Trap Builder™

draw
the muscle dilemma

The Trap Builder™ bow training aid was designed to train the archer to pull correctly, using the lower trapezius muscle (below shoulder blades) to draw instead of the arm and shoulder muscles. This archery strength trainer allows the archer to isolate this muscle. The light stretch archery resistance band facilitates proper release and follow-through. Recurve archers adjust it to full draw weight, and compound archers to the let-off weight. Easy to adjust, lightweight, and compact. This bow training aid is an excellent tournament warm-up tool and should be part of every coach and archer’s tool kit. Made in the USA.

developing
the Trap Builder

The Trap Builder came from a meeting between Tom Saunders and Hardy Ward at the 2016 ATA show. Hardy was a true archery lover whose job was coaching China’s archery team. Tom and Hardy discussed how one might show archers how to draw a bow using the correct back muscles. Hardy showed Tom how it could be done and asked him if he could build something for that purpose.

When Tom returned from the show, he set out to find existing components that could be utilized to build this new device he named The Trap Builder. The Power Pull’s handle was the starting point. However, the other components had to be brought in from outside sources. To everyone’s surprise, the original design worked and was more effective than hoped. It was learned that proper use can also show archers proper alignment in all three planes. Archers using a clicker or a back tension release will understand the critical alignment in all three planes. The Trap Builder makes you aware of the proper angle of the drawing elbow and posture because the lower back muscles cannot be easily engaged when shooting.

C.A.T.
a new style of training

We are in the final stage of converting the Power Pull so it can be transformed by converting the Power Pull into a Complete Archery Trainer. The C.A.T. was helped by listening to a coach we respect, Linda Beck. When pointing out the string bow and drawing stretch bands, she asked why we didn’t combine them. Many of us at the coaches’ clinic thought that, but she was the first to verbalize it. So that is when we started on the C.A.T. project, which was about seven years ago.

One archer who is a top old-timer coach, Ed Eliason, much respected by me and the archery family, volunteered to test various versions in his archery classes over the last five years. Modifications to the C.A.T. were made so the students could learn consistent form, which is critical for improving their scores. This is done by holding the bow and string grip in a consistent position. With the C.A.T., a device can be added to show the student in real time why it is so critical.

The C.A.T. can be modified to change the mass weight and the drawing weight so that students can develop shooting shoulder strength. This allows the student to strengthen form before advancing to a heavier shooting set-up. 
This reduces time for adjustment before competition. The C.A.T.’s portability and locked-in fixed shooting form makes it the ideal warm-up tool. This will get the archer focused on form and not scoring before the tournament. As we know, actions speak louder than words!

Company Note: Tom Saunders’ C.A.T. project is still under development and unavailable.

options
power pull’s Weight-On option

A spin-off from the C.A.T. project is Tom’s Weight-On option. For this training aid, see our Power Pull product line.

WARNING: Cancer and Reproductive Harm
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