Archery Stances
Leave all those difficult maneuvers to Robin Hood – instead, focus upon one of the four archery stances that are guaranteed to make you a better archer.
Whenever archers are portrayed it the movies, they make it all look so simple, don’t they? Most of the time, these archers are riding horseback, running, fighting battles against millions of people, and awkwardly balancing upon castle walls. Well, you can try your luck at any one of these moves, though it isn’t recommended if you don’t have the basics down first. To begin, let’s start with the beginner’s position.
The beginner’s position is called the “even stance.” Simply stand with your legs wide and even in order to shoot steadily. The object behind this position is to remain balanced without teetering...though it is relatively easy to knock over any archer placed in this position. Still, it is important to stand steadily if you wish to shoot that arrow properly. Once you have mastered this stance, it is time for you to move on to the “closed stance.” This position is meant to allow any archer to line up precisely with the target. Stand with your legs closed and your body pointed towards the target. Since you are leaning away from the target, this may not be the best position for many people.
Next, the “oblique stance” is perfect for those that want to hit the target with speed, force, and accuracy. Most of the time, advanced archers are the only ones that will attempt this position, since it is rather difficult to achieve. Stand with your left foot slightly cocked outwards and your right foot straight towards the target. It is difficult to stand in this position for too long, though it will give you optimal clearance. The last of the archery stances is the straight position.
Stand directly on the line in front of the target in order to master the straight position. While simple, this position is also somewhat tricky, since you will not have great strength in your legs. However, you will find that you can gain lots of bow clearance with this position.
Try out all the archery stances mentioned above in order to find the right one for you. While the oblique position may look the best, it is often very complex. In short, start with the beginner’s position, then move on to those that are more complicated.