"Rails" for nocking by a pull
In order to successfully use pull nocking it is necessary to create a "rail" from your fungers, that will guide the bowstring to the groove of arrow nock. When putting arrow from the inside it is best to use little, ring and middle fingers; it works well and there is not much to thing about. But when nocking from the outside there are many more possibilities, and ech will suit for different needs.
Following is the list of rails that I know about. I described every one, but it is probably better seen from the picture in the end of article. The description states the usual starting hold of arrow. It is usually possible to modify the technique so that the arrow may be held by other fingers, but it is then more difficult to achieve. Next I describe a typicle problem that will arise for each technique. It is something that you have to take care of, and which will only resolve by constant training.
1) Arrow held between thumb and index finger (possibly also between other fingers, but made firm by a thumb). Index finger pressen the arrow nock to the side of the thumb, near the first thumb link, and this side of thumb serves as the rail. Frequent problem - for me it is difficult to hold the arrow in this wa quickly. I show this type of rail in video in nocking by a pull, so it does not have a photo here.
2) Arrow held between index and middle fingers, thumb presses the arrow nock against middle finger from the top. Side of a thumb serves as a rail. This variant is what I use. Frequent problem - thumb will frequently cover whole nock, so the rail does not guid bowstring to the nock groove, but away from it.
3) Arrow held between index and middle fingers, the back of last thumb link presses against the edge of arrow nock. The back side of thumb is the rail. This technique I found at Míla Pletánek. Frequent problem - string will skip over last hinge of thumb, and skips over the nock insted of sliding in the groove.
4) Arrow held between thumb and index finger, one tip of nock is pushed under the thumb nail. Last link of thumb and its nail are the rail. This technioque was adviced to me by Petr Skácel. Frequent problem - when doing it quickly, it is easy to push the nock under the nail with too much force, which is quite unpleasant.
Following type of rail does not use the thumb. I have found it at Briana C, who started with nocking by taking around, bud gradually he modified it so that it is now more or less pull nocking. It works only with arrows with long enough ending part after the feathers.
5) The arrow is held between index and middle finger. The hold must be very firm / the arrow is pressed between the palm and both fingers. Index finger pushes the arrow from the top, which fixes it and the nock is firmly pushed against the palm. The "pushing against the palm" is most important, and it must not loosen during nocking. The rail is then made from the palm with retracted thumb (that is not used at all). Because of no thumb the arrow cannot be rolled - its position has to be modiied before the thumb retracts. Frequent problem - insufficient push of arrow against the palm. The bowstring will then slip under the arrow instead of in the nock. Usually the grip is loosened at the last time, just when the bow string should slide in the right place.
