While much has been written about back tension and the very real benefits of correctly using back tension in the shot, I’ve not seen much of anything written about the chest and what tension, if any, is proper for good shot execution. Let me elaborate.

Recurve archers can be broken down into 3 categories; pullers, pushers and equal balance shooters. Pullers primarily use their string side to pull through the clicker. Pushers use the front half of their body to push the bow through the clicker. The balanced shooter uses a combination of forces to push/pull through the clicker. Most of us think through these styles using the latissimus dorsi and scapulae as references. We should additionally consider the diaphragm, pectoral, intercostal muscles and their function in the shot.

I strive to feel a stretch through my chest, while employing the larger back muscles to provide the power to move through the clicker. This stretch is important so that there is a connection between the bow side and the string side of the shot. If my chest were to be flaccid, it would be quite natural to have the bow arm drop on the break of the clicker. I call the chest stretch the connector of my shot.

I had the opportunity to watch a video of Darrell Pace well after his Olympic glory days. What I saw was a shooter who pushed his chest into the shot. I had never seen that exaggerated a move in Pace’s Olympic period shot. Maybe he was trying to regain a feel that this exaggeration might help him remember?  I liken it to a runner exaggerating a leg movement to warm up and remind himself of the sprinting motion he wanted to employ in a race. Now I never asked Darrell about pushing his chest into the shot, but at some point I will.

Any way, thinking about the chest while developing your shot can be useful insofar as achieving the shot balance we all are seeking.