I used to have a 100-lb bow (for re-enactment), and the comparison is apt, but slightly off: Imagine picking up a 45-kg weight using only a string held by thre

I used to have a 100-lb bow (for re-enactment), and the comparison is apt, but slightly off: Imagine picking up a 45-kg weight using only a string held by three fingers. The pressure on the fingers is intense. Getting the shoulders and chest into the pull is the trick, and it's not quite as hard as lifting a weight off the floor because of that. But the fingers are doing a lot of work. Mine had turned white after a few shots, even with a thick leather tab to protect them. We did do volleys, because the public expected it and it was fun to do. But we could not hold for long - the bloke doing the shouting knew that he had only a couple of seconds between "draw" and "loose" or we'd be all over the place.