[ELI5] why is dry firing a bow so bad for it? Does the arrow really make that much of a difference in that regard?

Question

[ELI5] why is dry firing a bow so bad for it? Does the arrow really make that much of a difference in that regard?

In: 2366

Answer 1

Imagine swinging a baseball bat as hard as you can, and then missing the ball. And then imagine doing the same and hitting the ball. It’s much more painful on your body when you miss as all the energy you exerted is not absorbed by anything and your body now has to deal with it in a way you weren’t prepared for.