https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog graphic design, packaging design, web design en-us Thu, 21 Nov 2024 02:25:00 -0800 Tue, 2 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0800 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss info@ohioarcherycenter.com info@ohioarcherycenter.com info@ohioarcherycenter.com no https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2025/9/number-one-reason-skilled-shooters-do-not-win <p>jane is a good shooter. her training scores are solid enough to win her class in every shoot. her equipment is the finest money can buy, and her technique is sound. she should win, but she doesn’t. john shoots well in smaller competitions, but when he gets to ones that are important to him, he has difficulty shooting well. he should win, but he doesn’t.</p> <p>so what is the reason? in my more than 45 years of competing and coaching, one factor is most often the culprit. it takes more points from those who are skilled and have trained diligently than any other. the villain is the amount of mental effort the shooter uses in the tournament. </p> <p style='text-align: center;'><strong>“giving 110% is almost certain to keep you from winning.”</strong></p> <p>when you give it your all, you may be over-trying. your level of mental effort exceeds the optimum, and points are lost. let’s examine why this happens and what we can do about it.</p> <p>when we begin any form of skill acquisition, we must do things consciously. an example would be looking at the keys when we learn to type. i must admit that i still have to look at the numbers when i type, but the keys are touched automatically now that i’ve been typing for a while. as my conscious mind can only think about one thing at a time, i was as slow as christmas at typing in the beginning. as i began to practice, exciting things happened. i soon found that i didn’t have to think about the keys. they seem to type without conscious effort. when this happens, we type with our subconscious mind. what a difference! our speed increases, and so does our enjoyment of the skill of typing.</p> <p>skill acquisition in shooting occurs precisely the same way. at first, we have to think about the elements of our form. through training, we begin to do them automatically or subconsciously. there is a considerable advantage when the subconscious controls the shooting process. the conscious mind can only think of one thing at a time, while the subconscious can handle countless activities simultaneously. we shoot best when the conscious mind is quiet, and the subconscious is in control.</p> <p>so, if this is true, why would we ever want to shoot consciously? we shouldn’t. but, we do this every time we try too hard in competition. i have observed that close to 90% of shooters are trying too hard in competition. here’s why. when we enter a significant competition, we naturally want to perform well. the conscious mind can override the subconscious at will. so, the conscious mind, to make certain we shoot well, over-rides the subconscious. the result is a drop in scores and an unhappy shooter.</p> <p>this doesn’t happen in practice or unimportant competitions because the conscious mind is happy to let the subconscious take over in lesser situations. you see, the ego resides in the conscious mind. it seems to resent not being in charge when important events occur. also, it appears that the subconscious is quite willing to allow the conscious mind to take over its job whenever it wants to. the subconscious is the team we want on the field. we need the conscious to stay on the bench, but if it takes the field, we will have difficulty winning the game.</p> <p>so what are we to do? we need the conscious to do just enough, not 1% more. you see, everything in life requires a certain amount of effort to perform well. if you give it 1% less effort than is needed, performance drops. if you give it 1% more effort, performance drops again.</p> <p>how can you tell if the effort you are using is too much? if you think you need this target or begin to count your score when you are shooting, you may be over-trying. giving it all you’ve got in a competition is over-trying. this problem is so common among shooters that almost everyone will do it at least once in a competition. </p> <p>what is the right amount of mental effort? i asked hundreds of elite performers this question, and this is the best answer i’ve received.</p> <p style='text-align: center;'><strong><em>“the optimum level of mental effort and let’s just have fun today are close together.” </em></strong></p> <p>that’s right! there is a time to try hard, but it is not in the competition. the time to try is in preparation, not in execution. we must trust in execution. that’s correct… trust! trust your training. if you are not training efficiently and effectively, you will have difficulty trusting anything in the competition. but, if you are well prepared, trusting is the ticket to a winning performance.</p> <p>unfortunately, most shooters try in execution, and that is the problem. how hard would you have to try if you knew you would win? think about it. you could enjoy the experience without fear of a bad outcome. that is precisely the feeling that you should have when competing. relax and let it happen; don’t try to make it happen. making it happen is putting the conscious mind on the field and over-trying results. just let it happen. trust your subconscious. let it do its job. </p> <p>putting the conscious mind on the bench while competing takes work. some shooters find that they can do this well. most, however, find that if they do not give the conscious mind something to think about, it will find things on its own. it may think about things that will hurt your performance. it has been my experience that if the conscious mind is not occupied or quiet, it almost always overpowers the subconscious, and trying too hard is the result. </p> <p>i recommend running a mental program just before shooting. it occupies the conscious mind and allows the subconscious to do the work. the mental program is a planned, practiced sequence of thoughts you picture while executing the steps of your shot routine during the shot execution.</p> <p>remember to trust your training to avoid over-trying. the better you train, the more you have to trust in the competition. run your mental program and let it happen.</p> All categories Tue, 2 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0800 https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2025/9/number-one-reason-skilled-shooters-do-not-win https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2024/8/tournament-mental-management <p>as an archer, competition nerves and performance anxiety can be crippling and can impact archers from beginners to professionals. the pressure of performing at your best in front of spectators and other archers can be overwhelming and the fear of failure can cause physical and mental stress. these thoughts and feelings, if not managed, can lead to a mediocre performance. however, there are simple and effective techniques to manage these emotions so you can perform at your best.</p> <h3><strong>understanding competition nerves and performance anxiety</strong></h3> <p>before you can effectively manage competition nerves and performance anxiety, it's important to understand what they are and what causes them.</p> <p>competition nerves refer to the nervousness and anxious feelings that you experience before and during a competition. they are a natural response to the pressure and stress of competing. archers may feel anxious or nervous before a competition because they want to do their best and win. performance anxiety, on the other hand, is the fear or anxiety that arises from the pressure of performing well in the competition. it is the fear of failure that can negatively affect performance. archers may worry about making mistakes or not performing up to their own or others' expectations, leading to feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt.</p> <p>these emotions can manifest into physical symptoms such as trembling, sweating, increased heart rate, shortness of breath, muscle tension and panic attacks. they are a natural response to stress and anxiety. when these symptoms are not managed, they lead to a loss of focus, mistakes, broken shot routines, and a poor performance.</p> <p><strong>causes of competition nerves and performance anxiety</strong><br /> understanding the causes of competition nerves and performance anxiety can help you develop strategies to manage and overcome them. below are some of the causes of competition nerves and performance anxiety:</p> <p><strong>lack of preparation</strong><br /> a lack of preparation is a common cause of nerves and anxiety. if you have not had enough practice or training, you may feel unprepared and nervous during a competition. inadequate preparation can also lead to doubts about your ability which can increase anxiety.</p> <p><strong>fear of failure</strong><br /> fear of failure is another common cause of nerves and anxiety. you may be concerned that you will not perform well, that you will make mistakes, or that you will disappoint your coach, teammates, or family<s>.</s> these fears can lead to negative thoughts and feelings that can affect your confidence and focus.</p> <p><strong>pressure to perform</strong><br /> the pressure to perform can also contribute to nerves and anxiety. if you are competing and/or in front of a large audience, you may feel a lot of pressure to perform well. this pressure can increase anxiety and affect your ability to focus and shoot accurately. you may feel that your being judged by the spectators and that your success or failure will decide your worth as an athlete.</p> <p><strong>past trauma or negative experiences</strong><br /> past trauma or negative experiences can also contribute to competition nerves. if you have had a negative experience in the past, such as a bad competition or an injury, you may develop anxiety about competing again. this anxiety can be triggered by similar situations or reminders of the past experience. you may feel that you are reliving the past experience and that you are unable to control the outcome.</p> <p><strong>personality traits</strong><br /> personality traits can also play a role in triggering nerves and anxiety. some people are more anxious by nature or are perfectionistic. this can increase their anxiety in competition. other personality traits, such as competitiveness, can also contribute to anxiety and pressure to perform. you may feel that your performance reflects your identity or that your self-worth is tied to your success.</p> <h3><strong>developing mental strategies for managing competition nerves and performance anxiety</strong></h3> <p>one of the most effective ways to manage competition nerves is to develop mental strategies. mental strategies can help you stay focused, calm, and in control during competition. mental strategies are techniques that help you manage your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors during competition. below are some detailed explanations of how to develop mental strategies to improve your performance as an archer</p> <ul> <li><strong>turn it off </strong>– turn off the cell phone and put it away. do not check for messages. do not go to it between shooting ends. just keep it tucked away and keep your focus on shooting. switching back and forth from competition mode to your phone will only cause more stress and distraction. if you’re bored, talk to your archery competitors or coach. (see connection with other archers below.)</li> <li><strong>goal setting</strong> - goal setting is a powerful mental strategy that can help you improve your focus and motivation during competition. setting specific, measurable, and attainable goals can help you focus on what you want to achieve. when setting goals, it is essential to focus on the process rather than the outcome. this means setting goals that are within your control, such as improving your technique or consistency, rather than winning a competition. when setting goals, you will need to develop a plan to achieve those goals.</li> <li><strong>focus on breathing</strong> - concentrating on your breathing can help block out external noise. you can also try counting your breaths to help you stay relaxed and focused. breathing techniques are a simple but effective mental strategy that can help you reduce anxiety and improve your focus during competition. by focusing on <s>your</s> breathing, you can slow down your heart rate and reduce tension in your body. breathing techniques can also help you stay present and focused on the task at hand. to practice breathing techniques, take deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. focus on the sensation of your breath as it moves in and out of your body. you can also count your breaths to help you stay focused and relaxed.</li> <li><strong>practice "blank-bale shooting"</strong> - shoot your bow into a blank target while keeping your eyes closed to avoid distractions. this can help you learn the feel of a properly executed shot. in simple terms, if doesn’t feel right just “let-down” and start over.</li> <li><strong>close your eyes</strong> – when you reach “transfer to hold”, relax and close your eyes. after your breathing and heart rate has calmed, open your eyes, slowly exhale, aim and finish your shot sequence to a relaxed release and complete follow thru. this can help you avoid distractions and focus on your form.</li> <li><strong>visualize the shot completely before you start the shot sequence</strong> - use mental imagery to visualize yourself blocking out distractions and staying focused on your performance. you can also visualize the arrow hitting the target with all your senses, including seeing, smelling, hearing, and feeling it. by visualizing yourself succeeding, you can build your confidence and reduce anxiety. visualization also helps you develop a mental blueprint for success which can improve your technique and consistency. when visualizing, it is essential to use all your senses to create a complete mental image. imagine the sights, sounds, smells, and feelings of a successful performance. use this mental image to create a positive mental state and develop a sense of control over your performance.</li> <li><strong>manage distractions and develop a pre-competition routine</strong> - identify potential distractions before a competition and develop strategies to manage them. to manage distractions, it is essential to develop a pre-competition routine that helps you stay focused and relaxed. for example, if you are competing in a noisy or crowded environment, you can wear earplugs or headphones to block out distractions prior to the tournament. you can also use positive self-talk to stay focused and motivated.</li> <li><strong>developing a support system to manage nerves and anxiety - </strong>having a support system can also be beneficial for managing nerves and anxiety. your support system can include friends, family members, coaches, and teammates who can provide encouragement and support when you are feeling anxious or nervous.</li> <li><strong>talk to your coach - </strong>talking to your coach can be helpful for managing anxiety and improving performance. your coach can provide guidance and support, help you identify areas for improvement, and provide constructive feedback. they can also help you develop a training plan that is tailored to your abilities and goals.</li> <li><strong>connect with other archers</strong> - connecting with other archers can also be helpful for managing competition nerves and performance anxiety. you can join a local archery club or online community to connect with other archers who understand the challenges you are facing. you can share tips and strategies, offer support, and learn from others' experiences.</li> </ul> All categories Thu, 29 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0800 https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2024/8/tournament-mental-management https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2022/8/what-archers-do-wrong <p>i’ve been coaching for a while and have seen a lot of shooters both good and bad. these eight topics are the biggest problems i see overall with shooters. this article isn’t meant to fix your shooting problems. it is meant to point out some of the generic issues i have seen and fixed with most archery shooters. maybe you have one of these problems, maybe not. an experienced coach is the best way to identify which issues you need to correct.</p> <h2><strong>too much draw weight</strong></h2> <p>i coach a lot of people…probably 40+ people a week. i have seen all kinds come to coaching and thousands of shooters that should get coaching. without a doubt the number one thing i see archer’s do wrong is that they are drawing back too much draw weight. i’ve seen guys shooting indoor leagues pulling back 60-70+ lbs. compound bows.</p> <p>this obsession with draw weight has to do with either a belief that speed is important or that they have too much testosterone. whatever the reason, most archers are shooting a bow with too much draw weight.</p> <p>instead of shooting a bow that is comfortable for their shooting style, they are pulling extremely too much draw weight back. to execute great shots, you need to have good form. unlike other sports, the more relaxed, more comfortable your shooting form, the less muscles you use, the better you are going to shoot and the stronger and more consistent your form will be. an example of this would be our military trained snipers. their heart rates and breathing are so slow and calm that they are squeezing the trigger between heart beats. they are not fighting an up-hill battle but relaxing to make a perfect squeeze on the trigger.</p> <p>instead of turning the bow up for leagues or hunting, i would suggest going in the other direction and turn the bow’s draw weight down. make the whole process of shooting more pleasant with less effort. if you must go through what i call “shoulder olympics” to draw your bow back, then you really need to consider turning your draw weight down or selecting a recurve or recurve limbs with lower draw weight. your bow should be easy to pull back using a level bow arm just above your shoulder with a level draw arm. your shoulders should be relaxed and down in a comfortable position that promotes your arm aligning to your shoulder socket. not something that causes your shoulders to be stiff and sore.</p> <p>typically, after a full day of coaching and probably shooting several hundred arrows through both an olympic recurve and compound bow, my shoulders are neither sore nor tired. after 30 years of shooting, i still have no shoulder issues.</p> <h2><strong>the bow is not fitted to them</strong></h2> <p>without a doubt your bow needs to fit, and i mean like a glove. as a coach i can’t believe how many shooters i see with bows that are not even close to fitting them. their draw length is too long. their peep height is too high or low. their “d” loop is too small.  their nock point is in the wrong place. their “kisser” button is the wrong spot.</p> <p>whatever the issue, most shooters don’t spend enough time to tweak their bow to fit them perfectly. that is even more important in hunting scenarios where you are using less than perfect form especially if you are hunting from a tree stand. for target archers, the fit of the bow is a major foundation point that creates the consistency needed to develop the form needed. </p> <p>this same philosophy applies to recurve bows whether you are shooting traditional or olympic recurve. i am often coaching students with recurve bows that are either too long or short for their draw length or their physical height. for recurve bows it is important that bow fits the body size and shape of the shooter.</p> <p>as well, bow sizes…axle to axle (ata) for compound bows and overall length for recurve bows should be sized to fit the scenario that shooting will be done in. for example, let’s say you are target/tournament shooter that shoots a compound bow. using a 30” ata bow for tournament work is truly counterproductive. while if you are hunter shooting a compound bow from a tree stand, a 40” ata bow would be as well counterproductive. again, another issue of fitting the right bow size to the scenario. in addition, there is a balancing act for bow size to body size. if you are 6’-3” with 39” arms and a draw length of 32”, a 30” ata bow will have such a steep bow string angle it will be difficult to maintain any type of good form and head position.</p> <p>for the compound shooter having the correct draw length and “d” loop size will increase the stability of the bow and limit the amount of sight float there is. this is not just getting cams set to roughly the right draw length but going to a full-service archery shop and having the draw length adjusted by adding/removing twists in the cables and bow string while maintaining proper bow tune. this type of fine tuning takes time. you adjust the draw length a little. shoot a dozen arrows, then make a little adjustment and then shoot another dozen arrows. this is time consuming process, but the results will be amazing if you put in the patience to get it exactly right. this is not a one-time deal. this is an on-going process. over time you will stretch, your shoulder placement and alignment will change which will necessitate you to readjust and further tweak the draw length.</p> <p>for recurve shooters it is building your bow with the proper overall length to fit your body size. a 72” olympic recurve bow would be pretty unyielding to hold for a 4’-10” shooter. in the reverse, a 6’-4” shooter would have a difficult time with a 60” olympic recurve bow. there are exceptions to this…not necessarily good exceptions but exceptions, nonetheless. a number of traditional shooters like to hunter with shorter, older bear bows. because hunting scenarios is about only making that single shot, these shooting situations typically work out fine. they are not designed to shoot multiple repeatable shots but making that one shot.</p> <h2><strong>selecting the wrong arrows</strong></h2> <p>the arrow is the most important thing when it comes to shooting. remember in the end, the arrow is the item that hits the target…not the bow and not the release. these items help get the arrow there, but the arrow is doing all the work in the end. for every situation, there are several arrows’ sizes, types and designs that will work and there are several arrows that are absolute wrong. selecting and building the proper arrow for the shooting situation is paramount to any success.</p> <p>now before we delve into this any deeper, i will honestly say when it comes to arrows there are more exceptions to what works than stars in the sky. so, this section is more of a guidance. the shooter must remember the psychological portion here. if you believe you execute better shots shooting x-10 protours at an indoor 5-spot round, then you are going to shoot them better. living proof of that are shooters like jesse “freakshow” broadwater. he has more than once shot perfect scores at vegas shooting x-10 protours. and i mean perfect scores like 300 points with 30 x’s…not edging x’s but dead center “spider” x’s. but also remember most of us are not jesse broadwater with his shooting skills.</p> <p>with that out of the way, it is important to shoot the right arrow for the right situation. if you are like most shooters that shoot winter indoor leagues, hunt in the fall, shoot outdoor 3d in the warmer months and occasionally shoot either long range (i.e. total archery challenge) or outdoor field/900 rounds, it is almost impossible to shoot a single arrow brand, type, size and spine for all four scenarios. in my opinion, you would need at least four different arrows to be successful at all four shooting situations.</p> <p>let’s look at what i would suggest for these four different shooting situations and why. these are my suggestions. like i said there are many arrow brands, types, sizes, etc. that would work for these situations.</p> <p>one thing that should be consider no matter what situation you are looking at is using an online program like archers advantage (archersadvantageonline.com) to take the guess work out of sizing arrows. when it comes to compound bows there is a certain amount of sizing that is just simple math. i really get the “heebie jeebies” when a person looks at bow with little to no information and says as a matter fact you should be shoot xyz and 000 spine.</p> <p>now i would be remised to not mention some bows, arrow rest and release combinations due to their combined design simply don’t like certain arrow designs/sizes. everything could be perfect mathematically, but that particular arrow just doesn’t shoot well out of that bow for you. you can tune those arrows to make them fly better, but they will never get the grouping you want no matter how hard you try. that is when it is time to change to a different arrow brand/type. i personally don’t fully understand why but some arrows just don’t fly well out of certain combinations. except that and change. don’t try to fight it, it is a losing battle.</p> <p>i am not going to get into spline tuning, nock tuning, etc., etc. for me some of this is important and some of this is simple voodoo in my opinion. these discussions are better for a few beers around a campfire. as well, steve might love goldtip kinetic platinum as the best arrow in the world and he only shoots 400 spine arrows with bohning fletching and 100gr points. it does not mean they are the right arrow for you.</p> <p>my general bow setup for these comparisons is a hoyt proforce. draw weight – 54# and draw length of 31.5” with a 70% let-off. i’m shooting from a beiter blade rest. a reminder these are my selections and there are hundreds of other combinations and reasons to make a certain selection of arrows.</p> <p><strong>winter indoor leagues:</strong> easton x23, 2315, trimmed to 30.5”, 200gr propoints, 3” flexfletch, easton super nock or beiter nocks. i like the 23 diameter arrows for indoors because they work for nfaa and usa archery events. usa archery limits you 23 diameter shafts. they group well, better than 27 diameter arrows in my opinion. all-in-all this gives me an arrow weighing 602 gr which means i get 234 fps speeds out of the bow. i also shoot smaller vanes and not feathers so that there is minimal correction to the arrow by the vanes.</p> <p><strong>hunting in the fall:</strong> gold tip airstrike, 400 spine, trimmed to 30”, bohning air vanes., 125gr mechanical broadhead, “g” nocks. this combination gives me an arrow in the 425gr range that gives me a good combination of speed vs weight to make a great shoot that will get the job done. air vanes are not too long to offer any crosswind issues under 40 yards and airstrike at .254 diameter are small diameter but not too small. when it comes to hunting, you need to find a balance in equipment selection as well as much forgiveness as possible.</p> <p><strong>outdoor 3d shooting:</strong> easton superdrive 23, 475 spine, trimmed to 30”, 100gr propoints, 1.87” flexfletch, pin nocks. i like the 23 diameter arrows for 3d because typically you are never shooting further than 45 yards. they group well. pin nocks protect the arrows from damage, and i have found superdrive’s to be a very durable arrow. all-in-all this gives me an arrow weighing 319 gr which means i get fast speeds out of the bow. this fast speed helps to cover up any yardage judging errors on my part. in addition, over the last few years i have been operating under the premise that the quicker the arrow clears the bow, the less chance i have of messing up the shot. i also shoot small vanes so that there is minimal correction to the arrow by the vanes and lower crosswind drift. the minimal correction let me see my form mistakes so i can fix them, i don’t want the arrow to cover up my form mistakes.</p> <p><strong>outdoor field/900 tournaments:</strong> gold tip kinetic pierce platinum/tours, 340 spine, trimmed to 30”, 100 gr points, 1.5 flex fletch, pin nocks. these arrows group exceptionally well at up to 60 yards. at a fraction of the price they fly almost as well as my easton  x10 protours. the small vanes and small shafts limit crosswind drift which is great when shooting 50 yards or more. the resulting arrow weights about 375 grains which gives me good speed but also solid flight. really light arrows can be a little “flighty” and erratic showing the slightest form issues. for example, for total archery challenge (tac) i shoot victory vap v6 600. this arrow comes together at 265 grains which is very light but works great for the 100–150 yard shots that you shoot at tac. though they work for the extreme range of tac, vap arrow build is flighty, and your form must be “right on” for every shot. luckily tac is just a fun shoot so misses or bad shots are just something you and your buddies just laugh about.</p> <p>ultimately, the point is that you need to select and build arrows for the job at hand. just like you wouldn’t go duck hunting with a .22 cal long rifle cartridge, and you probably shouldn’t kill that rodent that is bother you with a 12 gauge. select the right arrow for the type of shooting you do. it does not have to be a big investment and you’ll get more satisfaction out of your shooting results.</p> <h2><strong>taking the wrong release</strong></h2> <p>this section has to do with mechanical releases on compound bows. recurve shooters using gloves, tabs or bare fingers have already selected the method that gives them their best release with a particular bow. mechanical releases for compounds come in one of several different flavors…thumb (or trigger) release, hinge release, true back tension release and wrist (caliper) release. over the next several minutes, i’ll cover what each release was meant for and where they shine or don’t shine in their ability to improve your arrow shot.</p> <p>a little background from my perspective…the right release for your kind of shooting makes all the difference. some releases are used for the wrong reasons. others used the wrong way. it is important to use every release the right way to get the best from that release and your shot sequence.  i know many will probably disagree with me on my opinion and that is fine. they can write their own articles to explain their philosophies.</p> <p>the thing that is taught the most is that the release is supposed to be a surprise which is really a lie. no matter what release you use, you are still “command” shooting. you are finishing your shot sequence by either pulling through the shot or relaxing your fingers to make the release go off. instead of looking for a surprise shot you should instead learn to follow through properly and control your excess movements.</p> <p><strong>thumb/trigger release</strong>:  this release has been around for a very long time. however most people will use it incorrectly. it was never to be a simple trigger like on a gun. stan always meant for you to pull thru the shoot and the trigger was the mechanism that released the bow string. the advantage of the trigger is that gives you the ability set off the release in very difficult shooting positions or stances, with extreme outside distractions, and a snap shooting situation. several other points to consider is that a trigger handheld release gives you a solid repeatable anchor and there is a mental component of feeling like you are in control for those who need that feeling.</p> <p><strong>hinge release: </strong>from my perspective a hinge release is like joining alcohol anonymous before you have a drinking problem. hinge releases are a great way of resolving pulling through and punching issues. often referred to as back tension releases, that title is inaccurate. the release works by rotating the release around your index or middle finger. this rotation causes the hinge to release the “d” loop. however, for awkward or steep angled shooting positions they are the worse release available. hinge releases require good alignment on the shoulders to generate a soft, smooth roll of the release. if your alignment is bad, it can be difficult if not impossible to make the release go off. also, even though you are commanding the release, there is still a delay in completing your next to the final step of shot sequence and the actual releasing of the arrow. in a hunting scenario that delay can mean the difference between a dead deer and one running away from the stupid hunter.</p> <p>by the way, the final step of your shot sequence is the follow through/feedback.</p> <p><strong>back tension release:</strong> a true back tension release has no trigger and is not set off by rotating it. the only way to make this release work is by building up back tension in your shoulders. they are a type of differential release. for example, you might set it for 4 lbs. once you anchor, you might have 12 lbs. of holding weight. when you increase back tension so the holding weight is 16 lbs., the release will let go of the “d” loop. personally, i think it is a great tool for learning back tension and pulling through the shot.</p> <p>however, they are not the best solution for a great release. many people have real uneven anchor holding weights due to form issues. sometimes they are just up against the back wall and sometimes they are trying to tear the limbs off depending on the situation, how tired they are, heat of the battle, etc., etc., etc. when they are pulling hard into the back wall, they have little strength left to increase a further back tension. also, most people yank at pulling through the shot instead of slowly building up more back tension. this makes this release real undependable for getting the shot off. it also suffers from the same alignment issues a hinge release has. if your shoulders are not aligned well, it is almost impossible to increase the back tension smoothly. if you yank at the release, your shot with either end up high or left for a right-handed shooter … a lot high or left.</p> <p><strong>wrist (caliper) release:</strong> this release is just like a trigger release except instead of using your fingers to hold the release it is attached to your wrist with a strap. mostly used for hunting, this release has most of the benefits and short comings of a trigger release. the strap keeps the release at your fingertips when hunting and prevents the release from being lost in the woods. the only major difference is that you must work a little harder to get a positive repeatable anchor because of the way your hand is wrap around the strap and release. this can be overcome if the shooter takes the time to learn a repeatable anchor on their face. however, most shooters tend to anchor wrist releases up around the same height as their ear instead of learning to anchor on their jaw line.</p> <h2><strong>seeing the avengers or hunger games</strong></h2> <p>a lot of my beginning younger students all have seen hawkeye in the <em>avengers</em> and katniss in the <em>hunger games</em>. i love both movie series and have seen them both several times. unfortunately, they have nothing to do with archery.</p> <p>archery is a sport of using less muscles, less motion, less everything. the more you move, the more muscles you use, the more your shots are going to be erratic and unpredictable. let’s take a few minutes to look at this.</p> <p>there is a machine called a hooter shooter for testing bows. it makes every shoot exactly the same with no added motion such bow arm movement, poor releases, “¡olÉ!”ing the shots, movement of the head or too much face contact. because of that, a hooter shooter can shoot x’s all day long, one perfect shot after another.</p> <p>archery is a form sport. great form means great shots, bad form means crappy shots. it is as simple as that except for the mental game. as we discussed earlier getting the bow adjusted to you perfectly is part of great form but nonetheless having your shoulders properly aligned, strong bow arm, solid bow grip, good posture, consistent solid anchor, proper release, and proper follow thru all add up to a strong, consistent shoot. none of this requires any motion or movement on your part. if your form is right, your shoulders don’t hurt, your back is not sore, and your muscles don’t get tired. after a long day of coaching and shooting where i might shoot 200+ arrows, the only thing that is tired on me is my feet and my eyes. i’m older so tired eyes just come with the turf.</p> <p>so, work on your form with a coach. if you are getting tired or sore shoulders, back or arms, you are doing something wrong. the sooner you get that fixed the better your shooting will be and the less likely you will permanently injure your shoulders or back. also remember, it takes only ten arrows to pick up a bad habit and a thousand arrows to eliminate a bad habit.</p> <h2><strong>practice, practice, practice</strong></h2> <p>most shooters just don’t practice enough. i don’t mean a few arrows before a hunt. i mean earnestly practice for several weeks before you must shoot for a hunt or tournament.</p> <p>practice is the cornerstone of developing great shooting form. i don’t mean just shotting 100 arrows today. i mean you shoot 100 quality arrows while paying attention to using proper form. like i tell my older, experienced shooters, if you execute 60 perfect shots, i can guarantee you are going to shoot a 300 with 60 x’s. the high score and x’s come free with perfectly executed shots.</p> <p>first thing first, practice what you are going to shoot. if you are indoor shooting 20 yards, then practice indoor shooting 20 yards. shooting from indoor to outdoor, from 20 yards to 80 yards are different things that require different shot sequence and mental conditions. as well, there never can be enough practice unless you are currently shoot 200-300 arrows a day. the more quality shots you take, the more second nature the shot sequence becomes. the more second nature the shot sequence gets, the less you think about it and execute the perfect shot.</p> <p>no matter what you practice or how you practice, it is not that you need to shoot a group of 100 or 50 arrows to be finished. you need to shoot 50 individual single arrows. each arrow a unique separate event. not part of a group but a single thing by itself. and when that single shot is done, it is immediately forgotten and removed from your memory, so you are executing 50 or 100 “first shot” arrows. this is important. when you start grouping them, you will get lazy on the later shots and let little form issues slip into your shot sequence.</p> <p>finally, be honest. when i practice, an arrow doesn’t count unless i executed my shot sequence as best as i can. if it was a sloppy shot or i was laughing at a joke being told or it got away from me, it does not count. also score your practices just like you would a regular event. it gives you a baseline to how you are progressing on your practices.</p> <p>one practice regiment most shooters overlook is blank bale shooting with their eyes closed. let me explain the setup. you will be shooting into a blank bale at about 5 yards or closer. something you couldn’t miss no matter what. if you feel uncertain about this, have a friend act as a spotter to warn you when you are aiming off the bale. now the why part. your vision tends to overrule everything you do with archery. now with your eyes closed, your brain can focus on the feel of the release to your face, how the bow feels in your bow hand, where the string contacts your face, how hard it is contacting you, etc., etc. once your brain knows these feelings, the moment you draw the bow back and anchor, your subconscious will know if this feels “right” or “wrong.” if that little voice in your head says this does not feel right, then let down. that little voice always knows what is “right” and what is “wrong.” remember that and listen to it.</p> <h2><strong>not letting down</strong></h2> <p>if i had a dime for the number of times, i have seen archers trying to muscle through a bad setup for a shot i would be a millionaire. i mean it. their grip felt wrong. the anchor isn’t right. a bug is flying in their face. sweat is falling into their eyes. the list goes on and on. do they let down, fix the problem, and start over? no, absolutely not. they are god and can make it happen just like hawkeye. bullshit, they are feeble humans just like the rest of us. and what do they get for their effort. nothing. a missed deer. a 4 instead of a 5 on the target. an arrow bouncing off the celling. a lost arrow. and this list goes on as well on how bad it can get.</p> <p>if for any little reason, the shot does not feel good, not fitting up your face, something is bother you, etc., ect. “let down.” there is no shame in letting down. there is shame in that miss on the target or deer. you see the pros do it all the time and their shooting form is nearly spotless.</p> <p>no matter the reason, internal or external, if the shot does not feel “right” then let down.</p> <h2><strong>overestimating your ability</strong></h2> <p>we all have had either confidence problems about our shooting from time-to-time or think we are the best shot since katie smith (7 times vegas winner besides a thousand other awards).</p> <p>it is important to believe in your shooting abilities especially if you are being coached and practicing enough. but don’t overestimate your ability and think you have no room for improvement and practice is a waste of time. we all plateau in our shooting ability and you must realize that you are stuck on this level of shooting until you put in the time, patience, and hard work physically and mentally to move off that level.</p> <p>in target shooting, overestimating your abilities just means you post a bad score which could hurt you mentally. in a hunting situation, overestimating your abilities can make for a disastrous outcome. the last think you want to do is maim an animal or make a bad kill that takes hours or even days to track the animal.</p> <p>realize your limits in terms of accuracy, arrow path, and personal skill before making a long shot or one through heavy cover. make the safe shot and not the risky one even if you might not get another shot this trip or season. in a target situation, the safe shot does not put other shooters at risk or your equipment at risk of breakage. don’t let your friends and their stories “goat” you into taking crazy shots that have little chance of success. besides safety, arrows and bows cost money. premium ones even more money.</p> <p>if you want to be more aggressive on your shooting, then work with a coach to improve your physical skills and strengthen your mental game. archery is much more about the mental game than the actual physical skills. if you don’t have the mental game to make great shots than you are just trusting “dumb” luck.</p> All categories Wed, 3 Aug 2022 00:00:00 -0800 https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2022/8/what-archers-do-wrong https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2022/7/when-to-replace-bowstrings-and-cables <p>while working at my family's archery pro shop from 2002 to 2012, i replaced hundreds and hundreds of bowstrings and cables for our customers. so did my brothers. some folks had us replace them annually, which was great and instilled peace of mind for them before hunting season. conversely, plenty of customers came for new bowstrings or cables only because theirs blew up or were on the verge of it.</p> <p>a string and/ or cable blowup is very risky. first, it creates a dangerous situation. once, a rubber bowstring silencer broke when i shot my bow and then somehow slapped my face. it stung like a bee. i can't fathom being face- or eye-whipped with a bowstring as it rips in half. second, if you milk out your bowstring and cable life too long, the blowup could happen at a critical time, such as during the whitetail rut or an out-of-state elk hunt. of course, bow shops are usually slammed during these times of the year, and your bow most likely won't be back in business for at least a week. however, you can avoid that disaster by monitoring warning signs and replacing strings and cables when it's time, or even before.</p> <p>on a crossbow or compound, strings and cables rank near the top in importance. in this column, i'll discuss warning signs to identify so you can replace them before they become dangerous. i'll also talk about how to choose replacements and what to look for. then, i'll finish with some maintenance tips you can follow that will prolong your new string-and-cable system's lifespan. let's talk bowstrings!</p> <p><strong>read the warning signs</strong></p> <p>though i can speak this language like second nature, i sat down with, in my opinion, the best in the bowstring business to discuss hints that indicate it's time to get a new bowstring and cable(s). jerry mullet of america's best bowstrings said, "customers are always asking how to know when it's time to change their strings. no matter what brand of strings are currently on your bow, all are made of fibrous strands that eventually will break down and wear out. the rule of thumb, regardless of visible wear, is to change out strings every two to three years. some of our customers change their strings every year, but we've also seen instances where folks have used one set of america's best bowstrings for up to nine consecutive years. although that nine-year-old set still looked great, we really suggest not going beyond three years."</p> <p>duration is certainly a warning sign, but mullet also shared that studying the bowstring for visible wear can indicate when it's time to replace. look specifically for excessive fuzzing on the fibers and serving separations. as a side note, i haven't experienced serving separations with america's best bowstrings, but i've seen it countless times with stock strings and cables, so keep tabs on that, especially if you're currently using your bow's original set.</p> <p>to summarize, ask yourself, "how old is my current system?" if more than three years old, i suggest replacing. if less than three years, then inspect for wear. if you're still unsure, visit a pro shop and ask an expert's opinion. in any case, don't wait too long.</p> <p><strong>choosing a new bowstring-and-cable system</strong></p> <p>too many bowhunters live with the misconception that bowstrings are bowstrings. truthfully, as i said earlier, the system is one of a compound bow's most important components and hugely impacts performance. if you settle for a low-quality set, it will inhibit your bow's potential and consistency. mullet underscored that point during our discussion.</p> <p>"a bowstring-and-cable system is vital to your bow's performance," he said. "that multiplies when we're talking about highly efficient modern cam systems. if the bowstring moves or creeps, it will change your impact and rob consistency. it could also mean a perfectly tuned arrow becomes an untuned arrow. from a bowhunting- ethics perspective, that is not a risk we should take. i need everything to be right so that when i draw back my bow, i know that my arrow will go where i'm aiming."</p> <p>that is why custom bowstrings are best, especially if you're shooting at longer distances, say, 40 yards and beyond.</p> <p>"when it is time to replace worn-out strings," mullet said, "remember that not all bowstrings are created equal. first, consider the manufacturer's reputability. does the manufacturer stand behind its product with a warranty? going with a high-end custom string will maximize performance because it won't creep, peep rotation will be on point, and servings won't separate. those are the three hallmarks of a really good custom string."</p> <p><strong>maintaining your string-and-cable system</strong></p> <p>just like changing your car's oil regularly or mowing grass when it reaches a given height, bow strings require special attention and regular maintenance to last two to three years. mullet shared some ways to do it.</p> <p>"there are obvious reasons why bowstrings wear out faster than they should," mullet said. "some archers make a lot of bowstring contact with their body, both when they're shooting or even when they carry the bow through the woods. they allow the bowstring and cables to rub against clothing, brush, targets and other objects. each abrasion will damage the string fibers and shorten their life. try your best to avoid doing that.</p> <p>"many bowhunters also don't understand how bow storage can inhibit string life. they think nothing of storing their bows in barns, sheds, unheated/uninsulated garages, or other outbuildings. this can be highly detrimental to string life.</p> <p>"think about it. in some extreme instances, a bow is exposed to 100-plus degrees during the summer down to minus 30 degrees in the winter. that majorly speeds the wear process. big humidity swings, even in consistent temperatures, also inhibit string life. always store your bow in a climate-controlled environment to maximize string life."</p> <p>beyond the points mullet made, i'll add it's wise to employ some type of bowstring cleaner when your string has been exposed to dust or dirt. i also lightly wax my string and cables any time they appear dry or exhibit slight fuzzing. get in the practice of packing cleaner and wax for every hunt.</p> <p><strong>better now than later</strong></p> <p>just like a vehicle driven for years and years without replacing worn or broken parts, a bow with an old or worn bowstring-and-cable system spells disaster for accuracy and potentially safety, too. plus, you could find yourself amidst a rut hunt you waited all year for with a blown string or cable, rendering your bow inoperable.</p> <p>to that end, if you have any questions about whether it's time to replace your string-and-cable system, remember that it's better to do it before the damage is done. it's a small price to pay in the grand scheme of bowhunting, and it sure can save you from a nosedive outcome on a hunt you've waited for all year. that's a risk i'm not willing to take. how about you?</p> <p><strong>custom bowstring for a new bow?</strong></p> <p>you may have heard of someone replacing a stock string-and-cable system with a custom set as soon as they bought a new compound bow. if you're wondering why someone wouldn't use a new, perfectly good set that comes with the bow, consider what jerry mullet of america's best bowstrings shared in the main article. he explained that a high-end custom bowstring-and-cable set such as abb's platinum series offers three distinct advantages over stock strings: zero creep, zero peep rotation, and zero serving separations. those factors boost a compound's performance, and then you can keep the stock set as a backup.</p> <p><em>by darron mcdougal, bowhunting world</em></p> All categories Sun, 10 Jul 2022 00:00:00 -0800 https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2022/7/when-to-replace-bowstrings-and-cables https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2022/4/10-training-exercises-that-will-make-your-archery-practice-more-efficient <div class='field field-name-field-summary field-type-text-long field-label-hidden'> <div class='field-items'> <div class='field-item even'>shooting arrows without focus is not an efficient way to train. these practice exercises develop the skills that archers need to perform in competition.</div> </div> </div> <div class='field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden'> <div class='field-items'> <div class='field-item even'> <p>one of the greatest strengths of archery as a sport is also one of the deepest weaknesses for the archers who practise it.</p> <p>the target is a wonderful device. it’s exceptionally easy to understand – the closer the arrow hits to the middle, the better the result – and it provides instant feedback.</p> <p>in simple terms, a good shot gets a 10 and anything else could be improved upon.</p> <p>and therein lies the issue. because when we’re training, we get immediate feedback on every shot. but training isn’t where an archer is required to perform on the scoresheet – that’s in competition.</p> <p>so this visual representation of performance can actually do more harm than good.</p> <p>that is why it is sometimes important to remove the focus from the target when practising. that doesn’t have to mean not shooting at a target, nor not scoring, but changing the parameters of a session using exercises.</p> <p>the world’s top archery teams don’t head to the training field just to shoot 100s of arrows. many use varied programmes of strength, control and focus work-outs to teach specific skills that better prepare athletes for competition.</p> <p>these are some simple examples of drills that anyone can integrate into a single visit to the range – or as part of a larger training programme – to help improve their scores.</p> <h2>1. card-deck simulation</h2> <p><em><strong>how: </strong>shuffle a deck of cards and shoot matches against the deck, with each card having a different value. aces and picture cards are worth 10 points and all other cards in the deck are worth their number value.</em></p> <p>draw three cards per end or set, leaving them face down until your arrows are in the target. reshuffle the deck at the end of each match.</p> <p>to increase the difficulty, simply remove lower-value cards from the deck.</p> <ul> <li>leaving all 52 cards is an average arrow of 7.2 points.</li> <li>removing the two, three and four cards leaves an average arrow of 8.5 points.</li> <li>removing the two, three, four, fix and six cards leaves an average arrow of 9.25 points.</li> </ul> <p><strong>why:</strong> there is not a better way of randomly simulating matchplay. the goal is to win seven matches in a row – and win the tournament.</p> <p><em><strong>when:</strong> use when preparing for competition.</em></p> <h2>2. focus compass</h2> <p><em><strong>how: </strong>use the impact of the previous arrow to determine which part of your technique you pay particular focus to on your next shot. as an example, if the arrow lands high or low, focus on anchor point. if the arrow lands left or right, focus on head position and stance.</em></p> <p><strong>why:</strong> it helps maintain meaning when shooting a lot of arrows in training and teaches you to pick a particular point of focus when shooting. this can come in useful in competition, when you need to block out distractions, or deal with a particular or changing issue – even something like the wind.</p> <p><em><strong>when: </strong>whenever you’re shooting arrows without another purpose, this is a good alternative.</em></p> <h2>3. resistance bands</h2> <p><em><strong>how:</strong> (recurve only) wrap rubber training bands around the top and bottom of your riser and the string, adding about 2lbs of weight to the draw.</em></p> <p><em>(compound and recurve) tie rubber training band around wrist and foot, adding weight to holding up the bow.</em></p> <p><strong>why:</strong> if you’re shooting at the very edge of your ability to hold or draw a bow, it’s impossible to have full control. </p> <p>training with resistance bands increases the load just enough to push you out of your comfort zone so that when you take them off, you’ll feel stronger and more relaxed – and can work on fine control.</p> <p>(recurve archers can shoot with one or two bands around their riser and string and it shouldn’t affect accuracy too much in training – since the string moves faster than the band upon release.)</p> <p><em><strong>when: </strong>shoot 12 arrows on, 12 arrows off and repeat for a 72-arrow round to build bow strength.</em></p> <h2>4. click and pull</h2> <p><em><strong>how: </strong>(recurve only) pull through the clicker, expand an extra millimetre, reset to clicker point, expand, reset, expand, reset and then release.</em></p> <p><strong>why: </strong>control at the point of execution with a recurve requires strength and a strong understanding of technique. archers are often wired into the clicker and errors between the ‘click‘ and releasing the string are lost. this exercise detaches the two, building mental and muscle stability.</p> <p><em><strong>when:</strong> sets of six, three click and pulls and normal shots, six times. this 36-arrow exercise can be added to any training session.</em></p> <h2>5. pyramid ends</h2> <p><em><strong>how:</strong> shoot an end of six arrows, then of nine, then of 12, then of 15, then of 12, then of nine, then of six, then of three.</em></p> <p><strong>why:</strong> in competition, archers often to produce their practice standard because of external pressures. it‘s impossible to replicate that – but by removing the normality, and consistency, of the six-arrow end, you can push yourself out of your comfort zone. shooting 15 arrows in one end is not easy.</p> <p><em><strong>when:</strong> instead of a scored, 72-arrow round.</em></p> <h2>6. back to basics</h2> <p><em><strong>how:</strong> simulate movements with a rubber band, then a basic bow and then your competition kit.</em></p> <p><strong>why: </strong>it’s never too late to go back to basics. there’s a stigma around experienced archers picking up low-end kit and training change – but it’s the most efficient way.</p> <p>improve a skill by mastering it first with a resistance band, then with a beginner bow before moving on to your competition gear. and if it’s not working at the end, go back to the beginning again. (this applies to compound, too.)</p> <p><em><strong>when:</strong> use when making technique changes.</em></p> <h2>7. blank bale – with a target</h2> <p><em><strong>how: </strong>blank bale is shooting at a bale without aiming – and most people don’t put a target up. per <a href='https://worldarchery.org/entry/3048'>braden gellenthien</a>, who explains this concept in the video above, have one up in the background but just don’t aim at it.</em></p> <p><strong>why:</strong> shooting without aiming helps you to work on technique. it removes the sight pin and score from your priority list and makes process more important. but it’s so different from shooting with a target that often doesn’t help when you move back to a normal set-up.</p> <p>keeping the target in the background normalises the ability to shoot without aiming – impacting outside of the middle – and is a great tool in combating target panic. </p> <p><em><strong>when:</strong> braden recommended doing it regularly, particularly as a compound archer, as a form of technique maintenance. after a windy competition, it can be even more useful to reset.</em></p> <h2>8. the bow catch</h2> <p><em><strong>how: </strong>have a coach, or experienced friend, kneel beside you and catch your bow after release instead of using a finger sling.</em></p> <p><strong>why:</strong> pressure on the grip of the bow causes so many problems to arrow flight and it’s why pushing straight through the bow, rather than twisting it, is important for top archers.</p> <p>it takes some faith but knowing that your bow can leave your hand and will be caught by somebody else stops the subconscious grabbing or manipulating the handle.</p> <p><em><strong>when:</strong> use when improving technique – and repeat to maintain execution, once a month for a couple of ends out of competition time.</em></p> <h2>9. 7:14</h2> <p><em><strong>how: </strong>use a timer or clock. count seven seconds to shoot a shot – in your head – and wait 14 seconds before raising your bow for the next.</em></p> <p><strong>why:</strong> simulates head-to-head, alternate shooting. the rhythm teaches you both to shoot on-demand to consistent timing and to wait before your next arrow rather than rush it, which is a trap that many archers fall into while training.</p> <p><em><strong>when: </strong>shoot matches, five sets for recurve or 15 arrows for compound, and better prepare yourself for matchplay in training.</em></p> <h2>10. north-south-east-west</h2> <p><em><strong>how: </strong>use the impact point of your last arrow of the previous end as the aiming point for your next end.</em></p> <p><strong>why:</strong> aiming off the middle is a critical skill in competition, especially when it’s windy. it’s impossible to always move the sight and a good archer always knows how to put their pin in another spot on the target. this exercise practises that.</p> <p>exaggerate the impact point, pushing it further out of the middle if necessary, to train more extreme conditions. focus purely on group sizes – against your normal ability – to measure the result.</p> <p><em><strong>when: </strong>use when preparing for competition.</em></p> </div> </div> </div> <p>original article by world archery</p> All categories Sat, 9 Apr 2022 00:00:00 -0800 https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2022/4/10-training-exercises-that-will-make-your-archery-practice-more-efficient https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2022/3/mental-archery-flow <div class='kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q'> <div dir='auto' style='text-align: start;'><span dir='auto'>have you heard of flow?</span></div> <div dir='auto' style='text-align: start;'> </div> <div dir='auto' style='text-align: start;'><span dir='auto'>if not, you’ve probably heard of the zone. being in the zone and experiencing flow are two similar ways to describe optimal experiences while completing a task. it’s just that being “in the zone” is used more colloquially, and flow is the official term used in sports psychology. it turns out that archers perform better when experiencing flow and that mindfulness meditation for archers can help them experience flow. </span></div> <div dir='auto' style='text-align: start;'> </div> </div> <div class='cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q'> <div dir='auto' style='text-align: start;'><span dir='auto'>this is really good news for high-performance coaches and archers.</span></div> <div dir='auto' style='text-align: start;'> </div> </div> <div class='cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q'> <div dir='auto' style='text-align: start;'><span dir='auto'>flow state requires a balance between our perception of challenge level and skill level. this means we should feel confident that we have the skills to complete the task while at the same time recognizing that completing the task would require our full concentration and attention on the challenge at hand and on the present moment.</span></div> <div dir='auto' style='text-align: start;'> </div> </div> <div class='cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q'> <div dir='auto' style='text-align: start;'><span dir='auto'>flow state often produces a feeling of unity between action and awareness. that is, during flow, we might describe feeling at one with whatever task we’re doing. our mind is completely present in the activity, undistracted by other life events or challenges that might cause us pain or anxiety in our daily lives. during flow, all consciousness of the world outside of the activity simple fades away, and we feel at one with the task.</span></div> <div dir='auto' style='text-align: start;'> </div> </div> <div class='cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q'> <div dir='auto' style='text-align: start;'><span dir='auto'>flow state also requires clear goals. to enter flow, we must be able to describe exactly what we’re supposed to do before attempting to complete the task. that way, during the activity, we can focus all of their attention on achieving the goal.</span></div> <div dir='auto' style='text-align: start;'> </div> </div> <div class='cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q'> <div dir='auto' style='text-align: start;'><span dir='auto'>unambiguous feedback about how we’re performing is another key element of flow. to experience flow, we must receive positive feedback about our performance. feedback can be received a number of ways. sometimes the feedback comes from an outside source. sometimes it comes simply from meeting our clear goals.</span></div> <div dir='auto' style='text-align: start;'> </div> <div dir='auto' style='text-align: start;'> <div dir='auto'> <div class='ecm0bbzt hv4rvrfc ihqw7lf3 dati1w0a' id='jsc_c_1uo'> <div class='j83agx80 cbu4d94t ew0dbk1b irj2b8pg'> <div class='qzhwtbm6 knvmm38d'> <div class='kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q'> <div dir='auto' style='text-align: start;'><span dir='auto'>for archers, feedback comes from a range of factors, often at the same time. archers receive feedback from their own kinesthetic awareness of how their bodies are moving through space. however, most of the time, archers do receive additional feedback from judges, fans, coaches, or simply meeting their goals. the feedback athletes receive as they perform facilitates flow.</span></div> <div dir='auto' style='text-align: start;'> </div> </div> <div class='cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q'> <div dir='auto' style='text-align: start;'><span dir='auto'>total concentration on the task is one of the clearest indications of experiencing flow and is highly related to a challenge-skill balance. when our skill level is just high enough to accomplish the task, in order to really accomplish it, we need complete focus. in doing so, we forget about all the anxiety and troubles of daily life and enjoy the present moment. if we are able to complete the task while thinking about what we’re cooking for dinner that night, our thoughts are likely to wander from the present moment and take us out of flow.</span></div> <div dir='auto' style='text-align: start;'> </div> </div> <div class='cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q'> <div dir='auto' style='text-align: start;'><span dir='auto'>the sixth element of flow is a sense of control, which is closely related to a challenge-skill balance. notice, the key to experiencing the sixth dimension of flow is a sense of control, not complete control. complete control would imply that we easily have the skills to complete the task. a sense of control, however, implies that while we have just enough skills to complete the task if we focus all our attention on what we’re doing in the present moment. on the other hand, if our skills reside far below the challenge level, we might feel out of control and start to doubt our abilities. this doubt would take us out of the present moment and out of flow.</span></div> <div dir='auto' style='text-align: start;'> </div> </div> <div class='cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q'> <div dir='auto' style='text-align: start;'><span dir='auto'>loss of self-consciousness is another important element of flow. most of us live our lives consistently evaluating and judging ourselves and worrying about judgment from others. when we’re self-conscious, we’re unfocused, distracted by thought, and out of touch with the present moment. that’s why the loss of self-consciousness is an important aspect of flow – because self-consciousness distracts us from the task at hand. that’s also why the balance of skill and challenge level and complete concentration on the task at hand are so important for flow. when we need full concentration to complete a task, we can’t let self-conscious thoughts distract us, or we’ll fail.</span></div> <div dir='auto' style='text-align: start;'> </div> </div> <div class='cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q'> <div dir='auto' style='text-align: start;'><span dir='auto'>the transformation of time refers to our perception of time. deeper flow experiences have the power to make us experience time as passing faster or slower than it is in reality. when we’re focused so intensely on a task in the present moment, time seems to fade away or have little importance.</span></div> <div dir='auto' style='text-align: start;'> </div> </div> <div class='cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q'> <div dir='auto' style='text-align: start;'><span dir='auto'>an autotelic experience is one that is intrinsically rewarding. this means we do the activity because the activity in itself makes us feel good, not because we receive external rewards like money, status, approval, etc., although such outcomes may result. csikszentmihalyi said that in many cases, flow experiences bring us so much joy that we seek them out and they become autotelic. it’s not until after the flow experience, however, that we experience this joy because during flow, we’re often too focused on the task to fully experience joy.</span></div> <div dir='auto' style='text-align: start;'> </div> </div> <div class='cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q'> <div dir='auto' style='text-align: start;'><span dir='auto'>researchers have found that some main limitations of flow for athletes are sports anxiety and general pessimistic thinking.</span></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> All categories Tue, 15 Mar 2022 00:00:00 -0800 https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2022/3/mental-archery-flow https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2021/10/an-overview-of-competitive-archery <h2><strong>governing organizations</strong></h2> <p>to start, let’s cover the main governing bodies for competitions. they fall into three categories – national, state, and local/individual archery shops.</p> <h3><strong>• national organizations</strong></h3> <p>the major national organizations are national field archery association (nfaa); world archery, also known as usa archery (usaa); international bowhunter organization (ibo); and archery shooter’s association (asa).</p> <p>special note: world archery was previously known as fÉdÉration internationale de tir À l'arc (fita). the state level chapter was ohio fita which is now known as ohio target archers.</p> <p>these four organizations they can be split into two groups. nfaa and usaa is mostly involved in indoor and outdoor target archery. ibo and asa focus on 3d archery. however, there is some crossover from all the organizations. for example, nfaa has several marked 3d tournaments.</p> <p>what is 3d archery? the typical archery range is flat, with targets set at exact distances. in contrast, a 3d archery range is in the woods, it introduces unique angles/distances, and creates new ways to have fun with a bow. 3d archery gets its name from the three-dimensional animal targets used in the shoot. the target sizes range from small chipmunks to massive elk and are set along a course that resembles a hiking trail. each target helps create a different hunting/shooting scenario. you might shoot downhill at a deer target, and then walk a short distance to shoot at an alligator in a swamp. the shots try to mimic the countless scenarios bowhunters could face in the field. this creates realistic bowhunting practice. 3d archery isn’t just for hunters – it creates difficult shoots that can challenge any archer’s skills.</p> <p>it is important to note that all these organizations have very specific rules for equipment classifications with a lot of very subtle differences among them. you must read their individual rules/bylaws to see what qualifies and what does not. also, all these organizations shoot a class system which match archers with similar age, sex, and equipment against other archers for most events. there are exceptions like when a tournament groups all male compound shooters regardless of age shoot against each other. but those type of tournaments are very rare.</p> <p>below is a list of the organizations and a brief history of each one.</p> <p>the <strong>nfaa (nfaausa.com)</strong> was officially founded in 1939 with 49 chartered state originations and over 1,000 member shops. the nfaa has affiliations with the international field archery association and usa archery. on the national level, the nfaa runs nearly 100 national and regional tournaments around the united states. about half of these tournaments are outdoor. their home office is in yankton, sd.</p> <p><strong>usaa (usarchery.org)</strong> is in colorado springs, co. it was originally known as national archery association. usaa is involved in all disciplines of archery including target, field, and 3-d. usaa sanctions more than 200 events annually and conducts indoor, outdoor, and collegiate national championships as well as the usa world archery and olympic team. usaa also has youth (joad) and adult archery programs and clubs throughout the united states, and certifies archery instructors, coaches, and judges.</p> <p>the <strong>ibo (iboarchery.com)</strong> was created in 1984 by a dedicated group of bowhunters who shared the desire to ensure that bowhunting and the ideals of wildlife conservation survive. this organization is about shooting 3d archery with unknown distances. one of the skills required to shoot ibo successfully is the ability to judge yardages and to have your archery equipment setup so that helps with misreads. they run a winter national, indoor national, spring national and world championship which is comprised of seven national events. several of these national events are held indoors. ibo shoots rinehart targets exclusively.</p> <p>the <strong>asa (asaarchery.com)</strong> was created in 1993 in kennesaw, georgia. like the ibo, they are about shooting 3d archery outdoors. however, in contrast to the ibo, the asa supports classes that include known yardages which is more desirable to target archers. the scoring between the ibo and asa organizations is different as well. the asa has six pro/am shoots each year between february and july. the asa shoots mckenzie targets exclusively.</p> <p>the <strong>scholastic 3-d archery (s3da, s3da.org) </strong>is a youth-oriented program that focuses on developing archery skills in the areas of indoor target, 3-d and outdoor target archery as well as safe, ethical bowhunting practices. the goal of the s3da program is to provide archery and bowhunting opportunities for young people in after-school settings as well as with archery-affiliated clubs and businesses in the community. this organization is a little smaller and has a bigger impact in the mid-atlantic states. because it is a after school program it is entirely built around youth shooters. they have four national shoots a year on the east coast and four national shoots on the west coast.</p> <p>the <strong>national archery in the schools program (nasp, naspschools.org) </strong>is an in-school program aimed at improving educational performance among students in grades 4th – 12th. the students are taught self-control, focus, discipline, patience, and the life lessons required to be successful in the classroom and in life. they run a variety of shoots within their specific local areas. typically, their events concentrate more on character building and focus less on competition. they run four national events, two indoor and two outdoor. membership is not required. membership is dependent on the student attending a school that is running a nasp program.</p> <p>the <strong>senior olympics (national senior games association, nsga, sga.com)</strong> was first held in 1985 in st. louis, mo. the nsga exists today as a non-profit organization dedicated to motivating active adults to lead a healthy lifestyle through the senior games’ movement. the games, a 20-sport, biennial competition for men and women 50 and over, is the largest multi-sport event in the world for seniors.</p> <p>nsga member organizations hold annual games with qualifying competitions in the year preceding the games. athletes that meet specific criteria while participating in the state senior games qualify to participate in the national senior olympics. to date, the nsga has held 17 summer national championships. the local state organization for ohio is <strong>ohio senior olympics (ohio.nsga.com)</strong>. archery is one of the events included the senior olympics. for archery they shoot a 900 round and membership is not required.</p> <p>all these national organizations require membership except nasp and the senior olympics. most of them provide lower cost membership for young archers and discounts for families. to participate in any of their events and to have your scores count you must be a member of that organization. only nfaa and usaa have a cooperative agreement between them where membership in one is good for tournaments of the other except for shooter-of-the-year awards.</p> <h3><strong>• state organizations </strong></h3> <p>several of the national organizations are built by or support state chapters of their organizations. as previously mentioned, the nfaa is made up 49 state chapters. these state chapters run their own local statewide shoots that are independent of the national organization. typically, state chapters must run several statewide shoots each year to maintain their chapter status.</p> <p>in ohio, the state chapter of the nfaa is <strong>ohio archery association (oaa, ohioarchers.com)</strong>. the oaa was founded in 1889, it is a state chapter of naa and is one of the oldest continuous archery organizations in the united states. the oaa has been a state chapter of the nfaa since the formation of the nfaa in 1939. oaa runs one of the more robust programs nationwide and has seven statewide tournaments each year with four of these events indoors and three of them outdoors. they also run a shooter-of-the-year program. membership in oaa is done through the nfaa membership process and is accomplished when you select your state membership.</p> <p><strong>ohio target archers (ota, ohiotargetarchers.com)</strong> has had several names over the last 30 years. as the state association of usa archery, ota promotes “world archery style” events. ota has 6 tournaments each year that include a joad tournament series and an adult tournament series. ota uses these tournaments to build camaraderie among their archers and help prepare them for regional, national, and international tournaments. ota does not have separate membership. it is managed through usaa national membership.</p> <p><strong>ohio asa federation (facebook.com/ohioasafederation/) </strong>is affiliated with archery shooters association federation and is focused on organizing quality archery tournaments in ohio that will allow archers to compete in a state championship and qualify them for the asa classic. they run northern and southern ohio qualifiers for a state championship each year and have a shooter-of-the-year award. there are four qualifiers in the north and four in the south with a state championship in july. membership is contingent upon membership in asa.</p> <p><strong>ohio 3d group (ohio3dgroup.com) </strong>was established in 2014. ohio 3d group was created to promote the sport of 3d archery for ohio. they believe this is a great opportunity for all, from target shooters to the average hunter that enjoys a little challenge in the off season. they run several shoots throughout the summer ending with a championship in july. membership is required to participate in their shoots, but the cost is minimal.</p> <h3><strong>• local organizations </strong></h3> <p>the 4h runs the <strong>4-h shooting sports clubs (4-hshootingsports.org)</strong> which are open to all youth ages 8 to 18. this program covers archery, crossbows, pistols, and rifles. the program is designed to develop a supportive environment in which young people can learn in a hands-on learning environment. the youth learn marksmanship, the safe and responsible use of firearms, the principles of hunting and archery, and much more. the program is designed to develop foundational character rather than skills.</p> <p>the <strong>boys scouts and girl scouts </strong>both run small archery programs for completion of merit and achievement badges. their courses are designed to stress safety in shooting archery. they typically run these programs at their individual camps.</p> <p>some <strong>church organizations</strong> have archery programs. it depends on the church as to what kind of program they offer. membership may or may not be required to participate in their program. there is no membership requirements.</p> <p>most <strong>local archery shops</strong> run indoor leagues. some outdoor local archery organizations such as geauga bowmen (geaugabowmen.com) also run outdoor leagues during the summer. leagues can be in many different formats but are usually based on either a 5-spot or vegas round. geauga bowmen requires membership to shoot their leagues. their other events are open to the public. most archery shops don’t require any form of membership.</p> <h2><strong>tournament formats</strong></h2> <p>tournament can be divided into two broad formats…indoor events and outdoor events. these events are based on the general weather in the usa. indoor events usually occur during the late fall through early spring when the weather outside is cold and wet. outdoor events occur from late spring to early fall. there are a few exceptions to this schedule such as the arizona cup (held in arizona) and gator cup (held in florida), both usa archery events, that take place in states that are warm throughout the winter.</p> <h3><strong>• indoor events</strong></h3> <p><strong>indoor 300 rounds (5-spot) – leagues, state shoots, national shoots.</strong> the 5-spot round is one of the most popular rounds shot indoors. the 5-spot is shot at leagues, state sanctioned shoots and national shoots by the nfaa. it typically takes about 1.5–2 hours to shoot with a top score of being 300 points and 60 x’s on the blue/white targets. most compound shooters shoot a target that has 5 target faces on a single target with scoring rings of 4 and 5 only. most recurve archers shoot a single target face on the target that includes scoring rings of 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. a 5-spot round consists of 12 ends of 5 arrows for a total of 60 arrows at 20-yards.</p> <p><strong>vegas round – leagues, state shoots, national shoots.</strong> this is the second most popular indoor round. this is shot on a target that has three 40cm target faces that are white, blue, red, and yellow. this is the round that is shot at the vegas shoot. it usually takes about 1.5–2 hours depending on the shooting field. there are variations on the scoring of this type of target based on whether you are shooting a normal vegas round (x-ring is 10 points, 3 target faces in a triangle), lancaster round (x-ring is 11 points, 3 target faces alignment vertically) or a usa archery round (baby 10’s for compound bows, 3 targets per face aligned vertically). also, the overall length of this round can vary because it can be shot as either a 150 vegas round (15 arrows total), 300 vegas round (30 arrows total), 450 vegas round (45 arrows total), or 600 vegas round (60 arrows total). with so many variations on this round it is important to ask what the specifics are for that event/venue. scoring rings are 1 (white), 2 (white), 3 (black), 4 (black), 5 (blue), 6 (blue, 7 (red), 8 (red), 9 (yellow), and 10 (yellow).</p> <p><strong>bowhunter round – nfaa state shoots.</strong> the bowhunter round is shot by the nfaa only. it is shot as single arrow on each of four different, low contrast, black/white animal targets with scoring rings from 1-10 at 20-yards. the total shoot is 32 arrows. the difficultly of this round is that you only shoot one arrow, then score it and then shoot another arrow. the 20-yard distance is reduced for very young shooters.</p> <p><strong>flint round – nfaa state shoots. </strong>the flint round is one of the oldest indoor target rounds in existence. it has been shot since early in the 20^th century. you shoot four arrows at one of five different target faces that are at different distances each end. because you’re constantly changing your distance to the target, it can be quite challenging and is different than the typical shooting at 20-yards. shooting distances range from 20-feet to 20-yards. the distances are reduced for very young shooters.</p> <p><strong>indoor 3d rounds – ibo and local organizations.</strong> local organizations and ibo have indoor 3d shoots. some of the shoots are simple range setups with 3d animals. others, such as ibo’s winter nationals, have extensive and elaborate indoor courses. typical 3d archery scoring is usually used and, depending on how the range or course is setup, it can be very difficult. as with most 3d archery, each animal is shot with only one arrow. most of these rounds are shot at an unknown distance so judging yardage is essential to shooting successfully.</p> <p><strong>indoor national/state championship – usa archery/ohio target archers.</strong> this is very similar to a vegas round except it is shot over a period of two days. on day one you shoot at 25 meters on a 60cm target and on day two you shoot at 18 meters on a 40cm target. the target sheet can be either a triangular or vertical 3-target face depending on whether you are shooting the state or national event.</p> <h3><strong>• outdoor events</strong></h3> <p><strong>field round – nfaa national shoots, state shoots.</strong> the field round is a multi-day event. most state shoots are two-day events while the national shoot is a three-day event. in either case, you shoot a “field” round, a “hunter” round, and an “animal” round. the “field” and “hunter” rounds consist of 28 targets (4 arrows per target) and the “animal” round is 28 targets (1 arrow per target). the targets are at known distances with different distances and target faces for the “field” and “hunter” rounds. the “animal” round is all paper target faces. distances for this shoot can range from 20-feet to 80-yards. the courses are setup on a trail through woods and fields with varying angles from flat to 30° up or down to the target. the field round is designed to test all your archery skills. it is shot rain or shine. the only time they will stop the shoot is for inadequate lighting. shooting distances are shorter for the younger shooters.</p> <p><strong>field round – usa archery, ohio target archers.</strong> the usa archery field round is very similar to the nfaa “field” portion of the nfaa field round. it is a two-day event with 30 targets. day one is unknown yardage and day two is known yardage. this is shot rain or shine and the only time they will stop the shoot is for inadequate lighting.</p> <p><strong>900 rounds – nfaa, usa archery, local state organizations.</strong> the 900 round is probably the most common round for outdoor target shooting. there are many variations to this round but generally it is always shot on 144cm target with scoring rings that are 1 (white), 2 (white), 3 (black), 4 (black), 5 (blue), 6 (blue, 7 (red), 8 (red), 9 (yellow), and 10 (yellow). usually the nfaa shoots 60-yards, 50-yards and 40-yards. usa archery events shoot the round in reverse order starting at 40-meters and ending at 60-meters. this is the same round that is shot at the senior olympics as well.</p> <p>there are many variations on this round so you need to check with the organizer of the event for the specific rules. some of the variations are the double 900 round shot over two days, world archery shoots the complete round from 70-meters, qualifier rounds could possibly be 30 arrows only, elimination rounds are often only 15 arrows. also recurve archers shooting a usa archery sanctioned event might use the set system of scoring versus the cumulative score. like the vegas round, this event is highly adaptive to various shooting tournaments. younger shooters are shooting at shooter distances. a typical 900 round can take 3-5 hours to complete depending on the shooting field and weather. again, this is a rain or shine event that stops only for lightning or heavy rain.</p> <p><strong>3d shoots – ibo, asa, local state organizations, local clubs.</strong> outdoor 3d shooting typically falls into one of two scoring formats … asa or ibo. each has different way of scoring and have different inserts in the animal targets. ibo is strictly unknown yardage while asa has classes for both known and unknown yardage. they each have separate rules for equipment qualifications. for both organizations, a round is usually made up of 30 targets with one arrow per target. most times targets range from a full-size elk down to a raccoon. normally the longest shot you will take will be under 45-yards with the shortest being around 10-yards. there are also a lot of minute differences between the two organizations, many of which aren’t mentioned here.</p> <p>local organizations and leagues follow one of the two general formats, and as with most outdoor events, it is shot rain or shine. national events can have up to 2,500 competitors so a day on the course can take over five-hours with long waits at each target for the groups ahead of you to finish.</p> <p><strong>marked 3d trail shoot – nfaa, local state organizations. </strong>the marked 3d trail shoot is a 30 target shoot of 3d animals with known yardage. the difference between this event and regular 3d shoots is an orange dot is on the targets. two arrows are shot at each target for a total of 60 arrows. also, the scoring is different than regular 3d shoots. targets can be partially obscured and range in distances from 10-yards to 100-yards with shots both uphill and downhill. recently, this has become a very popular shoot especially among the target archers and bowhunters. it is structured so that it focuses on shooting skills rather than guessing yardage. it takes about 2.5-3.5 hours to complete this event depending on the number of participants. the event is shot rain or shine and will only stop for lighting. the organization of professional archers (opa, oproarchery.com) also shoots a variation of this round.</p> <p><strong>total archery challenge (totalarcherychallenge.com)</strong> is a unique 3d shoot that requires a separate listing as type of event. total archery challenge events are held in some of the most scenic venues across the united states, including the top of the wasatch mountains in utah, the black hills of south dakota, the northern woods of michigan, seven springs ski resort in pennsylvania, and many other locations. the archery courses are designed to test the marksmanship of all skill levels. each event includes over 100 3d targets which challenge shooters to adjust for distances, angles, and natural obstacles on five different courses. in addition to the main courses, they have a future champions course for beginner youth and other novelty shots to win major prizes. this is a fun shoot where 50-yard shots are the short shots and 100+ yard shots are more the norm.</p> <h2><strong>tournament matrix</strong></h2> <p>here is a general overall matrix of the types of events or tournaments that each organization runs throughout the year. it is a general framework with no specific dates for these events and it only covers the bigger national and ohio shoots. in adjacent states, such as michigan, indiana, and pennsylvania, there are many more state level shoots that are accessible by car.</p> <table border='0' cellpadding='2' cellspacing='0' style='padding:5px'> <tbody> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'><strong>organization</strong></td> <td style='vertical-align:top'><strong>national<br /> or state</strong></td> <td style='vertical-align:top'><strong>tournament</strong></td> <td style='vertical-align:top'><strong>indoor/outdoor</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'> </td> <td style='vertical-align:top'> </td> <td style='vertical-align:top'> </td> </tr> <tr> <td rowspan='6' style='vertical-align:top'><strong>archery shooter’s association (asa)</strong></td> <td rowspan='6' style='vertical-align:top'>national</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>hoyt/easton pro/am</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>outdoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>elite archery pro/am</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>outdoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>easton/hoyt pro/am</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>outdoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>tru ball/black eagle pro/am</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>outdoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>mathews archery pro/am</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>outdoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>delta mckenzie asa classic</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>outdoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'> </td> <td style='vertical-align:top'> </td> <td style='vertical-align:top'> </td> </tr> <tr> <td rowspan='7' style='vertical-align:top'><strong>international bowhunter organization (ibo)</strong></td> <td rowspan='7' style='vertical-align:top'>national</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>indoor world championship</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>indoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>winter national</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>outdoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>spring national</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>outdoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>1st leg national championship triple crown</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>outdoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>2nd leg national championship triple crown</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>outdoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>3rd leg national championship triple crown</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>outdoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>ibo world championship</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>outdoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'> </td> <td style='vertical-align:top'> </td> <td style='vertical-align:top'> </td> </tr> <tr> <td rowspan='8' style='vertical-align:top'><strong>national field archery association (nfaa)</strong></td> <td rowspan='8' style='vertical-align:top'>national</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>nfaa national field league</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>outdoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>world archery championships</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>indoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>the vegas shoot</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>indoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>indoor national championships</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>indoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>marked 3d national championship</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>outdoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>outdoor field national championships</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>outdoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>outdoor sectionals</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>outdoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>indoor sectionals</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>indoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'> </td> <td style='vertical-align:top'> </td> <td style='vertical-align:top'> </td> </tr> <tr> <td rowspan='4' style='vertical-align:top'><strong>scholastic 3-d archery (s3da)</strong></td> <td rowspan='4' style='vertical-align:top'>national</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>s3da vegas shoot</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>indoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>s3da indoor national championship</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>indoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>s3da 3-d national championship</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>outdoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>s3da outdoor target national championship</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>outdoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'> </td> <td style='vertical-align:top'> </td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td rowspan='10' style='vertical-align:top'><strong>usa archery (usaa)</strong></td> <td rowspan='10' style='vertical-align:top'>national</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>indoor nationals</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>indoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>usat qualifier series events</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>outdoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>usa archery target nationals and u.s. open</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>outdoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>usa archery collegiate target nationals</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>outdoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>field nationals</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>outdoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>u.s. archery team trials</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>outdoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>usa archery collegiate 3d nationals</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>outdoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>joad target nationals</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>outdoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>easton foundations gator cup</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>outdoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>arizona cup</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>outdoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'> </td> <td style='vertical-align:top'> </td> </tr> <tr> <td rowspan='7' style='vertical-align:top'><strong>ohio archers (oaa)</strong></td> <td rowspan='7' style='vertical-align:top'>state</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>bowhunter mail-in</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>indoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>vegas mail-in</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>indoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>indoor 300 championship</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>indoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>flint round mail-in</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>indoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>marked 3d</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>outdoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>field round</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>outdoor</td> </tr> <tr> <td style='vertical-align:top'>900 round</td> <td style='vertical-align:top'>outdoor</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p> </p> All categories Thu, 14 Oct 2021 00:00:00 -0800 https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2021/10/an-overview-of-competitive-archery https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2020/10/how-parents-can-help-athletes-grow-from-stress <p>stress automatically calls to mind negative moments in life: a difficult upcoming test, a fight with a friend or parent, global collective stress like the coronavirus pandemic, or even self-created stress about what others might be thinking. and yes, too much stress and too few resources to combat it can be a bad thing…but allowing kids to entirely avoid it actually does them a disservice.</p> <p>board-certified family physician and <a href='https://truesport.org/truevoices/true-experts-video-series/truesport-expert-bios/'>truesport expert deborah gilboa</a>, md, specializes in youth development—including stress management. her main message to parents is that children need to experience stress in order to be prepared for later life and become effective leaders. "our job as parents is not to protect them until they're adults. it's to ready them for adulthood. and the ability to deal with stress is one of our best tools,” says gilboa.</p> <p>here, gilboa explains how parents and coaches can teach young athletes how to process and handle stress, rather than bulldozing it away.</p> <p><strong>understand your response to a child's stress</strong></p> <p>“from the time kids are very small, we have to be hyper-vigilant to keep them safe: there's no more helpless creature than the human newborn,” says gilboa. “it’s natural to try and control absolutely everything that you can, but that won’t help your child grow and lead. parents are hardwired to pay attention to every sneeze and cough, but then by the time our kids are adults, they suddenly need to be able to do everything for themselves.”</p> <p>for nervous parents, gilboa notes that despite the scary 24-hour news cycle, in many ways, it’s never been safer to be a child in the u.s.</p> <p><strong>consider the source of the stress</strong></p> <p>“very few parents get kids into sport to win championships or trophies, we’re just trying to teach them life lessons and as such, we shouldn’t deprive them of chances to deal with adversity and stress,” says gilboa. this experience is especially beneficial in the semi-controlled environment of sport.</p> <p>“those experiences of getting benched or having to run extra laps or being second string, they’re all valuable life experiences even if they cause stress. kids have to learn to put the group ahead of themselves sometimes. they have to learn to do stuff that they don't feel like doing. they have to learn to show up when they’d rather stay home.” </p> <p><strong>lead with empathy</strong></p> <p>often, a child’s stress can be lessened simply by having an adult acknowledge it and believe that it exists. while it’s tempting to laugh off certain stressors for a child, you have to understand that to them, a minor stress may feel like the end of the world.</p> <p>“you can’t tell young people how they should feel—it’s ineffective and disrespectful,” gilboa says. “as parents, we sometimes think that if our kids are stressed, we have somehow failed them already, so we try to rationalize that if a child is stressed, they’re not ‘really’ stressed. so first, we need to recognize that our kids do have stress, despite what we may think about it.”</p> <p><strong>help them understand their feelings</strong></p> <p>often, a child will feel stressed but not be able to articulate that emotion. as adults, gilboa notes that we can help children work through their complicated emotions and should make sure that they feel safe sharing how they’re feeling. this includes if someone is hurting them, if they’re being bullied, or if they feel uncomfortable. ensure that your child feels he can share any emotion with you without judgement or immediate action on your part.</p> <p><strong>use low-consequence opportunities for teaching</strong></p> <p>while you may consider an argument between your child and a teammate to be a dramatic annoyance, they might consider it a major stress. these smaller issues are great learning opportunities with low risk for your child.</p> <p>rather than trying to solve the problem for the athlete by phoning the coach or the teammate’s parent, use this as a chance for your athlete to learn about stress management. that may mean discussing how to confront the teammate, talking through some stress-relieving techniques like deep breathing, or even having your child speak directly to their coach.</p> <p><strong>stress can get out of hand</strong></p> <p>“as with sport, overtraining with stress is certainly possible,” gilboa admits. “it’s important to make sure you’re not pushing your child too far.”</p> <p>“if a child experiences too much stress from too many directions without the right support and training, they could become damaged—just like someone who runs once a week would be injured if they suddenly tried to run a marathon. it’s our job to help support our children to make sure they have what they need to deal with stress without over-taxing themselves.” </p> <p><strong>promote a healthy lifestyle </strong></p> <p>it’s worth noting that some stress can be brought on or made worse by how your child is taking care of themselves. stress is exacerbated by a host of physical influences, including <a href='https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070311202019.htm'>hormones</a> and <a href='https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/02/200225143511.htm'>sleep</a>. even overindulging in junk food or drinking too much caffeine can interfere with healthy reactions to stress. the simple solution is generally healthy living: make sure that your athlete is getting plenty of sleep, hydrating and fueling properly, and exercising enough.</p> <p><strong>takeaway</strong></p> <p>while it’s natural to want to eliminate stress for your young athlete, they need to learn to manage stress to prepare for adult life, and sport provides a perfect testing ground to hone stress-management skills.</p> <p>by usa archery</p> All categories Thu, 8 Oct 2020 00:00:00 -0800 https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2020/10/how-parents-can-help-athletes-grow-from-stress https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2020/10/if-you-want-to-get-better-get-a-coach <h2>briefing</h2> <p>how do you feel about coaches? do you have a coach? do you think you need a coach? coaching as we know it has only been around for a short time. 150 years ago, coaches did not exist. now, you can find a coach for just about anything, not just sports. part of the reason coaching has increased so much in recent years is the value people see in it.</p> <p>the simple truth is: if you want to grow and get better, you really need a coach a quality coach. coaching is important for all levels of athletes. coaches thems elves can also benefit from feedback, as coaching or mentoring is equally important for all levels of coaches. let’s dive into this more and see why it is important for athletes and coaches to have a coach.</p> <h2>quality coaching and mentoring</h2> <p>quality coaching is about focusing on the learner, not the teacher. quality coaches are flexible in their approach depending on the person they are working with and able to adapt to that person’s communication style to build trust and rapport. quality coaching is not just about telling someone what to do as if they are a puppet; it’s about guiding them to solve their own problems. as you will read in this quarter’s technical bulletin, it’s important for people to be challenged to stretch beyond their current capabilities. a good coach can do this through a combination of direct feedback and insightful questioning.</p> <p>coaching and mentoring can have a huge impact on an athlete or coach’s growth and development. as athletes and coaches become more experienced and learn more about archery, the difference between good and great is often being able to internalize that information and apply it correctly. a good coach can not only provide the right information but also ask the right questions to help the athlete or coach reflect and s olve problems on their own.</p> <p>even the best coaches can benefit from coaching or mentoring. the us olympic and paralympic committee has adopted this mindset and contracted several quality coaches that provide consistent coaching and mentoring to many of the national team coaches working at olympic training centers. many of the coaches work with athletes or teams that are already the best in the world but are looking to stay ahead. i have had the opportunity to witness the transformation of top coaches and pr ograms at the olympic training center from this initiative and the result has transferred to a drastic improvement in performance.</p> <h2>next steps</h2> <p>if you do not have a coach or a mentor yet, i highly recommend finding one. athletes can find coaches on the usa archery coach locator and can also check with other archers. coaches can check with more experienced coaches on the coach locator or even partner with a coach of another sport. athletes lookin g for a coach and coaches looking for a mentor should always start by asking the coach what their coaching philosophy is, what the expectations are, and what the compensation amount is prior starting to work with each other. both athletes and coaches shoul d also consider registering for the 2020 usa archery virtual symposium while some of the live sessions have passed, all registered participants can view recordings of all the sessions at any time.</p> <p>by guy krueger, usa archery education and training manager</p> All categories Wed, 7 Oct 2020 00:00:00 -0800 https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2020/10/if-you-want-to-get-better-get-a-coach https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2020/9/archery-soothes-them <p>many bhutanese immigrants who drive for ride-sharing services opted to live off their savings during coronavirus-related lockdowns in new york city. as they begin to return to work, their country’s national pastime has been a comfort.</p> <p>many bhutanese immigrants who drive for ride-sharing services opted to live off their savings during coronavirus-related lockdowns in new york city. as they begin to return to work, their country’s national pastime has been a comfort.</p> <p>tshelthrim dorji, a 36-year-old from bhutan, had been used to waking up every day at 5 a.m. to start his 12-hour-shift as an uber driver in new york city. he stopped going out during the prolonged pandemic-related lockdown, and as he slowly returned to work as the city reopened this summer he found his already taxing job increasingly stressful.</p> <p>so to unwind on saturdays he still wakes at dawn, but drives instead to another destination: a serene expanse of woods at the end of a dirt road in shamong, n.j., around two hours from his home in queens. there, he and a group of around two dozen bhutanese immigrants — most of whom are also uber and lyft drivers — gather for a long day of archery, their small country’s national pastime.</p> <p>before the coronavirus swept through their new york neighborhoods, the group would<strong> </strong>gather here only monthly for a traditional match, because the field was so far away and their workdays were so long. but in july, as state officials began to allow more outdoor activities, the group decided to resume its ceremonial games every weekend.</p> <p>archery provided a way to exercise, socialize at a distance and offer prayers for the city’s speedy comeback. most of the players had preferred to live off savings in recent months rather than continue driving — and risk infecting other members of the region’s small bhutanese community. there were around 24,000 bhutanese living in the united states in 2015, according to the pew research center, with most in ohio and a significant population in rochester, n.y.</p> <p>the archers said they knew of about a dozen people in the smaller new york city bhutanese community who had contracted covid-19, the disease caused by the virus. all eventually recovered, they said, with the help of a committee of volunteers that coordinates donations of food and money for the sick. the bhutanese have even rented a communal apartment to offer to people in need a space to quarantine, one of the archers said.</p> <div class='css-1fanzo5 storybodycompanioncolumn'> <div class='css-1scx55w ehw59r12'> <div class='css-tux0zj ehw59r13'> <div style='height: auto;'><img alt='' src='https://static01.nyt.com/images/2020/08/17/sports/12drivers-archer3-print/merlin_175589184_b5fb3c1a-b30c-417f-8e1f-f98a85cff2c6-articlelarge.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale' /></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class='css-1fanzo5 storybodycompanioncolumn'> <div class='css-1a48zt4 ehw59r15'> <div class='css-1xdhyk6 erfvjey0'> </div> <p>the group splits into teams of 12 then says mantras to buddha before the game begins.credit...raÚl vilchis for the new york times</p> <div class='css-79elbk'> <div class='css-1xdhyk6 erfvjey0'>  <div class='css-8h527k'> <div style='height: auto; cursor: pointer;'><img alt='pema rinzin examining his arrows.' class='css-1m50asq' src='https://static01.nyt.com/images/2020/08/12/sports/12drivers-archery04/merlin_175589193_1fec705f-3b4a-4011-afac-74cde3c3122d-articlelarge.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale' /></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class='css-79elbk'> <div class='css-1a48zt4 ehw59r15'> <p>the group splits into teams of 12 then says mantras to buddha before the game begins.credit...raÚl vilchis for the new york times</p> </div> </div> <div class='css-79elbk'> <div class='css-z3e15g'> <p>“especially in these pandemic times, everybody was alone at home,” dorji said. “that’s why we created these tournaments to see each other again, to recover.”</p> <p>when the group arrives on the land rented from a local buddhist temple — the same site where they have been practicing for the past two years — they brew tea and eat rice for breakfast while getting dressed in gho, traditional robes that are burgundy tweed or gray. they organize themselves in two teams of 12, sometimes representing the east and west of bhutan. their archery group, which was founded in 2006, is called<strong> </strong>shaa wang pasum, for the people who live in three districts in bhutan that helped unify the country.</p> </div> </div> <div class='css-2ninbb' id='story-ad-2-wrapper'><a href='file:///users/john/desktop/these%20uber%20drivers%20are%20stressed.%20archery%20soothes%20them.%20-%20the%20new%20york%20times.html#after-story-ad-2' style='position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; margin: -1px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; clip: rect(0px, 0px, 0px, 0px); overflow: hidden;'>continue reading the main st</a></div> <div class='css-1fanzo5 storybodycompanioncolumn'> <div class='css-53u6y8'> <p>before each match, those taking part say mantras to buddha and pour an offering on the ground: a bottle of beer. at one end of the long field, they set up one wooden target with a bull’s-eye painted in a rainbow of colors and framed by red, yellow, white, green and blue ribbons. another is placed 145 meters, or about 475 feet, away, on the other side of the field. six players from each team hide behind a blind next to the targets. then each archer raises a professional-grade, compound target bow and shoots two arrows. they walk to the other target to collect their arrows and then shoot again in the other direction to complete one round. at the end of their 12-hour day of play, they will have walked about 11 miles.</p> <img alt='' src='https://static01.nyt.com/images/2020/08/17/sports/13drivers-archery-4-print/merlin_175589169_a2f6dcf6-f911-46ef-8667-1aecc2efaeb3-articlelarge.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale' /> <p>“you must concentrate entirely on your breathing, as if you had nothing else to do,” tshelthrim dorji said. “then you brace yourself for failure.”credit...raÚl vilchis for the new york times</p> <div class='css-1fanzo5 storybodycompanioncolumn'> <div class='css-53u6y8'> <p>the distance between the targets makes it difficult to see exactly where the arrows fall, so they listen for the telltale sound of creaking wood that signals a hit. each shot takes composure and balance to draw back the string, the equivalent of pulling 60 pounds of weight, while keeping a motionless center.</p> <p>“you must concentrate entirely on your breathing, as if you had nothing else to do,” dorji said. “then you brace yourself for failure.”</p> <p>landing the arrow within an arrow’s length of the target merits one point. hitting the target is worth two points. a bull’s-eye is three. there is no referee. the game is played on the honor system, with every player keeping track of their own points and adding a colored ribbon to their belt when they are successful.</p> </div> </div>   <div class='css-79elbk'> <div class='css-1a48zt4 ehw59r15'> <div class='css-1xdhyk6 erfvjey0'> <div class='css-8h527k'> <div style='height: auto; cursor: pointer;'><img alt='the game is played on the honor system. hitting the target is worth two points, and a bull’s-eye is worth three.' class='css-1m50asq' src='https://static01.nyt.com/images/2020/08/12/sports/12drivers-archery07/merlin_175589241_dd8d7fb7-a443-4366-a04c-0e5c17f6322d-articlelarge.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale' /></div> </div> </div> <p>“you must concentrate entirely on your breathing, as if you had nothing else to do,” tshelthrim dorji said. “then you brace yourself for failure.”credit...raÚl vilchis for the new york times</p> </div> </div> <div class='css-1fanzo5 storybodycompanioncolumn'> <div class='css-53u6y8'> <p>every time an arrow hits its mark, the shooter’s teammates perform a song and dance to honor the accomplishment.</p> </div> </div> <div class='css-1r07izm' id='story-ad-3-wrapper'><a href='file:///users/john/desktop/these%20uber%20drivers%20are%20stressed.%20archery%20soothes%20them.%20-%20the%20new%20york%20times.html#after-story-ad-3' style='position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; margin: -1px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; clip: rect(0px, 0px, 0px, 0px); overflow: hidden;'>continue reading the main stor</a>“we are all buddhist, so it is not competitive,” said thukten jamtsho, 43, one of the competitors who works as an uber driver. “we come to see each other, meet new friends, and bring the community together.”</div>   <div class='css-1fanzo5 storybodycompanioncolumn'> <div class='css-1a48zt4 ehw59r15'> <div class='css-1xdhyk6 erfvjey0'> <div class='css-8h527k'> <div style='height: auto; cursor: pointer;'><img alt='“we are all buddhist, so it is not competitive,” thukten jamtsho said of the games.' class='css-1m50asq' src='https://static01.nyt.com/images/2020/08/17/sports/12drivers-archery2-print/merlin_175589226_bd707dac-2b30-442c-bd3f-4facd587f126-articlelarge.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale' /></div> </div> </div> <p>“we are all buddhist, so it is not competitive,” thukten jamtsho said of the games.credit...raÚl vilchis for the new york times</p> </div> </div> <div class='css-1r07izm' id='story-ad-3-wrapper'> <div class='css-l9onyx' id='story-ad-3-slug'> </div> <div class='css-1cmq3a4 ehw59r12' id='story-ad-3' style='text-align: center; height: 100%; min-height: 250px;'> <div class='css-1xdhyk6 erfvjey0'> <div class='css-8h527k'> <div style='height: auto; cursor: pointer;'><img alt='each weekend in july, one volunteer made breakfast and lunch for the group.�a typical midday meal was rice with the national dish ema datshi, a stew of green chilies and cheese sauce, or a fish curry.' src='https://static01.nyt.com/images/2020/08/12/sports/12drivers-archery08/merlin_175589166_ae993800-9523-47a0-b60e-b6057c9b4609-articlelarge.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale' style='float:left' /></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class='css-1r07izm' id='story-ad-3-wrapper'> <div id='after-story-ad-3'> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>each weekend in july, one volunteer made breakfast and lunch for the group. a typical midday meal was rice with the national dish ema datshi, a stew of green chilies and cheese sauce, or a fish curry.credit...raÚl vilchis for the new york times</p> </div> </div> <div class='css-1fanzo5 storybodycompanioncolumn'> <div class='css-53u6y8'> <p>the activity is a popular way to socialize in rural areas in the country of about 750,000 people, and bhutanese immigrants in new york wanted to bring the game to their adopted home, said chador wangdhi, 56, the oldest member of the group.</p> <p>wangdhi, who is on the committee that manages the club of about 90 shooters, works on the administrative staff for the permanent mission of bhutan to the united nations. he is one of only a small fraction of club members who don’t drive for ride-share companies.</p> <p>even before the pandemic, making a living as a driver in new york was getting more and more difficult, most of the archers said. it was good business until last year, when more cars on the road meant more competition for customers. then the coronavirus came, with new york as one of the united states’ first hot spots, and the business dried up almost overnight.</p> </div> </div> <div class='css-1r07izm' id='story-ad-4-wrapper'><a href='file:///users/john/desktop/these%20uber%20drivers%20are%20stressed.%20archery%20soothes%20them.%20-%20the%20new%20york%20times.html#after-story-ad-4' style='position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; margin: -1px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; clip: rect(0px, 0px, 0px, 0px); overflow: hidden;'>continue reading the main story</a> <div class='css-z3e15g'> <p>“little by little we are going to return, but it will be difficult,” said sonam ugyen, 28, an uber driver and one of the archery group’s youngest shooters. <strong>“</strong>we are thinking of changing our profession or looking for new opportunities.”</p> </div> </div> <div class='css-79elbk'> <div class='css-z3e15g'> </div> <div class='css-1cmq3a4 ehw59r12'> <div class='css-1xdhyk6 erfvjey0'> <div class='css-8h527k'> <div style='height: auto; cursor: pointer;'><img alt='at the end of the game, the players will have walked 11 miles.' class='css-1m50asq' src='https://static01.nyt.com/images/2020/08/12/sports/12drivers-archery06/merlin_175589190_6e81243c-b1f2-46f2-8190-2db6d32153e3-articlelarge.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale' /></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class='css-79elbk'> <div class='css-1a48zt4 ehw59r15'> <p>each weekend in july, one volunteer made breakfast and lunch for the group. a typical midday meal was rice with the national dish ema datshi, a stew of green chilies and cheese sauce, or a fish curry.credit...raÚl vilchis for the new york times</p> </div> </div> <div class='css-1fanzo5 storybodycompanioncolumn'> <div class='css-53u6y8'> <p>each weekend in july, one volunteer made breakfast and lunch for the group in an outdoor kitchen on the field. a typical midday meal was rice with the national dish ema datshi, a stew of green chilies and cheese sauce, or a fish curry.</p> <p>now that many of the drivers have started working again, though, they plan to return to their once-a-month schedule.</p> <p>they said the serenity gained from more frequent practice in recent weeks would serve as preparation for their return to the heavy traffic and the anxiety of masked passengers in the city’s changed landscape.</p> <p>“we come here to scare away evil spirits,” dorji said as he took a sip of his suja, a butter tea. “the games are an offering so we can stay safe during the week, with no accidents.”</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> All categories Tue, 8 Sep 2020 00:00:00 -0800 https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2020/9/archery-soothes-them https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2020/9/correcting-form-flaws <p>since you are reading archery world, we can assume you are an archer who is interested in “shooting more, shooting better and having more fun,” since that’s the guiding force of this publication. that seems to be three possible goals but i think we can distill it down a bit. i believe if you do succeed in shooting better, you will undoubtedly have more fun and will naturally want to shoot your bow more often.</p> <p>over the years, i’ve written articles designed to help coaches and pro shop owners and their employees correct form flaws in customers. it’s natural to assume that if you are doing something wrong, having a second trained person to observe and guide you can help you do it better. however, maybe you don’t have a coach, or the one you do have is cautious about meeting in the current health environment. maybe your retailer doesn’t have a range or you haven’t felt comfortable seeking shooting instruction there in the past. don’t despair. in your pocket or purse, you likely have a phone capable of doing video segments.</p> <p>mount it someplace steady where you can film yourself shooting or have a friend play cameraman. go through these steps; do them in order or start with he areas that you already know you need to work on. be patient with yourself as you perform the action and review the video, as it can take 20 days of practice to form a new habit. just learning how to do something correctly one time doesn’t make you a better archer. you have to practice! and you have to practice while consciously concentrating on the form elements you are trying to fix instead of on hitting a target.</p> <p>consider practicing your corrected form at a distance of 3 yards with no target face and your eyes closed, aiming at a big target butt. you have to feel it before it becomes a habit.</p> <p>the form i teach is called “core archery” and relies on the proper use of the spine and skeleton to build archery form that is consistent in the long term. i’ll give you some tips for correcting common form flaws using the fundamentals of that form system. my book and dvd of the same name, “core archery,” may be helpful reference resources.</p> <p>with that in mind, let’s begin identifying and fixing some of the most common form flaws.</p> <h2>improper bow hand position</h2> <p>most archers use the word “grip” when referring to how they should hold the bow handle and immediately, there’s a problem. saying the word “grip” is fine when referring to the place where you should hold the bow but not for how to hold it. a very negative picture is sent to the new archer when they hear “grip.” new archers and plenty of old ones grab the bow handle like a baseball bat, golf club or tennis racket and choke it tightly. others stiffly spread their hands and fingers in an effort to avoid gripping around the bow handle. i’m sure you’ve seen both as you have been around other shooters.</p> <p>everyone wants to control the bow so the arrow goes in the middle, but “controlling” does just the oppo-site and the arrow won’t go in the middle. the more the archer controls the handle, the fewer arrows go in the middle.</p> <p>if you have grip issues, start by making a “stop sign” with the bow hand. the bow arm should be extended with the wrist turned up, showing the palm toward the target. then the hand should turn slightly so the knuckles are at a 45 degree angle to the ground. relax the fingers completely without dropping the wrist and the hand is ready to receive the bow.</p> <p>slide a vertically-held bow into the bow hand. pay attention to if you are tightening your fingers as you do this and remember to relax. the fingers should be drooping if they are relaxed. the thumb should be pointing straight toward the target, not up or down. if it’s curled up or down, muscles are tightening in the hand. to relax, relax, relax is the first order of business.</p> <p>with the hand relaxed, the bow will be pulled into the hand consistently during every draw stroke. when the string is released, the relaxed hand will not transfer any torque to the handle and the archer will get more consistent results and improved grouping.</p> <p>practicing at close range with no sight and no target is the best way to attain a relaxed hand placement. shooting 10 shots several times a day is more effective than shooting a hundred shots at one time. take video of yourself before and after the shooting so you can check your progress. do not use the word “grip.” think and say “bow-hand placement” so you create the proper mental picture.</p> <h2>improper release hand position</h2> <p>using the “t”-handle release aid: most new archers try to control the release aid. they grip the device so that it doesn’t fly out of their hands, but like the bow hand, the release hand should also be relaxed. the fingers should be curled only at the first two knuckles, creating a “hook” that holds the release aid.</p> <p>the big knuckle should be straight (flat) and relaxed. if an archer is making any kind of a fist, then they are using muscles in the forearm: a common mistake. once again, tight control is not the name of the game. tightening the forearm muscles creates unnecessary tension, which actually prevents transfer of the holding into the archer’s back muscles.</p> <p>a bent wrist is another sign of forearm muscle use. an archer can’t bend their wrist without using forearm muscles and we hope to minimize muscle use so as to maximize consistency.</p> <p>the goal is to relax the knuckles, wrist and forearm. if they’re relaxed, the pulling force needed to draw the bow string will straighten them; they must only act as “connectors” between the back/shoulder unit and the first two finger joints.</p> <p>correcting this control habit is difficult but there’s a simple way to learn the correct feel. use a bucket filled with a few pounds of sand. newer plastic paint cans work well for this, provided they have sturdy handles. you can also buy empty plastic cans used for painting at most hardware or home improvement stores. plastic won’t rust and won’t mar your floor as badly as metal will when someone drops one. you can hold the bucket at your side with the arm hanging straight and relaxed. work on the “relaxed” part. no matter if you shoot recurve/fingers or compound/release, you need to relax your drawing arm and this will teach you how it feels.</p> <p>finger shooters can practice further by “refusing to hold” the bucket handle. their fingers should go limp and the bucket will pull through them and drop to the floor. no thrusting motion should be used in the release because they can’t repeat that action on every shot.</p> <p>from the bucket, move to the bow and arrow with no sight and no target face. practice several times daily if possible. a release shooter can practice using the release and a 27- to 30-inch nylon rope loop in place of the bow. practice at different times during the day; at lunch or on break is a great way to learn this new habit. (it still takes 20 days.)</p> <p>using the index-trigger release aid: most bow-hunters use wrist-strap-style trigger releases and most of them use the tip of the index finger on the trigger. i realize that this makes it easy to use the trigger but there is a better way. using the fingertip to control the trigger links the conscious brain to the trigger and that’s when “anticipation” problems begin.</p> <p>we use our fingertips to “sense” everything we touch all day long. they feed our brains information about hot, cold, hard, soft, smooth, rough, sharp or blunt. we can even sense the thickness difference between one sheet of paper and two. so when you place your index fingertip on the release aid trigger, your conscious brain is very much aware of it and focuses on that touching and control instead of the shooting process, which should involve your back muscles. the result is some form of dysfunction that interferes with good shot execution and the “surprise” release you’re supposed to get.</p> <p>there is a simple change that everyone can make to avoid this set of problems. set the trigger tension “heavy” and shorten the release aid handle so you can surround the trigger with the index finger. wrap the finger around the trigger deep into the second crease of your finger; use a full hook around the trigger with full contact from the beginning. this technique places a much less sensitive part of the finger on the trigger.</p> <p>also curl the other fingers as shown here so all of the fingers can tighten to activate the release aid trig-ger. for good technique, an archer needs to first trans-fer the holding of the bow into the back muscles and relax the holding arm. next, continue contracting the back muscles, and at the same time, tighten all of the curled fingers until the release aid discharges the bow-string. mental focus must remain on the back-tension process until the arrow impacts the target. this is how archers win world championships and shoot deer on the first shot every time!</p> <h2>improper head position</h2> <p>an archer shooting with any amount of head tilt is working harder than they should be. an archer’s back muscles work most effectively if the head is straight over the spine. a head tilted to see through a peep sight, touch a kisser button or get in front of the string is easy to spot and a quick video will show you any problems in your form.</p> <p>correct head position can be set by standing erect with the chin level. then shift the head 1/8 of an inch back. don’t tuck the chin down; keep it level. this rear-ward shift gets the head over the spine to ensure that the back muscles will have maximum leverage and strength. the final step is a 70- to 80-degree head rotation toward the target.</p> <p>head position is easy to teach up to this point, but next, the archer must keep it there while drawing and aiming. once head position is set, draw the bow to it. moving the head to find the bowstring and peep is not going to get you to your “a” game in archery; under the pressure of bowhunting, you will not find your peep sight.</p> <p>here’s where closed-eye practice is helpful. you can set the head position and then draw the bow and open your eyes. the peep should be in front of the eye. practice makes the difference.</p> <h2>bow-side shoulder position issues</h2> <p>most bow shoulder problems occur before the archer draws the bow. the tendency of many archers is to point the bow high into the air and draw as they lower it to target level. by this time, their bow shoulders are higher than they should be, rolled forward or bothhigh and forward. in either case, the draw force of the bow cannot be resisted without using arm and shoul-der muscles.</p> <p>both shoulders must be on the same level to be most effective. raising one higher or lowering one will promote muscle overuse, fatigue and inconsistency. level shoulders allow proper skeleton use to bear the load of the drawn bow.</p> <p>learn to level your shoulders first before raising your bow. i teach my students how to raise their bows without the bows in their hands by having them drop their bow arms to their sides, relax them and then raise their extended arms from their shoulder sockets down. keep fingers limp and elbows straight and do not raise the shoulder in any way.</p> <p>once the bow is raised and the shoulders are level, then i teach my students to never raise or lower them until the arrow is in the target. practice in front of a mirror and/or shooting video while learning this “raise” maneuver is helpful.</p> <p>archers should practice rolling their bow shoulders forward (toward the chin) and setting them back and down to the shooting position in order to learn what the right position feels like. one winter and spring, i had to practice this skill every time i passed through a door frame. use your skeleton instead of your muscles to resist the force of the drawn bow.</p> <h2>improper draw shoulder height</h2> <p>as is the case with the bow shoulder, the draw shoulder gets either dropped or elevated before or during the draw stroke. once out of position, it’s hard to put in place while you are at full draw. you need to set it correctly before drawing and then keep it there.</p> <p>both shoulders should be at the same level, as mentioned earlier. once this shoulder level is set, the bow should be raised and drawn without the shoulder height changing. that means the bow should be drawn with the drawing forearm horizontal. once full-draw position has been reached, the drawing elbow can be held level or raised slightly, depending on which works best for the given shooter. a lowered elbow is not recommended, as it lessens the leverage from back muscles.</p> <p>quite often, archers draw far too much weight and can’t execute the draw stroke with good form. well, guess what has to change? that’s right: the draw weight. an archer’s top priority is to learn good form first, then work on higher draw weight later. the old adage “a fast miss is still a miss” always applies to this situation. all the speed in the world won’t help an archer if they are missing left or right; good form always helps accuracy.</p> <p>practicing the raise, draw and full-draw-position setting can be done with a light-draw-weight recurve, a lightweight compound or stretch bands. i make sure my students get it correct before they move to higher-weight bows. i also provide lots of video during the process so my students get lots of instant feedback.</p> <h2>improper draw elbow</h2> <p>an archer’s draw-side elbow is highly visible and when it’s not properly positioned, it sticks out like a sore thumb. getting it right means you can shoot with maximum efficiency. when it’s wrong, you can’t get synchronized effort from your back muscles and shoul der anatomy.</p> <p>look for three things when examining the elbow: whether it is too high, too low or, from a top view, not rotated to be in line with the arrow. in any case, the scapula and the attached rhomboid muscles won’t have their best leverage to first hold the bow and secondly complete the release with rotation.</p> <p>when the drawing/holding elbow is too high, the archer’s scapula is rotated outward and upward too far from the spine to allow proper transfer of the holding into the back muscles. in this position, the contracted back muscles will not be able to exert enough rotating force on the elbow to cause the back tension release aid to discharge the bowstring. the elbow should be positioned level with the arrow or slightly above it to attain optimum rhomboid muscle leverage.</p> <p>a drawing elbow that is below the arrow level pushes the scapula closer to the spine. this decreases the leverage of the rhomboid muscles and their ability to hold the bow and rotate the elbow. therefore, your student must use the arm, the hand or both to execute the shot: a situation that leads to inconsistent release technique and poor accuracy.</p> <p>many archers concentrate so much on the ”anchor points” on the sides of their faces that they lose touch with or never know that they should be focusing on their scapula position. when this anchor point is too far forward on the face or jaw, they don’t get the drawing/holding elbow rotated far enough around to align the forearm with the arrow as seen from a top view. in this position, the bow’s draw length is most likely too short for them and this further complicates the matter.</p> <p>i teach my students facing this problem to think less of the touch-points on the chin or jaw and to draw until they can feel the elbow in line with the arrow and the transfer of holding force into the back. complete transfer enables them to relax their forearms in full-draw-position, hold their heads upright over their spines and execute the release with coordinated back-muscle contraction.</p> <h2>improper stance</h2> <p>most archers have a natural stance that is a little open. that is, they have their hips turned slightly toward the target face. reviewing the “closed-eye” test with them will quickly determine what degree of openness is correct for them with the particular bows they happen to be shooting.</p> <p>many archers i see have their stances set with their feet too close together. to feel the stance, assume a “t” position with your heels together and your arms out-stretched level. when you close your eyes in this position, you will feel unstable; with your heels together, you will teeter-totter back and forth similar to when standing on one foot. if you keep your eyes closed and then spread your feet apart, you will feel a very high degree of steadiness return to your legs and body’s core. experiment with varying spreads to get a feel for what may stabilize you the best.</p> <p>next, using the proper spread distance, assume even stances and shoot several shots. then use the closed-eye test several times and adjust your lead foot accordingly. drawing, aiming and closing the eyes for a count of eight seconds completes this test. when you open your eyes, you will detect left or right drift.</p> <p>right drift away from the target face indicates a need for a more open stance. if so, the archer should rotate their stance several degrees so more of their hips face the target face. you should test your stance regularly, as you will experience form changes while you learn to shoot.</p> <h2>problems drawing the compound bow</h2> <p>i ask most of my students to reduce the draw weights of their bows by 10 pounds when we start our lessons together. there are two reasons for this. first, they may need to shoot more than a few arrows. second, struggling to draw the bow promotes poor shoulder position and overall poor shooting form. it is more important to learn to shoot properly first than it is to shoot quickly! students must get good first and then go look for speed if they think they need it.</p> <p>archers shooting with too much draw weight and those who just never learned proper technique tend to draw the bow with their arms. i see many of them raising the bow high and drawing on the down stroke. to do it properly, they should draw with both arms on the same level, the bow pointed just above the target center and the shoulders set in a level line parallel to the arrow.</p> <p>to get better at drawing the bow, you can learn to rotate your hips several degrees toward the target as you raise the bow. next, you need to tighten the torso muscles so the torso is joined to the bottom. then, as you draw the bow, you can rotate your hips back to the stance position and use the whole upper body to assist the draw.</p> <p>i’ve often fallen into the bad habit of rolling my drawing shoulder forward toward the arrow line rather than keeping my shoulders in a line parallel to the arrow. rolling it forward forces an archer to draw more with their upper arm muscles and less with their back, making transfer into the back more difficult and less likely to happen. poor technique promotes shoulder injury while proper technique prevents injury and helps establish muscle control in the back.</p> <p>other archers start with their bows much lower than target level when they draw. here, their drawing shoulders end at different levels than their bow shoulders. this may lead them to tilting the body or thrusting the hips either toward or away from the target. use the same strategy as outlined here to correct your draw, keeping in mind that before you draw, your shoulders must be level and on a line parallel to the arrow and must remain level for the duration of the shot. you must learn to use more of your body’s core and back to do the work on the draw stroke.</p> <h2>visual target acquisition errors</h2> <p>many archers tell me they have trouble shooting the three-spot target because they can’t find the right spot when they get to full draw. this is an indication that they are not locking onto the spot early in their form sequence and need to do so. another possibility is that they are not maintaining visual lock-on once they do establish it.</p> <p>early in my form sequence, i turn my head to the target and visually acquire the spot, gold or x-ring i intend to hit. my body posture then organizes around that line of sight and i never look elsewhere until after the arrow impacts the target. this is not easy to learn but it’s necessary. just ask the golfer how important it is to keep their eye on the ball beyond club impact.</p> <p>many archers, myself included, want to look at the sight just as they get to full draw. when they do, they are no longer looking at the x-ring and have to then reacquire it with the sight. somewhere in there, they can get in the wrong spot and make a good shot score a zero.</p> <p>training to focus on the x-ring and bring the sight into the line of focus takes time. that’s the best hope an archer has for getting lined up on the correct spot and maintaining body alignment toward that spot. obviously, you must have good body position to make this happen and without a coach, you may not ever get it right.</p> <h2>conclusion</h2> <p>there is so much more to do here to fix all of the flaws you see in yourself but not enough space in this magazine to write about them. getting started with these top nine flaws will help you get on a shorter path to consistent shooting. be sure to remember that continuous practice of the proper techniques is the only way to build good form. there are no shortcuts to good shot execution: only hard work.</p> <p>a final note to all the coaches who may be reading this: all a coach can do is instruct with proper technique and get their students excited about shooting better. from there, you have to develop your own motivation to practice. the old “horse led to water” adage applies, so when your trough is filled, drink.</p> All categories Sat, 5 Sep 2020 00:00:00 -0800 https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2020/9/correcting-form-flaws https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2020/8/ten-tips-for-mountainproofing-your-hunting-bow <p>mountain hunting takes a toll on your equipment, especially your bow. by the end of bowhunting season, my bow is looking rough—rock scars on the cams, strings are fuzzed, paint is chipped, bolts are rusted, and the grip is worn—but i know it’s still spot on from the extra measures i take. - kevin wilkey </p> <p>here’s what i do to ensure my <a href='https://hoyt.com/compound-bows/compound-hunting-bows' target='_blank'>bow</a> can’t let me down:</p> <p><strong>1. bow strings are the number one thing to go wrong.</strong></p> <p>95% of my bowstring system is covered in protective serving and here’s why: back in 2011, i had the opportunity on a cancelation mountain goat hunt with bolen & lewis. after a gnarly 27-kilometer atv ride and a full-day backpack trip, i made it to camp. i pulled my bow off the pack and noticed a strap had rubbed most of the way through one of my bow’s cables. i patched it the best i could with dental floss and pine gum—luckily there were enough strands holding it together in case i got a shot. </p> <p>the goats evaded me, but i did bring home a valuable lesson. since then, i have full-length served my bow’s cables, especially the yokes. the serving is the string that’s wrapped around the bowstring to protect it from abrasion. it’s going to cost more to have your bow technician or string builder perform the work, but it’s cheaper than a mountain goat hunt. </p> <p>i’ve taken it a step further by adding a .007” diameter braided serving on the bottom section of the shooting string, the section that always seems to wear out first. willing to give up a few fps for the added durability, i clocked the velocity before-and-after adding the serving and noticed zero change in arrow speed. </p> <p>overall, the best practice for caring for your bowstrings is to avoid contact. anything that brushes up against or touches your bow string will break down the fibers. if your string is fuzzy, it’s not from a lack of wax, it’s due to too much contact and abrasion.</p> <p><strong>2. kuiu bow holder and sfs bow kit</strong></p> <p>for the hikes in-and-out, i highly recommend the <a href='https://www.kuiu.com/hunting-pack-accessories/kuiu-pack-bow-holder/86002.html?dwvar_86002_color=valo&cgid=' target='_blank'>kuiu bow holder</a>. it protects your cam and holds the bow tight against your pack—which is way better than the alternative of busting through brush and tripping with a bow in hand.</p> <p>avoid positioning the straps over your strings, only allow the connection strap to contact your bow’s riser or solid mounted accessories.</p> <p>the <a href='https://www.kuiu.com/hunting-pack-accessories/kuiu-sfs-bow-kit/86006.html' target='_blank'>kuiu sfs bow kit</a> (strings/fletching/sight) also adds protection to your strings, cams, sight pins, fletchings, and nocks. in a likely situation, slip them off and stuff them in one of your pack’s side pouches.</p> <p>if your hunt is requiring a long and rugged hike in, and your bow won’t be cased, you may consider removing some accessories like your sight and stabilizer. i prefer a sight with a dovetail or quick detach system, so i may pack it away safely—away from harm of rocks and brush.</p> <p><strong>3. waterproof your sight scale/sight tape</strong></p> <p>for years i’ve hunted with a slider or rover type sight. though my sights come with preprinted scales that will get me close, i prefer using <a href='https://www.archersadvantageonline.com/' target='_blank'>archer’s advantage</a> software to custom print my sight scales. archer’s advantage is far more accurate than pre-printed scales. yardage scales are typically printed on paper, which may get water soaked and leave you guessing where your sight marks used to be.</p> <p>to ensure my sight marks are waterproof, i use a laser printer and weatherproof vinyl <a href='https://www.amazon.com/printable-vinyl-inkjet-laser-printer/dp/b07zv63z7v' target='_blank'>sheets</a>. they stick on the sight without any hassle and won’t bleed or fade during the hunt.</p> <p>some archers waterproof their scales with clear lacquer, clear nail polish or clear tape, however, having tried every method, i think the laser printed vinyl sheets are the best way.</p> <p>if you’re unsure if your current set-up is waterproof, find out before your hunt. pour water on it, get it soaked, and see what happens.</p> <p><strong>4. tie in that peep</strong></p> <p>sounds obvious, but if your peep sight gets snagged on brush or your pack and moves a 1/16”, that could turn into a complete miss at 50 yards. the way i tie in my peep sight is not only a work of art, it will not budge.</p> <p><strong>5. loctite and a torque wrench</strong></p> <p>i use blue loctite on all my mounting bolts and screws, along with the proper torque setting for the size of bolt being used. the loctite and evenly matched torque settings keep bolts from vibrating loose and accessories in place.</p> <p><strong>6. index accessory settings</strong></p> <p>mark your cams, sight settings, peep sight and rest with a waterproof paint pen or sharpie. by simply drawing an index line on your equipment’s position, you can give it a quick visual check and see if something moved. this has saved me more than once after an accidental spill.</p> <p><strong>7. be prepared</strong></p> <p>i always pack a field tip in case i need to take a practice shot, extra nocks, some d-loop material, allen wrenches, a lighter, small bottle of super-glue and some tape. instead of taking a whole role of tape, i’ll lay a strip of electrical and duct tape on the inside of my kuiu carbon pack frame—in an emergency, like patching a rock splintered bow limb, i can pull it off and put it to use. </p> <p>pack an extra release. it’ll be worth its weight if you happen to damage or lose your primary release.</p> <p><strong>8. bow case</strong></p> <p>if your hunt is going to require an atv, horses or bush plane and it’s unreasonable to bring a large airline worthy bow case along, you may consider a lightweight soft case to protect your bow. the hoyt <a href='https://store.hoyt.com/collections/bow-cases/products/excursion-bow-case' target='_blank'>excursion bow case</a> is a good option and has plenty of extra room to include a jacket and hoodie or your rain gear.</p> <p><strong>9. arrows</strong></p> <p>how many arrows should i bring? it’s a question as old as time. when i’m going in for a week or more and pack weight permits, i’ll bring an arrow tube with a dozen. </p> <p>at a minimum for extended stays, i’ll bring 2 extra practice arrows, which will be tipped with practice head and positioned between the quiver grippers and i’ll wrap a thick rubber band around the gripper to keep any arrows from popping out. i’ll take at least one practice shot into a rotten stump or soft ground each day. i leave the practice arrows in camp when it’s time to hunt. </p> <p>if it’s going to be a gnarly hike in, i’ll take all but one arrow out of my quiver and store the rest in an arrow tube which i’ll strap to my pack. this ensures i have one arrow ready for an opportunity and the others are safe from getting damaged or lost.</p> <p><strong>10. know your bow</strong></p> <p>the more you work on and tune your own equipment, the more proficient you’ll be—especially if something unfortunate happens—like a dryfire or derailed bow string. it happened to one of my friends—he didn’t notice that a small stick was lodged in his cable track—he drew back on a buck and his bow derailed. the strings were still good, but off the tracks. he didn’t know what to do and his hunt was over. </p> <p>if i’m at a last resort, i get crafty to get back in the game. my friend’s failure inspired me to be prepared for the worst. in the case of a derailed string, i know if i back my limb bolts (weight adjustment) out to the last 4 threads, there’s enough slack in the system that i can hand press the limbs against the padded ground and get the cables back on. </p> <p>i can’t say it will work on all makes of bows though, or that you should even attempt it. luckily, i’ve never had to do it on my own equipment, but i’ve saved another hunter’s day more than once, all because i have some tricks up my sleeve.</p> <p> </p> <p>by: kevin wilkey - kuiu ultralight hunting</p> All categories Thu, 13 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0800 https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2020/8/ten-tips-for-mountainproofing-your-hunting-bow https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2020/8/archery-websites <p><strong>a listing of website concerning archery in ohio.</strong></p> <p><strong>state and national organizations</strong><br /> ace                acearchers.org/<br /> asa - archery shooters assoc    asaarchery.com<br /> cba- christian bowhunters    christianbowhunters.org<br /> eaa – eastern archery ass    goldngrain.com<br /> fai - fita archers of indiana    iroquoisarcheryclub.com/<br /> fap - fita archers of pa    fitaarchersofpa.com<br /> ibo - internat. bowhunting org    ibo.net<br /> ifaa - internatioal field archery assoc.    ifaa-archery.org <br /> isg - indiana state games    indiana.fusesport.com/page/sport-selection-x-6624-46-14463.html    <br /> nsga -national senior games    nsga.com<br /> nfaa - nat field archery ass    nfaausa.com<br /> oaa - ohio archers assoc.    ohioarchers.com<br /> osf - ohio state field archery association    ohiostatefield.com<br /> ota - ohio target archers    ohiotargetarchers.com<br /> o3dg - ohio 3d group    ohio3dgroup.com/event-info<br /> oso - ohio senior olympics    ohioseniorolympics.org<br /> tac - total archery challenge    totalarcherychallenge.com<br /> usaa - usa archery        usarchery.org<br /> usat - team usa        teamusa.org</p> <p><strong>ranges</strong><br /> a0, germantown        aoarcheryshop.com/<br /> a1, hilliard            a1archeryonline.com/<br /> ashland bowmen        acwcl.org<br /> attaboyz            attaboyzarchery.com<br /> bad boy bait, tackle & more    4414 liberty ave    vermilion, oh 44089    (440) 967-2033    www.badboytackle.com<br /> big bucks            2482 state route 127,  st. henry oh 45883   419-925-5208<br /> cabin fever archery        sharpsville pa,  cabinfeverarchery.com<br /> cardinal shooting center    616 state route 61, marengo, oh  near 71 30 miles north of columbus<br /> central crossing high school    4500 big run south rd. - grove city, ohio 43123<br /> chicago bow hunters    chicagobowhunters.com<br /> complete hunters outlet    huntersoutlet@aol.com<br /> cwru archery club        https://community.case.edu/archeryclub/about/<br /> falcon archers        47 papp road, canonsburg, pa<br /> geauga bowmen, club     geaugabowmen.com<br /> golden hawks archery    goldenhawks.org<br /> gold-n-grain    , pa        goldngrain.com    <br /> great lakes outdoor supply    middlefield<br /> handlebar ranch        handlebarranch.com<br /> hendershot performance    hendershotperformance.com/archery-pro-shop.html<br /> hell's half acre        see ohiostatefield.com/tournaments<br /> koteewi archery, in        koteewiarchery.com<br /> lake milton fish and game    lakemiltonfishandgameclub.com<br /> loft                hamilton ave ne corner of 38th, cleveland<br /> lone eagle bowmen        loneeaglebowmen.com    south of canton<br /> mosquito bowmen, cortland    mosquitobowmen.com<br /> mudjaw bowmen        mudjawbowmen.com<br /> nelson ledges archery 3d    //nla.kevcamp.com    <br /> on target outfitters          7209 w. calla road, canfield, oh 44406   (330)423-5101
punderson state park  field      friendsofpunderson.com<br /> premier archery, indoor    middlefield<br /> rainbow, franklin pa  field    rainbowbowmen.com<br /> ricks sporting goods    rickssportinggoodsohio.com/<br /> shelby county        1246 erie ct,  sidney, oh  45365<br /> southwestern ohio conservation club: 6084 morgan rd, cleves, ohio 45002<br /> tackle shack        1350 s. market st. troy, oh 45373   phone (937)339-4455<br /> voice of america        voice of america park.8070 tylersville road, west chester, ohio 45069.<br /> wayne county archers    3018 w smithville western road, wooster<br /> westerville heratige park    60 n cleveland ave, westerville<br /> wingfoot    wingfootbowhuntersclub.com/</p> <p><br /> <strong>multi-listings</strong><br /> ibo club shoots 3d        ibo.net/clubshoots/<br /> multistate listing 3d        3dshoots.com<br /> multistate listing 3d        bowsite.com</p> All categories Mon, 3 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0800 https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2020/8/archery-websites https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2020/8/proper-bow-alignment <p><img alt='' src='https://ohioarcherycoach.com/blog/images/83992428_598092360969489_210290893121388544_o.jpg' /></p> <p>up to this weekend, i was the guy on top. couldn't get my drawing elbow around without pain in my shoulder and back. then i saw this illustration. i had to lengthen my draw length to get this to work, but my follow through is back with my release hand, forward with my bow hand and my bad shots hit the 10 on a vegas target. this is something my coach has harped on me for years, but it hurt because i wasnt moving my shoulders while moving my elbow. if you have issues with getting your drawing arm elbow behind your arrow, keep this in mind. it has helped me!</p> All categories Sun, 2 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0800 https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2020/8/proper-bow-alignment https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2020/8/proper-anchoring-technique <p>today’s lessons: -zanshin- the mind with no remainder. in other words the mind is being completely fixated on the task or the action and is in a state of awareness, a relaxed alertness! this can be done by focusing on the steps required to properly acquire these 4 critical parts pictured here! i teach on 4 p.o.c (points of contact). this 1,2,3,4 method is something i designed to make sure archers are focusing on the anchor, facial contact and peep in the appropriate order. #1 is the anchor position. it should always happen first. index finger under the jaw then the other fingers above it.</p> <p>the mistake many people make is instead of anchoring first they are being eager to see their sight so they instead pull the peep back to their eye as number 1. w<img alt='' src='https://ohioarcherycoach.com/blog/images/91777450_2906539532717814_5256504568270815232_o.jpg' style='float:right; height:245px; margin-left:20px; width:300px' />rong! if you focus on the peep first then who knows what combination of facial pressure and anchor positions you can come up with. most likely, not a repeatable one! also if you add in angled shooting then you are destined for disaster! the release hand to the anchor position is always #1! then #2 is feeling a light and delicate touch of the string in the side of the lips. this pressure should be light and the lips must be relaxed. #3 is the string to the tip of the nose. this happens naturally as you slightly tilt the head forward to acquire the peep. this step is important because where and how that string sits on the nose tells you a lot about your other steps. if the pressure or position feels wrong then one of the first steps is likely wrong. if that’s the case, cancel the shot and start over!</p> <p>last is the peep, as the head is tilted from step #3 its likely that #4 comes into plain sight and easy peep alignment happens. the head position is correct and your technique is proper for shooting any angle simply by maintaining this position and bending at the waist for up or down shooting. learning to be fluid at this and not wasting time or energy is something that happens with practice and also promotes zanshin imo! these steps promote repeatability, clearance, low pressure and alignment.if you plan to share it give credit where credit is due.</p> All categories Sat, 1 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0800 https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2020/8/proper-anchoring-technique https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2020/7/strength-and-conditioning-exercises-for-archery <p>archery training exercises vary greatly and depend on what you are capable of and which muscles you want to work.</p> <p>to give you a general idea of which types of exercise you should include in your archery workout program, we have compiled a list of 9 diverse movements. </p> <h2><strong>what muscles do you use in archery?</strong></h2> <p>while at first glance, you may think that only your arms are working when you draw and hold the bow. however, there are about a dozen main muscles throughout the whole upper body that are working together. <strong>some notable muscles include:</strong></p> <ul> <li>deltoids in the shoulders</li> <li>latissimus, teres major, and teres minor in the back</li> <li>biceps and triceps in the arms</li> <li>pectorals in the chest</li> </ul> <blockquote> <p>as you stay still and poised, your core and abdomen muscles are activated and help you maintain your position.</p> </blockquote> <p>therefore, some of the best exercises for archery focus on the <a class='rank-math-link' href='https://www.verywellfit.com/great-workout-for-chest-back-shoulders-and-arms-1231474' rel='noopener' target='_blank'>upper body</a> and core. there are some workouts for bowhunters that isolate specific muscles and strengthen them as well.</p> <h2><strong>tips to getting started</strong></h2> <p><strong>anybody—yes, anybody!—can do archery strengthening exercises. each of the movements we will look at can be adapted to your strength, ability, and accessibility to workout materials. </strong></p> <h3><strong>modify the exercises to your ability</strong></h3> <p>if you are new to these exercises, start slow. for a <a class='rank-math-link' href='https://www.bustle.com/p/how-to-modify-exercises-to-meet-your-fitness-level-according-to-a-personal-trainer-18493300' rel='noopener' target='_blank'>modified version</a>, you can try doing an archer exercise without weights. just the movement will activate those muscles, and after a few reps, you will still feel a nice burn.</p> <p>if you can’t do all the recommended sets, start with what you can and work up to longer sessions. </p> <p>likewise, if you want to challenge yourself, increase the weight of your dumbbells and the number of reps you do. you can also increase how many times a week you do the exercises.</p> <p><strong>remember, you want to focus on strength training for <a href='https://uberbows.com/our-guide-bow-hunting-small-game/'>bow hunting</a>, so the results will not always be immediate. </strong></p> <h3><strong>equipment</strong></h3> <p>some of these archery exercises are more effective with equipment, but it is not always necessary. you don’t need <a href='https://uberbows.com/is-archery-expensive-and-what-are-the-costs-involved/'>expensive archery</a> exercise equipment to do these workouts, although they are helpful.</p> <blockquote> <p>there are some suggestions listed below on how to activate the target muscles without weights or machines.</p> </blockquote> <h3><strong>set your routine</strong></h3> <p>one final thing to keep in mind is what your bowhunting workout routine should contain. while you may want to start strong with 20 reps of each exercise, make sure to gauge your physical capabilities accurately.</p> <p>in general, beginners should do 1 set of 8 reps of each exercise. over time, you can work up to the advanced level of 3 or more sets of 15 reps.</p> <p>also, start doing these exercises for bowhunting three days a week and increase it if you feel comfortable.</p> <h2><strong>strength and conditioning exercises</strong></h2> <p>throughout this article, we’ll focus on these <strong>core exercises </strong>for bowhunting: </p> <ul> <li>one-arm dumbbell laterals</li> <li>dumbbell shrug</li> <li>single-arm dumbbell row</li> <li>bench dips</li> <li>back raises</li> <li>archer push-ups</li> <li>planks</li> <li>overhead tricep extensions</li> <li>rowing machine</li> </ul> <h2><strong>one-arm dumbbell lateral raises</strong></h2> <p><strong>muscles used: deltoids</strong>.</p> <p>of all the bowhunting exercises, this one may be the most straightforward. grab your weight (or start without) and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.</p> <p>put your arm that is not lifting the weight on your waist for support. then, lift the other arm up and to the side at a ninety-degree angle.</p> <p><strong>make sure to bring the weight back down slowly, still working those muscles. </strong></p> <h2><strong>dumbbell shrug</strong></h2> <p><strong>the muscle used: trapezius</strong>.</p> <p>pick up the weights you feel comfortable with and have one in each hand resting at your sides. if you need to, start without weights and work your way up to 10 pounds or more. </p> <p>the trapezius is the muscle that stretches like a diamond from your head to the center of your back. it also reaches the tips of your shoulders.</p> <p>to activate it, hold the weights still and just lift your shoulders in a normal shrugging motion. control each movement, so you are continually keeping your muscles active.</p> <p>don’t just let your shoulders fall back to a resting position, and follow the instructions in the <a class='rank-math-link' href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnstrmw3k6u' rel='noopener' target='_blank'>video</a> for the correct form.</p> <h2><strong>single-arm dumbbell row</strong></h2> <p><strong>muscles used: latissimus, rhomboids, deltoids, biceps, pectorals.</strong></p> <p>there are a couple of different methods to do this excellent bowhunter workout. if you feel comfortable using weights, go ahead and grab them. however, they are not necessary, especially for beginners. </p> <p>if you don’t want to use any support, just stretch one leg back to make a straight line from your heel to your head.</p> <p><strong>bend the other leg and keep the knee right below your shoulder. on the side of the leg stretched back, take one weight and bend your arm back. </strong></p> <p>your elbow should be parallel with your shoulder at the height of the movement. gently bring your arm back straight, not letting it fall. your other arm can rest on your bent knee.</p> <blockquote> <p>for the version with support, use a bed, chair, table, or bench at the gym.</p> </blockquote> <p>rest one knee on the surface. lean forward to place the hand on that same side on the surface as well. stretch your other leg back slightly and keep your chest high.</p> <p>your body should form a 100-degree angle. take a weight in the arm that is not resting on the bench and pull it back until the elbow is at shoulder-height. <strong>gently lower it and repeat.</strong></p> <h2><strong>bench dips</strong></h2> <p><strong>muscles used: triceps, deltoids, trapezius, pectorals</strong>.</p> <p>bench dips are an effective archery workout that involves zero equipment, allowing you to do them anywhere. all you need is a table, chair, bench, or even stairs with the right height.</p> <blockquote> <p>you should be able to sit on it and have your legs bent at a 90-degree angle comfortably.</p> </blockquote> <p>to do this exercise correctly, grip the edge of the bench closest to you with your palms facing backward. move your lower body off the surface to activate the arms.</p> <p>for beginners, you can keep your legs bent and just bend your arms to lower your body.</p> <p>the more advanced version extends the legs straight out, and you lower your body as far as you can to the floor. this <a class='rank-math-link' href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jox1rb5krqi' rel='noopener' target='_blank'>video</a> shows how to do both forms correctly.</p> <h2><strong>bent-over rear lateral raises</strong></h2> <p><strong>muscles used: deltoid, teres minor, rhomboids, trapezius</strong>.</p> <p>while this exercise for archery is more effective with weights, doing the movements without them will still use and engage the muscles. </p> <p>sit down on a bench (or chair) with your knees bent at 90 degrees. bend over and rest your weights directly behind your feet. for the right posture, watch this short <a class='rank-math-link' href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0htszemeda' rel='noopener' target='_blank'>video</a>.</p> <p><strong>without lifting your chest, raise both arms straight out, mimicking the movement of wings. </strong></p> <p>make sure you lift and lower your arms with control to get as much as possible out of this archer workout.</p> <h2><strong>variations on push-ups</strong></h2> <p><strong>muscles used: deltoid, tricep, bicep, pectoral, abdomen</strong>.</p> <p>push-ups are probably the <strong>most common archery shoulder exercises</strong> because they efficiently work so many muscles in the shoulders, upper arms, and chest.</p> <blockquote> <p>even though they are popular and supposedly simple, you may need to switch it up a bit to make this bowhunting workout genuinely useful.</p> </blockquote> <p>if you are new to push-ups, stick to the regular options: with your legs stretched out behind you or on your knees. for these generic push-ups, make sure your hands are placed slightly to the outside of your shoulders and keep your body in a straight line.</p> <p><strong>control every movement and ensure you don’t let your hips move up.</strong></p> <p>take it up a notch with push-up variations, as shown in this helpful <a class='rank-math-link' href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0id0posoka' rel='noopener' target='_blank'>video</a>. one option is a rotational push-up, which includes a twist at the top.</p> <p>open your body up to one side, pushing up on your fingers on the outer side. go back down, and do the same on the other side. </p> <blockquote> <p>a perfect variation for the shoulders is a crossover push-up. at the top of the push-up, stretch one arm across the other hand and bring it back before lowering down. you can do this with or without a band. </p> </blockquote> <p>if you want to work your chest muscles more, place your hands on an exercise ball, and do the push-up. the inward force of your arms balancing on the ball will activate more muscles throughout the upper body.</p> <h2><strong>planks</strong></h2> <p><strong>muscles used: deltoids, rhomboids, triceps, biceps, and latissimus.</strong></p> <p>planks are famous for being an easy full-body workout. they are great exercises for bowhunting because they let you focus on the upper body while still activating your core and leg muscles, all of which are necessary for archery.</p> <p><strong>two popular planks for bow hunting workouts are on your hands or forearms. for both of these, make sure your body is in a straight line by activating your core muscles. </strong></p> <p>keep your hands (or elbows) below your shoulders and hold for as long as you can. you can see the details of how to do the perfect plank with this workout <a class='rank-math-link' href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zirervixrme' rel='noopener' target='_blank'>video</a>.</p> <h2><strong>overhead tricep extensions</strong></h2> <p><strong>muscles used: triceps</strong>.</p> <p>you can do this practical exercise for archers seated or standing and with or without weights. if you opt not to use weights, this is still good for warming up and stretching the triceps.</p> <p><strong>extend your arms straight up over your head, then slowly bend your arms until you feel the weights touch your back. </strong></p> <p>keep your arms bent and bring them forward before pushing them up and straight again, as shown in this <a class='rank-math-link' href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dajzcug_xnw' rel='noopener' target='_blank'>video</a>.</p> <p>the key is to do this slowly, strengthening the muscle with each rep.</p> <h2><strong>rowing machine</strong></h2> <p><strong>muscles used: deltoids, biceps, triceps, pectorals, and abdomen.</strong></p> <p>if you want exercises for bow hunting that use the whole body, the rowing machine is a fantastic option. it uses muscles from the shoulders to the calves and prepares you for an active day of shooting. </p> <blockquote> <p>make sure your feet are secured in the holsters and grab the handles. first, push back with your legs, then pull back with your abdomen.</p> </blockquote> <p>the last thing that activates is the upper body with your arms bending out to your sides and your hands coming into your chest. this <a class='rank-math-link' href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54kcwzwmyqi' rel='noopener' target='_blank'>video</a> will teach you how to have the perfect form.</p> <p><strong>if you don’t have a machine, you can still do the same movements at home with bands attached to a door or wall. </strong></p> <h2><strong>bonus exercises just for archers</strong></h2> <p>speaking of bands, they are a perfect way to do archery strength training exercises.</p> <blockquote> <p>while all of the previous workouts targeted the general upper body, there are specific exercises for archery muscles.</p> </blockquote> <h3><strong>exercise bands</strong></h3> <p>one way to activate those muscles is to use elastic bands and create your compound bow exercises. since the elasticity mimics the bow’s structure, it is a great bow and arrow exercise that you can do anywhere.</p> <p>the bands are lightweight, and all you have to do is lift and draw them back as if they were your bow.</p> <p>you can add bands or choose a tighter elasticity to make the <a href='https://uberbows.com/the-best-compound-bow/'>compound bow</a> exercise more challenging.</p> <h3><strong>bow trainer</strong></h3> <p>while bands provide great exercises for <a href='https://uberbows.com/diamond-archery-provider-hands-on-review/'>archery</a>, they still aren’t quite the same as an actual bow and arrow. instead of getting all your equipment out every time you want to practice, try doing <strong>bow trainer strength training</strong> for archers.</p> <blockquote> <p>the bow trainer lets you repeatedly practice drawing and holding your bow without the hassle of excess weight. it is the perfect archery strength trainer, and it will build up your muscles in no time.</p> </blockquote> <h3><strong>all-in-one</strong></h3> <p><strong>if you would like to get the same results as using weights and gym equipment but don’t have access to them, try an exercise bow. </strong></p> <p>while this simple piece of equipment looks and acts like a bow, you can use it in multiple workouts for archery. for example, it works great for the single-arm dumbbell row, standing shoulder exercises, and even bow exercises.</p> <h2><strong>build up your strength!</strong></h2> <p>exercises for bowhunting are for everyone, from kids to adults, from beginners to experienced archers. you don’t need equipment to improve your strength and precision, but something like a bow strength trainer is an excellent compromise if you aren’t looking to train at the gym.</p> <p><em>whether you are looking to start learning archery or an experienced bowhunter hoping to finetune your skills, there is a perfect bow exercise for you! let us know what you think and comment below</em></p> <p><a href='https://uberbows.com/strength-and-conditioning-exercises-for-archery/' target='_blank'>originally published on uber bows.</a></p> All categories Fri, 31 Jul 2020 00:00:00 -0800 https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2020/7/strength-and-conditioning-exercises-for-archery https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2020/7/ways-to-actually-get-better-at-shooting-your-bow <div class='margin_vertical'> <div> <p>i am not a professional archer. you won’t see me winning any national 3d tournaments or catch me doing burpees before the <a href='https://totalarcherychallenge.com/' target='_blank'>total archery challenge</a>. but i am, proudly, an effective average-joe bowhunter. i started shooting a compound when i was 12, and killed my first deer with one when i was 14. as a kid, my dad and i would shoot in the backyard a couple nights every week. he’d usually crack a cold beer or two to take the edge off after a long day of work at his welding shop, and maybe light up a cigar to keep the bugs away. we’d shoot until mom had dinner ready. this was back before shooting a bow was about “getting reps.”</p> </div> </div> <div class='margin_vertical'> <div> <p>while shooting at public ranges and deer camps over the years, i’ve noticed there are a whole lot of archers just like dad, who squeeze in an hour of practice after work whenever they can. practice for them is about getting dialed in for the fall but also about enjoying a quiet summer evening. as i have gotten more bowhunting seasons under my belt, i’ve evolved those shooting sessions with dad and learned how to make sure i’m getting the most out of my practice time. changing up my shooting routine keeps practice sessions fun, and it’s more representative of the shooting conditions and positions i’ll experience during a hunt. what we all care most about is making a good, clean shot on an animal right? that means we should be practicing specifically for the shots we’ll get during a hunt. so if you’re one of us, an average-joe archer with an eye toward fall, check out the tips below and keep flinging arrows.</p> </div> </div> <div class='padding_vertical embed'> <h2>1. make sure your bow, arrows, and form are tuned</h2> </div> <div class='margin_vertical'> <div> <p>first things first, it’s impossible to get better if you’re shooting with improper, inconsistent form. if you’re totally new to archery, i highly suggest getting some instruction from a pro. if you’re a veteran and know what good form looks and feels like, have your spouse, kid, or shooting buddy film a few of your shots from a couple different angles. you might notice flaws in your form or weird habits you’ve developed. you can work on those through the summer. it’s equally important to make sure your bow is tuned to your arrows. either have the local bowshop give it a once over or run through <a href='https://www.outdoorlife.com/how-to-make-sure-your-bow-is-properly-tuned-during-season-when-it-matters-most/' target='_blank'>this very simple paper tuning drill</a>. if you’re going to spend a summer shooting your bow, you might as well make sure that it’s tuned properly.</p> </div> </div> <div class='padding_vertical embed'> <h2>2. don’t get obsessed with shooting long range</h2> </div> <div class='margin_vertical'> <div> <p>sure, shooting at long range is great practice. for average-joe shooters, let’s consider “long” to be 50 to 80 yards. when you are able to shoot solid groups at 70 yards, those 30-yard shots feel a lot easier. and if you’re a western bowhunter, shooting long may be a requirement for chasing critters in open country. but for whitetail hunters, most of us will not (and should not) be shooting beyond 30 to 40 yards in a hunting scenario. there are too many variables at play for long-range whitetail shots—deer duck arrows, most shots are taken in the woods where even a tiny twig can send your arrow off target, and shots are often made from a swaying treestand. so don’t spend your entire summer trying to get that perfect group at 70 yards. use the majority of your practice sessions for targets at 10 to 40 yards.</p> </div> </div> <div class='padding_vertical embed'> <h2>3. shoot at odd distances</h2> </div> <div class='margin_vertical'> <div> <p>deer don’t walk by at perfect 10-yard intervals from your treestand, so don’t practice that way either. place targets at odd ranges, like 37.5 yards to better train for the real thing. if you’re shooting fixed pins, this will train you to shoot the gaps between your pins. don’t underestimate the challenge of this concept in a hunting scenario. it’s easy to shoot the gaps in practice but when a big buck walks out at 35 yards, it’s tempting to put your 30-yard pin right on him and shoot. practicing at odd ranges will train your brain to use the gaps between the pins. if you shoot a slider, this type of practice will put your gear (and your ability to use it properly and quickly) to the test.</p> </div> </div> <div class='padding_vertical embed'> <h2>4. change up your shooting platform</h2> </div> <div class='padding_vertical embed'><img alt='a bowhunter on a elevated shooting stand.' class='image' id='88c4ba68-753f-4f38-a156-55bb7a128312-image' src='https://www.outdoorlife.com/resizer/9maqwheir6sksmofohrz2s4zd-w=/1034x776/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/bonnier/n37jk4s4qzfjlaoquyq54lracq.jpg' /> <p>if you're a treestand hunter, spend as much time as possible shooting from an elevated platform.alex robinson</p> </div> <div class='margin_vertical'> <div> <p>if you’re a treestand hunter, you need to practice shooting from an elevated platform. i’m lucky, and my public range has a tower, so i do 90 percent of my shooting from it. if you don’t have that option, hang a ladder stand in your yard or shoot from your deck to create that downward shooting angle. you need to practice bending at the waist, finding your anchor point, and maintaining a consistent grip on your bow while shooting at a steep downward angle. if you’re a spot and stalk hunter or a ground blind hunter, practice realistic field positions. shoot from the chair you’ll be hunting out of in a ground blind (hell, shoot out of the blind itself). for spot-and-stalk hunters, shoot from your knees and while standing on uneven terrain.</p> </div> </div> <div class='padding_vertical embed'> <h2>5. mess with your stance</h2> </div> <div class='margin_vertical'> <div> <p>feet shoulder width apart, hip pointing toward the target. that’s the way we all want to shoot. it’s good form and it’s comfortable. but that’s not always the position we end up shooting from during a hunt. if you’re a treestand hunter, you’ll often be forced to rotate your torso left or right to bring your sight onto a deer that’s walking between shooting lanes. if you don’t practice this, it can feel awkward at first, especially when it comes to maintaining a consistent anchor point. so practice a few shots every session where your hip is angled away from the target, then twist your upper body toward the target (keeping your feet in place) and shoot. side note: you should only practice this after you’ve got basic archery form down. don’t mess with your shooting stance until you’ve already developed a consistent one.</p> </div> </div> <div class='padding_vertical embed'> <h2>6. get away from the bright bullseyes</h2> </div> <div class='margin_vertical'> <div> <p>there are no orange bullseyes on deer. you have to pick a spot on a deer’s chest and decide that’s where you want your arrow to hit. so you need to train your eyes to pick a specific spot on a target and let the pin float over that spot. if you spend all your time shooting a bright bullseye, your eyes will naturally focus on that bright color (and you’re not really training them). i like to shoot 3d targets (it’s more fun than just hammering the same block target over and over) but the real key is <a href='https://www.outdoorlife.com/blogs/game-changers/why-bowhunters-should-mix-their-targets-shoot-more-accurately/' target='_blank'>to switch up your targets</a> as often as possible within a shooting session. switching from blocks, to bails, to 3d critters will force you to pick a specific spot on each target, and that skill will come more naturally when you need it during a hunting scenario.</p> </div> </div> <div class='padding_vertical embed'> <h2>7. shoot in low light</h2> </div> <div class='padding_vertical embed'><img alt='a deer hunting decoy in a field at night.' class='image' id='8a44ba23-b5c0-4a08-b8b5-5713053bae70-image' src='https://www.outdoorlife.com/resizer/p-ndxaodstmahxh4qjwfrtvhxgm=/1034x776/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/bonnier/yy43c5cgsrd73jc23pzcj2xt3q.jpg' /> <p>shooting in low light helps train your eye to pick a spot on the target, even when you can't see details.alex robinson</p> </div> <div class='margin_vertical'> <div> <p>make sure you shoot in low light conditions at least twice this summer. if possible, you should do this on a 3d deer target at realistic hunting ranges. you won’t be able to see detail on the target, only the clear outline of its body. this, of course, replicates the scenario of a deer coming into range at dawn or dusk, in a dark forest. picking a spot becomes even tougher when you can’t see detail on your target. this will force you to trust that feeling of floating the pin over the vitals and squeezing the shot.</p> </div> </div> <div class='padding_vertical embed'> <h2>8. practice holding at full draw</h2> </div> <div class='margin_vertical'> <div> <p>when i’m just naturally shooting, i’ll draw my bow, aim for maybe three or four seconds and then shoot. but many times in a hunting scenario, you’ll have to hold at full draw for much longer until the critter steps into a shooting lane. when you hold at full draw for long enough, your arms will start to shake, it will be harder to hold the pin on target, and you might start to feel anxious about getting the shot off. if you’re not used to the feeling, this is the recipe for a poorly executed shot. so at the end of every practice session, draw your bow and hold it until you start to feel tired and shaky. while you’re holding, don’t worry about keeping the pin on the target. but after you start to feel it (maybe a minute or two in), then try to hold the pin on target. let the pin float over a specific spot for a little while and then let the bow down, without shooting. the goal here is to strengthen your muscles, but more importantly, train your mind. it’s important to know what it feels like to hold at full draw and then aim while you’re tired. over time, this will get easier and you’ll be able to hold at full draw for longer.</p> </div> </div> <div class='padding_vertical embed'> <h2>9. shoot under pressure</h2> </div> <div class='margin_vertical'> <div> <p>it’s just about impossible to replicate the adrenaline rush a bowhunter feels when a deer steps into bow range. but we can try to get close. the key is to make each shot mean something. if you screw it up, there’s a negative consequence. shooting in a local 3d tournament is a good start. shooting with a buddy and putting a little money on the line works too. in those old shooting sessions with my dad, we’d often stick a dollar bill to the target, whoever shot it first got to keep it (that’s a good amount of pressure for a kid who made money by mowing the lawn). you can also get more extreme by shooting at <a href='https://amzn.to/3h4itzg' target='_blank'>extra-small targets</a>. if you miss, you might lose your (expensive) arrow. i’ve even seen critter targets that are surrounded in metal, except for the vitals. miss the vitals and you’ll shatter your arrow on the metal. larry wise (the guy who wrote the <a href='https://amzn.to/3fytwdt' target='_blank'>book on compound bow shooting</a>) preaches the one-shot practice session when you get close to hunting season. shoot a single arrow at the maximum distance you’re comfortable taking on an animal. if you hit the vitals, you get to keep shooting. if you miss, you’re done for the day. go mow the lawn or do some other chore. apply pressure to your shooting session however you like, just make sure that you’re able to execute a good shot when it matters most. it will pay off this fall.</p> </div> </div> <p>originally published on outdoor life</p> All categories Thu, 30 Jul 2020 00:00:00 -0800 https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2020/7/ways-to-actually-get-better-at-shooting-your-bow https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2020/3/archery-for-kids <p><strong>in the era of 3d digital gaming, teaching archery to your kids is the best parenting decision you can make…</strong></p> <p>the beautiful thing about kids is that they learn from the atmosphere despite their personal choices, i mean if they are surrounded by other kids playing digital games then they will love playing digital games.</p> <p>if kids are watching someone playing football, they will love to play football, and this is also what we all used to do in our childhood, right?</p> <p>so, if you could create their interest in archery it’s going to be kids favorite sport, which is beneficial for their health and focus too.</p> <p>in this guide of archery for kids, i break down all the steps which i have used to teach my kids archery and now not only they enjoy it but are also winning archery competitions at school.</p> <h2>why it’s important to teach kids archery?</h2> <p>according to research based on many students, the results have suggested that playing video games cause physical complaints, develops anxiety symptoms, social dysfunction, and depression of various kinds…</p> <p> </p> <p><img alt='games-research' class='size-full wp-image-306' src='https://www.bowshunter.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/research.png' style='height:214px; width:638px' /></p> <p>videos games addiction research</p> <p> </p> <p>it’s a big issue because the kids who are addicted to games will become dull in studies and try their best to save time from social interactions, family gatherings, and physical activities in order to play their favorite video games.</p> <p>and soon people including their parents will start calling them nerds.</p> <p>on the other hand, if we talk about our days and lifestyle, <strong>we used to play outdoors</strong>, right?</p> <p>be it football, basketball, volleyball, or some other type of physical activities or games which sometimes wouldn’t even make any sense but we would still play it because it was fun!</p> <p>playing physical games makes you fresh psychologically, and happier in life, it also helps in becoming more social in real life versus virtual friendships over social networks.</p> <p>and when it comes down to archery, it also teaches:</p> <h3>art of focus:</h3> <p>if you remember the first duration of learning archery, you will understand that it takes a lot of focus to make a stance and to take your initial shots.</p> <p>robin sharma in his book <strong>“the monk who sold his ferrari”</strong> explained that if you keep yourself focused and still on something for minutes daily it will improve your focus on all the other activities.</p> <p> </p> <p><img alt='focus-technique' class='size-full wp-image-307' src='https://www.bowshunter.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/techniques.png' style='height:158px; width:466px' /></p> <p>method of discovering mind power</p> <p> </p> <p>we all know, it has been proved that archery requires a lot of focus to hit the target. so, it’s great if kids could learn these techniques at an early age.</p> <h3>self-discipline mastery:</h3> <p>self-discipline is a virtual superpower which plays a big role in our accuracy, it can only be learned with true dedication towards assigned tasks.</p> <p>the distraction in youth life is more than anything which has even further increased nowadays due to gadgets in their hands connected to the internet.</p> <p>while developing self-discipline requires a lot of focus and dedication…</p> <p>archery teaches this well-known mastery to kids slowly with the habit of focusing towards their <em><strong>target</strong> </em>and staying confident towards the right shot.</p> <h3>failure myth:</h3> <p>in childhood, kids are programmed to believe that failure is not a good thing and they should be worried whenever they face failure.</p> <p>after a lot of life experiences, we realize that failure is actually a part of the <strong>winning</strong> process, right?</p> <p>examples of this theory are everywhere, you can look at the process of most successful people lives and you will see they faced more failures than any of us.</p> <p>archery can teach your kids this mastery slowly but effectively with the process of aiming at wrong spots and then slowly developing the accuracy.</p> <h3>better social life:</h3> <p>as you know, archery is a social sport where you join a club and then keep performing in the tournaments with other people.</p> <p>when you look closely, in this process kids are meeting a lot of new people, learning and socializing.</p> <p>on the other hand, if the kids are playing video games and spending time on the internet their <em><strong>interaction style</strong></em> and convincing power will be very poor.</p> <h3>physical health mastery:</h3> <p>our kids only work hard for good grades because that somehow shows their image of capability in our society.</p> <p>in this competition of life, we often forget that physical exercise is essential too for a clear mind and better focus.</p> <p>archery is a safe sport and uses all body muscles which can over time make your kids healthy and focused towards their tasks.</p> <h3>1: start with toy bow and arrow</h3> <p>i never suggest you hand over the real archery equipment to your kids without any starting experience.</p> <p>you should gift them the toy archery equipment and start teaching them the rules and methods of shooting.</p> <p><em><strong>it will be fun for them, right?</strong></em></p> <p>what you can do is to hang the toy target in the backyard and teach them the basic methods of shooting arrows and once the kids learn the art of shooting, then there is no stopping to it.</p> <p>and with the passage of time, you will see them hitting the targets closer and closer…</p> <h3>2: now, real archery equipment</h3> <p>once you realize that they are confident enough, understand the harm the equipment can cause and they might end up hurting themselves if they are not careful, just as we teach them about knives at home…then you can start teaching them with real bow and arrows.</p> <p>the good rule of thumb would be their first hundred shots which they do <em><strong>in your presence</strong></em> and if still, you think they are not confident enough, you should not hand over the real equipment until you are sure that they are ready to use the real equipment.</p> <p>but, at this stage, if you think kid/s have learned all the things about shooting and the damage which equipment can cause if they are <strong>careless</strong>, now you may allow them to use the real equipment.</p> <p>it’s very important to teach kids the<span style='color:#333399'> <a href='https://www.bowshunter.com/archery-safety/' rel='noopener noreferrer' style='color: #333399;' target='_blank'>archery safety rules</a> </span>before they start shooting.</p> <p>note: you can show kids the videos on youtube about possible damages while shooting the arrow for their further awareness.</p> <h3>3: teach them posture</h3> <p>making the correct posture plays a big role in achieving the shot at the target, we all know that…</p> <p><strong>stance:</strong> for making proper stance kids should be taught how to stand in front of the target with shoulder-width apart.</p> <p><strong>knocking arrow:</strong> while for knocking the arrow, posture should be still but staying still is often found to be difficult for kids to maintain.</p> <p><strong>grasp bowstring:</strong> for grasping the bowstring, kids should be told to use 3 fingers as it’s difficult to change the style later.</p> <p><strong>aim:</strong> after still posture, kids should be taught to look through the arrow shaft towards their aim to achieve a good shot and on target.</p> <p><strong>release:</strong> while releasing the arrow, the technique is to make sure only your fingers are going to move (wide open), otherwise a little body movement can make a big impact on the shot’s direction.</p> <h2>join archery tournaments with kids:</h2> <p>to develop your kid’s interest in archery, you need to keep yourself up to date with the upcoming tournaments in your area (city/town).</p> <p>if you could find a tournament for kids, it will be the best option otherwise you can always take them to the tournament of professionals too.</p> <p>you should attend a lot of <em><strong>archery events</strong></em> with your kids and with the passage of time, this will surely get them excited about learning archery and maybe taking part in these competitions one day.</p> <p>well, if they promise themselves to compete in next tournament, kids can do it and it’s just the matter of belief and understanding…</p> <p>all you have to do is to give them the necessary confidence, they will learn fast and then soon they will be able to compete with other kids of their age in this cool sport.</p> <h3>take kids to hunt:</h3> <p>whenever you are going for hunting on a safe spot, you should take kids with yourself and this will boost their energy of learning archery.</p> <p>i always take nick with me on safe locations who is 12 years old and he<em><strong> loves joining me</strong></em> with his own bow and arrow.</p> <p>also, you should keep teaching them the basic rules of hunting. it will make them confident for trying it one day on their own.</p> <h3>final words:</h3> <p>archery is a safe sport and when you are trying to teach your kids you should make sure they are learning all about the equipment and dangers first.</p> <p>so, when you realize that kid has enough understanding of these things only then you can allow them to use the original equipment.</p> <p>you should remind them, that in order to take <strong>perfect shots</strong>, they have to focus on their posture and release style of the bow.</p> <p>also, it’s your duty to make sure kids are learning the important things the easy way, and it’s going to take time to reach perfection and every expert needs lots and lots of practice to reach the perfection level.</p> All categories Sat, 28 Mar 2020 00:00:00 -0800 https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2020/3/archery-for-kids https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2020/3/archery-for-beginners <p><strong>are you confused about all that archery equipment and techniques?</strong></p> <p>when i got started 8 years ago i was at the same stage as yours, confused and excited for my first shot.</p> <p>so, with my years of experience in archery and hunting, i created this definitive guide on <strong>archery for beginners</strong> which will take you step by step towards your <em>first successful shot.</em></p> <p>let’s jump right into the methods…</p> <h2>start with archery equipment:</h2> <p>you need to understand that in all the equipment out there, we only have two main things; bows and arrows, which will enable you for your first shot…</p> <p>and all the other stuff we use are for better shots and safety, let’s discuss all of them one by one…</p> <p><strong>different types of bows:</strong></p> <p>there are many types of bows which you can use, the difference is usually in their shape, bowstrings and obviously in the technology.</p> <p>some of them are old and traditional types of bows used for hunting but with the passage of time and new technology, they were changed to make them more effective and accurate…</p> <h3>1: traditional bows</h3> <p><img alt='' class='aligncenter size-medium wp-image-272' src='https://www.ohioarcherycoach.com/blog/images/traditional-bows-300x300.jpg' style='height:300px; width:300px' /></p> <p>these are our old bows which the human invented for the first time, you have already seen them in tv shows and manhunt movies or some other old style archery sports.</p> <p>but traditional bows are not common now, you see it’s very difficult to shoot accurately and safely with these types of bows.</p> <h3>2: long bows</h3> <p><img alt='longbows' class='aligncenter size-full wp-image-273' src='https://www.ohioarcherycoach.com/blog/images/longbows.png' style='height:225px; width:225px' /></p> <p>longbows are also traditional and in ancient times people used it for blood sport, manhunt, and even wars. it’s a customized bow and its length actually depends on the height of a person.</p> <p>still, it’s not for beginners as it is not that user-friendly and hard to control but due to the restricted resources in some countries, some people still use it for their hunting purposes.</p> <h3>3: cross bows</h3> <p><img alt='crossbow' class='aligncenter size-medium wp-image-274' src='https://www.ohioarcherycoach.com/blog/images/crossbow-300x179.jpg' style='height:179px; width:300px' /></p> <p>the crossbows are bit modern when compared with traditional bows and considered as the survival bow due to their damage in manhunt and animal hunt.</p> <p>in history, these are also used by armies for ransacking and destroying enemies because you can also shoot bolts with it which can cause severe damages.</p> <h3>4: recurve bows</h3> <p><img alt='recurve bow' class='aligncenter size-medium wp-image-275' src='https://www.ohioarcherycoach.com/blog/images/recurve-bow-300x300.jpg' style='height:300px; width:300px' /></p> <p>the recurve bows are modern and powerful due to their shape and can shoot the arrows at high speed which can cause serious damage.</p> <p>also, these are used in games for target shooting by archery shooting candidates. you can also use it for bow hunting with some prior experience in hand.</p> <p>i don’t suggest you to use recurve bows while you are just starting out…</p> <h3>5: compound bows</h3> <p><img alt='compound bow' class='aligncenter size-full wp-image-276' src='https://www.ohioarcherycoach.com/blog/images/compound-bow.jpg' style='height:300px; width:300px' /></p> <p>the compound bows are modern invention and due to its mechanical operation, you will be able to shoot anything with high accuracy and speed.</p> <p>it is energy efficient and with the help of cams option, you can easily shoot at your target right after some practice.</p> <p>when you are just starting archery, i suggest you use a compound bow with right size and configuration, this way you will not need to practice a lot before you actually start shooting targets.</p> <p>it’s a bit costly but your early investment on the compound bow will make you a better bowhunter or sportsman.</p> <h2>different types of arrows:</h2> <p>when i was just getting started, i remember thinking that all the arrows must be of just one type, right? because they all look like same…</p> <p>but i was wrong, there are all different and believe me, this little difference can actually affect your shots by miles, saying this with experience…</p> <p>so, here are some details which you should know before taking your first shot following this archery for beginners guide.</p> <h3>1: fiber glass arrows</h3> <p><img alt='fiberglass arrow' class='aligncenter size-medium wp-image-277' src='https://www.ohioarcherycoach.com/blog/images/fiberglass-arrow-300x300.jpg' style='height:300px; width:300px' /></p> <p>fiberglass arrows are considered as the good ones by experienced archers, and the reason is simply that you can actually fit them to draw length and weight as required for the shot.</p> <p>when you are using the fiberglass arrows, it’s also very easy to maintain the consistency among your arrows.</p> <p>but the only problem is these arrows break easily and if you are a beginner you may hurt yourself while using one.</p> <h3>2: carbon arrows</h3> <p><img alt='' class='aligncenter size-medium wp-image-278' src='https://www.ohioarcherycoach.com/blog/images/carbon-arrows-300x300.jpeg' style='height:300px; width:300px' /></p> <p>carbon arrows are fast and usually used for high damage purposes, history suggests that this one was used mostly for manhunt during the wars.</p> <p>also, when you are doing the bow hunting carbon arrows will be your top priority.</p> <p>the other reason for using carbon arrows is that it can be easily fixed into the compound bow (which is beginner friendly), and by now you already know that hunter!</p> <h3>3: aluminum arrows</h3> <p><img alt='aluminum arrows' class='aligncenter size-medium wp-image-279' src='https://www.ohioarcherycoach.com/blog/images/aluminum-arrows-300x225.jpg' style='height:225px; width:300px' /></p> <p>aluminum arrows are also very useful for those who go out for hunt down and their intent is to cause serious damage.</p> <p>the advantage of this type of arrow is that you can get it in different sizes from the market place. companies manufacture them in different sizes and weights.</p> <p>well, these are expensive than wooden and carbon arrows, but they are worth it because their arrowheads are interchangeable which makes them durable too…</p> <h3>4: wooden arrows</h3> <p><img alt='wooden arrows' class='aligncenter size-full wp-image-280' src='https://www.ohioarcherycoach.com/blog/images/wooden-arrows.jpg' style='height:260px; width:300px' /></p> <p>wooden arrows are the old and traditional ones used back in the days of hunt down, you can get these in cheap rates but learning how to shoot with them is not an easy job and really not a smart idea for those who are just getting started.</p> <p>as already discussed above, when you are starting out, you will be using the compound bow (multiple sight and shoot options) and wooden arrow can’t be used with a compound bow due to the limitation of the wooden arrow to go along with the speed of the compound bow.</p> <p>so, i suggest you to only give it a try when you are good at shooting arrows and to start learning shooting for the first time, it is better to start with carbon or aluminum arrows.</p> <h2>archery for beginners [some interesting terms]</h2> <p>following are the terms which you will use to define your arrows condition or type. these terms will also come in handy while hunting with a group or when you are shopping for your equipment.</p> <p><strong>arrow heads: </strong>as you already know arrowhead is the sharp front point of an arrow which is the real reason why you are able to hit your mark…</p> <p>the front tip of an arrow is made of hard material most of the time it is metal but varies from arrow to arrow, the stronger the arrowhead, the greater will be the damage and better accuracy.</p> <p>also, there is a bodkin point within an arrowhead which helps in long flights of your arrow and reduces the cost of an arrow.</p> <p>i also want to add that a man with experience of pig-sticking or bow hunting uses the broadheads.</p> <p>the broadheads are used for severe damage and serious bleeding, they come in handy while hunting in wildlife, especially after a lot of still-hunting or wait for your catch.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>fletching:</strong> these are present at the end of an arrow and their purpose is to make your arrow’s flight perfect.</p> <p>fletching is usually made of feathers.</p> <p>the feathers used for fletching in arrow are mostly collected from the turkey.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>nocks: </strong>nock of an arrow is the end part of an arrow which sits on the bowstring and with the help of it we pull the bowstring backward in order to shoot the arrow.</p> <p>nocks play an important role in shooting because good nocks prevent any swings in your arrow after your shot.</p> <h2>professional equipment:</h2> <p>the modern bows and arrows as i mentioned before are the must-have things for shooting purpose…</p> <p>but when you are in the field and going for the hunt then you need professional equipment in order to become a professional hunter.</p> <p>let’s jump into it right away…</p> <h3>1: archery quiver</h3> <p><img alt='archery quiver' class='aligncenter size-medium wp-image-281' src='https://www.ohioarcherycoach.com/blog/images/archery-quiver-261x300.jpg' style='height:300px; width:261px' /></p> <p>when you are shooting professionally, then you can’t afford to keep your arrows lying around somewhere, you should always have a better way to keep them organized and to ensure they are available to you all the time.</p> <p>so, for such purpose, professionals use the archery quiver which can be a type of holder or a case where you can place your arrows in the perfect format to allow shooting easy and comfortable.</p> <p>there are different types of archery quivers which include ground quiver, back quiver, arrow bag, and belt quiver.</p> <p><strong>which one is best?</strong></p> <p>it completely depends on the taste of shooter that if you like to place your arrows on the ground or put them on your back.</p> <p>you can’t find out which one works better for you until you actually start your journey of shooting and with the passage of time you will find out which one is friendly for you.</p> <h3>2: release aid</h3> <p><img alt='release aid' class='aligncenter size-medium wp-image-282' src='https://www.ohioarcherycoach.com/blog/images/release-aid-300x300.jpg' style='height:300px; width:300px' /></p> <p>professional archers use the release aid to shoot arrows instead of using their fingers and the reason is very simple…</p> <p>when you are using release aid, you can aim better easily and it also helps you to shoot the arrows precisely when compared with your fingers.</p> <p>most of the archers with a compound bow in hand use the release aid both for better aim and more safety of their hands & bow.</p> <h3>3: bow sight</h3> <p><img alt='bow sight' class='aligncenter size-full wp-image-283' src='https://www.ohioarcherycoach.com/blog/images/bow-sight.jpg' style='height:230px; width:300px' /></p> <p>when you are in the field and doing still hunting for a long time, you definitely want to shoot the target and can’t afford to miss it.</p> <p>here comes the bow sight which you can attach with your compound bow and shoot with accuracy, it’s useful especially when you are shooting from long range.</p> <p>nimrod’s with a lot of experience in hunting uses it for shooting from far away…</p> <p>as you are a beginner, a good bow sight will also be a perfect thing to add in your equipment list. this will surely make you a better bowhunter over time.</p> <h3>4: arrow rest</h3> <p><img alt='arrow rest' class='aligncenter size-medium wp-image-284' src='https://www.ohioarcherycoach.com/blog/images/arrow-rest-300x300.jpg' style='height:300px; width:300px' /></p> <p>as the name suggests it is to place your arrow on the bow, you can attach the “arrow rest” with your compound bow and then place the arrow on it instead of trying to keep it straight with your hand before shooting.</p> <p>arrow rest’s main purpose is to keep the arrow in the straight or correct position in order to make sure that you don’t miss your aim.</p> <p>both bowhunters and target archers use it for accuracy purposes.</p> <p>there are different types of arrow rests which includes the drop-away rests, containment style rests and launcher style rests.</p> <p><strong>which one is best?</strong></p> <p>there isn’t much difference in them but again it depends on the hunter’s preference. if you ask me, i always love to use the containment style rests with a compound bow.</p> <h3>5: field points</h3> <p><img alt='field points' class='aligncenter size-full wp-image-286' src='https://www.ohioarcherycoach.com/blog/images/field-points.jpg' style='height:257px; width:300px' /></p> <p>field points are the bullet like slender points which are used for the target archery.</p> <p>archers also call them rubber points, bullet points, and blunt points.</p> <p>i personally use them for target archery practice, and i can tell you that flight of the arrow with field points attached is way better and accurate than without it.</p> <p>it is good to note that the field points should not be used for bow hunting, and only for target archery.</p> <p><strong>what’s the reason?</strong></p> <p>the damage resulting from field points is not good at all so, you will end up wounding an animal instead of an instant kill, which means slow death over the days for the animal and failed hunt for you so, it is important to use field points only to help you in target shooting and don’t use it for bowhunting.</p> <p>due to this problem, it’s unethical and banned by many countries to use the field points for hunting.</p> <h3>6: broadheads</h3> <p><img alt='broadheads' class='aligncenter size-full wp-image-287' src='https://www.ohioarcherycoach.com/blog/images/broadheads.jpg' style='height:230px; width:300px' /></p> <p>broadheads are opposite to the field points, they come with wide and sharp blades.</p> <p>these are used and suggested by the experienced nimrods because with these wide heads you can cause severe damage and bleeding in hunting.</p> <p>but if you try to switch from field points to broadheads right away, your aim is not going to stay perfect, you will feel the difference in your targets and you would need more practice and time to get used to broadheads.</p> <p>the difference in both is because of the arrow flight between field points and broadheads.</p> <h3>7: archery arm guard</h3> <p><img alt='archery arm guard' class='aligncenter size-medium wp-image-288' src='https://www.ohioarcherycoach.com/blog/images/archery-arm-guard-300x300.jpg' style='height:300px; width:300px' /></p> <p>as you can guess from the name, archery arm guard is used to protect your arms while shooting arrows.</p> <p>it doesn’t matter if you are a beginner or an experienced archer, it is very important to always consider your safety.</p> <p>you need a guard to protect your arm from the damage while shooting.</p> <p>arm guards are not very costly and yet very effective when it comes to safety during archery shooting.</p> <h2>basic archery techniques:</h2> <p>if you are planning to start target archery or bow hunting, in both cases you must practice these basic archery for beginners techniques.</p> <p>these techniques can surely enhance your aiming skills and improve your performance over time for better target archery or bowhunting.</p> <p>in my experience, it takes you at least 200 shots before these techniques become automatic.</p> <p>also, these techniques are not difficult at all, but you have to pay good attention while following them…</p> <h3>1: make proper stance</h3> <p><img alt='archery proper stance' class='aligncenter size-medium wp-image-290' src='https://www.ohioarcherycoach.com/blog/images/archery-proper-stance-200x300.jpg' style='height:300px; width:200px' /></p> <p>this is the first and most important step which you need to follow for a perfect aim.</p> <p>making a proper stance means; you should be standing right in front of your target, and to make it perfect, your feet should be in the line of that target as well.</p> <p>the distance between your feet should only be shoulder-width apart.</p> <p>next, you simply push your shoulders downward (keeping a relaxed posture). all these simple steps will help you to maintain a proper stance.</p> <p>the only way to improve your skills further is to repeat this whole process and in no time, you will learn it perfectly.</p> <h3>2: nocking arrow</h3> <p><img alt='nocking arrow' class='aligncenter size-medium wp-image-291' src='https://www.ohioarcherycoach.com/blog/images/nocking-arrow-300x163.jpg' style='height:163px; width:300px' /></p> <p>now as you have learned how to maintain a proper posture, your next step will be to learn how to nock the arrow.</p> <p>nocking the arrow simply means putting an arrow in the bow, which you can achieve by placing the arrow on your compound bow’s rest.</p> <p>you can nock the arrow by placing it into the bowstring (from the end of the arrow)</p> <p>you are all set now…</p> <h3>3: grasp the bow string</h3> <p><img alt='bowstring' class='aligncenter size-medium wp-image-292' src='https://www.ohioarcherycoach.com/blog/images/bowstring-300x169.jpg' style='height:169px; width:300px' /></p> <p>after placing the arrow, now you have to grasp the string. normally archers use three fingers to grasp the bowstring, one at the top and two at bottom of the arrow.</p> <p>remember, as discussed before, you can use the release aid for this purpose as well. it is really good for the safe release of the arrow without hurting your fingers.</p> <h3>4: draw the bowstring</h3> <p>to draw the string, you just have to keep your bowstring hand slightly above the nose.</p> <p>bowstring this way should end at the face side, opposite to the hand which is holding the bow.</p> <p>if you are holding the bow in left hand, drawing the bowstring should be at the right side of your face.</p> <p>after pulling the bowstring, now you have to make sure that the hand which is holding the bow pointing directly towards your target.</p> <h3>5: transfer bow weight to shoulders</h3> <p>after pulling the bowstring, you have to put the weight of this pull and bow from your shoulders + arm to your solid back.</p> <p>beginners don’t follow this method which is a reason for the missing shots, so start following this way from your first shot.</p> <p>when all the weight is on your back your <strong>aim accuracy</strong> is going to be way better.</p> <h3>6: aim for target</h3> <p><img alt='bow aim' class='aligncenter size-medium wp-image-293' src='https://www.ohioarcherycoach.com/blog/images/bow-aim-300x200.jpg' style='height:200px; width:300px' /></p> <p>when you are done with the stance and your bow is ready, now it’s time to stay still and focus only on the aim.</p> <p>you already know it’s the most important part and you should be standing in the correct format for achieving that aim on the target.</p> <p>for beginners, you have bow sight for targeting and otherwise, you can look through the <strong>arrow shaft</strong> towards your aim.</p> <p>then you just have to make sure your balance is perfect and your body is relaxed.</p> <h3>7: release the arrow</h3> <p><img alt='release bow' class='aligncenter size-medium wp-image-294' src='https://www.ohioarcherycoach.com/blog/images/release-bow-300x200.jpg' style='height:200px; width:300px' /></p> <p>as you know till this step you are all set for the shot.</p> <p>while releasing you just have to wide open your fingers for letting the arrow go.</p> <p>make sure, that you are not going to move the bowstring right after <em>release</em> because that can hurt you if you are not wearing the armguard.</p> <p>also, while releasing the arrow you have to remind yourself that a slight movement can change the aim and you can only learn this over time.</p> <h2>your first shot tips:</h2> <p>by following the basic techniques discussed above, you can surely go for your first shot.</p> <p>before starting shooting, make sure you are following the <span style='color:#333399'><a href='https://www.bowshunter.com/archery-safety/' rel='noopener noreferrer' style='color: #333399;' target='_blank'>7 archery safety rules.</a></span></p> <p>i want to tell you important tips which you should remember during the beginning shots and these can surely make you better at aiming.</p> <p>let’s start…</p> <p><strong>1:</strong> while taking the shot, it is compulsory to make yourself still and stand right on the line of your target.</p> <p><strong>2:</strong> you should try to look at your target with both eyes during your first cycle of shots and find out which eye is dominant.</p> <p>as all the archers suggest to find out your dominant eye early and this can impact your accuracy big time.</p> <p><strong>3:</strong> when you are in the learning phase, jump with all the additional equipment as well including the bow sight, release aid and arm guard for learning the professional and safe shots.</p> <p><strong>4:</strong> on the time of release, i suggest you rethink your posture every time and stay relaxed. also, you have to make sure you are not going to move even a bit while releasing the arrow from the bow.</p> <p><strong>5:</strong> while you are doing the repeat shots, along with focusing on the right aim you also have to find out the minor mistakes or flaws which are causing the issues for learning better.</p> <h2>archery for kids:</h2> <p>if you are trying to bring your kids in archery, believe me, that is a perfect decision and here’s the <span style='color:#333399'><a href='https://www.bowshunter.com/archery-for-kids/' rel='noopener noreferrer' style='color: #333399;' target='_blank'>best & easy way to teach kids archery</a></span>.</p> <p>archery is a good sport for your kids which can surely teach them many aspects of life including the:</p> <p>• discipline<br /> • pinpoint focus<br /> • patience<br /> • balance<br /> • skills<br /> • better physical activity</p> <p>let me tell you, studies proved archery as a safe sport than football, cricket, volleyball, and rugby. as you know, it is also productive to involve your kids in this focus demanded sport.</p> <h3>start with toy equipment:</h3> <p><img alt='archery toy equipment' class='aligncenter size-medium wp-image-295' src='https://www.ohioarcherycoach.com/blog/images/archery-toy-equipment-300x300.jpg' style='height:300px; width:300px' /></p> <p>when you are just involving the kids in archery, you should gift them the toy equipment first which they can use for learning the basics of this game.</p> <p>you can find the toy arrow and bows from the same market for kids.</p> <p>these toys have absolutely <strong>zero percent</strong> risk of damage to your kids and are made carefully by keeping these safety precautions in their mind.</p> <p>with these, kids can boost their confidence for holding the bow or releasing the arrow which is the main reason for using these toys at the start.</p> <h3>teach basic rules:</h3> <p>you should not hand over the toy bow and arrows to kids and let them use it with their own method.</p> <p>instead, you can slowly teach them the <strong>basic rules</strong> of archery.</p> <p>the intention behind this is to teach them the correct stance and techniques of aiming and releasing.</p> <p>over time, kids will start following these simple rules themselves (it’s the nature of kids).</p> <h3>7 types of archery you should know</h3> <p>there is just a slight difference in the types of archery, but when you are taking it as a sport you want to perform it in tournaments within your own town, right?</p> <p>so, you should know a bit about all the types or disciplines of archery.</p> <h3>1: target archery</h3> <p>target archery played both indoor and outdoor, you already have seen it in the olympics.</p> <p>in this game, you are shooting multiple decided number of arrows on the target from specific distance and best results depend on the accuracy of shooting.</p> <p>most of the beginners start from target archery and after having some experience considers trying the other disciplines of archery as well.</p> <h3>2: flight shooting</h3> <p>this one is not common and practiced only in some areas of the world due to lack of available venues.</p> <p>in this archery, you are shooting the arrows in the air and the winner is decided on the basis of their arrow flights.</p> <p>to be exact, every candidate shoots 6 arrows in the air and then compete with other shooters on the basis of distance covered by their arrow.</p> <h3>3: clout shooting</h3> <p>clout shooting comes handy for the practice of archery.</p> <p>because you have to shoot from the distance on a black round target which is placed on the ground and believe me this one can be one of the best practice sessions for improving on archery.</p> <p>tournaments on this form also played where you can take part after growing competitive skills in clout shooting.</p> <h3>4: 3d archery</h3> <p>if you are starting archery for hunting the game animals then this is your form.</p> <p>in this format, the dummy of game animals is placed within the field (forest or between trees) and the shooter has to go through the trees and then shoot at these game animals.</p> <p>like hunting, you have to shoot the arrow at exact spot for hunting the animal and the person with an accurate target on these dummy animals is going to fun.</p> <p>in fact, 3d archery is a fun format for people like me who love to go hunting and practice for actual hunting.</p> <h3>5: run archery</h3> <p>as the name suggests, in run archery candidate have to shoot on the target while running.</p> <p>when you are just getting started run archery seems like a pro level but this one is fun too and you can learn a lot of hunting just by practicing this one.</p> <p>so, the winner in run archery also decided on the basis of shooting accuracy.</p> <h3>6: ski archery</h3> <p>you can understand this one just by looking at the name right?</p> <p>in ski archery, you have to shoot the arrow with your bow while standing or doing the skiing. this game is getting famous in italy, usa, france, russia, and japan.</p> <p>and it’s played in winters when there is a lot of snowfall.</p> <p>so, if you have good skiing skills then after learning the archery you can start practice on this as well and start winning the tournaments of your areas.</p> <h3>7: field archery</h3> <p>field archery is also one of the famous formats of the archery.</p> <p>in this format, you are not shooting from the flat land towards your target, instead, you will be standing upward or downward and have to focus the target from there.</p> <p>yes, you need a lot of practice for mastering this format but still, it’s not very difficult if your basis which we discussed above are cleared.</p> <h3>final words:</h3> <p>when you are just starting out, i suggest you should rent the archery equipment instead of buying, or purchase the used bow and arrow.</p> <p>after some practice, you can only see things clearly and can buy the equipment according to your choice.</p> <p>during the practice, you have to note your mistakes which you are making during the shots and try to improve as minor changes can make the big difference in your shots.</p> <p>originally written on bows hunter</p> All categories Fri, 27 Mar 2020 00:00:00 -0800 https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2020/3/archery-for-beginners https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2020/3/coping-with-competition-cancellations <p>the coronavirus has turned the olympic and paralympic world upside down. countless athletes made plans to compete in qualifiers and the games only to be told that everything is indefinitely on hold. cancelled events such as world championships or last chance qualifiers can be a devastating loss to athletes who have trained years to compete or still need to qualify for the olympics and paralympics. some may be wondering if their olympic and paralympic dreams are over. athletes may experience pain similar to a death or an intense life loss. while there is no one perfect way to respond or to support someone facing a loss, here are some good guidelines.</p> <h2>#1 grief belongs to the griever.</h2> <p>many of the suggestions, advice, and “help” given to people facing losses suggest that they should be doing it differently, or feeling differently than they do. grief is a very personal experience, and belongs entirely to the person experiencing it. follow his or her lead.</p> <h2>#2 stay present and state the truth.</h2> <p>it’s tempting to make statements about the past or the future when the athlete’s present life holds so much pain. you cannot know what the future will be, and it may or may not be “better later.” that the athlete’s life was good in the past is not a fair trade for the pain of now. stay present with the athlete, even when the present is full of pain. it’s also tempting to make generalized statements about the situation in an attempt to soothe the athlete. you cannot know that the athlete will “bounce back” or “get past it.” these future-based, generalized platitudes aren’t helpful. stick with the truth: this hurts. there are countless uncertainties. i’m here with you to listen.</p> <h2>#3 do not try to fix the unfixable.</h2> <p>the athlete’s loss cannot be fixed, repaired or solved. the pain itself cannot be made better. please see #2. it is an unfathomable relief to have a friend who does not try to take the pain away.</p> <h2>#4 be willing to witness unbearable pain.</h2> <p>to do #4 while also practicing #3 is very, very difficult. become comfortable with the uncomfortable, and recognize it will be challenging for you.</p> <h2>#5 this is not about you.</h2> <p>being with someone in pain is not easy. you will have your own reactions — stresses, questions, fear, or guilt. your feelings may be hurt. you may feel ignored and unappreciated. this is a onesided relationship so don’t take it personally. find your own people to lean on so that you feel supported in supporting the athletes. when in doubt, refer to #1.</p> <h2>#6 anticipate, don't ask.</h2> <p>do not say “call or text me if you need anything,” because the athlete likely will not. not because they don’t have the need, but because taking that initiative is beyond their energy levels, especially if they don’t know you well. instead, make concrete offers: “i will stop by to say “hi” tomorrow morning” or “i am at my desk/this location each morning from 7-noon.” be reliable.</p> <h2>#7 do the small things.</h2> <p>the actual, heavy, real work of grieving is not something you can do (see #1), but you can lessen the burden of some life requirements for the athlete. perhaps they need to eat but don’t feel like going to the grocery store or dining hall and facing everyone. offer to bring them a meal. support the athlete in small, ordinary ways.</p> <h2>#8 show you care.</h2> <p>above all, show you care. show up. say something. do something. realize it may not always be perfect but effort counts. be willing to sit with the grief without flinching or turning away. be willing to not have any answers. listen. be there. be present. be a friend.</p> All categories Fri, 20 Mar 2020 00:00:00 -0800 https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2020/3/coping-with-competition-cancellations https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2020/3/coping-with-the-impact-of-coronavirus <p>change is inevitable and we are facing it now more than ever with the impact of the coronavirus. competitions have been cancelled or indefinitely postponed leaving all of us wondering what is next. everything is changing by the day resulting in stress and a range of uncomfortable emotions. you might be feeling sad, anxious, angry, frustrated or even relieved if you needed more time to train and prepare. all of these emotions are normal responses to change and uncertainty, and you are not alone.</p> <p><br /> while we can’t take these emotions away, we can work with them and learn to tolerate the uncertainty and discomfort we are experiencing. we can begin to view change as a challenge to tackle head on.</p> <p><br /> the coronavirus is changing our perceptions of social space and how we interact with each other. we rely on people for support and many of us want personal interaction to feel supported. that is beginning to look different as we avoid social gatherings. we’ll need to find a different way to be close and support each other in the new age of social distancing.</p> <p><br /> training plans also may change with mandates to stay at home or closures of clubs and training sites. you’ll need to find a way to continue training but it’s going to look different. this is not impossible, just a new challenge.</p> <p><br /> in talking with many of you about how you are coping with these recent uncertainties, you have offered a number of useful suggestions. everyone is an individual so some of these may or may not make sense for you, but these are ideas to consider. in any case, here are some ideas from your peers.</p> <h2>suggestions from athletes:</h2> <ul> <li>when it all gets to be too much, come back to the present.</li> <li>use your breath and cues to come back to center.</li> <li>stick to your training plan for the next event. if that one is postponed or cancelled, focus on the plan for the next competition.</li> <li>train like the olympics and paralympics is still going to happen as scheduled. don’t let up!</li> <li>view the changes as an adventure; the unknown is a challenge to be faced. you can face it better than anyone else.</li> <li>look for the opportunities. with change and loss come other doors that open. be ready to step through them.</li> <li>if you have been training hard and it’s wearing on your body, now that there’s not a competition right around the corner, use this time for additional recovery.</li> <li>use this time to do other things you’ve been putting off.</li> <li>get extra sleep!</li> <li>if you are going to practice social distancing and won’t be seeing friends and family face-to-face, use some type of video format such as facetime, skype or whatsapp (rather than texts or calls). this keeps us a little more connected.</li> <li>maintain a sense of humor.</li> <li>realize that the whole world is dealing with these challenges, and we are all in the same boat.</li> </ul> <h2>general suggestions:</h2> <p>most of you have probably heard these suggestions already but they are worth repeating. if you are out and around others, be smart. there’s a risk in anything we do, but you can minimize your risk by:</p> <ul> <li>washing your hands thoroughly and often (at least 20 seconds with soap and water).</li> <li>keeping your hands away from your face.</li> <li>sanitizing your space and things you touch often.</li> </ul> <p>take the following steps to cope with our current changing environment:</p> <ul> <li>take care of your body– try to eat healthy well-balanced meals, train regularly, and get plenty of sleep. avoid alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.</li> <li>connect with others– share your concerns and how you are feeling with a friend or family member. maintain healthy relationships, and build a strong support system.</li> <li>take breaks– make time to unwind and remind yourself that strong feelings are temporary and will fade. try taking in deep breaths or doing activities you usually enjoy.</li> <li>stay informed– when you feel that you are missing information, you may become more stressed or nervous.</li> <li>watch, listen to, or read the news for updates from reliable sources of information. at the same time all this information can be overwhelming, so...</li> <li>avoid too much exposure to news– take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories. try to do enjoyable activities and return to normal life as much as possible and check for updates between breaks.</li> <li>seek help when needed– if distress is interfering with your daily life, talk to a sport psychologist, or mental health provider. contact the usopc sport psychology team to meet or assist you with a referral.</li> </ul> All categories Fri, 20 Mar 2020 00:00:00 -0800 https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2020/3/coping-with-the-impact-of-coronavirus https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2020/1/olypmpic-channel-broadcast-of-archery-world-series-final <div class='field field-name-field-summary field-type-text-long field-label-hidden'> <div class='field-items'> <div class='field-item even'>the indoor archery world series is an international tour of major open entry indoor tournaments for professional and amateur archers.</div> </div> </div> <div class='field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden'> <div class='field-items'> <div class='field-item even'> <p>nbc will broadcast the <a href='https://worldarchery.org/competition/20843/indoor-archery-world-series-finals'>indoor archery world series finals</a> live from las vegas on its olympic channel on cable for the first time. the event takes place at 20h00 local on saturday 8 february 2020 and is the culmination of a six-event international tour that started in macau in november 2019.</p> <p>this does mean that the live online stream will not be available to view in the usa. however, viewers can still watch online via the <a href='https://www.olympicchannel.com/'>olympic channel</a>.</p> <p>nbc has broadcasted hyundai archery world cup and world archery’s championship events since 2017. this is the first time the production from the indoor archery world series finals will be distributed live to linear television.</p> <p>the indoor archery world cup was launched in 2010 as an open entry indoor archery circuit. it was relaunched in 2018 as the indoor archery world series.</p> <p>nfaa foundations president <strong>bruce cull</strong> said: “the ongoing goal is to grow and professionalise the vegas shoot.”</p> <p>“having a major network like nbc broadcast the indoor archery world series is a giant step forward in showcasing the sport to the wider public and another big achievement for the tournament.”</p> <p>the agreement does not affect the vegas shootdowns on sunday afternoon, which will be streamed worldwide via world archery and the nfaa as normal.</p> <p><em>the indoor archery world series finals take place on saturday 8 february in las vegas, usa.</em></p> </div> </div> </div> <p>originally posted on <a href='https://worldarchery.org/news/176858/nbc-olympic-channel-broadcast-indoor-archery-world-series-finals-usa' target='_blank'>world archery</a></p> All categories Tue, 7 Jan 2020 00:00:00 -0800 https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2020/1/olypmpic-channel-broadcast-of-archery-world-series-final https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2019/12/basic-bow-tuning <p>i have been getting a lot of questions about how i tune my bows. this is the process i go through everytime i set up!</p> <ol> <li>bareshaft tune every arrow through paper. i get the first one to shoot a bullet hole by moving the rest and then nock tune the rest to get them to shoot a bullet hole.<br />  </li> <li>mark the orientation of the nock and i try to get the nock in the same spot after fletching. i use a bitzenburger jig, so i have to rotate my nocks to fletch and then back again to orientate the fletching.</li> <li>bareshaft tune the bow at 20 yards. i want to bareshaft to hit the same spot as the fletched shaft.<br />  </li> <li>torque tune at the longest distance comfortable. i torque tune at 80 yards for my outdoor target bow and 60 yards for my 3d bow. move the whole rest forward or back so that a normal shot and a shot that is torqued hit the same spot left and right on the target. paige pearce posted a great video about it, if you have not seen it check it out.<br />  </li> <li>walk back tune to the same distances i torque tuned at. keeping my sight set at the longest distance and aiming low on a vertical line at 20 yards, and right on at the further distance. move the rest left and right until both shots hit the same spot on the line.<br />  </li> <li>group tune by raising and/or lowering the rest to get the best group at the same distances as i torque tuned at.<br />  </li> <li>at 20 yards, sight in to git the middle with a fletcher arrow. then shoot a bare shaft to see where it hits. it is ok at this point that they do not hit the exact same spot. make note of the impact point for reference later. if you think the tune is off, shoot your bare shaft way 20, if it hits the same spot, all is good with the tune!<br />  </li> <li>relax and focus on the shot process, because i know the bow is setup properly for me and it will hit the middle if i do my part!</li> </ol> <p>hope this helps, feel free to message me with any questions!</p> All categories Wed, 18 Dec 2019 00:00:00 -0800 https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2019/12/basic-bow-tuning https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2019/12/keys-to-indoor-success <p>archers often debate whether shooting indoors benefits outdoor shooting, but i think it can be valuable. it shows, for example, how your mental game holds up under pressure without the effects of wind, weather and other external factors. let’s review some keys to indoor shooting.</p> <h2>score and score a lot</h2> <p>shooting indoors at short distance bores some archers, but i stay focused by scoring frequently and trying to make incremental improvements (for a score out of 300). that helps me see how my mental and technical games are improving without outdoor elements affecting my arrows as they streak to the target.</p> <p>scoring, and becoming comfortable with scoring, helps me get into a rhythm that keeps my shots flowing and feeling good. repeating these good-feeling shots in a brief time frame (short walks to retrieve arrows) ingrains the shot into my muscle memory, making it easier to repeat shots that feel – and score – amazing.</p> <h2>hone your mental game</h2> <p><img alt='' src='https://www.archery360.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/1-hone-your-mental-game-world-archery.jpg' style='height:534px; width:800px' /></p> <p>in an indoor competition, it’s just you and the target. photo credit: world archery</p> <p>because it’s just you and the target when shooting indoors, it’s a great place to work on your mental game. you almost instantly can see how changes in mindset affect your shooting. what you learn indoors, of course, can transfer to outdoor shooting to help you succeed earlier in the season.</p> <p>a strong mental game is the largest contributor to good indoor results. by working hard at it, your confidence levels can only go up.</p> <h2>fine-tuning your equipment: methodical testing</h2> <p>shooting indoors at 18 meters means your arrow spends a fraction of time airborne, compared to 50 or 70 meters. therefore, your arrow should be tuned in to be corrected by the time it hits the target. if you had a setup where the bare shaft hit slightly stiff or weak at 30 meters for your outdoor bow, your indoor setup should have the bare shaft hit in the middle of your fletched shafts at 18 meters.</p> <p>you might also need to experiment with different setups, such as different sight pins or stabilizer setups, to determine what shoots best indoors.</p> <p>for recurve archers, this is also a great time to test fatter arrows rather than the thin arrows commonly used outdoors. some archers find that fat arrows tune easily, but many others cannot get them to group consistently. although fat arrows catch more lines on the target, they can be unforgiving if the bow can’t be tuned for them. scorecards don’t say whether you shot fat or skinny arrows, so test them as much as possible before switching and shooting a major event.</p> <h2>practice the perfect 300 walk-back</h2> <p><img alt='' src='https://www.archery360.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/2-practice-the-perfect-300-world-archery.jpg' style='height:534px; width:800px' /></p> <p>practice at a close distance until you get a 300, then move the target back and do it again. photo credit: world archery</p> <p>let’s discuss an exercise that builds your confidence in shooting perfect scores. essentially, you shoot on a 40-centimeter indoor face, starting at 10 meters. shoot 30 arrows (10 ends of three arrows) at 10 meters and try to shoot a 300. if you fail, try again. once you shoot a perfect score, try it with competition timing of 2 minutes for three arrows. once you succeed, push your comfort level by shooting a perfect score in 1:30 per end, or even 1:00. that hones your shot timing and builds your confidence. once achieving those results at 10 meters, repeat the drills at 12, 14, and 16 meters.</p> <p>you’ll soon find that your scores at 18 meters will be close to, if not, 300. archers of all levels can adapt these drills by changing the 30-arrow goal to “all in the gold,” or whatever is appropriate. the key is to build confidence, a big part of archery success.</p> <h2>enjoy a variety of target faces</h2> <p>variety spices life … and archery. indoor archery has several different rounds and target faces. shooting a world archery face one week and an nfaa field or vegas face the next prevents boredom. keeping things fresh by changing the round i shoot helps me avoid the potential monotony of the indoor season and just enjoy archery.</p> <p><a href='https://www.archery360.com/2019/11/19/crispins-5-keys-to-indoor-success/' target='_blank'>original article on archery 360</a></p> All categories Tue, 17 Dec 2019 00:00:00 -0800 https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2019/12/keys-to-indoor-success https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2019/12/target-compound-at-a-crossroads <p>the compound bow has been a game changer ever since its introduction in the late 1960’s. it relatively quickly gained acceptance for bowhunting and for american recreational archery.</p> <p>however, it took more than 20 years for compound to be accepted at the global levels of the sport of target archery.  target compound, in the context of world archery, took 20 years to be established, and now has a 29-year history.  it has now been accepted at every level of competition worldwide, with one prominent exception-  it still isn’t in the olympic games.</p> <p>resistance to the compound for world level competition was finally overcome in the early 90’s, after an effort from then fita president jim easton to include the discipline at world level events, beginning with the first <a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1991_world_indoor_archery_championships'>world indoor in oulu, finland</a>, in 1991.  outdoor adoption took a bit longer, with the first world outdoor event to feature compound taking place in jakarta, indonesia, in 1995.</p> <p>notably, american archers dominated both of those early events, as well as several subsequent championships, because of the substantial head-start through decades of use and understanding of the bows in usa domestic events.  outside the usa, compound understanding was relatively weak, due to the fact that it was not accepted for world competition.</p> <p>since that time, the compound (and recurve) competition format has been changed several times.  starting with the world championship in 1995, the compound discipline simply duplicated the 4-distance fita round used by recurves at the time, with competition at 90, 70, 50 and 30 meters for men, and 70, 60, 50 and 30 meters for women.</p> <p>later, in alignment with the changes to recurve competition, compound was contested at 70 meters only.</p> <p>over a decade ago, as world archery sought to explore introducing an olympic games compound competition, a decision was made to create a competition round that would further differentiate the compound discipline from recurve.  this need for differentiation was driven by the fact that the international olympic committee would only consider bringing compound into the games if the round were truly different from the recurve round.</p> <p>world archery instituted a differentiation commission, consisting of top competitors, officials and other experts, to work on creating a round that would be different enough from recurve to satisfy the ioc, and yet provide a showcase for the accuracy and mental discipline required for top level compound competition.</p> <p>driven mainly by the top-level competitors on the committee, the commission arrived at what they thought would be a good solution- a hit-or-miss format, on a reduced size target, with a 10-centimeter yellow “hit zone”, at 50 meters distance.  the first events featuring this round took place in 2010.</p> <p><img alt='' src='https://eastonarchery.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/image-300x200.png' style='height:277px; width:416px' /></p> <p><em>hit or miss at world cup, 2010</em></p> <p>one though behind this round was that the shorter distance would make it easier to find venues for events, and it was thought that the hit or miss aspect would be fast moving and easy to understand for spectators and media.</p> <p>unfortunately, <a href='https://worldarchery.org/news/100027/29-july-2010-hit-or-miss-analysing-first-results-new-world-archery-compound-round'>it didn’t work out that way</a>– for one thing, a hit dead center, and a hit barely catching the line had exactly the same value, blurring the reward for accurate shooting- and it turned out audiences didn’t like the spectacle very much.  audiences really appreciate high scores and close contests- the hit or miss round tended toward blowouts- inducing outright target panic in otherwise high performing shooters- and the “hit or miss” score itself wasn’t very compelling.</p> <p>to its credit, world archery was relatively quick to respond to the issues, and after a couple of seasons, the “hit or miss” round was dropped and changed to the round we have today- still 50 meters, but on a 6-ring, 80 centimeter target, with an x-ring, with 72-arrow qualifications and 15-arrow rounds in head to head eliminations.  this rewards accuracy, provides for audience-thrilling high score potential, and keeps the convenience aspect of the shorter distance in terms of finding venues for events.</p> <p>this, too, however, was criticized by some shooters- “too close”, “not challenging enough”, “too easy to shoot a perfect score” were (and still are) some of the criticisms commonly expressed in top circles. </p> <p>yet, after nearly a decade of shooting the round, no one has yet shot a perfect 15 arrow score (150-15x) and in windy weather, the round is notoriously unforgiving, particularly for less accomplished shooters.  the 15 arrow round world record, set by reo wilde (usa) in 2015 (using easton <a href='https://eastonarchery.com/arrows_/x10/'>x10 shafts</a>) stands at 150/12x.   braden gellenthein (usa) has the 72-arrow round record of 718/720.  in the women’s category, linda ochoa-anderson (formerly mex, now usa) has the women’s 15 arrow record of 150/11x, and sara lopez (col) has the 72-arrow record of 713/720.  (all these records were set with x10 and <a href='https://eastonarchery.com/arrows_/x10-protour/'>x10 protour</a> arrow shafts.)</p> <p>now, there is renewed momentum in world archery toward creating a new compound round that would be accepted at the olympic level by satisfying the international olympic committee’s requirements:  for differentiation, wide spectator appeal, low added cost, and perhaps also address some of the complaints of top competitors about the current round.</p> <p>this new momentum is because of the possibility that compound archery could be accepted as an additional event for the 2028 olympic games in los angeles.   </p> <p><img alt='' src='https://eastonarchery.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/image-1-169x300.png' style='height:300px; width:169px' /></p> <p><em>2028 l.a. olympic games will be the first chance for a compound round in the modern olympics</em></p> <p> </p> <p>the door to this possibility opened with the adoption of compound in the various continental level games- such as the pan american games, european games, and asian games.  also, the world games now emphasize compound competition.  </p> <p>this has led to high growth in compound competition, especially in places like asia, where there was very little adoption of the discipline before asian games inclusion, because continental and olympic events are the only ones that generally receive government or corporate support (the usa is one of only a very few countries with no direct government support for olympic and world sports).  </p> <p>once the compound was added to all the continental level events, development as well as government and corporate support followed, so that now we see countries like korea, chinese taipei and india fielding top-class compound competitors.</p> <p><img alt='' src='https://eastonarchery.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/image-2-300x200.png' style='height:200px; width:300px' /></p> <p><em>asian games champion so chaewon- world #5 ranked compound woman</em></p> <p> </p> <p>but there are a number of challenges that will still have to be addressed in order to make this possibility of olympic compound become a fact.</p> <p>first, and perhaps most importantly as far as the international olympic committee is concerned, the number of women participating in compound has been identified as an area that needs improvement.  the growth of compound has included women, to be sure, but the ioc has <a href='https://stillmed.olympic.org/media/document%20library/olympicorg/news/2018/03/ioc-gender-equality-report-march-2018.pdf'>gender parity</a> in terms of numbers as an important goal, and there is still a lot of progress to be made in that area. </p> <p>recurve archery has pretty good gender participation equity, but compound, not so much.  world archery shares the ioc priority of making compound more inclusive for women’s participation.  </p> <p>asia is currently taking the lead in terms of developing more high level women’s competitors, according to world archery’s tom dielen.</p> <p>another worry is the impact that compound may have on olympic recurve.  some people- mostly recurve shooters- are concerned that adding compound would come at the expense of recurve at the olympic games.  </p> <p>that’s not so, according to world archery secretary general tom dielen, who told us “it’s absolutely an issue of adding medals, not replacing medals.  we see it in the spirit of what has happened with volleyball, where you have indoor volleyball, and beach volleyball, two complimentary products to the olympic games, and we also want to have complementary products for the olympic games.  and will that be in the current format, (or) another format, only time will tell”.</p> <p>but what form would a new compound round take in order to be accepted for the games?  tom dielen says there are several options on the table.  “one is the current format, but at a longer distance of 60 rather than 50 meters.  another is an indoor olympic games round.  and a third option is a field course of some kind”.</p> <p>it’s noteworthy that the final decision on any potential olympic compound round won’t actually be up to world archery.  it’s up to the ioc.</p> <p>as tom explains: “it’s not going to be our call, i want to make it very clear it’s going to be the call of the international olympic committee, together with the (olympic games) organizing committee.  what fits best in the strategy of the olympic games, because if it doesn’t fit that strategy, there is no chance of adding it.  it has to fit in the strategy.  that means re-using a venue the best way possible during the games”.</p> <p>it also means staying in a tight budget for the event, in the “new normal” of tightly controlled costs for the olympic games.</p> <p>there will be a lot of work to do over the next two years to formulate new proposed rounds and changes to the sport to open the door to olympic compound, increase generally equality in the sport, and there’s also the possibly there could be some future changes to current competition rounds in recurve as well.</p> <p>first on the agenda, is a general review of target faces and precision potential for different rounds, being conducted by the coaches committee and statisticians who are experts on the subject.  in fact, this analysis is also looking at possible adjustments for recurve targets as well.  the goal for the effort is to have recommendations by the 2021 world archery congress.  so the possibility of a new compound target to go with a possible 60 meter round exists- as does some kind of new recurve format.  </p> <p>one concern tom expressed involves how any new round could affect club level and mid level shooters- wa is very concerned with making sure any changes don’t adversely impact up and coming shooters as well, which is why very careful consideration and research is being carried out, and there will be extensive discussions at every level of world archery.</p> <p>one thing is for sure- change is coming.  and if a compound round is accepted for the 2028 games, it will clearly be the most significant new development in what will, at that time, have been the 56 year history of modern olympic archery.</p> <p><a href='https://eastonarchery.com/2019/12/target-compound-at-a-crossroads-new-plans-for-the-future-from-world-archery/?fbclid=iwar3apfrketllaou2kmjzkjsox5smfjyt3ydoctp0k-pgxd8j2arfkoiegua' target='_blank'>original article on easton archery.</a></p> All categories Mon, 9 Dec 2019 00:00:00 -0800 https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2019/12/target-compound-at-a-crossroads https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2019/12/how-five-top-archers-got-their-start <p>have you ever watched a professional archer shoot a brilliant set of arrows, and wondered how they did it? we asked five top archers how they started in archery, which steps helped them reach such high levels, and what advice they offer up-and-coming archers.</p> <h2>jacob wukie – usa: recurve</h2> <p><img alt='' src='https://www.archery360.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/1-jacob-wukie-shore-shot-archery-youtube.png' style='height:421px; width:800px' /></p> <p>jacob wukie takes the line at the 2019 gator cup. photo credit: shore shot archery youtube</p> <ul> <li><strong>when did you realize you wanted to get into archery?</strong></li> </ul> <p>i did a lot of hunting, fishing, trapping, camping, etc. from a young age i wanted to learn to shoot archery so i could bowhunt. somewhere around my early teenage years i shot my first 3d competition, and very much enjoyed it. i became very competitive in 3d archery, eventually became interested in the olympics, got a recurve bow to start down that path, and made the switch to olympic style archery when i went to college.</p> <ul> <li><strong>where did you practice? was it a large facility or smaller range?</strong></li> </ul> <p>i did almost all my practice in the backyard until i went to college. i also had 24-hour access to a small indoor range 45 minutes away. i used that periodically during winter, or if i needed to shoot at night. i also shot in winter leagues. even during winter, i did most of my practice in my parents’ barn.</p> <ul> <li><strong>how often did you practice then, and how often do you practice now?</strong></li> </ul> <p>my practice varied from a couple of sessions a week, to every day, depending on my excitement level and what i was training for. once i became more competitive, five or six days of training weekly was normal. my training now varies considerably, depending on my work schedule and what other life events are happening. i have a four-week work schedule, so one week per month my schedule is very open. i shoot six out of seven days, and i get in 1,600 to 1,800 arrows that week. the remaining three weeks i typically get two full days and two half-days of practice when i’m in competition mode. my wife works very hard during competition season to give me time to train, so now that the season’s over i’m making a point to spend more time with her and our two daughters. i’m shooting 50 to 100 arrows two to four nights a week after the girls go to bed to keep some strength. i continue to fine-tune a few technique changes i made this year.</p> <ul> <li><strong>what technique did you focus on when starting, and which techniques do you focus on now?</strong></li> </ul> <p>i was self-taught, and would just ask the opinion of whoever was standing closest at the time. that probably wasn’t the most productive way to get started, but i learned to analyze their techniques, which has been very valuable. before switching to recurve, i shot compound fingers when shooting 3d archery. when i was shooting my best, i  shot with a bent bow arm, straight wrist, my fingers all fully extended, only contacting the grip in the web of my hand. i held the string with my middle and index fingers, both below the nock, put my thumb behind my ear, and then twisted my string hand out away from my face until the string was about to slip. when i was ready to shoot, i would just continue that twist, and my hand would flip out away from my face. i closed my bow hand quickly to grab the bow so it wouldn’t fall. that was my shot. i did everything wrong that i could have possibly done wrong, but somehow it all worked together fairly well. now i very much adhere to the way coach lee teaches technique, so depending on what area of my shot needs the most work to get closer to the way he likes, that’s what i focus on.</p> <ul> <li><strong>what was the most important thing you learned when starting?</strong></li> </ul> <p>that i liked it. i enjoyed shooting, and getting together with people and going to tournaments.</p> <ul> <li><strong>what do you wish someone would have told you then?</strong></li> </ul> <p>i don’t have any regrets. there are a million ways i could have been better than i was, especially in my technique. in the end, i don’t think that held me back much. the key to improving and getting to my highest level was my view that there is a right way to do every aspect of the shot. i had my opinion on what the right way was, and i worked hard to be honest enough with myself to change my opinion when i realized i might not have been seeing the whole picture.</p> <ul> <li><strong>what steps did you take to reach the olympic level?</strong></li> </ul> <p>my first step toward­ olympic archery was when i saw a guy wearing an olympic trials shirt at a 3d shoot i attended. i tapped him on the shoulder and started asking questions, and he actually coordinated getting me my first recurve bow. the following year, i went to and watched the first day of the 2004 olympic trials. i sat down next to rick white, who taught me a lot about the trials process, and he ended up coaching me for several years. i started training primarily with my recurve when i went to james madison university in the fall of 2004, and learned a lot from the coaches, including bob ryder and andy puckett. while at jmu, i got introduced into competing in target archery; starting with smaller indoor competitions, then some collegiate outdoor events, and then national ranking events such as the texas shootout, arizona cup and nationals. i made my first u.s. archery team in 2007, and moved out to the olympic training center on july 4th, 2007. i split up my time over the next several years between finishing my degree at jmu and training at the center. i spent nearly four years training under kisik lee. i really applied myself in two areas: learning and applying proper technique, and physically and mentally pushing myself every day to my limit.</p> <ul> <li><strong>what would you suggest as a competition for new archers?</strong></li> </ul> <p>whatever competition is close and convenient. whether it’s a local tournament or a major event, they’re all great ways to begin building your skills. very early in my shooting, i competed in the ibo world championships. i lost every arrow i owned, and finished the tournament with an arrow i found on the practice field, which i later returned. i’m sure i placed last, but i still had a good time, and it was a starting place. indoor leagues are a great place to start as well. they consistently put you in a little bit of a competition mindset, and you develop some camaraderie with the people you shoot with.</p> <ul> <li><strong>which key skills are important to reach the olympic level?</strong></li> </ul> <p>to compete at that level, several areas are critical.</p> <ol> <li>mindset: you have to develop a healthy mindset. that can be tricky. everyone is different and comes from different life experiences, so everyone will have different sticking points. there are a lot of different ideologies when it comes to mindset. many people, while trying to be helpful, will tell you to think positive. there’s nothing wrong with that, but at the olympic level it’s a little too simplistic. it takes more than that to learn to be excellent mentally. it’s not necessarily difficult, and it’s certainly achievable, but build your mental game on something more than other people’s well-meaning comments.</li> <li>work ethic and determination: the ability to put all you have into your sport during practice and competition is not something people naturally have, and it’s not easily attainable. while i don’t have a specific recipe, some combination of striving to be the standard of hard work and determination, while training alongside others of the same mindset, is certainly a good starting point.</li> <li>technique: regardless of what line of thinking you buy into about technique, you have to know how to execute a good shot, arrow after arrow. i believe coach lee has by far figured out, more than anyone else, the best way to use the human body to execute controlled, consistent shots under pressure. i encourage every archer to apply themselves toward learning that technique the way coach lee teaches it.</li> </ol> <ul> <li><strong>what do you tell new archers looking to reach the olympic level?</strong></li> </ul> <p>you can learn from anybody. become a student of the sport. you’ll see archers doing everything “wrong” and they’re high-level, consistent archers. you’ll see others doing everything “right” and they struggle. you can glean a lot of information from those extremes and everything in between.</p> <p>it’s a great aspiration and well worth your time to pursue. that being said, i have two precautions:</p> <ol> <li>know when it’s the right time to give it all you’ve got, to push yourself way beyond enjoyment to reach a level of excellence, and when to enjoy the sport. if you get that wrong, you can burn yourself out and lose your drive, which can be hard to get back.</li> <li>i’ll use a common phrase: if you’re not enough without the olympics, you won’t be enough with it. don’t make the olympics your identity. you might very well give your entire life to it, and it becomes a big part of who you are. that’s great, but if in your mind the olympics is what makes you “you,”that’s a recipe for disappointment.</li> </ol> <h2>alexis ruiz – usa: compound</h2> <p><img alt='' src='https://www.archery360.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2-alexis-ruiz-world-archery.jpg' style='height:533px; width:800px' /></p> <p>ruiz recently took home gold at the hyundai world cup. photo credit: world archery</p> <ul> <li><strong>when did you realize you wanted to get into archery?</strong></li> </ul> <p>i wanted to get into archery when i was young because my dad is a bowhunter, and i wanted to bowhunt like him.</p> <ul> <li><strong>where did you first practice? was it a large facility or smaller range?</strong></li> </ul> <p>i started practicing at a charter school i went to for nasp. when i got my first compound, i started shooting at a club called corner archery.</p> <ul> <li><strong>how often did you practice then, and how often do you practice now?</strong></li> </ul> <p>i only practiced a couple of times a week when i started, but i practice every day and i shoot about 300 arrows now.</p> <ul> <li><strong>what techniques did you focus on when starting, and which techniques do you focus on now?</strong></li> </ul> <p>i focused on every part of my form when i started shooting, but i focus on aiming now.</p> <ul> <li><strong>what was the most important thing you learned when starting?</strong></li> </ul> <p>to have fun and enjoy what i’m doing.</p> <ul> <li><strong>what do you wish someone would have told you then?</strong></li> </ul> <p>how big archery was, and how many friends i would make when i started. i had no idea how big the sport was.</p> <ul> <li><strong>what was the best advice you received?</strong></li> </ul> <p>my mom told me to enjoy every tournament, even if i do not do as well as i hope, because i get to travel. most people do not get to travel as much as i do.</p> <ul> <li><strong>what steps did you take to reach the olympic level?</strong></li> </ul> <p>i worked hard every day, and i kept my goal in my mind while practicing.</p> <ul> <li><strong>what would you suggest as a competition for new archers?</strong></li> </ul> <p>any local/state tournament. it will be smaller, and they can learn what tournaments feel like.</p> <ul> <li><strong>which key skills are most important to reach the olympic level?</strong></li> </ul> <p>consistency and aiming.</p> <ul> <li><strong>what do you tell new archers looking to reach the olympic level?</strong></li> </ul> <p>my advice is to work as hard as you can, but make sure you’re having fun because that is what this sport is about.</p> <h2>crispin duenas – canada: recurve</h2> <p><img alt='' src='https://www.archery360.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/3-crispin-duenas-world-archery.jpg' style='height:533px; width:800px' /></p> <p>crispin duenas’ degree in physics helps him understand the mechanics and science behind archery. photo credit: world archery</p> <ul> <li><strong>when did you realize you wanted to get into archery?</strong></li> </ul> <p>when i was about 13 years old, and had already tried a lot of other sports. the allure of the precision of archery drew me to it, and still keeps me striving to be the best i can be.</p> <ul> <li><strong>where did you start practicing?</strong></li> </ul> <p>at a club northwest of toronto called the archers of caledon. my first experience was with saturday morning lessons, and i enjoyed it from day 1. back then i only practiced once a week because of the long drive to the club (about an hour), and also because i had to borrow their equipment.</p> <ul> <li><strong>what techniques did you focus on when starting, and which techniques do you focus on now?</strong></li> </ul> <p>i mainly focused on having a crisp follow-through. i was coached to focus on this because it was something that, apparently, plenty of archers struggle with. i felt that was an important thing to learn from the beginning, because it was one of the longest things for me to perfect. to this day i’m always looking for ways to improve my shot, especially my release.</p> <ul> <li><strong>what steps did you take to reach the olympic level?</strong></li> </ul> <p>i made sure to compete in as many higher-level competitions that i could. when i was a novice, this meant i was going to the canadian and american national championships, as well as other competitions around canada, the u.s., and mexico. i believe these were a great way for me to get some good experience shooting beside some of the best archers on the continent.</p> <ul> <li><strong>what do you tell new archers looking to reach the olympic level?</strong></li> </ul> <p>it’s not easy to get to the elite level, but when you do, you will see it was absolutely worth all the time and sacrifice you put into it. you should be willing to learn as much as you can, and go with the information that’s most relevant to you. be as adaptive as possible. that leads to more success than being stubborn and sticking to one way of shooting or thinking.</p> <h2>khatuna lorig – usa archery: recurve</h2> <p><img alt='' src='https://www.archery360.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/4-khatuna-lorig-world-archery.jpg' style='height:534px; width:800px' /></p> <p>lorig’s journey has lead her to some amazing places: the olympics, coaching actresses, and a spot on a television commercial. photo credit: world archery</p> <ul> <li><strong>when did you realize you wanted to get into archery?</strong></li> </ul> <p>i started shooting in middle school after being recruited to the sport. i was the youngest of the group, and it was a free program that got me out of class, so i decided to go with it. i realized i wanted to stick with it at the 1992 olympic games in barcelona. we ended up losing the chance to shoot for gold and took home the bronze medal. i realized i had to win, and that i cared whether we won. archery makes me feel strong.</p> <ul> <li><strong>where did you first practice? was it a large facility or smaller range?</strong></li> </ul> <p>at the facility in then-soviet georgia. we shared the place with other athletes, and it was always cold. we mostly shot at 30 meters. there were no safety rules enforced. if you walked out onto the range while others were shooting, you were going to get hit. it was up to you to use your common sense, and learn not to do that. when the group started out, there were 40 of us. after nine months it dwindled to six. after that i ended up being the only one who stayed with it.</p> <ul> <li><strong>how often did you practice then, and how often do you practice now?</strong></li> </ul> <p>i practiced six days a week then and continue to practice six days a week now. when i practiced after school, i would get home at 1:30 p.m., then i would clean, do chores, go to practice at 4 and be home by 6:30. i still practice six days a week, but will sometimes take it easy if i’ve had three intensive days of training in a row. i also work out three days a week. i do lower body exercises every morning, and shoot 300 arrows every practice session. i want to make every arrow count, and i make sure i know how every arrow scored. i used to hate taking breaks to go to the doctor. now i go to the chiropractor twice a week so they can put me back together. it’s important to listen to your body. less is more; make sure you take breaks. don’t shoot all day if you don’t have to. if you find it’s difficult to take time away to practice, make it a family sport and shoot together.</p> <ul> <li><strong>what techniques did you focus on when you started, and which techniques do you focus on now?</strong></li> </ul> <p>back tension and my posture when i hold the bow. it’s much more customized now. coach lee gives us clear steps on what to do, including back tension. i had no clue about it previously. it helps to know what steps you’re missing, and focus on being precise. i also focus on the mental component. in archery, you can fall from the ladder as quickly as you climbed it. an archer ranked no. 1 can lose to an archer ranked no. 64. never underestimate an archer or a team.</p> <ul> <li><strong>what was the most important thing you learned at the beginning?</strong></li> </ul> <p>shoot for gold, shoot aggressively and with determination. when i was first shooting in then-soviet georgia, i learned to listen to the coach or get scolded. one time, the russian head coach wanted to experiment, so they strapped us down to an electrical chair and measure our heart rate on a giant screen in a dark room. they’d make random noises in the room to startle us, and if the square measuring our heart rate hit the lines above it, we’d receive a shock, similar to a yellowjacket sting. i got better at it, so the next time they turned up the intensity. it was very intense, but it made me mentally prepared.</p> <ul> <li><strong>what do you wish someone would have told you then?</strong></li> </ul> <p>care less about what others are doing and concentrate on yourself. you can only help other people so much. you might just be trying to help, but they might not understand. take one or two steps back and concentrate on yourself. does that make sense or is it too selfish?</p> <ul> <li><strong>what’s the best advice you received?</strong></li> </ul> <p>the question is whether i received any advice. my father told me to not forget that i was his daughter, and to not make him ashamed of me. he’s very proud of me today.</p> <ul> <li><strong>what steps did you take to reach the olympic level?</strong></li> </ul> <p>i quit my job and moved to chula vista, california, and just trained. i knew i wanted to achieve more, and that i wanted to win with team usa. i thought that trusting coach lee to change my technique was a risk, but i only got better.</p> <ul> <li><strong>what would you suggest as a competition for new archers?</strong></li> </ul> <p>start with local competitions, and then move to state championships. don’t jump directly into a giant competition. make sure you’ve having fun.</p> <ul> <li><strong>which key skills are most important to reach the olympic level?</strong></li> </ul> <p>flexibility and remaining calm. don’t show your emotions. no matter what happens, remain humble. always smile and respect the people who admire you. somebody is looking up to you, so behave yourself. i love kids and will always put my bow down to talk to them. they’re our future and i want to give them the best example.</p> <ul> <li><strong>what advice do you offer new archers looking to reach the olympic level?</strong></li> </ul> <p>train properly and patiently to avoid injury. make sure you respect the olympians, and learn how to communicate with them and listen to them. train hard; nothing will come to you on a plate. there will be pain and you’ll get frustrated, but don’t let that kill your motivation and your dreams. acknowledge the mistakes.</p> <h2>john demmer iii – usa archery: barebow</h2> <p><img alt='' src='https://www.archery360.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/5-john-demmer-world-archery.jpg' style='height:795px; width:800px' /></p> <p>john demmer started out competing in 3d archery, but eventually started competing in target competitions. photo credit: world archery</p> <ul> <li><strong>when did you realize you wanted to get into archery?</strong></li> </ul> <p>i grew up on a farm, so everybody in my area, including my family, hunted. for the first couple of years i did nothing but hunt with a rifle. my cousin came up every year to stay with us for archery season. after talking to him about all the deer he was seeing, and how relaxing it was without many people in the woods, i started wanting to get into (bow)hunting, and get more time in the woods. there was an archery shop 15 minutes away, and i’d always go down there before hunting season to practice and get my stuff ready. i found out they had a 3d league, and they talked to me about how they go to some big 3d shoots, like the ibo triple crown and worlds. they told me i should look into it, and eventually i went with him and loved it. i shot 3d for a few years, then got burned out, so i found target archery.</p> <ul> <li><strong>was it difficult to transition from 3d shooting to target archery?</strong></li> </ul> <p>it definitely felt different and took a little bit to transition, because it became more of a form game than 3d. the 3d targets we shot had a big 6-inch circle. the targets in target archery, depending on the tournament, can be much smaller.</p> <ul> <li><strong>where did you first practice? was it a large facility or smaller range?</strong></li> </ul> <p>the place is called deckers bows and more, and it was the first place i trained outside of the backyard. it has an indoor 3d range and two other ranges.</p> <ul> <li><strong>how often did you practice then, and how often do you practice now?</strong></li> </ul> <p>it all depends on whether something’s coming up. if i have a big shoot coming up and it’s important to me to be the best i can be, then i will train harder. if it’s a target national event that i love, i’ll train for three weeks leading up to it. i will overtrain the first week to build up my strength, then i will maintain strength the next two weeks and try to shoot four to five scores that week. if my body is good and my mind is good, that’s what i try to do. if i’m not feeling great, then obviously i back down the training just a little bit. if i have nothing coming up soon, then i might shoot once or twice a week. if i don’t have time for that, i generally won’t make it happen if it doesn’t come naturally.</p> <ul> <li><strong>what techniques did you focus on when you started, and which techniques do you focus on now?</strong></li> </ul> <p>i honestly can say i had zero direction when i started. this makes me sound really old, but i started in the days where not everybody had internet. i didn’t know about online forums or anything, so everything i learned was on my own the first five to eight years.</p> <ul> <li><strong>what was the best advice you received?</strong></li> </ul> <p>the first time i got any advice was at the first ibo worlds i went to. i was shooting in the final day, in the final-five group, and i got some advice to lighten my poundage and shoot with three fingers. the next great advice i received was from a very good friend, paul vogel. he gave me some pointers on picking a good anchor point. i still use that same anchor point to this day 70% of the time. the only time i don’t is when it’s at 50 meters. then i lower it just a little bit. now i focus on consistent form and the shot process. there is no shortcut, but there is a predominant blueprint there, and if it’s followed, great things happen. i follow and focus on that blueprint. it never fails. every time i deviate from it, things go subpar.</p> <ul> <li><strong>what do you wish someone would have told you back then?</strong></li> </ul> <p>how much fun i could have doing it. i would have got into it a little bit earlier if i’d known. what i have come to love and appreciate more than anything, more than winning national championships, world archery medals, representing the united states, more than all of that, is the lifelong bond and friendships i’ve made with some tremendous people through the years. the vogels, the stoners, lyndes, bills, dillinger, mozart and many others. that’s what i most appreciate in this sport.</p> <ul> <li><strong>what steps did you take to get to the olympic level?</strong></li> </ul> <p>other than the couple of ibo shoots over four years, i mostly did state and regional stuff. there weren’t a lot of shooters, but it was good.</p> <ul> <li><strong>which key skills are the most important to reach the olympic level?</strong></li> </ul> <p>the desire to do well, but at the same time learning to stop caring about individual arrow results. focus on making well-executed shot after well-executed shot.</p> <ul> <li><strong>what advice do you offer new archers looking to reach the olympic level?</strong></li> </ul> <p>find great archers and ask questions. figure out what got them there and see where you’re lacking. don’t get stuck on asking one individual, ask a few. that way you have a broader perspective and find what’s right for you. it really boils down to practice, determination, and focusing on the right things.</p> <p> </p> <p>no matter how or where you start practicing, if you remain dedicated and participate in competitions, you’ll find success. climb the ladder as slowly or quickly as you like, but enjoy the ride to the top.</p> <p><a href='https://www.archery360.com/2019/10/23/how-five-top-archers-got-their-start/?fbclid=iwar3q1n1lhoifru1j012uciklaojqtmadkfubzd-kf6hufxltlgdkv0gevv4' target='_blank'>original article on archery 360.</a></p> All categories Sun, 8 Dec 2019 00:00:00 -0800 https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2019/12/how-five-top-archers-got-their-start https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2019/12/six-reasons-to-buy-at-the-local-archery-shop <p>thousands of bows and crossbows are available to purchase online with a few clicks of the mouse. they’ll be delivered to your door and best of all, prices are ultra-competitive. in fact, you’ll be hard-pressed to find comparable pricing inside any brick-and-mortar retail store.</p> <p>but when it comes to new bows, in person is still the best way to buy. i worked for 10 years in a family owned archery pro shop. i was immersed in all facets of the retail business and was responsible for duties ranging from servicing bows to purchasing merchandise to working the sales floor. many things have changed since i last wore a retail cap, but i’m still an advocate for archery pro shops.</p> <p>i’m not saying that you can’t find great bows online. you can. bear archery, for example, offers nice rth (read to hunt) <a href='https://beararchery.com/product/av83a11007l' rel='nofollow' target='_blank'>bow packages</a>. but, be sure to understand that these bows aren’t ready to take hunting as soon as they arrive on your doorstep. some setup and adjustments will be required, and then you’ll need to dial it in beforehand. rth simply implies that the bow is fully outfitted with accessories.</p> <p>bowhunting requires time and dedication. to excel at it, you must be outfitted with quality equipment that has been tailored specifically for you. don’t expect to shoot your new bow — even if it’s an expensive name-brand — with automatic deadly accuracy. there’s so much more to it than that. a pro shop technician is indispensable in getting you properly outfitted with the correct bow, specs and accessories. but here are six additional benefits you’ll get from a pro shop that you can’t find online.</p> <p><img alt='shopping at an archery pro shop gives you access to premium brand-new bow makes/models that aren’t available across the internet. (darron mcdougal photo)' src='https://www.realtree.com/sites/default/files/styles/site_large/public/content/inserts/2019/rt-cyber-bows-1187.jpg?itok=ho8wpcsc' /></p> <p>shopping at an archery pro shop gives you access to premium brand-new bow makes/models that aren’t available across the internet. (darron mcdougal photo)</p> <p> </p> <h4>1. access to premium brands and models</h4> <p>just as you can’t find a new-off-the-line silverado at john smith’s used cars (you have to visit a chevy dealership), certain bow manufacturers only allow brick-and-mortar pro shops to sell their products. you won’t find brand-new bows from brands like <a href='https://hoyt.com/compound-bows/carbon-rx-3' rel='nofollow' target='_blank'>hoyt </a>or <a href='https://www.mathewsinc.com/product/vertix/' rel='nofollow' target='_blank'>mathews </a>online, and other brands — including <a href='https://www.psearchery.com/product/evoke-31/' rel='nofollow' target='_blank'>pse</a> and <a href='https://beararchery.com/product/av98c30007l' rel='nofollow' target='_blank'>bear</a> — only sell their top-end flagships through dealers as well.</p> <p><img alt='before you purchase a new bow, the benefit of going the pro-shop route is test-firing several bows so you can feel the differences. (darron mcdougal photo)' src='https://www.realtree.com/sites/default/files/styles/site_large/public/content/inserts/2019/rt-cyber-bows-1195.jpg?itok=q2uob_h9' /></p> <p>before you purchase a new bow, the benefit of going the pro-shop route is test-firing several bows so you can feel the differences. (darron mcdougal photo)</p> <p> </p> <h4>2. assistance with choosing the right bow</h4> <p>if you don’t know your draw length or what constitutes good shooting form, shopping for a new bow can be perplexing — and shopping for it online can be disastrous. you could end up buying a bow you hate or that doesn’t fit. you won’t be able to shoot it consistently, which means money wasted. on the other hand, if you’re green to the bow-buying process, you’ll be in good hands at a pro shop. an expert will help you find the right bow for your build and stature, plus you’ll get to test-shoot bows and feel the differences. that way, you can be sure you’re buying a bow you’ll love and shoot well.</p> <p><img alt='reputable pro shops don’t charge labor for setting up your bow, so long as you purchase it from them and not online. (darron mcdougal photo)' src='https://www.realtree.com/sites/default/files/styles/site_large/public/content/inserts/2019/rt-cyber-bows-1210.jpg?itok=7mldqoox' /></p> <p>reputable pro shops don’t charge labor for setting up your bow, so long as you purchase it from them and not online. (darron mcdougal photo)</p> <p> </p> <h4>3. free set up</h4> <p>sure, the bow you’re looking at online might include accessories, but it won’t be properly set up and adjusted for you. it can’t be; you must appear in person to have things set and adjusted based on your stature and shooting form. on the other hand, i’ve never known an archery shop that doesn’t include free set up with a new bow purchase. it’s a nice value-add that dealers use as an incentive.</p> <p>consider these points when choosing between in-store or online shopping. not only must accessories be installed correctly but there are many other points that must be addressed. the peep sight must be set at the correct height for the individual shooter. draw length must be set. poundage must be adjusted. the bow must be paper-tuned. arrows must be spined correctly for the bow. the list continues. of course, diy-savvy archers can tackle these operations on their own given the proper equipment and knowhow, but most bowhunters rarely have the time, expertise or equipment to do so. this explains why taking the bow to a pro shop is wise. now, setting up a bow correctly takes most technicians up to two hours, and most shops charge $40 to $50 per hour in labor — but again, that fee is usually waived when you buy your bow there.</p> <p><img alt='if you aren’t sure what to look for in a bow, assistance from a bow technician can be your saving grace. you won’t find that same level of expertise online. (darron mcdougal photo)' src='https://www.realtree.com/sites/default/files/styles/site_large/public/content/inserts/2019/rt-cyber-bows-1191.jpg?itok=--cxduok' /></p> <p>if you aren’t sure what to look for in a bow, assistance from a bow technician can be your saving grace. you won’t find that same level of expertise online. (darron mcdougal photo)</p> <p> </p> <h4>4. free expertise and information</h4> <p>when you purchase a bow from an archery shop, you usually get access to a wealth of information. i’ve never heard of any customer being charged for asking questions. during and after the purchase, bow technicians are usually happy to field any archery or bowhunting-related questions their customers have. you probably won’t get that level of perpetual advice from online retailers. buy your bow from a pro shop, and the bow technician is always just a phone call away.</p> <p><img alt='in the event that your internet-purchased bow malfunctions, you’ll facilitate the warranty transaction directly with the manufacturer. or, the manufacturer might require you to take your bow to an authorized dealer, which will be expensive since you didn’t buy the bow from them. buy your next bow from a pro shop, and they’ll usually handle warranty transactions free of charge. (darron mcdougal photo)' src='https://www.realtree.com/sites/default/files/styles/site_large/public/content/inserts/2019/rt-cyber-bows-0201.jpg?itok=chbtlkl9' /></p> <p>in the event that your internet-purchased bow malfunctions, you’ll facilitate the warranty transaction directly with the manufacturer. or, the manufacturer might require you to take your bow to an authorized dealer, which will be expensive since you didn’t buy the bow from them. buy your next bow from a pro shop, and they’ll usually handle warranty transactions free of charge. (darron mcdougal photo)</p> <p> </p> <h4>5. free follow-up service visit</h4> <p>yes, reputable archery pro shops will send you out the door with a well-tuned bow no matter if you bought it from them or online. but if you buy from them, they not only set it up for free, but most encourage you to return for a free checkup once you’ve shot a hundred or more arrows through the bow. things change. peep sights twist and d-loops fray. a good dealer will fix these dilemmas for free on your first follow-up visit, and many will continue handling these small problems for free as long as you own the bow.</p> <p><img alt='carrying a bow afield that was purchased from a pro shop and setup by a professional bow technician instills unbridled confidence. (photo courtesy of hoyt archery)' src='https://www.realtree.com/sites/default/files/styles/site_large/public/content/inserts/2019/rt-cyber-bows-0159.jpg?itok=xv-rzfwk' /></p> <p>carrying a bow afield that was purchased from a pro shop and setup by a professional bow technician instills unbridled confidence. (photo courtesy of hoyt archery)</p> <p> </p> <h4>6. assistance with warranty cases</h4> <p>archery pro shops serve as vital middlemen between you and the manufacturer. they begin by submitting the warranty card for you upon purchase. then, they can provide the manufacturer with your bow’s serial number and communicate the problem to them. they usually handle shipping the bow out, if necessary, or ordering the correct parts to fix it. and when the bow or parts come in, the pro shop sets it back up at no charge if you bought the bow from them. you’ll likely be charged the hourly fee i mentioned earlier if you purchase the bow online.</p> <p>inadvertently, some equipment breakdowns happen during hunting season, which eats up precious hunting time. the longer your warranty case takes, the longer you must wait to get back into the woods. i’ve known some dealers that provided their customers with a loaner bow or crossbow to use until theirs was fixed. you can expect that above-and-beyond service when you buy your bow from a pro shop.</p> <h4>so, go pro</h4> <p>you can save some money by purchasing your next bow online. and for some people, that’s the right option. but it’s the wrong option for others. it’s hard to put a price on the benefits of buying in a store like i’ve discussed here. certainly, they’re worth far more than the short-term savings you’ll get by purchasing online. visit a reputable pro shop the next time you’re in the market for a new bow. they’ll go the distance and view you as a friend, not mere dollar signs. in my eyes, that’s as good as it gets.</p> <p>originally on <a href='https://www.realtree.com/bowhunting/articles/6-reasons-to-buy-bows-at-the-local-archery-shop?fbclid=iwar0nq0oov5g-vlce6_sa84eijbqg3ury11i1sy5_b-43mgtc-v9qntjqgiq' target='_blank'>realtree.com</a>.</p> All categories Sun, 1 Dec 2019 00:00:00 -0800 https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2019/12/six-reasons-to-buy-at-the-local-archery-shop https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2019/11/crystal-gauvin-from-archery-rookie-to-compound-champion <p>what started as a day of cleaning junk from a basement turned into a friendly bet for crystal gauvin and her husband. they found an old compound bow, and outside were some targets. so her husband, rich, bet his wife he could hit the middle of the target more times than her.</p> <p>as a former competitive swimmer growing up, crystal accepted the challenge. she beat her husband in a match despite having never shot a bow in her life.</p> <p>“he’s super competitive, too, so he said let’s do the best out of three,” she said.</p> <p>she won, and then won the best of five. at that point, they decided to take her “beginner’s luck” to a local archery range. she joined a league and eventually entered a local tournament, where she won by a hundred points. </p> <p>since that day seven years ago crystal gauvin rose to the no. 2 spot in the world for women’s compound, winning a silver medal at the 2015 world championships and nearly a dozen world cup medals, and then she shifted to recurve, the olympic discipline of archery. now she takes aim at the olympic games tokyo 2020. gauvin took a step closer to tokyo at the second stage of the u.s. olympic team trials for archery earlier this fall in college station, texas.</p> <p>gauvin finished in the top five on the final day at college station as usa archery whittled its field of 2020 olympic hopefuls from around 200 to 16 women and 16 men, and goes into the third stage in april in 10th place.</p> <p>in addition to having her own success on the field, gauvin hopes to help lift u.s. women into loftiness on the international archery scene.</p> <p>“my primary goal is to make the olympics, sure,” gauvin said at the trials. “but i want to help push all of our women to be better.”</p> <p>gauvin took the challenge from her husband to shoot her first arrow when she was 28. she had no previous training in the sport — not at summer camps, not at a physical education class or even through friends.</p> <p>now at 35, she hopes to become an olympian. she recalls sitting at home three years ago and emotionally watched the opening ceremony of the olympic games rio 2016 and then saw american ginny thrasher win a gold medal in shooting. when it came to archery, she had to look away.</p> <p>“seeing all the people there and having to sit at home and watch it was just too emotional for me,” gauvin said. “i saw a little bit of archery, but actually had to turn it off.”</p> <p>now she’s hoping to turn it on when it comes to revving up her game in the next two stages of olympic trials.</p> <p>gauvin trains at her home in connecticut, where she has a spacious backyard and little wind variance. she lives within an hour from thomas stanwood, who also shot his way into the final 16 of trials. stanwood often makes the trip from boston to train with gauvin.</p> <p>“it’s a nice setup, and there’s hardly any wind there,” stanwood said.</p> <p>gauvin actually beat stanwood in a friendly dual match, which gives her confidence moving toward her goal of tokyo next year.</p> <p>“i figured that if i can hang with tom, i can beat any female shooter in the world,” gauvin said.</p> <p>the good side of having a range in her backyard is unlimited practice with no outside noise or interruptions. but a downside is also having no outside distraction. not having close access to a facility like the chula vista elite athlete training center in california, where many archers train, means working alone. there are no coaches, nor any immediate competitors to her left or right when she’s shooting.</p> <p>“if there’s something i really need to work on, it’s shooting with other people beside me,” gauvin said. “in recurve, you see what everybody’s shooting, and you can hear so much going on around you. i don’t get that when i train at home.”</p> <p>when gauvin is not busy on the archery range, she is tied down with her work as an economist in the forest product industry. gauvin said she analyzes data on everything to do with trees, from the time they go from a forest to the mills, and to their final destination, whether it be a cabinet in a kitchen, shelves in a library or building a house. she studies market trends and potential impacts through trade.</p> <p><em>originally on teamusa.org. written by scott mcdonald is a writer from houston who has covered sports for various outlets since 1998. he is a freelance contributor to <a href='http://www.teamusa.org/'>teamusa.org</a> on behalf of <a href='http://www.reditorial.com/'>red line editorial, inc.</a></em></p> All categories Sat, 30 Nov 2019 00:00:00 -0800 https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2019/11/crystal-gauvin-from-archery-rookie-to-compound-champion https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2019/10/archery-equipment-market-projected-expansion <div class='entry-content clearfix'> <p>innovation has entered the sphere of archery with smart archery equipment being introduced by manufacturers in the international market to stay ahead of competition. earlier this year, two state-of-the-art auto-range digitalized laser powered bow sights were introduced in the <strong><a href='https://www.factmr.com/report/842/archery-equipment-market'>archery equipment market</a> </strong>– the one-of-a-kind archery equipment to be launched in the market. the groundbreaking technology underpinning this latest archery equipment helps archers automatically measure the distance range to the target and offers a virtually lit pin that helps achieve a perfect shot. these bow sights have been launched in partnership with the 2018 archery trade association (ata) trade show held in indianapolis at the start of the year.</p> <h3><strong>request to view sample of research report @ <a href='https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=s&rep_id=842'>https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=s&rep_id=842</a></strong></h3> <p>high-tech innovation has redefined the paradigms of traditional archery equipment sold in the international market. conventional archery equipment designs have evolved over the years, incorporating innovative raw material to manufacture bows and arrows to bring about a significant jump in performance of archery equipment. these advanced archery equipment do come with an associated high cost factor; however, the trade-off is worth it, given the fact that technology enabled archery equipment is more accurate and performs exceedingly well.</p> <p><strong>focused initiatives by government bodies and archery institutions to support archery equipment sales</strong></p> <p>governments across the world are realizing the benefits of including archery as a sport in schools, as the practice of archery is believed to benefit children in many ways. practicing archery helps cultivate mental stamina and self-confidence in young children and archery has been included in the sports curriculum of certain schools in some of the states of the u.s. organizations such as usa archery and national field archery association offer several programs such as national archery in the schools program (nasp), junior olympic archery development program (joad), and after school archery program (asap) to encourage school children to participate in archery. this has led to a surge in the demand and adoption of archery equipment, thereby positively impacting revenue growth of the archery equipment market.</p> <p><strong>sales of archery equipment to receive a fillip with increased focus on archery as a recreational activity</strong></p> <p>archery is fast becoming more of an activity of recreation and a large number of people across the world are indulging in this sport to ease their daily work and life stress. archery trade association data indicates that the participation of adult americans in archery has increased exponentially in the last few years. this has naturally led to a spur in demand for archery equipment and the market for archery equipment is projected to stay on an upward growth path in the coming years. further, the last few years have witnessed an increasing participation by women in the sport of archery. with archery now part of olympics, the number of women archers has increased and this trend is expected to continue into the future. this means increased adoption and subsequently sales of archery equipment, thereby pushing revenue growth of the archery equipment market.</p> <p>archery as a sport is finding widespread adoption across key regions of the globe. asian countries such as china and korea continue to dominate in various international archery competitions. this is projected to boost the revenue share of archery equipment in the asia pacific region in the near future.</p> <h3>for more detailed information about methodology @ <a href='https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=rm&rep_id=842'>https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=rm&rep_id=842</a></h3> <p><strong>archery equipment to be sold through diverse sales channels</strong></p> <p>archery equipment continues to be sold through independent sports outlets, modern trade channels, direct to customer channels, and third party online channels. of these, sales through third party online channels is anticipated to witness the highest growth rate through 2028, followed by sales through the direct to customer channel. different buyer types including individuals, promotional buyers, as well as institutional buyers leverage multiple sales and distribution channels to meet their requirements for archery equipment.</p> </div> <p>story by midnight stocks.</p> All categories Fri, 18 Oct 2019 00:00:00 -0800 https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2019/10/archery-equipment-market-projected-expansion https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2018/5/people-flood-to-appling-for-archery-tournament <p>a pro-am archery tournament is back in the augusta area for the third year in a row.</p> <p>the leupold asa tour kicked off thursday at wildwood park, in appling. the tournament brings in almost 2,000 archers from more than 35 states.</p> <p>people also come to the event from other countries, including canada, england and denmark.</p> <p>cole knox says there’s plenty to do at wildwood park during the tournament.</p> <p>"you don't even have to be shooting, there's lots of activities to do. you can meet new people, meet the pros. if you do decide you want to shoot, there's classes for everybody all the way from beginner, first time picking up a bow to professional. so it's a sport for everyone."</p> <p>more than 60 vendors and sponsors will be there.</p> <p>the leupold asa tour is expected to bring in over a million dollars to the region.</p> <p>original article on <a href='http://www.wrdw.com/content/news/people-flood-to-appling-for-archery-tournament-480987391.html' target='_blank'><strong>12 wrdw</strong></a>.</p> All categories Thu, 10 May 2018 00:00:00 -0800 https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2018/5/people-flood-to-appling-for-archery-tournament https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2018/5/how-hoyt-archery-became-a-dominant-name <p>beyond throwing rocks, archery is perhaps the most universal known means of warfare and hunting throughout the world. dating to over 10,000 years ago and – with the exception of australasia – practiced virtually everywhere occupied by humankind.</p> <p>while largely replaced by the firearm at the start of the modern age, the bow and arrow remained an exclusively noble sport in many places until it experienced a renaissance in the 19th century as a sport of elegance and skill for both men and women.</p> <p>the archery clubs of the victorian age defined the activity as a civilized sport where the affluent had custom equipment made to their own requirements, often with costumes honoring robin hood. </p> <p><img alt='history of hoyt archery' src='https://outdoorhub-res.cloudinary.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:low,w_auto,dpr_auto/https://www.outdoorhub.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/04/hoyt1.jpeg' /></p> <p><a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/archery#/media/file:the_meeting_of_the_royal_british_bowmen_in_the_grounds_of_erthig,_denbighshire.jpeg' rel='noopener' target='_blank'>wikimedia</a></p> <p>with the 20th century, and especially the 1920’s, the attitude that everyone should have access to leisure pursuits dominated the west, and most particularly, in the us.  the middle class bought what was previously reserved just for the wealthy: radios, automobiles, washing machines; why not a refined sport previously reserved for much of the aristocracy?</p> <p>enter one of the most prominent names in the modern world of archery: <a href='https://hoyt.com/' rel='noopener' target='_blank'>hoyt</a>.</p> <p>earl hoyt sr started producing wooden bows and cedar arrows from within his st. louis, missouri workshop in 1931. though the nation was in the throes of the depression, the enforced frugality may have actually helped the appeal of well made archery equipment; it is not difficult to see how the appeal of reusable arrows and discrete use helped jump start the modern sport of bow hunting. however, archery was already a prominent sport in scout programs and even made a brief appearance in four of the first six summer olympics. </p> <p>hoyt began his mission with draw knives, wooden billets, and rollers to create the best recurve bows available with technology that was little changed in hundreds of years. the fact that hoyt’s company endured through the great depression is as good a testament as any to the quality and appeal his products offered their customers, both then and today.</p> <p>in many places, such as ancient egypt, archery virtually predates the wheel in human history. unlike the wheel, however, hoyt saw that archery equipment could always be improved with the latest manufacturing equipment, techniques and materials. throughout the 1940’s to the 1960’s, hoyt archery established a position on the cutting edge of new archery technology.</p> <p>at the end of world war ii, hoyt archery began a string of new innovations including reinforced plastics in production bows in 1946; over draw bows and semi anatomic grips in 1948; deflex reflex designs for modern recurve bows in 1951. in 1953 the first short recurve hunting bow was released as a compact means to go into the field.  this later design borrowed heavily from older, horse archer bow designs, albeit with modern materials and modern accessories. </p> <p>further developments continued with patents through the 1960’s, as more americans became interested in archery, specifically for hunting but also for sport shooting – especially for <a href='http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/nasp.htm' rel='noopener' target='_blank'>youth</a> participants. in 1969 a patent was issued to holless wilbur allen for a new type of bow: the compound bow.</p> <p><img alt='history of hoyt archery' src='https://outdoorhub-res.cloudinary.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:low,w_auto,dpr_auto/https://www.outdoorhub.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/04/hoyt2.jpg' /></p> <p><a href='http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/images/education/nasp-shooting_line.jpg' rel='noopener' target='_blank'>state.nj.us</a></p> <p>archers, or “toxophilites,” could let loose their arrows at unimaginable weights and velocities from a recurve or straight bow.  this opened the sport up to shooters who did not have the upper body strength to shoot at targets further afield.</p> <p>in 1972, after a 48 year absence, archery returned to the summer olympics, and hoyt was there. at munich, hoyt bows were utilized to win the gold in both men and women’s archery events. in the 46 years since, more <a href='https://hoyt.com/about-us' rel='noopener' target='_blank'>olympians</a> have won using hoyt archery equipment than any other. this is not to say the equipment makes the archer, rather the best archers in the world use a hoyt when it matters most to them. in fact, in the 2012 summer games in salt lake city, ut, every archer who competed, did so using a hoyt <a href='http://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=54890096&itype=cmsid' rel='noopener' target='_blank'>bow</a>.</p> <p>in 1983 hoyt was purchased by <a href='https://eastonarchery.com/company/' rel='noopener' target='_blank'>jas d. easton</a> incorporated. in a move that often means the end of small business attention to detail in the pursuit of bottom line profits, easton and hoyt have appeared to blend the best of both organizations to the benefit of company and customers. under easton inc. hoyt did not get cheaper, but rather larger and more competitive in the making of modern equipment.</p> <p>the year before the salt lake games, hoyt continued releasing the latest and greatest technological achievement: the carbon element. this was the first in what would be an extensive line of <a href='https://www.outdoorlife.com/features/chasing-speed-fastest-compound-bow/' rel='noopener' target='_blank'>carbon</a> based bows that were both light weight, yet stronger than laminate or aluminum bows.  </p> <p>american owned and operated, hoyt expanded from its unassuming st. louis workshop to a 150,000 foot manufacturing facility in salt lake city where it operates as the world’s premier bowmaker. the primary goal of its employees is to provide the highest level of quality, whether it be hunting in the field or competing on the tournament <a href='https://hoyt.com/about-us' rel='noopener' target='_blank'>line</a>. as a mark of that success, hoyt has expanded outside the world of exclusive competitors and hunters but also mainstream media, bringing the art of archery further into mainstream media consciousness. </p> <p>movies expand the public’s awareness of products, often with somewhat exaggerated details. yet, when it comes to the new age of archery, the movies focus upon the strengths of not only archery in general but also hoyt bows.</p> <p><img alt='history of hoyt archery' src='https://outdoorhub-res.cloudinary.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:low,w_auto,dpr_auto/https://www.outdoorhub.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/04/hoyt3.jpg' /></p> <p><a href='http://www.cartertown.com/rambobows.htm' rel='noopener' target='_blank'>cartertown</a></p> <p><u>rambo ii</u> in 1985 and <u>rambo iii</u> in 1988 presented audiences with a custom hoyt <a href='http://www.cartertown.com/rambobows.htm' rel='noopener' target='_blank'>spectra</a>bow. while spectra was unique to the movie, hoyt/easton quickly capitalized on the movie to offer a new model based upon the film version – explosive arrow tips were, sadly, not offered as accessories.</p> <p>more recently hoyt’s buffalo hunting recurve bow was used by the character <a href='https://www.archery360.com/2014/02/19/hawkeye-shoot-hoyt-avengers-age-ultron/4' rel='noopener' target='_blank'>hawkeye</a> in the <u>avengers</u> movie, as well as by <a href='https://www.archery360.com/2013/11/19/jennifer-lawrence-shoots-hoyt-buffalo-bow-easton-x7-eclipse-arrows-hunger-games-catching-fire/' rel='noopener' target='_blank'>katniss everdeen</a> in the <u>hunger game</u> series – these were versions of the same bow renowned bow hunter <a href='http://fredeichler.com/' rel='noopener' target='_blank'>fred eichler</a> favors as one of his signature bows. the hoyt gamemaster ii was used by hawkeye in <u>the avengers ii: age of ultron</u>. </p> <p>while hoyt’s leadership will not shy out of the limelight blockbuster movies shine upon their products, and the sport in general, it certainly brings in new customers and tomorrow’s enthusiasts.</p> <p>hoyt’s business model and sales continue to be devoted to the customer who is prepared to excel in the sport of hunting or target competitions. “no gimmicks,” the website says, just the best they know how to do. and what they know comes with almost a century of experience and premier innovations that have led the archery market.</p> <p>trick or – more accurately – impossible shots on the big screen are exciting for movie goers to marvel over, but when the bow hunter or competitive shooter is ready to get serious, they grab a hoyt.</p> <p>article by <a href='https://www.outdoorhub.com/stories/2018/04/23/creating-a-hunting-club-turkeys-trespassers-and-more/' target='_blank'><strong>outdoorhub</strong></a>.</p> All categories Thu, 10 May 2018 00:00:00 -0800 https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2018/5/how-hoyt-archery-became-a-dominant-name https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2018/2/nocking-arrow-with-anticipation <p>i waited three long days for it to be delivered.</p> <p>three days is a long time for a nine-year-old kid to wait for a bow-and-arrow set he’d picked out of the eaton’s catalogue to be delivered. i was so proud as i ventured outside with bow in hand and my four wooden arrows in a homemade quiver. as i recall, i only had the darned thing a few hours before i managed to snap it in half. it took me the better part of two years to save up enough money to purchase a bow of better quality. that was a long time ago and both those bows are a part of the distant past. however, my interest in archery has always lingered and, over the years, i have owned a variety of bows and all i can say is that each and every time i have nocked an arrow and drawn back the bow string, i have felt both a sense of anticipation and challenge.</p> <p><iframe frameborder='0' id='fsk_frame_splitbox' name='fsk_frame_splitbox'></iframe></p> <p><ins>according to wikipedia, archery is the sport, practice or skill of using a bow to propel arrows. historically, archery was used for both hunting and as a weapon in combat. in modern times, it is still a popular way to hunt, as well as a competitive sport and recreational activity.</ins></p> <p>whether your plan is to shoot just for fun or ascend the podium at an archery competition, archery can be both fun and challenging. archery provides a great upper-body, not to mention a cardio workout, especially at 3-d shoots where participants have to walk from target to target along a course and retrieve their arrows.</p> <p>modern archery shoots and/or competitions feature three primary disciplines: target, field and 3-d. target archery consists of shooting at bull’s-eye style, multi-coloured targets at prescribed distances. generally, target archers shoot 18 metres (about 20 yards) indoors, and 30 to 90 metres outdoors, depending on the set up. target archers can compete at local, regional, national and international levels. there are both indoor and outdoor ranges right here in salmon arm. (for further information contact: salmon arm archery club and/or salmon arm fish and game club)</p> <p>field archery is often shot on a roving course in the woods with paper targets 20 feet to 80 yards away. participants hike along a defined course and shoot targets at uphill and downhill angles.</p> <p>at 3-d archery events and tournaments, competitors walk a wooded or open course and shoot at three-dimensional lifelike animal targets at different distances.</p> <p>an easy way to get a better understanding and feel of each type of discipline is to drop by an event organized by an archery group, or an archery store that also has an indoor shooting range. most avid archers and/or sales staff are quite willing to answer questions. once you’ve researched which types of archery you’d like to try, contact an appropriate archery club or organization to help you get started. by joining a club, you can participate in local, regional and nationwide programs at both youth and adult levels that can be either purely recreational or competitive. clubs quite often offer weekly shoots where new potential members can drop by and try out a hands-on archery experience. clubs also offer consistent coaching and access to league and tournament shoots and competitions.</p> <p>when choosing which type of bow to shoot, again it is best to check with local experts who can explain each of the three archery disciplines, as well as provide an opportunity to try out different bows and equipment. in basic terms, your options are the olympic-style recurve bow, a compound bow and, for traditionalists, a longbow. what bow you choose depends on what feels good to you as an archer and appeals to you as a discipline.</p> <p>as i said at the beginning, i have had a lifelong interest in archery. and having said that, i regretfully have to also say that i never joined an archery club. be that as it may, i did recently attend a day-long archery workshop. boy did i learn a lot. i learned that over the years i have managed to acquire a variety of bad shooting habits. the instructors were more than kind and i am now in the process of correcting those bad habits. there really are huge benefits to learning from someone who is knowledgeable.</p> <p>in spite of my age and shortcomings, last weekend, when i nocked that first arrow and drew back the bow string, i really did feel both a sense of anticipation and challenge.</p> <p>original article on <a href='https://www.saobserver.net/opinion/column-nocking-arrow-with-anticipation/' target='_blank'><strong>salmon arm observer</strong></a>.</p> All categories Sun, 18 Feb 2018 00:00:00 -0800 https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2018/2/nocking-arrow-with-anticipation https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2018/1/lausanne-to-host-world-archery-masters-championship <p>the first world archery masters championships will be an open entry tournament for archers aged 40+.</p> <p>the first world archery masters championships, an open entry tournament for archers aged 40 years and over, will be hosted by the world archery excellence centre in lausanne, switzerland on 14-18 august 2018.</p> <p>a multi-discipline schedule featuring indoor, outdoor and field competitions will be spread over three different venues in the olympic capital.</p> <p>the compound outdoor event will be held at the field in vidy park; the indoor and recurve outdoor events will be hosted at the <a href='https://worldarcherycentre.org/' target='_blank'>world archery excellence centre</a>; and field archery will take place at the <a href='http://www.archers.ch/plan_field/parcours.html' target='_blank'>field archery range montheron</a>. </p> <p>world archery masters championship titles will only be awarded for the 50+ division in the indoor and outdoor, recurve and compound competitions.</p> <p>however non-championship events for three additional age groups – 40+, 60+ and 70+ – and those athletes wishing to shoot barebow, instinctive and longbow styles will also be offered. (a minimum of eight participants in each division will be required, otherwise age groups will be combined.)</p> <p>participants may enter the tournament directly and do not need to be a member of a national team, although they must be a member of a world archery national federation.</p> <p>home of world archery and the international olympic committee, lausanne previously hosted the hyundai archery world cup finals in 2008 and 2014, and the world archery championships back in 1989.</p> <p><img alt='' src='https://worldarchery.org/sites/default/files/styles/manual_crop_3_2/public/news/images/body/wcf_dt7_2085.jpg?itok=znehkaxq' style='width:80%' /></p> <p>world archery secretary general tom dielen said: “the success of archery at the world masters games and the high participation rates after the age group’s inclusion at the indoor archery world cup stage in nimes, france earlier this month show there is clear demand for tournament archery within masters athletes.”</p> <p>“the olympic capital has proven a world-class location for international archery events – and with the world archery excellence centre in lausanne acting as a development hub for archery, this sends a clear message that world archery is committed to growing the sport at all levels.”</p> All categories Wed, 31 Jan 2018 00:00:00 -0800 https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2018/1/lausanne-to-host-world-archery-masters-championship https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2018/1/ellison-defends-classic-title-at-lancaster <p>four-time hyundai archery world cup champion <a href='https://worldarchery.org/entry/5107'>brady ellison</a> beat canada’s <a href='https://worldarchery.org/entry/3613'>crispin duenas</a> in the recurve men’s final at the lancaster archery classic for the second consecutive year to successfully defend his title, and medal in his second consecutive major indoor tournament of the new year.</p> <p>ellison finished second at stage two of the indoor archery world cup in nimes, to <a href='https://worldarchery.org/entry/2631'>steve wijler</a>, just a week prior.</p> <p>“going from event to event is tough but it’s what i like to do. competing is really how i put food on the table for my family, so i have to stay strong through it all,” said ellison.</p> <p>the 29-year-old world number five missed the first two indoor archery world cup stages of the indoor season at the end of 2017, but has captured mid-season form fresh off the break.</p> <p>still working on his indoor gear, ellison said he’d shoot thin arrows, rather than fat, at his next event to help decide what would take him through vegas and the rest of the indoor season.</p> <p>the lancaster archery classic’s unique tournament structure attracts some of the world’s best archers and boasted an entry list numbering over 1200 in 2018.</p> <p>competitors shoot a 60-arrow qualifying round, scoring the world archery recurve 10 as 10 points and the compound 10 as 11 points.</p> <p>a head-to-head bracket then cuts the field down to the top four athletes (top eight in the men’s open – compound – division), before those remaining shoot-up to decide the podium positions. the lowest seed shoots against the next lowest seed, with the winner shooting against the next lowest seed, and so on.</p> <p><a href='https://worldarchery.org/entry/6646'>sarah prieels</a> won the compound women’s title at the 2018 lancaster archery classic in just one match, entering the shoot-up as the top-ranked archer.</p> <p><a href='https://worldarchery.org/entry/5514'>paul tedford</a>, the nimes bronze medallist, won the men’s event from the third-ranked position, beating jacob marlow, <a href='https://worldarchery.org/entry/7577'>chance beaubouef</a>and <a href='https://worldarchery.org/entry/19596'>sam wolthuis</a> to the top spot.</p> <p>former world-class podium finisher in the compound division <a href='https://worldarchery.org/entry/13351'>crystal gauvin</a> took the first medal of her young recurve career. she finished third in the women’s event, being knocked out by <a href='https://worldarchery.org/entry/20955'>casey kaufhold</a>, who in turn lost to rio 2016 olympian <a href='https://worldarchery.org/entry/8437'>mackenzie brown</a> in the final.</p> <p>the major event indoor archery season continues with the vegas shoot on 9-11 february, immediately followed by the world archery indoor championships in yankton, usa on 14-19 february 2018.</p> <p><em>the 2018 lancaster archery classic ran 26-28 january in manheim pa, usa.</em></p> All categories Wed, 31 Jan 2018 00:00:00 -0800 https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2018/1/ellison-defends-classic-title-at-lancaster https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2018/1/let-your-new-bow-choose-you <p>if you 're reading this article, you've probably been bowhunting or target shooting for a while and even bought a new bow or three. if that's true, you might be set in your ways when it comes to seeking a new venison making machine. or, perhaps you are somewhat new to the game, and are not sure where to start. regard less, i am sure that someplace you have read the usual advice on how to choose a new hunting compound bow. rest assured the following is not the same old advice you've read before.</p> <p>that's true for two reasons. first, i have been doing this a long time and have seen the common mistakes many folks make. heck, i've made a lot of them myself. and second, the world of compound bows has changed drastically in just the last three years. there are so many excellent bows on today's market it can become somewhat confusing trying to sort them out. that also means that, if you follow the proper procedures, odds are good you'll come away with the best bow you've ever owned.</p> <h2>do not ...</h2> <p>before getting started, here are some common mistakes you can easily avoid when bow shopping.</p> <ul> <li>do not start shopping cold turkey. like any major purchase, you need to do your homework. start with the various manufacturer’s websites. get a feel for what’s available, and just as importantly, what new features are being hyped.<br />  </li> <li>do not buy from an internet retailer first thing. for some reason thousands of bow shooters quickly decide this is the bow for them, then think they can get the best deal by ordering one online from a major internet retailer or big-box store. bad idea, for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that if you buy sight unseen and then find the bow doesn’t fit right or you just do not like it, there are going to be problems. big problems.<br />  </li> <li>do not shop with a closed mind. your buddies all might like brand x, but this might not be the best bow for you. never forget that when it comes to compound bows, it is not a “one size fits all” kind of thing. there’s a great deal of brand allegiance in archery. don’t get caught up in it! take the time to try several different makes and models before you make a final decision.</li> </ul> <h2>do ...</h2> <p>ok. you've done some preliminary research and have a good idea what's out there, and what it costs. you should:</p> <ul> <li>visit a reputable archery pro shop. hopefully there is one within a reasonable driving distance of home. this is where everything should start. speak with shop personnel and tell them what you are interested in. then, before you do anything else, have them measure your draw length. it’s amazing how many shooters have never had this done. shooting a bow that is even just ½ inch too long or too short can keep you from being as consistently accurate as you can be.<br />  </li> <li>remember that there is no “best” compound bow – just the best one for you. with that in mind, now is the time to test shoot various models, and generally get the feel of as many bows as you can. most pro shops carry several different brands, so you can try a lot of bows. also, if there is more than one pro shop within a reasonable distance of your home that carry different brands, try and visit them all so you can shoot as many bows as possible. top bow makers today include arcus/obsession (<a href='http://www.archushunting.com/'>www.archushunting.com</a>), bear archery (<a href='http://www.beararchery.com/'>www.beararchery.com</a>), bowtech (<a href='http://www.bowtecharchery.com/'>www.bowtecharchery.com</a>), elite archery (<a href='http://www.elitearchery.com/'>www.elitearchery.com</a>), hoyt (<a href='http://www.hoyt.com/'>www.hoyt.com</a>), mathews (www. mathewsinc.com), parker (<a href='http://www.parkerbows.com/'>www.parkerbows.com</a>), g5 prime (<a href='http://www.g5prime.com/'>www.g5prime.com</a>), pse (<a href='http://www.pse-archery.com/'>www.pse-archery.com</a>), and xpedition archery (<a href='http://www.xpeditionarchery.com/'>www.xpeditionarchery.com</a>), among others.<br />  </li> <li>as you shoot several bows, keep in mind that not everything about bows is quantifiable. some are just going to feel better to you than others. this feeling is important! it may be intangible, but hunting and shooting with a bow that has the right “feel” and just somehow agrees with you will very likely make you a better shooter.<br />  </li> <li>try shooting different draw weights. most compounds sold today have a draw weight range of either 50 to 60 or 60 to 70 pounds. if the bow you are trying is a 70-pound bow, try shooting it at 65-pounds, too. you may be very surprised at how much easier it is to smoothly draw and hold the bow at full draw at the lower poundage, as well as shoot accurately – especially if you have to contort your body in a hunting or 3d situation. you’ll lose a little raw arrow speed, but so what? the point is that giving up a few pounds of draw weight at this level will not affect arrow penetration on deer-size game or a target.</li> </ul> <h2>basics of bow design</h2> <p>modern compound bows really are technological marvels. here are some things to consider about today's new modern bows:</p> <p>first, the trend is towards shorter bows with an overall axle-to-axle length of 30 to 34 inches, with 32 inches being a popular length. there are also many bow models with overall lengths of 34 to 38 inches. remember that while the shorter bows are lighter and easier to maneuver in the woods, they are also less forgiving in small flaws in your shooting form. also, their lighter weight makes them more difficult to hold steady at full draw, and their shorter length makes it harder to avoid torqueing the bow with your bow hand – one of the most common shooting flaws.</p> <p>brace height is another often overlooked design feature. brace height is defined as the distance from the bowstring to the grip. a shorter brace height equals more store energy equals more arrow speed - generally a good thing. however, shorter brace heights (today that is usually considered 6 inches or less) are less forgiving of small flaws in shooting form. many bows try and keep the brace height at or near 6 to 7 inches, which is a good number for most of us.</p> <p>the "draw cycle" of a bow describes what is technically known as the draw-force curve. basically speaking, the draw-force curve measures the varying amounts of draw weight you feel as you pull the bowstring back to full draw. as you draw, the bow there are three stages. in stage one, as you begin to draw, the weight increases. in stage two, it reaches its peak draw weight and plateaus. finally, stage three, it drops back down to arrive at a small percentage of the peak weight. now you're holding the bow at full draw.</p> <p>what's important here is that there are basically two types of draw cycles: smooth and a little jerky. smooth-drawing bows gradually rise to their peak weight then fall gently down to the holding weight at full draw. they are easy to draw smoothly, but they store less energy than a jerky-draw bow and, thus, shoot a bit slower arrow. on the other hand, a bow with a "jerky" draw ramps up the draw weight rapidly, then drops off sharply until to reach the holding weight at full draw. they are harder to draw, and much harder to draw smoothly. they are a bit more difficult to master, but they do store more energy and shoot a faster arrow, all other things being equal.</p> <p>this is a matter of personal preference, but most average archers shoot a smooth-drawing bow better. what is more important to me is that the bow offers a solid back wall, which means that when the bow is at full draw the bowstring does not want to "creep" forward. this sloppy back wall makes it very easy to slightly change your anchor point with every shot, which, of course, means poor accuracy. i avoid bows with sloppy back walls like the plague.</p> <p>what about single cam vs. one cam vs. hybrid cam vs. binary cam bows? don't worry about it. all have their plusses and minuses, and all are the centerpiece of excellent bows. the same is true in the solid vs. split limb debate. truth be known, either is a good choice - and it's really more a function of a particular how's design.</p> <h2>what about arrow speed?</h2> <p>generally speaking, faster is better when it comes to arrow speed. however, this isn't the only thing. as one of my very accomplished bowhunting buddies likes to say, ''i'd rather have a slow hit than a fast miss any day." how right he is!</p> <p>pretty much all manufacturers try and use both the ibo and amo speed rating systems to pump up the actual speed at which their bows can shoot a hunting-weight arrow. the only way you'll know how fast a particular bow shoots your arrow is to shoot it through a chronograph, which you can do at the pro shop.</p> <p>don't get caught up in the rocket speed game. i personally like to shoot my mid-weight hunting arrows - for my 28-inch draw length using a 100-grain broadhead/field tip; this means finished shafts weighing 400 grains, give or take 10 grains or so - in the 275 to 290 fps range, and have found that, for me at least, anything over 300 fps is more difficult to accurately shoot a mid-weight arrow than it is worth.</p> <h2>the bottom line</h2> <p>when it comes to compound bows, the truth is you really do get what you pay for. the most expensive bows usually have the most recent technological advances, are built to tight tolerances and are backed with a solid warranty. at the same time, there are many mid -priced compounds on the market today that are excellent.</p> <p>the key is to try as many different bows as you can, then let the new bow choose you. don't force it and don't be in a hurry. do not be afraid to shoot a bunch of bows, eliminate some, come back to the pro shop another day, shoot some more, eliminate some more, then do it again. at the end of the day you'll walk away with a product that will both be fun to shoot and help you put venison in the freezer for many years to come.</p> <p>that's what it is all about.</p> All categories Wed, 31 Jan 2018 00:00:00 -0800 https://www.ohioarcherycenter.com/blog/listing.asp?2018/1/let-your-new-bow-choose-you