I see people all over the internet always asking “Can you teach yourself archery”, and the short answer is yes. I will explain a few steps you need to practice and give you a few tips on what bow you should choose.
Yes, You can teach yourself archery. It requires a lot of practice, but there is a lot of information online and videos that can help you improve your archery skills and shorten the time needed to become an archer.
How To Do Archery For Beginner
If you decide to learn archery yourself there are a few things you need to focus on to improve your overall shooting. I would recommend you use youtube in addition to this article because you will learn visually and you can correct your form and technique by watching what the pros are doing.
Stance – How to stand while shooting
This is how you stand while you shoot. This is very important and has a major impact on your accuracy when you shoot. After shooting a while on your own it could be a good idea to ask someone who knows what they’re doing to take a look at your stance. This way you don’t learn a mistake that will be harder to un-learn than learning correctly.
Here is a youtube video on stance: Stance-Video
Arrow nocking – How to attach the arrow to the string
Arrow nocking is the action of puting the arrow on your string. This seems like an unnecessary step to perfect, but it is more important than it seems. You need to find your perfect spot on the string. And use the same spot for every single shot. This way you can adjust the other parts of your shot according to your result on the target.
Here is a youtube video on Arrow nocking. NockinVideo
I mentioned string in the text above if you wonder the string is the line that is attached from the top of the bow to the button.
Pulling – Pulling the string and charging power to the arrow
the string to power your arrow is important. Doing the pull perfectly is a must. You need to learn to pull correctly to get you and your bow in a line, so you can shoot accurately.
You need to use the right muscles to not injure yourself and not get tired. To do this you need to: Raise your shoulder and elbow, when you do this you activate the back muscles more and decrease the tension on your bicep. This will give you more power and more durability.
The Release – Perfecting the art of letting go of the arrow
The release looks easy, but it is not. At least if you’re going to learn it to perfection. There are usually a few things that get overlooked when it comes to releasing. A common mistake among beginners, I did this my self so don’t worry, is to pluck the string. This is when you “help” the arrow to go when the correct thing to do is just to drop it.
To give you a clearer image you can imagine holding your backpack the same way as you are holding your string with only your fingers. Then you let it drop on the ground. You are not pushing it or using any necessary power to do so. Only let your fingers open up. That is exactly what you want to do when releasing the bow too. Releasing should not be forced motion, but a natural movement.
A last important step is the follow through. When you release the string your shot is not done. You still need to aim at your target throughout the follow through. This will give you a cleaner shot and you can feel it when you do it correctly.
This was a step I was terrible at, but with this youtube video I improved a lot and after a few days my shot wasn’t horrible, but decent. releasing videos
These are 4 important steps that I think you should put a lot of time and effort in and after a while you will see it pay off.
Why you should learn archery!
Shooting a bow and arrow is a lot of fun, but even more fun when you hit where you want. I am happy that you considering starting your archery carrier, but before you invest a huge amount of money there a few things you need to know.
how to be a pro at archery
in order to become a pro at archery, you have to dedicate a lot of time and practice. Correct your mistakes and get help from professional archers or at least experienced archers. Ask them if they can take a look at your archery form and if there are any mistakes that you should fix.
Continue to improve on those points and practice until you become the archer you want to become. We have a full in-depth guide on how to become a pro at archery here
Steps to do before buying your first archery equipment
Before investing in the bow and equipment I suggest you go to a bow and arrow club nearby and ask if you could try for a day. Then you can find out if this is a hobby for you. Maybe you could even get some tips and tricks from the locals or find some new friends to shoot with later on.
As the time goes by and you are sure that you want to become the new robin hood or arrow, then there are just a few things that you need to do.
⦁ Buy a bow
⦁ Get Arrows
⦁ Find the correct draw length and height
How to purchase your first bow
Buying a bow can be a confusing task, there a few bows that look like the newest technology from Apple and a some look like carved wood. They have different purposes and usages. Let me tell you in short what you need to know and buy. If you want a full in-depth guide on this topic you can find it here: Types of bows
Buying a decent bow from the start can be better
A common myth is that you need to start with a cheap beginner bow and then after time and practice buy a better bow. If you continue to do so you will buy 4 types bows throughout your carrier. This will result in a much bigger expense than buying one good one from the beginning, but if you choose to do this you need to be 100% sure that archery is something you are interested in and not just a one-time thing.
It’s smart to buy an intermediate bow right away. It will be much better to use than a fiberglass bow and you will be pleased with the performance of the bow for a longer time. After practicing your skills you will probably buy another bow more specialized for your usage. Hunting, Competition, etc. But at this point, you will have more experience and can make a better purchase with your new knowledge.
These are the bows we recommend for beginners trying to learn archery
Here are the bows that I was recommended and the bows I found were the best on the market for a beginner.
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Southwest archery spyder
We have selected a 3 recurve bows that are perfect for a beginner. Starting with the southwest archery spyder. Wich has the overall best score and is just a fantastic bow. It is made by the same company that makes the popular Samick Sage. Wich, we will discuss further under this article. Still, if the Samick Sage is one of the most popular bows the archery spyder has a slight edge. Because of its improved quality, its more polished and is lighter. Here are a few pros and cons.
- Takedown
- Wide range and draw weights
- Light
- Limbs interchangeable with Samick Sage/Journey
- Requires a tool for takedown
Buy it on Amazon here – Southwest archery spyder
This is also a light, durable recurve bow. A great bow overall. It shoots and feels like a upper tier bow. It comes in a variety of weights, but I recommend to go low on the draw weight for your first bow. I will explain how to find your draw weight in the end of this post. But if you go with the low weight draw it is easy to upgrade further down the road by changing the limbs.
Pros
- Takedown (Tool is included)
- Possible to upgrade strings because of limb reinforcement
- 64″ AMO limbs availabl
Cons
- String upgrade if needed for advanced shooters
- For hunting a string silencer is required
You can check the price on Amazon – HERE
SAS Courage
A traditional takedown is barebow of high quality. It is only available as a 60″ AMO. Thats why it has a smaller score than the other bows. The bow comes with a 3 year warranty from the manufacture wich is great.
Pros
- Available for both left and right handed
- Comes with a arrow rest usually
- 3 year warranty
Cons
- Can not reinforce string
You can check the price on Amazon – HERE
When you feel like you have mastered the basic techniques you can read the article Archery technique tips.
If you liked this article, make sure to check out the best crossbow and best ground blind article
