5. About the harmful effects of opening or loosening your hands to release a string

3月 29, 2026

Physical consideration of KYUDO -Japanese archery

5. About the harmful effects of opening or loosening your hands to release a string. (Things that hinder accuracy and improvement)

Open (loosen) your hand and release the string. Beginners have no choice but to do this at first. It's the easiest way to release the string, but it often results in inconsistent accuracy and has drawbacks.

To move beyond the beginner stage, understand the drawbacks of opening (loosening) your hand to release the strings, learn how to properly release the strings, and take the first step towards improvement. You'll notice a change not only in your "release" but also in the feeling and comfort of your follow-through.

(1) The string hits the ear, head, or arm.

Since the arrow is held against the cheek, the string is positioned directly behind the ear. Why doesn't it hit the ear? The reason becomes clear when you look at a full draw from above.

The string is at the hook (弦枕/Tsuru-makura) of the glove cap, but the tip of the glove cap is in front of the body, ahead of the ear. The trajectory of the string after it leaves the hook (弦枕/Tsuru-makura) passes over the tip of the glove cap and in front of the ear, so it is physically prevented from hitting the ear.

However, beginners tend to open (loosen) their hand when releasing the string, causing it to return straight from the hook (string rest) position, inadvertently causing it to hit their ear, head, or arm. Being hit by the string is painful, frightening, and unpleasant.

First, understand the reasoning behind this position where it won't physically hit you to alleviate your fear. As first aid, you should instruct them to twist their right hand, keeping their thumb in place while opening their hand on the middle finger side.

Some instructors teach proper hand technique for the bow hand, claiming that the problem lies in the lack of proper technique in the first joint of the left thumb (角見/Tsunomi) or insufficient torque (弓返り/Yugaeri). However, I believe it's highly questionable instruction, lacking any physical basis, as it's unlikely that these techniques would have any influence on the instantaneous movement of the string over a distance as short as the length of the arrow fletching. (Some people don't hit their ears even without bow rotation. This proves the instruction is dubious.)

(2) The bow hand also opens up.

As the bow hand opens (loosens) in conjunction with the drawing hand, it can sometimes cause the wrist to lift or the bow to be thrown.

It's not a good look. The arrow's trajectory will also be inconsistent.

(3) The full draw (the moment of release) and the follow-through become separate actions.

Because force is suddenly applied in a different direction from the tension of the full draw, the connection with the full draw is lost, ruining the beautiful flow of the shot that was built up over time.

Since the "releasing action" is inserted between the full draw and the release, it is immediately noticeable to the viewer.

(4) The arrows scatter, missing their target.

By using the opening of the right arm as a trigger to open (relax) the hand, you unnecessarily shift your aim and release, so the arrow will never fly into the target.

Most beginners release the arrow incorrectly, so no matter how much they practice or how good their form is, their accuracy doesn't improve, and eventually they start to dislike shooting the bow. I hope that by understanding the correct release technique, they can improve their accuracy and enjoy shooting the bow a little more.

For beginners, the priority is to master the eight steps of archery technique and develop the necessary muscles for drawing the bow, so it's understandable that they might open their hand when releasing.

However, to improve, you should move beyond the forced release method of opening (loosening) your hand. It will only hinder your progress.

Why is the grip shaped this way?

What is the correct way to use the glove (弽/Kake)?

Why is it so hard to find someone who can explain the theory behind it?

At this point, if possible, I would like you to review "Regarding the correct grip for accurate shooting (in the case of a three-fingered archery glove/Mitsugake" once again. This is an essential element for releasing the grip and allowing the string to come off naturally.

Next time, we'll be discussing ”Uniting the Firming Points of the Body (詰め合い/Tsume-ai)”. We look forward to your next visit as you become more familiar with "hitting the target (的中/Tekichu)".