10. Consider the grip form (Torikake) of the right hand during a full draw (Kai).

Physical consideration of KYUDO -Japanese archery

10. Consider the grip form (取り懸け/Torikake) of the right hand during a full draw (会/Kai).

From here, I would like to formulate hypotheses about more detailed aspects of Japanese archery techniques and verify their validity.

Let's consider the function of the right hand's grip form.

Point 1) A function to hold the arrow to prevent it from falling out.

Point 2) A function to lock the grip to prevent accidental release during the draw.

Point 3) A function to produce a light and smooth release.

Point 4) A function to feed out the string without any wobble.

These must perform multiple functions that directly contribute to hitting the target.

It's not as simple as just gripping and releasing the string.

Points 1), 2), and 3) have already been explained, so I will omit them here.

(The numbers in the photo are not related to the text.)

Point 4) means that, the moment the bowstring is released, it passes through the three fingers that have released their grip. Therefore, if the three fingers are not positioned to obstruct the string's path, the arrow will wobble and will not fly accurately towards the target.

In other words, the fingers must also function as a launching platform to ensure the arrow is launched without wobbling.

The moment the grip (or hold) is released

The rigid, shape-retaining structure of the thumb cap and its base is likely intended to fulfill this function.

(Therefore, accurate targeting is difficult with a soft thumb cap (和帽子/Wa-boushi). It might be different if you could fix your right hand and release like in Western archery...)

As you can see, the thumb's shape is fixed by the cap, so that's fine, but the middle and index fingers also need to be properly shaped.

Naturally, the shape that doesn't obstruct the string's path should be as straight as possible, just like the thumb.

<Hypothesis 1>

When tension (張り合い/Hari-ai) in a full draw (会/Kai), the draw should be made with a thin grip.

<Verification>

When applying tension (張り合い/Hari-ai) at full draw, a thin grip (取り懸け/Torikake) with the right hand means:

Bring the proximal phalanges (from the second joint to the base) of the middle and index fingers towards the thumb, and apply force in a direction that pushes the pad of the thumb forward and downward with the middle finger, while the thumb resists the middle finger. (Instead of applying force to the fingertips, tuck the second joint of the thumb under the index finger.)

Therefore, the force acting on the thumb will be in the direction of bending backward. This allows the second joint of the thumb to not bend, and the twisting action of the string to be transmitted to the fingertip.

If you bend the second joint of your thumb without applying force in the direction of the nail, the twisting effect on the string will be absorbed, and as a result, it will become more difficult to release the string.

Good!

Bad

The contact between the index finger and the arrow also weakens (if you look at the grip from above and bend the second joint of your thumb, you'll notice that the string rest and index finger separate), causing the arrow and bow to separate.

If the arrow and bow separate during the draw, you should check if there is any bending (tuck) in your right wrist, and whether you are gripping the bow tightly and applying force to bend your thumb backward.

Then, in the full draw (会/Kai), you twist the string while pulling with your elbow, using the string as a lever to push the glove cap, and change the direction of the force by pushing the pad of your thumb forward with your middle finger, creating a state just before the grip (取り懸け/Torikake) is released (finger snap).

At this point, your thumb and middle finger should be almost parallel to each other. You should not bend your fingers and grip the thumb cap tightly. (In reality, the bow's tension causes the fingers to bend slightly, making it appear as if you are gripping tightly, which can be misleading.)

Then, by continuing to pull with your elbow during the follow-through (残身/Zanshin) and twisting your forearm, you can release the bowstring smoothly and effortlessly. (You should not actively open your hand to release the string.)

The separated strings pass through the almost perfectly straight line between the three fingers without wavering.

Archers in the past, who used strong bows, likely didn't have much influence on their grip (取り懸け/Torikake) because the bow's force pushed their fingers forward.

However, nowadays, many archers use bows of around 10-15 kg, so the influence of the grip shape can no longer be ignored. The weaker the bow, the more precise the grip is required, making weaker bows more difficult to master.

Now, let's also consider the function of the left hand.

Point 1) The function of pushing the bow straight towards the target with the convex part of the second joint of the thumb (角見/Tsunomi).

Point 2) The function of causing the bow to rotate.

Point 3) The function of controlling the bow's posture.

Point 1) is explained in 7-4. About Tension (Hariai)~How to release a grip (Torikake) naturaly~ so please review it. It is important to place the metacarpal bone of your thumb almost perpendicular to the bow and receive the force with your bones so that you do not lose to the bow's recoil.

If the cross shape between your left hand's grip (hand position) and the bow breaks down and you end up pressing down too hard, a rotational force will be applied that tries to tilt the bow forward, and you'll need to use more wrist strength, making it difficult to draw the bow easily.

If the bow is tilting forward during the follow-through, it's possible that this cross shape is not properly formed.

Point 2) is to wrap the skin of your hand around the grip of the bow (as if wringing out a rag), and if you make a ring shape with your thumb and middle finger, the bow will rotate in your hand. (This is described as gripping the bow without breaking an egg (握卵/Akuran)). The rotation of the bow (弓返り/Yu-gaeri) is not a movement that affects the moment the arrow is released. I think it is an emphasis on the beauty of the release movement and the follow-through.

At this point, the thumbs and middle fingers of both your left and right hands are pressing against each other. Although their shapes are different, please note that they are performing almost the same action in terms of applying force. Your left and right hands should do the same thing.

Point 3) is that Japanese bows have a structure where the upper part is long from the grip and the lower part is short, so the lower part recovers quickly and tries to rotate forward around the grip. You have to control the bow's position by pressing it down with your little finger. However, this movement does not have much effect on the moment the arrow is released. I think this is also an emphasis on the beautiful form of the follow-through.

The ring finger acts as a spacer to shape the middle and little fingers. It is essential for creating a beautiful grip shape (紅葉重ね/Momizi-gasane).

<Summary>

As you can see, by comparing the functions of the left and right hand grips,

except for Point 1), it becomes clear that the left hand grip is a matter of aesthetics in shooting form, while the right hand grip is what is directly related to hitting the target physically.

I hope you realize this early on and focus on training your right hand more than your left. Once your right hand is in order, your pushing hand, which uses almost the same force, will also become more refined. Your left hand is always in front of you, so you can't do anything wrong with it, right?

Next time, we'll be discussing "How do you uncross your thumb and middle finger in your right-hand grip (handhold)?". We look forward to your next visit as you become more familiar with "hitting the target (的中/Tekichu)".