Improving Your Draw Strength

I wish that I could say doing this workout will improve your odds of drawing for your tag, but unfortunately it won’t help you in that area. It will, however, increase your odds of making a lethal clean shot. The body moves in biomechanically certain patterns; most commonly revolving around push, pull, rotational, and bend and lift. Within these patterns they can move in the sagittal plane, frontal plane, and transverse plan.

If you are looking in the mirror and step laterally, left or right, you are moving in the frontal plane. While looking in the mirror and stepping forward or back, you are moving in the sagittal plane. Lastly, if you are looking in the mirror and twist your torso left or right you are moving in the transverse plane.

All these movements and patterns relate to this topic of Wild Skills because of how drawing a bow requires multiple areas of the body to work. Strengthening in these areas will allow the body to more efficiently pull more pounds, but most importantly become steadier in your aim.

In the backcountry, as some may have found out the hard way, things don’t always go as planned. We must understand that there may be a time we are shooting off balance, in an awkward position, or must keep drawn for longer than intended. These unexpected situations are sometimes what makes the challenge and beauty of the hunt so special. It is our job to be as prepared as possible to put ourselves in the best situation to succeed.

Draw Strength Workout

This workout is going to challenge your body to work in ways it may not be used to. At the end of the day, that’s the only way to get better. If you don’t test your limits physically and mentally, there isn’t any room for improvement. The center of your body, which is your pillar, is the powerhouse of any direction the body can move. Without a strong core it is difficult to improve different areas of the body to their full potential.

Superset #1 – 2 Rounds

Reverse Lunge with Palloff

• This movement will move you into a split stance while also engaging the core to control the rotation of the body. The glutes will be tested to maintain square hips and keep you upright as you reverse lunge. This will mimic the split stance we often take while drawing the bow.

Half Kneeling Row

• While on one knee, you will pull back against the resistance as you would do when pulling your bow string. Test your core strength and resist the body from twisting as you unilaterally work your shoulder and back muscles.

KB Half Get Up

• Very similar to a half Turkish Get Up, this movement should be controlled by the core. Your small shoulder stabilizer muscles will be strengthened as you hold the weight up above your head.

Plank Pull Through

• Perform this movement either on your knees or in a full plank position. Remain as stable as possible, with as little movement in the hips as you can as you pull the weight across the midline.

Superset #2- 2 Rounds

Half Kneeling Single Arm Chest Press

• The opposite of the Half Kneeling Row, this movement will begin to stabilize and strengthen the anterior portion of the deltoid muscle group and pectoralis major/minor. This is important because when pulling a bow, one arm is extending as one is flexing.

High, Medium, Low Row

• Working different levels of the posterior muscle groups will allow the back to become stronger and more stable, recruiting more motor units to the pulling motion.

Glute Bridge with Chop

• Like the unilateral lunge, this movement will fire the glutes and push the body to become stronger in a split stance position. The chopping motion with the plate is going to challenge the deltoids and transverse abdominis.

Power T

• This full body workout will work the whole posterior chain. The shoulder girdle and glutes are extremely important for the stability and strength when holding a draw, this movement will increase those areas.

As outdoor enthusiasts, people like us know that things happen fast and unexpectedly in the backcountry. We can prepare by scouting, learning game patterns, and studying nature, but most things are out of our control. It is our responsibility to control the things that we can control, like our physical and mental levels as we approach our opportunity to hunt the backcountry. Use this draw strength workout program to supplement your preparation strategies in the off season. Understand that there is no better way to get better than to take reps with your bow. Just like any skill, if you don’t practice you won’t improve. Also understand though, that perfect practice makes perfect. Anyone can go through the motions and say they are putting in the work, but if you don’t practice and train with a purpose you won’t see the results. Stay wild.