hey folks,started shooting again today and boy I can feel every arrow.I know a couple of excercises to help but if any of you have some good tried and true methods to help build yourself back up for shooting I am all ears.my arms feel like I've been hit with a 2x4.Just be real and don't get crazy I really could use some good work out methods.I started shooting out of my ground blind in a chair and that is a whole different kind of shooting than I have done in the past.

Sounds like you might be over shooting to me. I start out shooting as little as 3 arrows then I take a break for a few hours. I might only shoot a dozen arrows a day for a week. I gradually work into it. By the start of season I have no problem shooting dozens of arrows a day. I was told that once you start to feel it stop shooting for alittle while. Go have lunch or something then go shoot again. This will give you an accurate practice with less pain. Hope this helps.

I'm a real man so I don't have this problem ... Naw I'm just kidding. If you go to the gym I would try the row machine. It's where you sit facing two handles put your chest on the pad and pull the handles back towards you. Also high pulls where you pull the weights up towards you chin, basically anything to build your triceps, bench press helps a lot with this. I would do more repititions over weight. Don't know how many times you are shooting, but like ches said you may be just shooting too much. Never shoot once you are tired, go ahead and take a break if you find it hard to pull the bow back. If you are sore I wouldn't shoot again for a little while, your muscles need time to build back up so anytime you do find yourself shooting too much make sure to take a break for a couple days. Hope this helps.

The way I try to stay in good shooting shape is to shoot year round. Even if its just a dozen or so arrows a week. Seems to work for me.

I never shoot until I feel tired , instead I let the group , or the pin floating more to tell me to stop . I shoot once a week from spring on . Never count the arrows shot and presently the group is staying tight so now I'm going by the pin dancing around alot . Keep shooting to build those back muscles up but too much is bad two fold . You will strain those muscles , and gain bad habits if you draw and shoot when you feel tired . If you are limited on shooting time , draw and hold for a minute , then let the string down once a day . That will help tone that muscle .

Could your bow be turned up a bit too much?

MRD has said it perfectly and I do about the same. The act of pulling a bow is unlike any one exercise and I have found that even a guy who is in great shape and has never pulled a bow before struggles to pull it back even one time. With this in mind it takes several different gym type exercises to strengthen the muscles needed to pull your bow back. I do my work outs including routines that target the muscles required to pull my bow but it would be just as effcient to use MRD's suggestion of pulling your bow back and holding it for a minute and letting it down slowly, this can be done inside without and arrow. I would however recommend doing this several times each day and increase reps as you become stronger. This is how my son started to increase his poundage for hunting. Best of luck and do not over do it, shoulder and back strains can end your season before it starts. Do some kind of warm up and stretching before any exercise.

THANKS GUYS FOR THE INPUT.AS USEUAL THE MEMBERS HERE MAKE IT WORTH THE PRICE OF MEMBERSHIP.I WILL TAKE ALL SUGGESTIONS IN CONCIDERATION.I HAVE MY BOW SET AT 70lbs AND THAT IS WHERE SHE WILL STAY.I HAVE STARTED USING A SET OF DUMBELLS TO WORK THE UPPER ARM AND SHOULDER AREAS.SHOT AGAIN YESTERDAY AND IT WAS NOT AS TOUGH AS THE FIRST.THANKS AGAIN AND HAPPY HUNTING.LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING ALL 5 DEER AGAIN THIS YEAR.

when i used to shoot the compound ,at night as i was in the house pick it up draw it back into position hold it let it down walk away do it again later at least your using ur muscles then the next day shoot it outside .for me it was just tuning up those muscles, i know i can hit what i shot at been hunting many years .most kills come with the bow its all i use mostly to close to houses , best places i found to hunt close to home . do have to put up to listening to people cut grass , kids playing etc. when the dogs start barking pay attention the deer are on the move LOL