Basic Steps to Archery Success

Basic Steps to Archery Success

  • Stance and posture – Straddle the shooting line with your feet about shoulder width apart and either parallel or slightly open to the target.  You should have about 60% of your weight on the balls of your feet.  Your head should be straight and looking straight at your target.
  • Nocking – Nock an arrow unto the string directly under the nock point.
  • Hooking – Hook the bow string in the archer’s groove.  Center the bow’s grip under the lifeline of the relaxed bow hand.
  • Mindset – Take a moment, drop your shoulders, and relax.
  • Set – Ready yourself and position prior to set-up.
  • Set-up – Raise the bow arm and drawing arm to node level.
  • Draw – Pull the string toward the next and slightly under your jaw, while setting your drawing arm shoulder back and down.
  • Load – Smoothly shift your back shoulder black toward your spine using an angular motion.
  • Anchor – Please your drawing hand snug under your jaw.  You must maintain solid and consistent contact.
  • Transfer – Move all of the power to your back muscles.
  • Hold – This is a brief moment spent before aiming.
  • Aiming and expansion – Align your sighting mechanism on the target and align your string in a consistent location.
  • Release – Start with a slight rearward moment of the drawing shoulder, arm, and elbow.  Release the string any time during this moment by relaxing your fingers and the back of the drawing hand all at once.  This movement should come from the back shoulders acting as a hinge to move the arm, rather than the arm doing the work.
  • Follow through – Maintain the motion of the back muscles, allowing the drawing hand to continue moving back beside the next.  Maintain your bow position until the arrow hits the target.
  • Relax – Relax your body and contemplate your shot.

Some Important Terminology

  • Let down – To return from full draw to the un-drawn position with control and no release of the string. 
  • Draw – To pull back the bow string.
  • Anchor – To consistently position the drawing hand by touching it to a location on the face, mouth, or jaw.
  • End – A set number of arrows that are shot prior to reclaiming them and recording a score.
  • Follow-through – The act of maintaining the motion of the upper body muscles following the release of the string.