There now are numerous styles of archery which have emerged from traditional archery. Classical archery was prominent among the Greeks and Macedonians, Indians, and Persians. The archers' ranks routinely made up a significant part of their armies. When effectively commanded, masses of soldiers could be downed with precision by the coordinated and synchronized releases of the archers. Advanced armies placed archery on horseback, thereby permitting a swift implementation of war room objectives.
In Medieval Europe archers were utilized in times of war, but the skill was actually not as extensively known as one might think. To the contrary, archers received the lowest pay of all members of the armed forces and they were quite often scorned. Due to the fact that it was relatively easy to make a bow and some arrows, the negative perceptions of the archers were only reinforced. Archery was viewed as a technique for the lower classes and for cowards who would not engage in "in-fighting".
The Middle Eastern and Asian armies utilized archers on horseback in their military forces. Indeed, in the kingdom of Bhutan, archery is land's national sport. Today, competitive archery tournaments are widespread, while the utilization of archery for warfare has been discarded with the advent of the gun. Archery enthusiasts love to hunt with a bow and arrow and there is a different open season for hunting strictly with a bow and arrow and without any guns in the US. But otherwise, archery has gone from being a martial art to being a sport.
Competitive archery comprises shooting arrows at targets of various distances to score points. This sport is very popular in Europe and North America and has adherents all around the globe, actually. There exist both indoor and outdoor archery competitions and they have variations in their respective rules. For instance, there are differing time constraints. Indoor competition permits only two minutes for the releasing of three arrows.
In modern times, the colors of the archery target for use in competitions are white, black, blue, red, and gold. Each color gets two rings and they have corresponding point values. The final score of a match is calculated by adding the total score of points made by each individual archer's arrows. In the case of an arrow landing on the line between two different rings, the higher point amount is always granted. Judges are on hand to settle disputes, which of course always emerge at some point in any competitive sport.
Archery today is, once again, not used for military applications very much at all, although US Army Rangers are skilled in the use of a bow. Archers today are considered to be skilled individuals who are enhancing their mental skills, their hand eye coordination, and their physical fitness all the while having a great time and getting away from the TV. Bow hunters are very competitive in general, but they are also bringing home lots of meat for their families and friends to eat with their knowledge of how to release an arrow just so on a moment's notice.
Choosing a bow is a very personal thing because we are all unique individuals. Even among the highly skilled and deeply experienced archers and bowhunters, you will find a wide array of variance as to what they agree is the best kind of bow to use for themselves. There is a wide selection of different bows to choose from and a seemingly endless array of accessories to go with them. Picking the right bow for yourself will be like picking the right pair of shoes to wear; durability, fit, quality, and ease of use have to be considered.
Due to the fact that there is that vast selection of bows on the market, the merchandise for the sport of archery comprises a buyer's market and therefore you should try out as many bows as you possibly can get your hands on before making a choice. Getting a bow that feels good in your hands and is correctly set up for your shooting style and body type will greatly increase your accuracy and ability to relax while shooting. Remember that your bow is an investment and when it comes time for you to hit the target that last thing that you want is to lose confidence in your shooting ability or equipment.
It can be surprising how much you have to know when buying a bow. For one thing, you have to know about your eye dominance. You need to know whether you need to pick a left hand or right hand bow. Usually a person who is right handed will be right eye dominant, while a person who is a southpaw will be left eye dominant. However, there are cases where a person is opposite-eye dominant.
In order to find your dominant eye, point to a distant object and look at it with both eyes. Then, close your left eye. If your finger is now still pointing precisely at the target then you are right eye dominant. If your finger is no longer aligned with your chosen object, then you know that you are left eye dominant.
Needless to say, if you are right eye dominant then you will want a right-handed bow while if you are left eye dominant then you will want a left-handed bow. If you are opposite eye dominant don't worry about needing to learn to shoot with the "wrong hand". You will be able to learn to "switch hit" this way and your accuracy will be there for you as you gain experience.
You also need to know which manufacturer to buy your bow from. So, choose a bow from a company with a great reputation that you know will stand behind their products. You also want to try to buy from a company that will offer customer support. You're plunking down a pretty penny and the last thing you need is a shoddy bow. You want a guarantee on the bow, too, needless to say. The great majority of high end bows come with lifetime guarantees as long as you are the owner.
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