NTS/KSL GUIDE
NTS/KSL GUIDE
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1. Stance
Step one, a proper stance is how it's begun...
1. Stance
Step one, a proper stance is how it's begun...
What Is The Perfect Archery Stance?
This video will cover three of the most common and used stances for archers and walk you through which one would best fit your needs. Having a proper stance is important as you are laying the foundation of your body position. A good proper stance could help you draw the bow easier, ensure perfect alignment, reduce string slapping, and reduce injury after a long time of shooting.
Fivics Archery - Stance (EN Sub)
This video also covers the three types of stances used in common target archery, and provides video graphics to assist the explanations.
2. Nock
Step two, nock the arrow in front of you...
2. Nock
Step two, nock the arrow in front of you...
SHORT | How To Nock An Arrow (Recurve)
This very short video will show you how to nock an arrow on a recurve bow. This also works for longbows and most other traditional styles.
3. Set (Hook & Grip, and Set)
Step three, set the hand to the proper degree... (This step combines your "hook and grip" and "set" phases of the shot.)
3. Set (Hook & Grip, and Set)
Step three, set the hand to the proper degree... (This step combines your "hook and grip" and "set" phases of the shot.)
The grip is one of the easiest steps to "master" in archery, and a proper grip will be stable and reduce the amount of torque applied to the bow by your hand. You want to make sure your hand is "set" to the "proper degree", which will be explained more in the video. Having good hand placement on both the string and the bow will help you bring the bow into better alignment with your body and reduce strain on the fingers and wrist.
In addition to having a proper grip on the bow, the "set" phase included setting your draw hand to a proper "hook". Gripping the string properly will ensure a clean release.
A big part of your "Set" phase is preparing your mindset for the shot. This includes settling into your position, taking deep breaths, and redirecting your attention and focus away from potential distractions. Once you set your hook & grip, allow your body to settle into place, double check your posture begin positioning your arms into a "ready position", then begin to ready your mind. This video covers some tips on how to prepare your mindset and handle pressure you may feel while shooting with/around others.
4. Set-Up
Step four, set up some more to peek through the door...
4. Set-Up
Step four, set up some more to peek through the door...
The set-up phase, sometimes referred to as the "pre-draw", is an important step in ensuring good alignment and "setting the barrel" in archery. This long video goes in-depth about what this means and how to properly go through with it. This is the stage where you can really focus in on bringing your upper body into perfect alignment with each shot.
5. Draw and Load
Step five, draw and load, the back is alive...
5. Draw and Load
Step five, draw and load, the back is alive...
Once you have lifted your arms up to the set-up position, the next step is drawing and loading the bow back to your anchor point while maintaining good alignment. Learning how to draw properly is crucial in bringing the arrow into alignment and also reducing injuries.
This video covers how to properly draw the bow back from the setup position in order to assure good alignment and reduce injuries when drawing the bow.
6. Anchor
All is aligned when the anchor is fixed...
6. Anchor
All is aligned when the anchor is fixed...
This video covers how Olympic Recurve archers should properly anchor to ensure that their eyes are perfectly aligned with the sight and that they draw the bow the exact same length every single shot, For all archers, one of the most important things, if not the most important, is to ensure everything about your form and technique is consistent for every shot.
For barebow/traditional archers, there is more flexibility in terms of where/how you anchor. One of the best practices for barebow archers, however, consists of the archer's draw hand index (pointer) finger touching a consistent spot on or near the corner of the mouth rather than on the jawbone. This video shows competitive barebow shooters demonstrating this, either anchoring at the same point on their cheek or touching one of their teeth.
7. Transfer and Hold
Step seven, transfer and hold, the body's in heaven...
7. Transfer and Hold
Step seven, transfer and hold, the body's in heaven...
After reaching the anchor point, the next immediate move is referred to as "transfer and hold", where the archer rotates the back elbow back to be perfectly in-line with the arrow. The archers focuses on using the back muscles to keep the bow held back and you should feel the weight of the bow transfer into your bow structure.
These two videos focus on the importance of transferring and holding, and how to position your body to get to this point. The set-up and draw and load phase is where you are using some muscles in your forearm and hand, but now we transfer the load from those muscles into your back muscles. Holding is also a critical phase.
8. Aim and Expand
Step eight, aim and expand to make it fly straight...
8. Aim and Expand
Step eight, aim and expand to make it fly straight...
Once you've reached full draw, you want to make sure that your body is able to maintain that draw, and that you are drawing the bow exactly the same exact distance each time before you shoot. Expansion is small internal movement of ensuring your draw hand is constantly reaching out towards the target and your back elbow is expanding as far back and in-line as possible. When shooting with a clicker, this movement provides the last few millimetres you need to clear it after you've reached your anchor point.
Aiming is usually seen as one of the most important stages in terms of defining a good archer, however it is not as important as maintaining consistent form every shot. This video covers the foundations of how you would aim if using an Olympic recurve setup with a sight. For archers that shoot without a sight, many of the concepts covered here still apply.
For competitive archers who shoot barebow (recurve bow without a sight), one of the most popular forms of aiming is called, "string walking". This is where the archer draws the string with all three fingers UNDER the arrow, and then adjusts the distance between where the bottom of the arrow is and where they place their hand on the string based on how far away the target is. (The lower the hand is on the string, the closer the target is to the archer.) The tip of the arrow is centered right on target no matter how far away it is, in theory.
9. Release
Step nine, release with no mind, the arrow is fine...
9. Release
Step nine, release with no mind, the arrow is fine...
The release is a crucial stage to ensure that when the arrow is loosed, it leaves the string as straight and cleanly as possible. Archers with good form but a bad release could undo a lot of set up and work put into the shot as your stringers could pluck the string (or otherwise add unintentional movement) at the last second, sending the arrow off in a different direction.
This video goes more in-depth about how to have what archers refer to as a "clean release" and how to reduce any unintentional changes in the string's trajectory when it is released.
10. Follow Through
Step ten, follow through then admire your 10...
10. Follow Through
Step ten, follow through then admire your 10...
To complete the shot, the archer should ensure that they maintain focus on the target and proper form until the arrow makes contact with the target. Any last minute adjustments to form, or movements made while the arrow is clearing the riser, could impact the direction of the arrow at the last moment.
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