I think the reason the thumb rings get called triggers or release aids is just to avoid having to have another form of archery to consider for competitions and the Olympics. Accompanied with just the overall lack of knowledge and understanding of Asiatic archery. The folks who make these decisions, classifications, etc are very western in influence. So they only wanna deal with 3 finger draw. Reality is thumb rings are just protection from damaging your thumb, much like a finger tab or 3 finger glove, both used in world competitions. Finger tabs being the most used in Olympics. Ironically the most common form of finger tabs used in the Olympics, do have a design to aid release. There is a finger spacer on them to prevent the archer from pinching the arrow nock with their fingers. This serves no protection, just there to aid the archer in having a better shot. Historically thumb rings have been part of countless wars, hunts, etc but not finger tabs. Thumb rings are a traditional, ancient form of protection. Great video for provoking discussion Armin.

Perfect commentary, Armin, like usual. I remember once nagging about this same topic on a 3D instinctive tournament, some guy said something very wise which is "sadly, archery as a sport (determined by World Archery) is a western sport, and so, only their occidental way of shooting is correct, suitable and allowed for competitions". It's not only sad but completely segregational against eastern archery, instead of allowing two different way of archery to compete -fairly-, they just close the opportunity to it completely. Such narrow minds. Needless to say I finished that tournament shooting barehanded and with a reddish scratched thumb.

I agree with you on this one. I have a friend who's shooting an Alibows Kheshig here in Ireland with a thumb ring. By IFAF rules his bow (because it's laminated design with a layer of fibreglass) with the "release aid" falls into Freestyle Unlimited category. So he's shooting with fully equipped compounds. It's ridiculous to the highest level. My girlfriend's Jackal Archery Scythian also cannot be in historical category because it's laminated...I could go on and on and on...

Just started Archery(I'm 72 lol) And at the induction course I brought up thumb rings and Asiatic bows. At first it was a Blank stare, then Ahh! you mean a horse bow, we don't consider a horse bow a real bow! why don't you get into English longbows if you want to go traditional. Thumb rings they wouldn't even discuss, they are a release aid and are banned in competition was the only comment. Nobody had even seen one. Need less to say, if I cant shoot my Tatar bow with a thumb ring I won't be joining the club, BUT if they are prepared to tolerate my choice of bow, and I can shoot at their range, I will join, you never know, others might become interested. I was surprised at the lack of knowledge of anything out of the ordinary, I mean I want to know everything about Archery including Compound bows and crossbows, although i don't particularly want to fire one.

That’s exactly the reason, why I am not interested in competitions. Too many regulations for nothing... A thumbring doesn’t help to release, it’s a protection for the thumb. Totally agree with your statement!

agreed. so if I use a 3 finger draw with a leather glove or leather protection of any kind do they consider THAT a release aid? That's where I'd start the argument.

Force/Area = Pressure a bow string is approximately 1/8" x 3/4" of contact with the thumb or 0.09357 square inches so : 35# draw will produce 373 PSI 50# draw will produce 533 PSI 75# draw will produce 800 psi 100# draw will produce 1066 PSI 200# draw will produce 2133 PSI so a 50# draw is like balancing a full dress motorcycle on your thumb and a 100# draw is like parking one wheel of a passenger car on your thumb 200# draw is balancing a full ton on your thumb protection not release aid ... more of a release preventer some might say

Good rationale Armin, totally with you. One point, you can opt for a back tension release on a compound, no trigger involved, it's pull back and rotate. I think the soundest argument is the non mechanical nature of the thumb ring, it's a static 1piece device as opposed to a mechanical device of many parts. Bit like comparing a DSLR to a pin hole camera made from a biscuit tin. 🍪

Amen :D, absolutely agree! Also the reason I don’t shoot competitions..

I completely agree. I would not even consider the Korean military ring a release aid, because you still have to relax the fingers to shoot, unlike the release aids, where you pull a trigger to release the arrow.

I definitely agree but it is even worse. At least here in Norway you can't even compete in the "long bow" division (basically a flatbow with a shelf which is supposed to be the most traditional) with an asiatic recurve because they don't allow recurves (string touching the limbs is the dividing line). So at best you have to compete in the "instinct" division where the bows are basically modern recurves but without a plunger or anything else. Hopefully some day they will introduce something like a "shelfless" division!

edit: I'm friends with someone on the Board of the State Archers of California. They classify thumb rings as mechanical releases and make thumb ring shooters shoot against compound bows. Reason (I don't agree, but this is their reasoning): unlike a conventional tab or glove, the thumb ring does not bend so it acts as a "mechanical" surface where the point of contact is much more consistent. leather thumb rings are permitted in the recurve category, however, so it would seem that only a solid material is enough to justify categorizing something as a release aid. I've always been annoyed by the classification of a thumb ring as a "mechanical release". Yes; a thumb ring made of a solid material that does not bend (metal, horn, bone) is unlike a tab in the sense that it does not bend like leather. BUT, by definition, a MECHANICAL release must be made of SEVERAL parts as evident by the definition of the word mechanical (e.g. an apparatus using or applying mechanical power and having several parts, each with a definite function and together performing a particular task.) if they want to classify it as a "release aid", what possible reason could a tab or glove not be considered an "aid". Do they think archers are deliberately handicapping themselves by using a tab?!

So good news here in the UK as of 2022 archery GB no longer consider thumb rings to be release aids

If these governing agency's thinks a thumb-ring is a release aid... Then what do they consider a shooting glove, or shooing tab to be??? To me all three are, (as you said) used to protect the fingers from injury when holding the bow-string.

If leather thumb protectors are release aids, then finger tabs should logically be considered release aids too. I agree with you; it's a completely arbitrary distinction. Atilla the Hun would recognize most of the thumb rings we use today, but he wouldn't recognize any of the stabilized, aluminum framed Olympic take downs that most competitors use.

I agree with you. Have a nice Friday.

Completely agree. Thumb ring is not a release aid

Years ago I ran into this. I made much the same argument and lost. Basically they barely tolerated the Mediterranean draw, asking them to deal with a yugake or a thumb ring was a bridge too far.

I had never thought about it until I saw your video. After watching it, I agree with what you say.

Yes. I'm absolutely with you. This is the reason why I don't attend 'official' competitions, because they put thumb archers in the same group as compound archers. It's ridiculously unfair to put primitive bows in the same category in which high tech shooting devices are listed. So only fun competitions for me, nothing more. I'm fine with it, but they have to change that stupid classification.

I am very new in archery (57y, f, coming from taekwondo) and after watching your great videos - (by the way fantastic - I know what I am talking about, have given lessons in taekwondo- ) I decided to practice 3-finger and thumb release for my personal fun and to improve. My personal aim: decent groups on different distances with different bows with different releases. I don’t see any difference between my 3 finger glove and my basic leather thumb protection (protector, not less, not more). The release comes from my fingers - I open and let the string go- with my glove, with my leather thumb protector and if I will have one in future - with my thumb ring. By the way there are leather protectors with a metal layer - but always the same: my fingers must open to release the string with the arrow. Where is the aid? Basically it does not hurt that much 😅 I only can see the protection of my fingers. And I want to feel the string- personal preference- therefore leather. I am working on a proper release and I want to protect my fingers. That’s all.

Good explanation, I agree.

The Wikipedia must be corrected if it is to be used as an official reference . “Release Aid” aids the release i.e. make it easier to release. A thumb ring does not make it easier to release the string, ask any one using a thumb ring for the first time. However it does protect the thumb from being sore, blisters and cuts from the string. As @Armin mentioned, thumb ring is a finger protector i.e. same as finger glove or finger tabs. Do note that Finger tabs with numeric markings as references for ease of string walking is not permissible in some competitions, but this has nothing to do with a thumb ring; just continuous rambling.

I have recently swapped to a Korean male thumb release, not by choice but because I have a seriously arthritic thumb now and this type of ring lets me shoot without wrist numbing pain, although it's not completely pain free unlike my collection of ordinary thumb rings. Going a bit off topic, since I started using it my accuracy is off but I expected this and it's something practice will put right, a bigger problem is the arrow shaft and vanes are absolutely murdering the web and back of the thumb on my bow hand, my grip hasn't changed I'm using the same arrows bamboo and carbon, and I really can't see what's happening or why the change, so if you or anyone else has any ideas I would be truly grateful as it may keep me shooting for more years to come. Cheers Andy P.

Um....yeah I would love to here their argument, my argument is simple enough , if you can do the same thing without it it's not a release aid it's protection....if a thumb ring is a release aid then so are the three finger shooting gloves and finger stalls. If the string is held by one or more digits wherein one or more digits are between the string and the belly of the bow and curled around the string directly holding the weight with the strength of one or more digits then its not an aid it's protection, example the figure 9 is a release aid because no digits are curled around the string, a release aid uses a mechanism or material elasticity to effect a release by drawing one or more digits tword the archer or perpendicular the direction of pull non aidded release involves the extension of one or more digits away from the archer or opposite the direction of pull . The thumb ring other than the sugakji type is not a release aid . The sugakji ring fits the definition as no digits are curled around the string and no digits are between the string and the bows belly the release entails a digit moving perpendicular to the direction of pull or tword the archer even though it can effect a release by extending the digit or digits it satisfies other parts of the definition......which I just thought of off the top of my head what makes sense.

Can you do a review on those release aids from around 2:30?

AGREED!

After watching the video, I was already afraid that I won't be able to use the thumb release technique in tournaments... Although I am an olympic/recurve archer, due to the injury I intend to switch to thumb release instead of tab. The MMOhawked comment clarifies the condition for using a thumb ring - the material in contact with the string must be flexible! Now I intend to make one leather bendable thumb ring (actually, a more appropriate name would be THUMB TAB), but... what is the minimum bendability?

Valid point.

I totally agree with you about the stupidity of this classification of federations, which shows a strong ignorance of our practice, it's really a pity. Currently, we would be classified with archers using modern compound bows, with sights, stabilizers and release device. Also, 99% of archers shooting a Longbow/Flatbow or a hunting bow in competitions do not do it "instinctively" but with an aiming system. In short, in my opinion, the only instinctive shooting competitions are those of horseback archers.

Hello Armin. Where you're right, you're right. Is a kake (kyudo glove) also a release aid in their terminology (it's also a kind of thumb ring technique)? If so, the idea of 'IT shots' is definitively wrong (I mean, it's wrong but not because of a thumb ring is a release aid). Have a great weekend down there in Malta. Greetings from Switzerland.

I agree with all you have said...except for the Korean Sugakji, it is no more a release aid than the other thumb rings. It has no mechanical device or trigger, it offers no mechanical advantage over other thumb rings. To use it correctly you merely open the thumb and first finger up, as with the others.

I… I would consider most thumb rings to be release aids. Because so many thumb rings can and do help increase how ‘crisp’ a release is, compared to shooting without one. Especially shallow hook thumb rings, such as Manchu, Fu Hao or Gao Ying style rings, which permit the wearer to hold the string on the thumb in a way that wouldn’t be possible without the ring. Simply put, thumb rings let you shoot more accurately with them than without. Now of course they were used historically, because in war and hunting you want to get every advantage you can. However. I think there’s still a huge difference between thumb rings as a release aid, and the mechanical compound bow release aids. I think a thumb ring gives you an edge for having a clean release, I think a mechanical release aid almost does the release for you. And so I think it’s really unfair that thumb rings are grouped in with mechanical compound bow release aids, and I can tell that it’s done just to make life easier for world archery, who really only care about western styles and who don’t want to bother with making a new category. If it were up to me, there would be five classes of release aid. 1. No device or aid whatsoever 2. A soft leather tab or glove for protection only 3. A hard tab or device in contact with the thumb only (most thumb rings) 4. A hard tab or device in contact with more than just the thumb (the Korean male style and the other release devices Armin showed) 5. A device for holding and releasing the string, which is of moving parts or is mechanical in nature (most compound releases)

Just my opinion, but I believe the thumb ring is considered a release aid because it provides a smoother release than a finger draw. It would be interesting to see scientific studies on this issue. By smoother I mean less oscillation of the string as it leaves the hand. Btw I agree with Armin.

Exactly. All protectors except soft gloves with distinct fingers will aid release in some way. Be it speed or consistency. That’s why it makes no sense to call tabs merely as protectors, especially because of union of two bottom fingers, shelf’s and finger spacers. And if there is a permission for tabs that aid precision and cleanliness of release why would there be a ban for simple thumb rings? Same for hard gloves of course. If one can use a hard glove, why not a hard thumb ring? I personally think rules should make sense. But hey, that’s just me… Just to be clear. Not hating on tab users or hard glove users. God bless you! Just pointing out that the rule is arbitrary and there is an apparent double standard.

Agree with you, sir. Thumbring has been used hundreds of years, far earlier than these rules written. You need skill even more from Mediterranean release, to master your release. And I just wondering, they restrict the use of traditional thumbring in traditional archery competition, but allow bow with arrow rest.

Im considering buing one actually

Servus Armin, nachdem endlich mein mini Manchu von Alibow angekommen ist😀 will ich mir auch noch einen original Manchu kaufen. Nun meine Frage, kannst du mir den Quing von AF empfehlen da der Xongkoro nich mehr im Angebot von Alibow ist. Ich frage nur weil der AF Manchu so viel billiger ist. Wäre dankbar für einen Ratschlag von dir. L.G. aus Bayern

They need something to call us out on. We all seem to be fancy archers to western archers. "Oh look you do have an aid to help you!, it's not all instinctive"

Ok,, I'm TRIGERD by this video. :)

Unfortunately someone would have used one of those rotational release aids or a Korean male ring which then got complaints and a rule was written to ban any thumb ring. If you read through the rules they include some absurd rules just because someone insanely competitive tried to gain an advantage. Such as: 8.2. Prescription glasses, shooting spectacles and sunglasses may be used. None of these may be fitted with micro hole lenses, or similar devices, nor may they be marked in any way to assist in aiming. Someone drilled a hole in their glasses to use as an aiming method as well as someone drawing lines on to assist aiming. Rules are written usually because someone finds an advantage, Sad that Asiatic archers were punished because of it.

Well, it technically does aid the release. Otherwise you wouldn't use it. =P But I agree, it's not like a trigger, it's mostly for finger protection like a glove.

This is the same in some martials arts too....

The sheer idea that thumb rings are banned in competition as they are considered as release aid is completely bollocks. In Canada, thumb ring users can only compete against compound archers...

The way I see it, thumb rings are just as much a release aid as a tab or glove. To ban thumb rings but not tabs or gloves just seems arbitrary at best or discriminatory at worst.

korean male thumb ring = sugakji 숫깍지!

I didn’t understood. Leather thumbrings are permited in competition? Or is the same stupid forbidance?

Hallo Armin Da ich Englisch nicht verstehe du mir die Daumentechnik in deinem Video auf Deutsch super erklärt hast bin ich auf einen 20 Pfund Reiterbogen gewechselt. Leider meldet sich mein Daumen nach rund 30 Schuss . Deine Videos auf deutsch würden mir sehr helfen. Und ich glaube auch noch vielen anderen.

I see no difference in purpose or function between thumb rings and finger tabs. On the other hand, compound archers have no direct contact with the string. The release device alone, pulls and looses. They are completely different imo.

but tabs with finger spacers, thumb shelves and pinky hooks are ok....

100%

Yes sir people are just nuts they just want something to argue and complain about they don’t want someone to shoot better than them even with all their fancy equipment. 👍🏼👍🏼🏹🇺🇸

You already know what I equate thumb rings to, so if it's a release aid we's got troubles.😂

Rules are sometime made by people who don"t even know the subject they are working on . What a pity.....Most of them simply don t want things to change too; There is not only a way to shoot a bow.... In France the ring shooters are classified with those compound shooter who use a release..... Please do keep on.... Hector

It was a few years ago now . But I was the first thumb draw shooter to compete in a 18 meter 300 round indoor event . (Note ,big one first in my city Not world . For you nit pickers) Three of us old guys shooting trad amongst 20 compound shooters . Judges didn't care . I placed third out of three shooters in traditional category. A long bow ,a recurve . N my Ktb . My buddy with long bow could have entered as a long bow but since he was only one . Automatic ribbon first place . He figured he would win the hard way .( And he did lol) We had fun . And didn't care A tab a glove n a thumb ring .

At the IFAA German Field Archery Championship 2 weeks ago, my wife was taken off the TRB class for using a thumbring with her Kaya Windfighter with a t

If a thumb ring is a release aid, then a tab is too.

Well to be serious, I think release aid should be anything that, without spending considerable amount of time to learn a special technique, makes the release cleaner than a bare finger release. Can thumb rings including the kroean male thumbrings achieve this? Nope.

if a thumb ring is a release aid than with the same logic a glove is a release aid, so all 3 thinger shooters arent allowed to use gloves

Gloves ,tabs ,rings . They are all finger protection .

I totally agree. Most are very uneducated

Me Seeing the title: wtf it is a protectiom equipment. Armin: it is a protectiom equipment. Me: ok, i am not an idiot 🤣

They already have plenty of aids on a modern olympic bow.

this kind of irritated mindset cut through all weapon related topics in germany and a lot of other countries too. Topics about knifes guns nunchaks shuriken and the list goes on. Countries of selflimiting freedom and posibillities are also limiting the skills of all the people. With limits at competition level i could live with it becouse we can compare us without a offical limit regulated competition but when its get to forbidden or illegalized then something is really wrong.

It all depend on the rules, if you read the rules of WA, then mostley the thumbring is allowd. There are manny countrys, and places with different rules. In Belgium, there are contest that follow the WA rules, but not al contests follow these rules, they are mostley the same, but whith small changes. Read the rules, and ask them where the rules says i'ts a releas. Ask the archery federation of your country to ask the WA his interpretation of the thumb-ring. Just like a ckiker, what is for you a ckliker?? I'ts not just a draw check, its acourding to the WA also a subconscious trigger and thats therfore, the Solid Grip Trigger is forbidden in BB. Time's changes, rules can change to. If many thumb shooters react to their federation, who knows, a sepperate thums cat for them ;-)

That's so dumb. By that logic, an archery tab or glove is also a release aid 😂

Ha! I bet a bunch of ppl is triggerd by this 😅...sry, sry I show myself out 🚪🚶‍♂️

Greetings Armin; it will never fly, because your argument is too logical and makes too much sense for the narrow view of the rule makers/rule enforcers of the world, especially the archery competition empire builders. Sorry:(

Well I agree thumbrings are release aid. Especially manchu cylindrical thumb rings---it is a trigger in my hand :) Leave the compound archers alone OMG~