3 Ways to Increase Draw Weight on a Bow

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This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Madden. Hannah Madden is a writer, editor, and artist currently living in Portland, Oregon. In 2018, she graduated from Portland State University with a B.S. in Environmental Studies. Hannah enjoys writing articles about conservation, sustainability, and eco-friendly products. When she isn’t writing, you can find Hannah working on hand embroidery projects and listening to music.
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The draw weight on a compound bow is the amount of force it takes to pull it back, and it’s super important to find the right balance. If your draw weight is too light, your arrow may not have as much force and could fall short of its target. You can increase your draw weight at home in just a few minutes by using an allen wrench. Since every brand is slightly different, always read the owner’s manual before you start working on your bow so you can adjust your draw weight safely.

Table of Contents

Steps

Tightening the Limb Bolts

Read your owner’s manual. Before you start adjusting your draw weight, it’s important to read through your bow’s manual to learn about its specific features. Every compound bow is slightly different, and some may have different locking mechanisms than others.[1]
Tip: If you lost your owner’s manual, try checking on the manufacturer’s website for one.
Loosen the limb locking screws with an allen wrench. Bow limbs are the flexible planks at the top and the bottom of the bow that are attached to the riser. The limb locking screws hold your limb bolts in place, and they’re usually located just below the top limb or right above the bottom limb. Use an allen wrench to turn them counterclockwise 4 to 5 times to loosen them.[2]
- Your bow can have anywhere from 1 to 4 limb locking screws, or none at all. Check your owner’s manual to find out where they are.
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Turn the limb bolts clockwise to tighten them by 2 pounds (0.91 kg). The limb bolts are the bolts that connect the bow’s arm to the riser, and they usually look like large, circular knobs. Put an allen wrench into 1 of the bolts and turn it clockwise to tighten it, then do the same to the other one. Make sure you turn them both the same amount of turns so that your bow is even.[3]
- If you want to increase your draw weight to the maximum it can go, keep turning your bolts until they’re tight.
Tighten the limb locking screws with your allen wrench. Move your allen wrench back to the limb locking screws that you loosened at the beginning and turn them clockwise until they’re all tight. Make sure you remember to lock them each time you adjust your draw weight so that your bow stays intact.[4]
- If you don’t lock your limb locking screws, your bow will be loose and could get damaged.
Test your new draw weight by nocking an arrow in your bow. It’s important to test your new draw weight to see if it’s the right weight for you. Point your bow and arrow at a target and nock the arrow into place. Shoot the arrow to see how well you do with your aim and if it’s a comfortable weight for you.[5]Advertisement

Finding the Right Draw Weight

Start with the average draw weight for your age group. Although the starting draw weight for your age group might be too light, it’s always best to start lower and move upwards so you don’t injure yourself or damage your bow.[6]
- Children usually need a draw weight of 20 to 35 pounds (9.1 to 15.9 kg).
- Women usually need a draw weight of 35 to 45 pounds (16 to 20 kg).
- Men usually need a draw weight of 55 to 65 pounds (25 to 29 kg).
Measure your draw length to find the right weight for you. Your draw length is how wide your arms can stretch from fingertip to fingertip. Hold your arms out at shoulder level as wide as they can go, then measure from one hand to the other. Then, divide that number by 2.5 to get your draw length. If you have a longer than average draw length, you may need to lower your draw weight.[7]
- The average draw length depends on your height. For men, it’s usually around 28.25 inches (71.8 cm), and for women, it’s around 25.5 inches (65 cm).
- Once you figure out your draw length, you can take your bow to a professional to get it adjusted. It’s a little harder than calibrating the weight, so you shouldn’t try to do it at home.
Choose more weight if you’re going hunting. A heavier draw weight will allow your arrow to fly further and hit harder. If you’ll be using your bow for hunting, try to increase your draw weight as much as you can for a harder hit.[8]
Alternative: If you do archery competitively, you probably want to stick with a lighter draw weight so your arrow can fly faster.

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Improving Your Strength

Shoot arrows at a target about 6 feet (1.8 m) away. If you want to increase the amount of weight you can draw, you need to shoot a lot of arrows in a quick succession. Try setting up a target that isn’t too far away and shooting arrows at it to build up your strength.[9]
- This is the best way to work out all the muscles that you use for shooting arrows.
Pull your bow and hold it at full draw for 30 seconds. If you don’t have an area to shoot at, you can instead just practice drawing an empty bow and holding it. Do this 5 to 10 times per day to strengthen your arm, shoulder, and core muscles.[10]
Warning: If you’re using an arrow, keep it pointed at a target that’s safe to shoot at, even if you don’t plan on firing.
Engage your shoulder as you pull your bow back. Although it can be tempting to use only your bicep to pull back your arrow, try to engage your shoulder and back muscles as well. This will help you take on more weight since your shoulder and back muscles are larger than your arms.[11]
- If you’re just starting out with archery, have someone experienced watch your form as you draw back so you can see if you’re doing it correctly.
Exercise your core to strengthen it. Although it might seem like draw weight is only dependent on arm strength, your core muscles have a lot to do with it also. Try doing sit ups, crunches, and planks 2 to 3 times per week to build up your abs so you can hold more weight.[12]
- To do sit ups, lay flat on your back with your knees bent upwards. Use your abs to pull your chest up to your knees without picking your feet up off the ground. You can do this 10 to 20 times, depending on how hard it is for you.
- To do crunches, lay flat on your back again with your knees bent upwards. This time, use your abs to lift your back off the ground, but don’t go all the way up to your knees. Repeat this 20 to 25 times.
- For a plank position, push yourself up on your hands and feet while keeping your body in a straight line. Hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds at a time.
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Expert Q&A

Tips

Read your owner’s manual before you start adjusting your draw weight to double check where all the parts are.Thanks
You can also take your bow to an archery shop to have a professional increase your draw weight.Thanks