like aiming errors. A relaxed hand lets the bow settle into the same place every time.

Where the pressure sits matters as much as how hard. Many coaches teach putting it into the fleshy pad at the base of the thumb, on the thumb side of the lifeline, with the knuckles angled rather than wrapped around the grip; a low-wrist grip moves more of it towards the heel of the hand. Whatever the grip shape, pressure that wanders from shot to shot changes how the bow reacts, even with a relaxed hand.

Many target archers use a finger or wrist sling, which World Archery's target rules allow, so the bow can stay in a relaxed hand at the shot without falling. A bow that jumps forward and is caught by the sling is normal; grabbing at the bow as the arrow leaves is a habit worth losing, and it often goes with anticipating the shot.

Work on grip pressure at close range, on a blank bale, with your eyes on the bow hand rather than the target. Shoot a few arrows, check the hand at follow-through, and adjust one thing at a time. A coach watching from the side and front sees torque you cannot feel.

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How tightly should I hold my bow?: Lightly. Many coaches teach letting the bow push into a relaxed hand rather than squeezing it, because tight fingers tend to twist the riser. A finger or wrist sling lets the bow jump forward after the shot without falling.
Why do I miss left and right?: Left and right misses have several causes, and grip pressure is a common one: a hand that twists the riser, or pressure that moves from shot to shot. Others include release, anchor, string clearance and tune. Shoot at close range on a blank bale and watch the bow hand to rule grip in or out.