Traditional Archery Techniques

In order to be an effective archer, you must first become adept at using proper archery techniques. These techniques include the type of stance you use, drawing, aiming, releasing and following through on your release. If you are able to perfect these skills, your accuracy will greatly increase.

  1. Even Stance

    • The Even Stance in archery is the type of stance where both feet are parallel to each other and are about shoulder-width apart. The archer is effectively standing directly parallel to the direction he will be shooting the arrow. This type of stance is not particularly sturdy and the body can be easily moved by heavy wind.

    Open Stance

    • The Open Stance is the type of stance where the archer's foot, closer to the direction of the shot, will be positioned pointing in that direction. This offers the archer more stability and the body is generally more sturdy and less easily moved by wind or simply taken off balance. In this stance the archer will tend to use his arms more than his back muscles to bend the bow and can cause a slight upset in aiming.

    Close Stance

    • The Close Stance is the type of stance where the archer positions his foot farthest from the direction of the shot, slightly in front of the other foot. This gives the archer excellent support, but due to the angle of the stance makes it more likely for the string to make contact with the archer's arm.

    Draw and Aim

    • This is the technique where you pull the bow with the arrow placed on the string. To do this properly you must adopt a stance and keep your hands relaxed. You must not grab the bow too firmly with your hand, but rather the bow is almost balanced between the thumb and index finger. The index finger can wrap around the bow handle, but should not grip the handle. Drawing the bow includes related techniques, such as not applying too much finger pressure to the string or the arrow may fall out of the nock. Keep your hands relaxed and do not attempt to hold this drawn position for too long as the musculature in your hand cannot maintain this position. Simply draw the bow in a relaxed manner and aim for your target. Now ready yourself to release the string.

    Release and Follow Through

    • This is fundamentally the most important technique in archery. During the release, make sure your breathing is steady so as not to offset your aim. Keep your bow arm steady and your fingers gripping the string relaxed. When you have aimed for your target, release the string. The final technique is the follow through. Keep the bow in the aiming position for a few seconds after the release so you are sure the arrow has not been wildly swung in another direction.