Are you someone who knows very little about archery or a confused beginner looking forward to learning archery? If yes, then welcome. In this guide covering archery for beginners, you will get a complete guideline to know archery basics for beginners, archery equipment with different archery bow types, and finally, the rules and regulations of the game.
So, Let’s begin!
What is Archery?
First of all, let’s dive into the origin and definition of archery. Though Archery was traditionally used for the purpose of warfare and hunting, it is now categorized as a sport. Even in Olympics, you will see the very presence of the game.
Besides being treated as a recreational activity, it is also recognized as a skill that contributes to health and mind at the same time.
Now the question is, what is Archery?
Well, Archery is actually the technique, sport, practice, or skill where one uses a bow to shoot arrows. The word ‘archery’ originated from the Latin word ‘arcus’. The person who takes part in the game of archery is called either an archer or a bowman.
However, if anyone’s level of archery is truly excellent to the level of expertise, he might be called a ‘toxophilite’. By now the archery meaning should be clear to you.
Archery 101: How to Play Archery?
When you start archery for the first time, you will need good preparation, both physically and mentally. First of all, you need to know how to play archery and then you can come to do it. There are some simple steps that you must follow to play archery. These are positioning, aiming, and releasing.
Let’s now move to the field. How do you shoot your first bow? Follow these steps one by one:
- Stand in a way where your feet stand apart on both sides of the shooting line.
- Keep your toes in one line along with your feet’ sides facing the middle of the target.
- If you are left-handed, grip the bow with your right hand. Make sure that the right side of your body is facing the target. However, just reverse the process if you are right-handed.
- Now, you should connect the arrow to the bowstring properly. Ask someone for help if you cannot do it by yourself.
- Place your index finger above the nock part of your bowstring.
- Place both the ring finger and middle finger under the nock.
- Hold the bow with the help of your thumb pointing straight toward the target.
- Make sure that your bow arm is at the same height as your shoulders.
- Rotate the bow arm elbow to place it out and away from the string.
- And now, pull the string rigidly along the bow arm following a straight line.
- When you feel the necessary tension, bear the weight of the bow using the strength of your back.
- Now, the last step: aim towards a target and shoot with confidence. That’s all!
If you are a beginner, you may find it surprising how professional archers are hitting their targets too easily. However, it is not as easy as it looks.
Actually, it takes a lot of hard work to be a professional archer. All the archers who are now adept in archery had to go through trial and error. It is not easy to shoot the target without enough preparation. It needs good preparation to release the arrow properly if you want to hit the target.
How to Determine Your Dominant Eye for Archery?
Aiming contributes a lot in this field, especially when it comes to archery for beginners. A sharp eye with a calculative brain is a must to shine in archery.
Now, if you do not know which one of your eyes is sharper and more dominant, you should go on a test to find that straight out. Here is how you will find your dominant eye which is essential for a good aim in archery:
- Bring out the core of toilet paper. You can also take the core of a kitchen towel.
- Hold the core out in front of you extending both of your arms.
- Now, look for an object in front of you. After finding an object, try to look at it through the roll keeping your both eyes open.
- Then, close one of your eyes.
- Now, if the closed eye is your dominant eye, the object that was in front of you before will go out of your vision within the roll. And if the opened one is the dominant eye, you will be able to see the object through the roll as before.
This is the process that you should follow to find your dominant eye. The professional archers followed it before their journey. As a beginner, you should also determine your dominant eye to aim correctly and shoot arrows effectively.
Archery Equipment:
In movies, you may find archery effortless and straightforward. It seems that only a bow and arrow are necessary. But, this is not right when it comes to modern archery. Though arrow and bow are okay as beginner archery equipment, it is not the same in the professional level.
Modern archery is not all about aiming, pulling, and shooting just with a bow and arrow. It needs a lot of other components or equipment for a professional archer.
As a beginner, you should get acquainted with all of those a bit to broaden your knowledge. Here you go:
Arrow:
As per Olympic standards, an arrow comes with a diameter of 9.3 millimeters. Though small, you can not underestimate its power of it. Usually, modern arrows are made of carbon fiber, aluminum, or fiberglass.
Bow:
A bow is actually made up of two limbs joined in the center with the help of a riser. The riser also comes with a handgrip and arrow rest. If the right bow is served Archery For Beginners will be easier.
There are different kinds of bows specialized for their unique power, precision, and use. However, among many varieties, there are two types of arrows that are most commonly used nowadays. They are: recurve bows and compound bows.
Recurve bows are used in the Olympics. It features tips curving outwards and are designed for power and precision.
Compound bows were used in Asian Games and SEA Games earlier. Ensuring energy efficiency, compound bows use rotating pulleys fixed to the end of the limbs. Frankly speaking, the professionals of archery today were compound bow beginners when they started archery.
Like single-pin bow sights? go here…
Bowstring
The bowstring is the string that connects both ends of a bow’s limbs. Polyethylene fibers are used to make modern strong bowstrings.
Release Aid
Being the true reflection of its name, the release aid aims to help an archer shoot with maximum accuracy.
Stabilizer
A stabilizer is basically a weight that can be placed on the rod to stabilize while mounted on a bow. It ensures the minimization of the movement at the time of and after releasing the arrow. It enhances the chance of a straight shot. Archery for beginners is tough without the help of a stabilizer.
Bracer
Bracer refers to a type of leather or plastic guard that the archers wear on their forearms. It safeguards an archer from any possible injuries from a bowstring or arrow.
Finger Tab
Also known as the archer tab, a finger tab is a handy little device made up of leather with a view to protecting the finger of the archer. To ensure safety, it is one of the key archery equipment.
Rules and Regulations in Archery: Good to Know Archery For Beginners
Even if you are a beginner, it does not necessarily mean that you should not explore the rules and regulations followed in International archery tournaments. Though, may not be followed in traditional archery for beginners, knowing the basic rules and regulations followed in the international arena will help you learn archery like a pro from the very beginning.
Though archery originated in simple form in ancient times, it has become quite complex in tournaments. World Archery is the international governing body that arranges and regulates competitive archery games.
In international archery competitions of the present time, the competitors are classified usually into eight different groups keeping age and gender differences in mind. For example, if the competitors are of different ages, then they can be categorized into cadet, junior, open, and master groups. On top of that, they will also be sub-categorized by differing males and females.
As followed in international competitions, the cadet group accommodates young competitors aged 17 or below than that. When it comes to the junior category, the age ranges from 18 to 20. The open category may consist of adults aged 21 to 49. And finally, the masters’ category is reserved for mature archers of age 50 and above.
As this guide is dedicated to teaching archery to beginners, here goes some key rules practiced in archery:
- While arrows land on lines, the higher point will always be deemed valid.
- If an arrow is accidentally shot through another arrow, the first arrow will be awarded points first.
- Note that, deflected arrows are also counted as shots. However, points in this regard depend on the hitting area.
- If misfire and early release occur, the point will depend on the archer’s ability to reach out and get the arrow back. If an archer succeeds to reach the arrow, he/she can fire again without facing any penalty.
An archer is supposed to follow certain signals in the field. Those signals are:
- Two whistle blasts: It denotes that archers should move to the shooting line.
- One whistle blast: It denotes that it is time for the archers to shoot.
- Three whistle blasts: It denotes that, now archers may move to their targets with a view to removing their arrows.
- Four or more whistle blasts: It denotes and signifies a straight order to stop shooting immediately.
Final Words:
To conclude while writing this guide regarding archery for beginners, we used the terms and words in a way that would be easier for the newbie. I hope this guide will help to know how to do archery beginners
archery for beginners with a video tutorial !!