Hey guys, this is a very quick video covering a very
common beginner question when buying a bow.
And that is the question of whether you get left- or right-handed equipment.
This usually pops up because there are various items
and accessories which go on the left side for example
but are labelled as right-handed.
Thus, causing a bit of confusion.
This video will not talk about whether or not you should
shoot right- or left-handed - that's a different video.
But rather, if you have chosen which hand to shoot with
which accessories should you be buying.
The first thing you have to recognise is, are you a
left-handed or right-handed shooter?
This is based on the hand you pull the string with.
So, in my case, I draw the string with my right hand.
I hold the bow in my left hand, but I shoot with my right hand.
This makes me a right-handed shooter.
And, likewise, if I pull the string with my left hand
I am a left-handed shooter.
It is not based on which hand you hold the bow with.
So, if I hold the bow in my left hand, I am a right-handed
shooter, not a left-handed shooter.
This is where most people get it confused, because
I'm holding with my left hand, am I a left-handed shooter?
No.
It's the hand you pull the string with,
this is your shooting hand, or your string hand.
Everything you get, will be based on this hand.
So for me, as a right-handed shooter, pulling the
string with my right hand, all my accessories, all my
components, will be labelled right-handed.
The first and most important example, is the bow.
This is a right-handed bow, or in this case it's a riser.
I shoot with my right hand and I hold the bow in my left.
So, I need to buy a right-handed bow, this is what it looks like.
Bow in left hand, shooting with the right - right-handed riser or bow.
Now this is a common question, can I shoot a
right-handed bow, left-handed?
So, I don't know why people do this, there are various
reasons, some people say its for speed shooting,
or some people feel more comfortable shooting the opposite side.
Generally, its so uncommon and unorthodox
that people don't suggest this.
Coaches won't suggest this, shops won't suggest this.
If you are in to traditional or speed shooting methods,
you may want to get an ambidextrous bow or otherwise
a traditional bow.
That's what the technique is based off.
You wouldn't really want to be using a traditional
hunting bow like the Sage or an Olympic bow
with the opposite hand - it's just so strange.
To me, is like asking, you know, I like wearing my
shoes back-to-front, or like, wearing my boxing gloves
in reverse.
It may be your preference, but there are a lot of things
which don't work because the way the bows are made.
So, the left and right hands aren't interchangable
and there are a few reasons why.
Firstly, the shape of the grip is moulded for the correct hand.
This will depend on the model that you are using.
Some models are more ergonomic than others
but you can see in this right-handed model I am holding
in reverse here, that it is actually shaped to fit my
left hand perfectly.
So when I hold it, from this angle,
you can see it sits nicely along my thumb.
You can see from this angle, or from this angle even,
when I put my hand on the grip, it's meant to be a
comfortable feel.
It sits nicely because it is shaped for my left hand.
Now can I hold this right-handed? Well, I can.
But it just doesn't fit right, because for example,
the big bulging part which is supposed to sit on the
meaty part of the hand, it's not there.
So, I am going to have a very different feel and balance.
So, its not going to feel right.
I could, and I can't see why I can't do this, but it would
feel very strange.
I'm not going to grip the bow correctly.
You can build this up, people might use like, tape or
some kind of polymer to build it up.
But, I don't know, I would rather be shooting the correct hand.
Rather than trying to re-shape the grip to shoot opposite hand.
Another reason why you can't shoot opposite handed is
because the window of the riser is cut out on one side.
So you can only place the arrow on one side.
So, as a right-handed shooter, this makes sense to me
because everything I'm looking at, is inside this window
which is on the correct side of the bow.
If I shoot opposite handed, it's on the wrong side.
The arrow goes here, my face is here, I'm lining this way.
I can't see the arrow and all the things are in the wrong place.
Again, if you shoot traditional style, like Korean or horsebow style,
you are meant to put it on the opposite side.
But, you shoot with a different technique.
These things don't translate very well to Olympic style
archery, so if you using one of these bows,
the Western style bows that do have a sight cut-out
I generally don't recommend you use these if you are
shooting an unorthodox side.
So if you are doing a Lars Anderson, these bows aren't
very well suited for it.
If you are doing speed shooting of any sort,
or traditional Korean archery,
you should use the bows these were designed for.
This doesn't work too well.
In regard to the accessories you use for your bow,
some are ambidextrous, for others, are specifically
made for left- or right-handed shooters.
In regards to sights, some sights - especially cheap ones -
are ambidextrous because their mounting block
can be turned on either side of the riser.
Whereas other sights, like the Shibuya Ultima, are
machined for a particular side.
So, as a right-handed shooter, I do have to pick
the right-handed model and only then will the
mounting block and the sight bar be correctly configured for me.
If you are using an elevated arrow rest, most of these
are based on hand.
As a right-handed shooter again, a right-handed rest
goes on the left side of the bow.
Cheap ones like the Hoyt Super Rest and many of the
low mid-range magnetic rests are specified for your
shooting hand.
Whereas some of the high end ones, like the Shibuya
Ultima which I am using right here.
These aren't rated for particular hand because they can
be flipped around and placed on the other side.
So, one of these, can be used ambidextrously.
Plungers have no sides.
Clickers have no sides.
Finger tab is quite obvious, it goes in the hand you are
shooting with, so in my case, I am right-handed,
I should be using a right-handed finger tab.
Arm guards don't have a hand, they go in either
direction, so they are easy.
Alright, quivers.
Quivers go on the side you shoot with your hand.
So for me as a right-handed shooter, I'm using
a right-handed quiver
and this clips on, over my right hip.
So, this is the side I shoot with.
Now, some people and a very small minority do this,
they choose to put the quiver on the same side as their bow.
There's nothing wrong with this, It's kind of clumsy
because it might get in the way.
You have to reach across your bow to get arrows.
Whereas, having the arrows on the same side as your
shooting hand means it is much easier to get arrows and load.
So, normally your quiver is the same side as your hand.
Right-handed, right-handed quiver.
Finally and probably the least intuitive piece of
equipment, is the chest guard.
This is a right-handed chest guard.
It goes over my left chest.
You might be thinking, why is it a right-handed chest guard?
It's because it is based on the hand you shoot with.
So for me, I shoot right-handed, the string comes across
my left chest, so therefore, I need a right-handed chest guard.
So, while some things may seem a little confusing.
Remember, to simplify things, you only use what you label yourself as.
If you are a right-handed shooter, all your accesories
are right-handed, be it a sight, an arrow rest, a quiver or a chest guard.
You don't have to worry about left side or right side,
it's just your shooting hand.
Anyway, don't feel bad if this was one of your
embarrassing questions, this is something which does
puzzle some people and it's nice to know.
Anyway, this is NUSensei,
I hope you have found this helpful.
Thank you for watching and I'll see you next time.