If you thinking of picking up a bow that offers 70 lbs draw weight or more, then you may want to know how hard it is to draw a 70 lb bow.
70 lbs draw weight is actually quite difficult to draw. Most grown adults with a strong build are able to pull it back only using proper form.
Never pull a string back unless you are confident that you will be able to hold it. Pulling back a bowstring and releasing without actually nocking an arrow is known as dry-firing which is dangerous to both you and the bow. Be sure to always nock an arrow when pulling a bow back.
If you are looking to buying your first bow and are not sure which draw weight to use, check out this infographic that recommends draw weights for different archers.
Looking at the table, you can see 70 lb is labeled as “Muscular Young Men”. If you are still unsure of which bow poundage to go with, I’d recommend going to your local archery shop and having them try you out on a few bows.
It is always better to underestimate than overestimate your required poundage. Even though it is likely you will move up in bow poundage over time, start light and move up.
You may even want to consider purchasing a variety of limbs for the same bow. For example, I have the Samick Sage Recurve bow with both the 50 lb and 60 lb limbs. Whenever my wife or teen son wants to target practice, they simply change the limbs.
How to Draw a 70 lbs bow
Most newer archers make the mistake of trying to draw a bow back with their shoulder when in reality it is much easier and safer to draw a bow back with your back.
Our back muscles are substantially stronger than our shoulders. That’s why archers that know how to properly draw a bow can use much higher bow poundage than someone that is drawing a bow incorrectly.
Many archers even end up hurting themselves by drawing high poundage bows incorrectly over time because it causes massive strain on the shoulder.
Here is a short guide with a video now how to draw a high poundage bow properly.
Start at 90 Degrees with a high elbow out almost parallel to your face then we are going to rotate the elbow all the way back.
By the time your are done, your elbow should be pointing right behind you.
One of the easiest ways of avoiding injury in archery is being realistic about your draw weight. Many archers (new ones in particular) want to impress others with their high draw weight.
In reality, draw weight does not matter nearly as much as accuracy. A well-placed arrow on a 50 lb bow is much more impressive than a poorly placed shot on a 70 lb bow.
Don’t develop bad habits, if you are going to pick up archery as a hobby, do it right. Get the right bow for you and use it responsibly.
How to Increase Your Draw Weight
There are many ways to increase your draw weight. The first is what we mentioned before, drawing the bow using your back muscles rather than your shoulder.
Another commonly overlooked method to increase your draw weight is by working out.
Here are some workouts to help you pull 70 lb draw weight.
Incline Dumb Bell Row
Incline Dumbbell Row is a workout that does wonders when it comes to strengthening the back.
This a full back exercise meant to strengthen the power of your overall back which is guaranteed to increase your draw weight or at least make you less fatigued when firing off 100s of shots.
For this workout, set up a bench at an incline and grab two dumbells. Start light, you can go heavier when you get the motion down.
Lay your stomach on the bench with your feet to the floor, no raise the dumbells up near your face. Lower them, then repeat.
You can do it with one knee on the bench if you feel more comfortable that way and only raise one arm at a time.
At the top, your hand should be pointing directly to the floor with your elbow at a 90-degree angle.
At the end of the article, there will be a video going over how to do each workout independently.
Seated Rope Face Pulls
For this workout, grab the ropes that are typically used for triceps and attached them to the cable.
Sit in the position to do rows and pull the rope towards your face. This is a great workout for your rear deltoids which are critical for drawing back an arrow, especially when using a 70 lb bow.
These workouts will also work out your biceps so that’ll be a great addition to your over all physic.
If you implement these workouts twice a week, within a few months, you’ll be able to increase your draw weight by 5-10 lb with proper form.
So if you are currently at 60-65 lb you could get to pulling 70 lb draw weight in a matter of months.
Final Thoughts
It can be quite hard to draw a 70 lbs bow. With proper form and some basic workouts, many people can achieve a 70 lbs draw weight.
Just remember that bow poundage is not nearly as important as accuracy. Many archers show off their draw weight when in reality any real archer will know that if you can hit the target in the right spot, even a 40 lb draw weight bow will do the trick.
Archery is my hobby & I usually hunt and play on weekends and after work. It’s a passion since I was very young and I love writing about it as well to continuously learn more and share the love of archery with others!
