Muscles
- Main muscle use |
|
|
|
|
On this page: |
|
|
|
Main muscles used during draw |
|
|
The diagrams below give a schematic
of the main muscles used during the draw. For simplicity, many are left
out, particularly the finger flexors and rotator cuff, both of which do
a lot of work. |
Front view
|
|
The Deltoid is the main muscle lifting the bow arm. The shoulder
joint is stabilised and held in place by the various rotator cuff
muscles (not shown).
The main thing to notice is that the bicep - the large muscle on
the front of the upper arm - is not a primary mover for a good draw,
though there's no doubt that it can, and often does, come into play
to keep the string close to the aiming line. That can be useful
to retain line and to reduce stress on the posterior deltoid.
|
|
|
Back view |
|
Round the back is where most
of the action happens. Both deltoids are in action, as these (the
posterior, or rear, parts) hold the bow arm back and draw back the
drawing arm. The bow arm trapezius and smaller rhomboids hold the
bow arm scapula down and in, while the drawing arm scapula is drawn
in and down from its starting positions by the same muscles on the
drawing side. The large muscle shown half-coloured on the drawing
arm side is the latissimus dorsi, which may assist the drawing arm
retraction. |
|
|
|