Holding string - mediterranean-like
I have found some alternative ways of holding the string, that are a bit similar to mediterranean, but there is something special in them. The advantage is thet you get tham almost without effort in some ways of nocking.
Slavic draw
Little, ring and middle fingers are on the string below the arrow, which is the same as in mediterranean from outside. The string is held by first or second link of finger, it is very hard to hold it by the last one. Index finger is straightened and pressed to the arrow. Thumb holds the arrow from the other side. Everything looks a bit as if children show shooting from a pistol. The string is held only by three lowest fingers, so the middle finger has a lot of strain on it. This hold comes out on its own when nocking by a push from the outside. In the same time the fact that index finger "points" along the arrow helps me in instinctive aiming. Generally I really fancy this style of holding, and not only because I am Slav myself :-)
Slavic draw cen be used only if the arrow is put to the bow from outside. Straightened index finger then pushes it against the bow, and that makes it all firmer (arrow will not move even when running or riding a horse). On contrary, if you put the arrow from inside, the index finger will push it away from bow and will ruin everything.
At first I thought that this hold is totally my invention, but then I found it mentioned in Arab archery. It is there where they predicate the hold to Slavs. It is interesting that the author marked it as "peculiar", while Greek standard mediterranean style he rejected as totally mistaken. He probably did not like Greek.
Slavic style of drawing is a bit weaker than standard mediterranean, but not that much. After some training I am able to draw 60lb bow in this way, and as far as I can tell it will be possible also for 70lb.
Pinch draw
I ignored pinch draw at the beginning, because it seemed to me either unsusable or the same as apache draw. At last I have to admit that I was quite mistaken, and pinch draw deserves its own description.
There are several types of pinch draw. In the most basic (and most weak) type the arrow is only pressed between thumb and side of index finger, while no finger is on the string. It is extremly weak and thus usable only for very weak bows, because you have to hold whole power of the bow only by pressure betwen the two fingers. It is used by some Amazonian tribes and similar natives, but that is all. Nowadays it seems quite unusable to me.
Othe types of pinch draw add one or two fingers on the string - only index finger, only middle finger, or both. This makes the hold stronger, and it is possible to draw 30-40lb bow (probably more with propper training). It is not THAT strong, but sufficient for weaker bows (which are nowadays used by many archers). This upgraded pinch draw was used among north American Indians, and we could find it probably at ancient Scythians.
With pinch draw, the palm of string hand is turned obliquely unto the string. For comparison - with classical meditarranean style the palm is almost parallel to the string. With thumb draw it is almost perpendicular. Pinch draw is something between. Fingers that are on string are put there quite obliquely. Which is good, because it is easier to release the string right.
You hold must be adjusted to always push arrow against the bow (and not push it away). So if you nock from outside, your thumb should be a bit back, so that the pressure of index finger is dominant. On contrary if you are nocking from inside, the thumb must be drawn a bit forward, because its pressure should be dominant. However if you acustom to this type of draw, you will find that it fixes the arrow quite well, and far better than classical mediterranean style.
