What You Need To Know Before Shooting Your First Arrow: Archery for beginners
Archery is a secure sport compared to many other activities, yet there are still some precautions you should take before launching your first arrow of the day. To ensure that archery is performed correctly and safely, careful steps must be taken prior to shooting.
Never Draw Without an Arrow
It may seem like a no-brainer, but it happens more often than you think. Shooting your bow without an arrow nocked on the string is called dry-firing and this usually occurs when people are either not paying enough attention or simply don’t comprehend how important having an arrow in place is to absorb the energy from your bow shot.
When the archer releases the bowstring, the bow’s limbs spring back into place and convert stored power into kinetic energy to propel the arrow into flight. Without an arrow to absorb all this energy, it goes back into the bow, which isn’t designed to absorb the power. This sends an explosion through the bow that is loud and potentially dangerous. The vibrations can damage the equipment and send parts flying. Before drawing any bow, always make sure there’s an arrow nocked properly.
Inspect Each Arrow Before Every Shot
Before each shot, it’s essential to carefully examine your arrows for any potential damage. Despite its repetitive nature, this step is indispensable; an arrow that has been damaged can potentially be hazardous and unpredictable when fired. Arrows are exposed to a variety of external forces which could cause hidden defects without one realizing it – therefore requiring extreme scrutiny before use.
Perform a flex test on the arrow by firmly grasping it at both ends and bending away from your body. Carefully inspect and listen for any dents, nicks, cracks, or splinters. If you notice ANY type of damage along the spine of the arrow, immediately discard it as this can not be repaired safely.
When arrows are grouped closely together, nocks and fletchings can easily become damaged or loose. However, this is easy to fix by simply setting the arrow aside until it’s repaired! Don’t worry – replacing nocks or fletchings isn’t a difficult task at all.
Nock The Arrow Properly
To ensure that the arrow does not slip off as the bow is drawn back, it’s essential to correctly nock your arrows. This should produce a click when done properly, indicating that you have achieved an optimal fit on your string. If it ends up being too tight, then releasing from the string can become difficult; but if it’s too loose, this could result in unexpected dry-fire scenarios while shooting.
Make sure that the odd vane is aligned facing up. This will guarantee your arrow passes over all other parts successfully. Need some specialized advice? Then head to a local archery shop and get expert help on properly fitting it, or even make adjustments if necessary.
Set Your Stance
Your position is the basis for your shooting stance. Establishing it correctly is fundamental to your success in archery; and yet, many of us tend to become lax about our form when shooting multiple arrows. Before each shot, ensure that you take a moment to review and confirm your stance – this can make all the difference!
When it comes to archery, there is no one-size-fits-all stance – experiment until you find which position works best for your needs. If you have trouble determining the right form, don’t hesitate to book an appointment with a professional instructor nearby! All of this and more can be discovered by clicking here.
Align Your Peep Sight
Compound bows are equipped with peep sights for shooters to sight in on their target. Unfortunately, many new archers make the mistake of looking over or around the peep instead of through it when aiming. To ensure accuracy and consistent shooting every time, be sure that your peep sight is in alignment with the housing so they form two concentric circles while you’re taking aim!
Create Consistent Anchor Points
Anchoring is how you position your draw hand as you pull back the bowstring. Your anchor points are certain parts of your body that touch the string every time you draw. Consistent anchor points are critical for good shooting. Even small changes in the way you anchor can make a big difference in where the arrow hits the target.
Every archer has distinct anchor points; some prefer a kisser button, composed of soft plastic, that touches the edge of their mouth. Others might opt for a finger near their jawbone or just beneath their ear. It is imperative to settle on an anchoring spot on your face that you can easily and effortlessly come back to every time.
Get A Grip
Many new archers make the mistake of firmly holding onto their bow to keep it from falling forward. Unfortunately, this often has the opposite effect and causes excessive torque that leads to arrows being sent off-target. To avoid this problem, you should use a loose grip when shooting your bow – doing so will reduce torque and improve accuracy!
Bend Your Bow Arm
No archer is immune to the soreness and indignity of a bowstring slapping their forearm. This humbling yet painful experience is usually caused by improper form or unsuitably sized equipment. Therefore, you must pay attention and use gear appropriate for your body type in order to avoid this happening!
When positioning your bow arm, keep the elbow angled away from the bow and pointing slightly downwards. This will provide a slight bend in your forearm and ensure that you don’t experience any stinging from an unexpected slap of the string during release. If you instead point your elbow straight down, this may cause just such a slapping sensation when shooting arrows.
Squeeze Slowly
Many archers have developed the bad habit of “punching” their release, which means to rapidly and quickly activate it. This can lead to decent accuracy in some cases, but most shooters are not aware that they are doing this or its consequences; including target panic- a psychological condition that affects an archer’s ability to shoot accurately. To ensure successful shots, be conscious of your trigger control and avoid punching!
To prevent accidents, keep your finger on the trigger and gradually increase pressure. With practice, you will be able to touch the trigger without fear of it firing prematurely. To execute a successful shot, apply steady force when ready and let go at precisely the right moment for an ideal surprise release!
Start Short
Start your day with a 10-yard target. Establish the correct posture and form, then shoot an arrow and observe where it landed on the target. Make alterations to your sight depending on how accurate you were in that shot. Since this is at such a close distance, most archers will feel more relaxed about hitting their mark than if they started further away; consequently allowing them to focus intently throughout practice for maximum results! A strong initial arrow sets up confident momentum for archery success later in the session.
There’s a lot more that goes into archery than sending arrows toward the target. By implementing these measures into your practice, you’ll create consistency and make sure your gear remains in tip-top shape.
