One of the things I see very often with beginning archers, both adult and junior, is equipment not suited to learning the basics of the shot. For recurve archers, a beginning weight should allow you to shoot without undue strain. Most adults would be well served with a bow of less than 30#, at their draw length. Young children should not be over 20#, at their draw length. Teens should select bows in the mid 20# range. These are all approximations and a coach will be able to guide the individual based on their specific needs.