Archery Technique
Anyone who has ever shot a bow and arrow at a target already knows that it often is not quite as easy as it might seem at first glance. Proper archery technique must be learned first.
It is said that it took over two years to train an English soldier to effectively use a long bow during the time when it was the dominate weapon on the battlefields of Medieval Europe. It was not enough just to hand him a bow and some arrows and suggest he practice for a few hours. The archery technique that was required to wield this weapon was very complex and learning it was very time consuming.
The archery fan of today learns that proper archery technique is still important. If you are going to improve your skill to the point of competence, you are going to need to understand some basic principles and practice and then practice a bit more. If your goal is to shoot competitively, this is going to be even more important. When you study some of the methods and techniques used by competitive archers, you can learn some things that will help you even if your goals are less lofty.
Most competitive archers talk of mental preparation as being the most important thing to begin with when shooting. The purpose of the mental preparation is to focus the mind and body entirely on the act of aiming and shooting the arrow. There needs to be a great deal of focus and coordination between the eye and the arms and the mind. The entire body becomes an extension of the bow. The exact method of mental preparation differs from person to person. Find the method that allows you to focus and harness your physical strength into the act of drawing the bow and aiming the arrow. Practice this mental technique over and over again until it becomes something you slip into naturally every time you pick up your bow.
The next three elements of archery technique are the stance, drawing and aiming, and release and follow through. Each element can be broken down into several steps and in many case there are variations in the techniques. This means that there is no one stance that is perfect for everyone, although some elements of stance are more universal. The same can be said for the act of drawing the bow and aiming. The type of bow and the type of target will influence the drawing and aiming techniques. Each element needs to be treated separately and the proper and appropriate technique learned and practiced.
It all begins with proper mental preparation and then it is followed by the application of archery techniques that are in line with the type of shooting being done and the type of equipment being used. In summary, it might be wise to remember that shooting a bow and arrow poorly is actually quite easy if you are strong enough to draw back the bow. However, doing it with skill and success is not easy at all. It requires practice and the application of some important archery techniques.