Powerstroke

The power stroke (also called the “draw length”) in archery refers to the distance over which the string accelerates the arrow forward during a shot. More precisely: it is the distance between the brace height (the distance from the string to the grip in the unstrung state) and the position of the string at full draw.

👉 The longer the power stroke, the longer the limbs’ force acts on the arrow—and the more energy can be transferred to it.
👉 A shorter power stroke (e.g., due to a high brace height), on the other hand, can provide a smoother shooting experience and greater forgiveness for errors.