This is a topic that I have heard about so much over the years. The question is if you should shoot your bow at max poundage. In my simple answer, I have never really seen it matter in the slightest. I have had to back down a 70 pound bow before to the 60 pound limit set out by USA Archery and World Archery. I never saw a difference in my scores. Not in the slightest as a matter of fact.
The only performance difference you will see from backing a bow out from max poundage is a bit of speed, obviously, because you have lessened the weight. My big thing isn’t so much what poundage you are pulling, but more as to whether the holding weight on the back end at full draw is comfortable. For me that matters a lot more. I personally hold around 13-14 pounds at full draw. I have played with more and less before, but that range is what is most comfortable for me and where I seem to shoot the best. Experimenting with holding weight is really easy with an Elite bow because of the adjustable limb stops. You really can find your sweet spot.
Backing the weight off of a bow can also slightly change how the draw cycle feels. When I am experimenting with a new bow, I will sometimes take a turn off of the limbs to just see how it feels. Sometimes it will make for a little bit smoother of a draw cycle if the cam is too aggressive (which you don’t have to worry about with Elite).
In the end, so long as you don’t back your bow out to the point that the limbs are backing out of the pocket, you won’t see any difference in accuracy. The trick is to just play with it and see what works best for you. That’s what archery is all about. It’s not what the others do, but rather what you do that allows you to perform at your best.
