Although getting a bow may seem complex
It really comes down to making several important decisions
such as how much you want to spend
and what you want to use your bow for.
One of the most important things you have to consider
is what draw weight you want to get.
Draw weight, in simple terms, is a measurement of how strong the bow is in pounds.
This isn't to be confused with bow weight, which is the mass of the bow.
Draw weight is measured to an industry standard of a 28 inch draw.
That means if your bow is rated at 30 pounds, that means at 28 inches it is exactly 30 pounds.
There are some variables.
Having a longer draw length means that the actual draw weight on your fingers
will be a little higher.
Likewise, having a shorter draw length
will mean that you aren't drawing to the rated poundage.
There's nothing bad about either of these situations.
This simply means that the draw weight on your fingers
isn't the same as what's printed on your limbs.
The bow length is also a factor.
If you're buying a standalone bow like the Samick Sage,
that draw weight is more or less measured for that particular setup.
If you're putting together an ILF bow like an Olympic-style takedown
you can start mixing and matching things like short, medium and long risers and limbs.
Typically speaking, for a given poundage, a longer bow will have a lower draw weight
because the limbs aren't efficiently loaded.
Basically, if you have longer arms or a shorter bow
the draw weight will be higher than what it says.
So you may want to consider that when choosing your draw weight.
Many ILF risers also allow small adjustments on the limb pocket
which changes the way the limb sits in the riser
which in turn can change the draw weight by 5-10%.
Okay, technical stuff aside.
What draw weight should you pick?
The biggest variable is how fit you are.
Naturally, if you are stronger, you can use a heavier bow.
If you aren't very strong, you can use a lighter bow.
But there are some things you have to consider.
The first is that archery uses muscles that most people typically haven't developed.
We're looking at back muscles and even shoulder muscles.
So even if you consider yourself to be strong
you may still struggle with a heavy bow.
I've worked with this huge biker guy with bulging arms and he was shaking with a 20lb
bow.
And while many teenagers can easily handle a 18lb bow
Some adults can't.
I've worked with men and women who couldn't draw a bow
without their bodies crumpling like paper.
That's no fun.
Not everyone is made equal.
So it's important to pick the right weight for you
if you want to get the maximum enjoyment.
The figures I've giving you are very rough.
For teenagers, for your first bow
you may be looking between 12 pounds and 24 pounds
depending on your age and your fitness.
For adults, many choose between 18 and 34 pounds.
And again, when in doubt go for a lower draw weight.
If you're having trouble visualising what the poundage feels like
imagine carrying shopping bags.
If you're shooting a 40 pound bow, think of it this way.
Can you lift two 20 pound shopping bags comfortably?
Remember, you'll be shooting for hours at a time.
So you need the strength and endurance.
This isn't the best analogy, but it should give you a rough idea.
You also have to learn proper technique
which is immensely difficult if the bow is too heavy.
Having worked with a few archers with new equipment
I'll say that starting on too high a draw weight can ruin your archery career.
It's a hard thing to say, but many people pick up bad habits
by starting on a heavy draw weight
and they are very hard to unlearn.
You may never reach the point where you can physically and comfortably
shoot your bow.
If you're really overbowed, you do risk injury.
Yes, some people start on a 40 pound pr a 45 pound bow
and some people can handle it, but not everyone.
I've rarely seen someone who started on a high poundage bow
actually shoot well.
Don't feel like a wimp for starting on a 20 pound bow.
A lot of people do.
And it's a lot easier to learn with a light bow and then move up
to a heavier draw weight.
Buy new limbs and move up in five pound increments or more
if you feel like you can handle it.
I should note that in many jurisdictions,
there is a minimum draw weight for hunting.
This can be 40, maybe 45 pounds depending on your area.
Many people will buy a 45 pound hunting bow for this purpose.
But again, you don't have to start on a high poundage.
And if you're that new, you probably shouldn't be hunting yet.
And I have to put out an important disclaimer.
Many people who shoot compound bows will use much higher poundages.
This is because compound bows have a function called a let-off.
What this means is that once you draw past a certain point
the mechanism holds a portion of the weight.
So at full draw, you are only effectively holding a portion of the actual draw weight.
For example, if you're shooting a 50 pound compound bow
you may only be holding 15 pounds at your full draw.
Because of this, it's not uncommon for first-time compound shooters
to buy a 40 or 50 pound compound.
That said, it isn't always a good idea to start with a high poundage
even with a compound bow.
You still have to be able to draw the bow
and overbowed archers can develop bad technique
while trying to use the bow.
In summary
pick your draw weight based on your fitness.
If you're not sure, common wisdom is pick the lighter draw weight
and then move up as you develop good form.
You don't need a high-powered bow.
Even a 30 pound recurve can shoot competitive distances.
Anyway, this is NUSensei.
Hope this was helpful.
Thanks for watching.