Tying a Pro-style Shoelace Finger Sling

Using a finger sling is a great way to help you hold your bow with a relaxed, open grip. When you loose your arrow the bow falls into your finger sling.

You can make the exact same kind of finger sling top international archers use out of a shoe lace. Check out this clip to see a shoelace finger sling in action:

Tying a shoelace finger sling is easier to show than to write:

The shoelace finger sling is better in many ways than pre-made commercial finger slings. By making your own finger sling you can make the loop you want so that the bow is neither tied tightly into your hand nor falls too far upon release. The hitch knots you loop over your fingers are self tightening when the bow drops into the finger sling, but are loose enough that they don’t stay too constricted around your fingers when you shoot your next shot. And you can use wide, flat shoelaces to spread the weight comfortably over your fingers.

When Olympic-style FITA Recurve archers use a finger sling they often let their bow rotate forward. The forward weight of the long stabilizer common to FITA Recurve bows helps them do that. Other bow set ups without long front rods may rotate backwards.

If you are studying with an archery instruction program check with them for more information on finger slings and how to use them.