Q06 - What is chest expansion and how do you achieve it?
Last Updated 08/04/2014 at 04:49:30 PM EST
In your discussion regarding the question about the "Hold" section of the shooting cycle, you briefly mentioned "expansion of the chest". What is chest expansion and how is it done? I can increase the tension in my scapulae with no apparent movement of my chest or I can do it by also allowing my chest to slightly expand or move toward the bow/string. The latter is actually much easier so is this what you mean? I have also heard some folks describe it by saying one should relax the chest to get the clicker to drop. The latter doesn't seem to make any since because as I do that, the arrow moves further away from the clicker. (my shot collapses) What is chest expansion and how is it done? Thanks.
January 23, 2006
from T.H. of USA:
"In your discussion regarding the question about the "Hold" section of the shooting cycle, you briefly mentioned "expansion of the chest". What is chest expansion and how is it done? I can increase the tension in my scapulae with no apparent movement of my chest or I can do it by also allowing my chest to slightly expand or move toward the bow/string. The latter is actually much easier so is this what you mean? I have also heard some folks describe it by saying one should relax the chest to get the clicker to drop. The latter doesn't seem to make any since because as I do that, the arrow moves further away from the clicker. (my shot collapses) What is chest expansion and how is it done? Thanks."
"In your discussion regarding the question about the "Hold" section of the shooting cycle, you briefly mentioned "expansion of the chest". What is chest expansion and how is it done? I can increase the tension in my scapulae with no apparent movement of my chest or I can do it by also allowing my chest to slightly expand or move toward the bow/string. The latter is actually much easier so is this what you mean? I have also heard some folks describe it by saying one should relax the chest to get the clicker to drop. The latter doesn't seem to make any since because as I do that, the arrow moves further away from the clicker. (my shot collapses) What is chest expansion and how is it done? Thanks."
Firstly, have a read of item 19-Open Chest, page 121.Secondly, during the expansion phase both scapulae move towards the spine. This is basically a micro movement, but due to the Ratio of Movement this will be sufficient to come the last 1-2mm through the clicker. To give you this feeling of expansion, visualize a connection between the left and right hands. When the scapulae come more towards the spine a feeling of rounding and lengthening of the chest will be experienced and the distance between the two hand will be increased, if done correctly. As this movement is both ways, there is no apparent movement of the string when observed in relation to a mark placed on the chest guard. Please have a good look at the skeletal thumbnail picture below, which hopefully will explain it further.