How to train with a bow without shooting arrows?

In order to develop the skills archers need to make better shots, a lot of time must be spent practicing.

For a good archer, there are times when shooting many arrows per session is necessary to improve in order to best prepare for competition. However, a complete athlete needs to improve in other equally important areas. Therefore, sometimes it is appropriate to change the parameters of a session with specific drills by taking the focus off the target during practice.

To do this, many archers use various strength, control and concentration programs to teach specific skills. Here are some exercises to train your bow without shooting arrows.

Use of the rubber band

Before each shooting session, the archer must warm up and strengthen the muscles. This will reduce the risk of injury and allow the archer to be effective from the first arrow. There are many solutions such as the proper use of elastic.

A good warm-up lasts between 10 and 20 minutes. It is presented in 4 phases:

• 1st phase 5 minutes: a small jump with the rubber band will be enough.
• 2nd phase 2 to 5 minutes: relaxation exercises
• 3rd phase 2 to 5 minutes: strengthening and protection of muscles

With the rubber band, perform 2 sets of 10 repetitions of two randomly chosen exercises (followed by one exercise without the rubber band). It is recommended to gradually increase the number of sets and repetitions, depending on your progress, choosing different exercises each time.

• 4th phase: shooting session without arrow

Stay focused on technique (posture, placement and movement), and perform 20 bungee shot simulations. If needed, you can gradually increase the resistance of the rubber band as you perform these simulations.

Improvement of the physical condition

A good physical condition requires preparation over time. In this case, there are different training phases and each one has a specific purpose. These include:

Jogging.

As with other sports, improving physical fitness is equally important in archery. What better way to work on cardio, lung, leg and balance strength than jogging.

Strength training

First, define the muscles you want to develop. Archery requires a good workout of the bow arms. To do this, you need to build up your shoulders, back and arms with resistance bands or elastic bands or weights, bungee cords (shoulder girdle, back, lumbar).

Strength training with the bow

You can resort to shooting simulations with a training bow or other accessories specially dedicated to this purpose. Otherwise, there is always the archery session. In this case, it is advisable to ask your coach for advice for maximum efficiency.

The movements of articular easing

This step aims to facilitate the execution of the gesture and its precision. To do this, you can for example:

• Work with clubs in a safe space for the shoulders,
• Do exercises for the trunk, fingers.

Council :

For effective training (precision of gestures, endurance, etc.), consider organizing the calendar to work on physical condition outside of competition periods. At this time, it is necessary to reduce the amount of work focused exclusively on strength training, and gradually replace it with specific work.

Mental preparation

In order for the archer to reach the state of flow or peak flow, in addition to being assiduous in physical training, mental preparations must also be worked on. This is in order to be able to withstand the stress and fatigue caused by the complex, repeated and extremely precise sequences of movements during the training sessions and competitions that he must follow. Therefore, to become an accomplished athlete, the archer must develop self-confidence and self-control, be fully committed, motivated, focused, but above all, patient.

In addition to training with the coach, you can practice exercises at home to perfect your mental training. But be aware that true mental coaching must be adapted to each athlete's blockage. It is not a brainwashing or a boat program that is applied blindly to each person.

In general, mental preparation is based on a few concepts, including :

• Goal setting;
• Relaxation;
• Concentration ;
• Imagery.

Virtual archery practice

To practice archery safely and without neglecting the development of coordination of movements, balance, endurance, as well as concentration, opt for the virtual archery. The advantage of this type of equipment is its adaptability to all ages by adjusting its resistance (10 to 70 lbs).

Referring to the ACCUBOW 1.0 TRAINING ARC, virtual archery practice requires:

• AccuBow equipment;
• Download the AccuBow application;
• Attaching the phone with the application to the bow handle of the AccuBow ;
• Start shooting.

The AccuBow 2.0 offers the following new features:

• Folding handle with a folded dimension of 14 x 14 x 6 inches;
• Rope pull center with integrated D-Loop;
• 75% quieter and less vibration;
• Cadrans à double résistance réglables de 10 à 70 lb ;
• New and improved phone holder design (included).