How one gets started in the sport of archery is not an exact science. It all depends on many factors including age, natural ability, time available to practice, level of patience, and budget all play their role. There are basic, elemental guidance principles that can be followed, however. But once again, the are not set in stone.
Let us say that a child-someone between the ages of 10 and 16-is going to take up the sport of archery. You as the parent will want to take the child to a club or a shooting range and have them try out different sizes of bows, different arrow weights, different distances of shooting. You will also want to have the child observed by a skilled and experienced archer and get his advice on the right archery equipment for your child. If possible, you will want to buy your child used but needless to say in good condition archery equipment, as s/he is just a beginner and expensive investments in archery equipment is not needed at this time.
Your child will need a bow, needless to say. You will want to get him a light recurve bow or a longbow. Light bows are ideal for learning basic form, which is the single most important aspect of the archer's skill set. Also, get a bow case. This will house and protect your child's bow when it's not in use and can hold arrows and arm-protectors within, too. Also get your child a set of finber tabs, which are rubber finger-tip protectors that make it so that pulling back on the bowstring does not rip your fingers apart.
The arrows are actually the most important piece of equipment. They have to be perfectly matched to your bow. Anyone who is beginning in archery needs to be measure so that the right arrows can be used by them. There are different aspects of arrow that you need to consider. These include the nock, the shaft, the fletching ("feathers"), the inserts, and the tips (points). Consult an experienced archer to get the right arrows for your child (or yourself). Lastly, your child needs a quiver to hold his arrows.
For adults or teenagers who are going to take up the sport of archery, they will want to begin on recurve bows. After they have garnered a few months' worth of shooting practice and experience, they will then want to decide if they prefer recurve bows or compound bows. Other than that, everything is essentially the same as for the child learner with regards to what you need to buy and so on and so forth.
As far as practicing, at first you will want to sign up and join a range or a club for archery. This way you will always have regular access to a competent set-up where you can begin to learn the skills of archery. You will also have access to experienced other members and staff professionals who can guide your moves and advise you every step of the way.
For starters, you want to join a good archery club or group with a good reputation for coaching. It is very important that you are getting top of the line instruction right from the start. Every good archery club will have a good staff of people who can give you basic archery instruction. And there will be some "masters" there who can help take you to the next level when your basics are sound.
As a beginner, you might not want to buy anything. Why not rent your bow, your arrows, and so on and so forth. That way you don't make an investment in something that you aren't sure you are going to stick with (as wonderful as archery is, it's not for everyone). And by joining a club you often get to use their equipment or only a small fee. If you are required to provide your own equipment, then make sure you have selected the best that you can. Choose some archery equipment that is tailored to beginners to make sure that you are getting the correct basic, elemental stuff. You'll need a correctly sized bow with lighter poundage (at first) and arrows of the correct size for the size and style of bow that you are going to use.
Make sure that you become an absolute master of basic, elemental techniques. This is the foundation stone on which everything else is built. Know the basic steps for drawing and releasing, sighting, stance, following through, and all of it. In addition, you need to keep yourself in shape. There is a certain amount of strength and stamina of both mind and body that is needed to perform well with archery. You will especially want to train your upper body. Archery takes its toll on the arms and the back, and furthermore more upper body fitness means greater command over your shooting.
Have great patience with yourself in learning archery. Basic aiming and releasing with a fair degree of accuracy can be learned in merely a quarter of an hour, but to become an expert archer requires years of training, study, and assiduous practice.
Remember, that practice is what makes for perfection. There is no quick fix for truly mastering anything and that certainly goes for something like archery. Many hours of dedication and practice are required to become a competent archer. Measure your progress by periodically entering competitions.
Another way of measuring your progress is to keep notes on your performance. Keep records of your training sessions that include the details such as the weather, the number of arrows you shot, your scores, and any minor adjustments to your technique that you make. You can periodically go back over your notes and observe for yourself just how far you've come, and that will make you feel good about your progress and inspire you to continue.
You need to know when to call it quits for the day, however. Don't force yourself to keep practicing if you are feeling burned out or are starting to get frustrated. Don't quit too soon, but know when to say when.
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