For archers in San Antonio getting ready for local or statewide competitions, brushing up or learning new techniques should be a priority. Timing, aiming, and control are all aspects of the sport that require extra focus. Here are a few tips to up your game for your next archery competition.
Arrow Release Timing
During qualifications for local or statewide archery competitions, you are allotted forty seconds per arrow. But instead of using the fully forty seconds when you practice, use only twenty seconds. Twenty seconds per arrow is the standard time for competitive archery competitions, so by conditioning yourself to this time, you won’t feel rushed when it’s your turn to shoot.
Outdoor Archery Competitions – Aiming Your Arrow
Bad weather conditions, particularly when it’s extremely windy, can make it challenging for archery shooters to accurately aim. A tip archery coaches encourage is to “aim off”, meaning to aim your arrow so that it follows the course of the wind. Your training may make it difficult to not aim towards the middle but remember you can use the wind in your favor!
Proper Stance When Shooting a Bow
Proper shooting stance requires balance and awareness. Not awareness in the sense of knowing who’s standing beside you, but awareness in your own self and body. Start by lining up the balls of the feet with the center of the target you are shooting at approximately hip or shoulder width apart. The toes of the bow side (forward) foot will line up with the ball of the draw side (back) foot, which is usually accomplished with an index finger length step back with the bow side foot. The feet will be angled toward the target slightly- the front foot at about 30 degrees and the back foot about 15 degrees to the target.
This slightly open stance allows for engagement of your more stable core muscles to assist in drawing and bracing the weight of the bow. Keeping a balance of approximately 60% of your weight in the toes also requires engagement of the hamstrings and calves as well as the arches of the feet. Some advocate for locked knees, but that can restrict critical blood flow if held for too long, so we recommend a ‘softly straight’ knee. Not bent, but not locked straight. A stance that allows the archer to tap into their own foundational strengths and root themselves to their spot is key to consistency in an archer’s shot process.
Choose The Correct Archery Equipment
It can take a couple of tries to find the right bow and arrow combination you want to use for a competition, so take notes! Which bow and arrow set worked best for the targets that are going to be used in the competition? Document your progress on each bow and arrow set carefully and make equipment adjustments as needed. Visit an archery pro shop in San Antonio for help with equipment selections that work best for you.
Archery Practice And Lessons
The most obvious tip is to make sure to practice before archery competitions! However, finding an archery range in San Antonio can present a challenge. At Buck and Doe’s Mercantile we offer archery classes for all skill levels and ages. Our indoor archery range allows everyone, from beginners to those looking to sharpen their skills, a place to practice in a well-lit, climate-controlled environment. All lanes are available on a walk-in basis – no reservations or memberships required! Our targets range from a wall of block targets and moveable block targets to meet your required distance to a large variety of 3-D targets, and even crossbow targets.
Let the archery pros at Buck & Doe’s Mercantile in San Antonio help you get ready for your next competition. Call or come by today!