Is bowhunting a young man’s game? Having been a coach and personal trainer for the last 28 years, I’ve learned shoulder pain can be devastating to bowhunters. Shoulder pain can cause younger bowhunters to miss a season and force older bowhunters to leave the game altogether.
I turn 50 years old this year, and my draw weight is right around 60 pounds. I don’t even think about not being able to draw on a deer or climb into a stand. My exercise program is not complicated. I focus on movements that help me draw more easily, maintain a strong core, and promote shoulder health with pre-rehabilitation exercises. Through this article, I want to help bowhunters of any age avoid and bounce back from shoulder issues, and I want to help older bowhunters add more years to their hunting careers.
The Shoulder Breakdown
Most people over the age of 35 have some wear and tear on their rotator cuffs. It is a natural part of life as we age, similar to the belts on a truck, and like those belts, they will eventually fray over time. Without routine maintenance, a breakdown will likely occur.
The same thing happens to the muscles and tendons in and around our shoulder joints that are responsible for drawing a vertical bow. Without a targeted effort to maintain strong, stable, and flexible shoulders, normal function may decline. That’s probably why the average age of bowhunters is only 39, and why more teenagers bowhunt than people 60 and older.
In our teens and early 20s, exercising or being physically active is easy. Over time, work and family obligations limit many activities that maintain high levels of physical fitness. In my practice, the majority of clients complain of shoulder pain, but it isn’t necessarily a major injury. Often it is a lack of strength, stability, and flexibility that is the culprit.
“Basic shoulder maintenance is something that becomes more and more important as we age,” said physical therapist and bowhunter Dr. Patrick Rich. “Keeping the cuff and surrounding scapular muscles functioning optimally can go a long way in slowing this wear and tear. You likely may not even know you have problems with your shoulder until you challenge it in ways you typically don’t ask it to perform in everyday life, such as lifting a treestand into the tree or drawing back on a deer. That’s not the time for you to realize your shoulder has an issue.”
Identify the Source
Pain is not necessarily a bad thing if you use what your body is telling you to fix the issue. Step one is to identify the source of the pain. It is generally wise to consult a physician before beginning an exercise program. If shoulder pain is an issue, your doctor can help solve the riddle with physical therapy or other treatments.
Dr. Rich performs physical therapy evaluations daily and knows they help reduce the time a patient will be out of action by quickly identifying the cause of pain.
“A good physical therapy evaluation can weed out specific deficits in the shoulder that are leading to your dysfunction,” he said. “Whether it’s a lack of thoracic rotation and extension that’s putting additional strain on the shoulder joint or a serratus anterior strength deficit that’s not assisting the shoulder blade to rotate properly, we can find this root source of dysfunction to minimize the strain placed on the structures of the shoulder joint.”
Knowing the specific issues will allow a physical therapist or fitness professional to design a targeted exercise plan to reduce or relieve pain caused by drawing a bow.
Magic in Shoulder Motion
Sometimes, there is an injury or an inflamed tendon that requires specific treatment. Other times, regular physical activity can resolve the pain.
Mike Roos, owner of Mike’s Archery, a popular bow shop near St. Louis, Missouri, had shoulder pain so bad, he could not draw his bow. He also struggled to keep up with younger hunting partners in the field. This motivated him to make specific lifestyle changes.
Mike’s shoulder pain was so bad that it was affecting his sleep, but he was able to resolve the issue with consistent exercise. At age 57, he made a conscious decision to move more with intention. He was not doing shoulder-specific movements. He simply followed the routine his workout partners were using, and that alone promoted a better range of motion and shoulder strength. Where there was stabbing pain in his shoulder, he now has better function.
“I could not do what I wanted,” said Mike, “so I started going to the gym. I can now draw 60 to 65 pounds where before I could only handle 30.”
Mike’s lack of physical activity was the culprit. Simply getting back to a more physical lifestyle helped resolve his shoulder pain. There is magic in motion.
Training Large Muscle Groups
Training large muscle groups is important for the sheer act of drawing a bow. For those who train or have trained, it is easy to get caught up in what I call the “mirror muscles,” or the muscle groups you see in the mirror, such as chest, biceps, and quadriceps. I recommend focusing on the ones you cannot see in the mirror, such as:
- Upper back
- Lower back
- Gluteus Maximus
- Hamstrings
Pull movements, including lateral pulldowns, single arm rows (dumbbell or band/cable), resistance band pull apart, and suspension rows are fantastic exercises to strengthen the muscle groups responsible for drawing and stabilizing a bow. Core exercises such as farmer carries and bridging will improve function and accuracy.
I love combination exercises that bolster strength and function specific to bow hunting, and one of my favorites is a split stance row (see the video below). It will help build upper back strength, increase core stability, and improve balance.
Dialing In
For the finer nuances of shoulder function, pre-rehabilitation exercises will reduce the risk of injury and help a bowhunter bounce back if they are dealing with shoulder pain. Pre-rehabilitation exercises are simply rehabilitation exercises performed before an issue occurs as part of a normal exercise program. The primary focus is on the muscles that comprise the rotator cuff, but it can also include hip and postural exercises. Focus on movements such as:
- Internal/external rotation
- Stability carries
- Shoulder mobility exercises
- Plank (front and side)
Pre-rehabilitation exercises can be a standalone program or sprinkled into an existing workout. There is no right or wrong past performing them regularly. One of my favorite movements for clients with shoulder issues is a prone pole push (video below). It is performed with a PVC pipe and helps build range of motion and strength in one movement.
Draw Weight and Practice Time
Additional thoughts to consider if you are experiencing shoulder pain would be draw weight and practice volume.
It is easy to let ego dictate your draw weight. It is the “how much can you bench press” of the bowhunting world. It is okay to go up or down based on your shoulder strength and functionality.
“With today’s technology, a grown man shooting a compound bow with a 40-pound draw weight has more than enough energy to kill a whitetail,” said Mike Roos. “Couple that with arrow technology, and 40 pounds is a very lethal draw weight. You can crank your bow up, but it is not necessary, and if you tend to have shoulder issues, you may be doing more harm than good.”
Focus on poundage that is effective for hunting whitetails while also ensuring you can draw easily and smoothly. It is not just about how your shoulder feels, but also the movement you make in the stand when you draw down on a whitetail. Less overall movement is preferred, as whitetails are better than us at seeing motion.
Regarding practice, I like quality over quantity. A golf professional once told me the best way to practice at the range is to hit the small bucket of balls with intention. Focus on specific shots and scenarios versus shooting until you are fatigued. Muscle fatigue encourages bad habits and poor form, which can be ingrained into muscle memory.
I have worked with strength and conditioning coach Nick Lape for over a decade. A dedicated bowhunter, Nick focuses on both quality and consistency in his practice routine. Lape stated,
“I shoot 20 arrows a week, or an average of three arrows a day,” said Nick. “This is what I call ‘Perfect Practice’. Choose your closest and furthest hunting distances. If you’re perfect or at least on target, you should be confident in everything in between. Shoot only three arrows, and do it again tomorrow. Tiring yourself out leads to form breakdown.”
Even Older Hunters Can Recover
If you are over 40 years old and in pain, is your bowhunting career over? Not by a long shot, but the actions you take today will impact the function you have tomorrow. The easiest way to increase your bowhunting longevity is to adopt a physically active lifestyle in your teens, but if you are older and have shoulder issues, it is never too late to start. You can produce significant gains at any age.
My oldest client, while not a bowhunter, was 92. He did not start exercising until he was 78, and while it would have been easier if he had exercised throughout his life, his physical and cognitive abilities in his 90s were remarkable.
Understand that engaging in regular exercise that targets areas critical for bowhunters will not guarantee you will never have a shoulder issue or pain, but it will likely reduce your risk of injury and add years to your bowhunting career.
Keep it Simple But Consistent
Whether you are experiencing shoulder pain or trying to reduce the risk of an injury, focusing on building strength, stability, and mobility in the shoulder girdle is the key to excellent experiences in the field. Find a program or coach who can help you develop a plan, and stay consistent.
About the Author: Jeremy Koerber is an NDA member from Missouri and the owner of Fit To Hunt. He is a certified Exercise Physiologist by the American College of Sports Medicine. Jeremy has coached clients to improve function and performance for 28 years and is an avid hunter. You can follow him on Instagram @fittohuntofficial.