An ancient art turned into a sport! Archery rules. Archery in Krasnoyarsk How to properly hold a bow and arrow

Archery is a difficult process. To hit the target, you need full concentration of attention, correct breathing and accurate motor actions. You will have to take into account a large number of various nuances. And if you are interested in how to shoot a bow correctly, you should read this review.

Weapon choice

Shooting training largely depends on the bow you have chosen. For a long period of time, our ancestors used this weapon in order to seek food and defend themselves from enemies and wild animals. At first, bows looked like a flexible rod or root, the ends of which were connected with veins, leather or fibers of plant origin. According to archaeologists, already in ancient times there were both simple and complex varieties of this weapon. The second type of bows was distinguished by increased wear resistance, durability and a higher firing range compared to simple ones. This is facilitated by the presence of a large number of blocks.

To understand how to shoot a bow correctly, you must first choose it correctly. If it turns out to bend the arc only a few millimeters, then the material is of high quality, elastic. For training process you need to buy arrows. They should not be sharp, otherwise you can easily get injured. For training, you need to find a deserted place. And if there is no desire for any archery section to do your training, you should understand that not only people, but also animals should not be on the shooting range. Otherwise, you may injure someone.

Shooting method

How exactly to shoot? The choice of method mainly depends on physical condition arrow, its weight, body structure. There are other parameters that cannot be called insignificant. If you want to figure out how to shoot a bow correctly, you must first learn a technique that resembles meditation. Its essence lies not in the exact hit or in the tension of the bowstring. First of all, you need to learn to control yourself. And it is desirable to focus on this art all the attention. Shooters who once learned to transform their own state are able to hit the target without even thinking about it.

Based on the foregoing, we can conclude that it is important not only what kind of bows you use for shooting, but also what state you are in when hitting targets. Complete calm, harmony with the inner world will tell you at what point you should let go of the bowstring. Some shooters take years to achieve this state. And if you have time, you should think about this art.

The study of technology

Today there are a huge number of techniques that can be used. Which bows for shooting will be used in this case is not particularly important. In other words, you can take both standard weapons and sports ones. It all depends on your own preferences. One fairly popular technique should be described in more detail. Knowing this technique, you do not have to study in great detail how exactly the capture of arrows should take place, how to aim, etc. You will have to deal with these nuances on your own, bringing the convenience factor to the fore. First of all, it is necessary to achieve an increase in results. It is recommended to constantly improve your own skills.

Basic Rules

How to learn archery? It is necessary to stand with your left side to the target, legs apart shoulder-width apart for stability. Socks should be located on a straight line that leads to the goal. This is a side stand. The left, straightened, hand is required to take up the arsenal in the middle. It should be noted that some weapons (for example, sports weapons at this place have a special mark.

It is necessary to raise the shooting tool to shoulder level. The hand holding the weapon can interfere with shooting. Therefore, we must carefully monitor that this does not happen. Otherwise, you may be injured. The arrow must be held between two fingers - index and middle. Or rather, the place that is located between the first and second joints. By grasping the tail of the arrow in this way, you will subsequently pull back the bowstring. To ensure comfort and accuracy of shooting, it is recommended to achieve a uniform load on both fingers.

String tension and aiming

How to shoot a bow correctly? The arrow tension should be as close to the neck as possible. But you can also pull up to the chin. A similar technique would also be correct. It all depends directly on how it is more convenient for you and what results should be obtained. While holding the bow in a taut state, make sure that the forearm with the shoulder of the left hand are in line. It should also be noted that during the tension, the archer needs to pull the shoulder blades back. This allows you to minimize the work of the rest of the muscles of the body. If you have chosen a historical bow, then aiming will be carried out according to prompts from intuition. At sports This weapon has a special sight.

How to hit the target?

If you are interested in how to shoot accurately from a bow, hitting a target, you should familiarize yourself with some rules:

1. The weapon must be held confidently. Hands should not tremble. Do not change the height or slope. In such a situation, the arrow will fly anywhere, but not at the target. So if you want to get good results, you will need to devote a lot of time to training. For example, in ancient times, archers stood idle for hours, holding sticks in outstretched hands. A similar process helps to learn how to hold objects on weight.
2. When shooting, try to keep track of the position of your hands. One of the most common mistakes is not very good fixation of the left limb. An equally common oversight occurs when the archer's right hand moves behind the arrow immediately after the bowstring has been released. But you just need to unclench your fingers, leaving the brush in the same place where it was at the time of the shot.
3. Breathing should be measured. If it is too frequent, then the shot will be unsuccessful. The shooting technique implies that the bowstring should be released on a half-exhale, holding the breath slightly.
4. Every shot needs to be analyzed. For this reason, after the first salvo, you should not immediately proceed to the next. Try to mark the trajectory of the “projectile”, analyze the mistakes and draw certain conclusions so that the mistakes do not happen again.

Range selection

If the archery shooting range does not suit you, you do not want to visit special sections, you need to prepare a shooting area. To do this, it is recommended to take into account some important points:

• The selected site must be equipped. There must be only one shooting line. If there are several targets, it is desirable to place them at different distances. For example, the nearest target should be 18 meters, the farthest - 90.
• It is necessary to think about providing safe zones on the right and left sides of the shooting range. A fence or a special arrow catcher must be installed directly behind the targets. Such a precaution is necessary so as not to injure someone and not lose "ammunition".
• Ideally, targets should be larger than 122 cm in all directions.

Do not forget about safety

If you decide to learn how to shoot, purchase a weapon, prepare an archery target and a shooting range, then you should familiarize yourself with the basic safety recommendations:

1. It is necessary to shoot in specially designated places for this. Or on the platforms equipped according to all rules with protections.
2. It is desirable to shoot from the same line even if the targets are located at different distances.
3. It is recommended to place an arrow on a bowstring only at the moment when there are no people and animals between the target and the archer that can be injured due to careless and inattentive actions.
4. The tension of the bowstring should occur only from the line of fire and only in the direction of the selected target.
5. If you have already stretched the bow, you should forget about any conversations. In addition, it is forbidden to turn to the side, lose concentration. It is not recommended to call the archer.
6. You should approach the target only at the moment when the shooting was over, at the signal of the leader or the shooter himself, if you are training on your own.
7. Forget about shooting in the air, up.
8. Do not forget that the responsibility for any accident resulting from a violation of safety rules lies directly with the archer.

A little about targets

An archer needs to constantly improve, develop his skills, train. And in order for the classes to be effective, it is worth thinking about shooting targets. You can make an archery target yourself, but it’s better to think about buying a ready-made product. Today, there are a huge number of different options. There is even a division of all targets into groups. They can be curly or round. The former are unique in that they can follow the contours of a person or animals. The latter have special markings that allow you to count points. It is they who are more preferable for competitions.

Varieties of targets

As already mentioned, there are a huge number of different targets. The most popular ones should be listed:

• electronic target. It implies a shield equipped with special equipment and electronics. Such a stand works on a fairly simple principle. At the moment of hitting the “projectile”, all the necessary parameters are automatically calculated and registered. The results of each archer are summed up. For the first time such targets appeared in 1989. More advanced models designed for shooting at a moving target were developed in 2004. Such targets are quite often used in competitions.
• Paper target. It is the most optimal for those who want to figure out how to shoot a bow correctly. The main advantage is that it is easy to create it yourself. You just need to download the desired picture from the Internet, print it out and hang it on a special stand.
• Shields. If you are interested in the durability of arrows, then you should consider purchasing a shooting stand. It is the shield that will keep the “shells” in optimal condition. In addition, such an archery target is capable of withstanding multiple hits.
• Children's stands. On present stage you can find not only specialized targets for various sections and shooting ranges, but also children's options for shields. Usually it is a metal sheet on which there is a markup or a specific purpose. A children's bow should be understood as a weapon that shoots arrows on suction cups.

Target dimensions and distance

In the picture you can see a special table. It demonstrates such important concepts as the size of the target and the distance from it to the person leading the archery.

Conclusion

Now you know how to choose a bow, what a target can be, how to shoot correctly, taking into account the technique and basic safety recommendations. Try to study all the nuances, constantly improve, set new goals and objectives. And if you want to learn how to shoot a bow well, do not forget about regular training.

How to shoot a bow?

Exist different techniques archery, and you can shoot both from traditional bow, and from sports. We will tell you about the basics of one of the methods of shooting from a classic, so-called "historical" bow.

How to shoot a bow: instruction

How exactly to stand, how to grab an arrow and aim, how much to pull the bowstring, everyone decides for himself. Having learned to shoot from a bow using this technology, you will be completely free to choose any strategy that is convenient for you. The main thing that should be adhered to is steadily increasing results in shooting, improving skills.

1. Stand with your left side towards the target. Spread your legs either shoulder-width apart or even wider - this will allow you to stand confidently, steadily. In this case, the socks should stand on a visually formed straight line leading towards the goal - such a stand is called a side stand.
2. With a straightened left hand, grab the bow in the middle (usually for this, the place of grip is marked on the product). Raise it to shoulder level. Keep in mind that the hand holding the bow should not interfere with shooting, otherwise the shot will be weak, and the archer risks getting an unpleasant blow to the hand.
3. The arrow, holding by the tail (but not by the plumage!), is put on the bowstring, the latter is pulled, and then the arrow is placed on the brush of the hand holding the bow. The arrow is held between the index and middle fingers - the place located between the first and second knuckles of the fingers. Bent fingers pull the bowstring. They only lightly hold the arrow itself by the tail. It is necessary to strive to give the fingers a uniform load in order to ensure accurate shooting more comfortable for the archer.
4. You need to pull the bowstring as close to the neck as possible. It will be correct to shoot from a bow, pulling the bowstring both to the chin and to the neck. Everything here will depend on how comfortable you are and what results you are going to achieve. We suggest trying a position in which the thumb of the hand holding the bow touches the chin and lies under lower jaw. The forearm and shoulder of the hand holding the arrow should be approximately in line. By pulling the string, the archer, as it were, pulls back the shoulder blades, while minimizing all other manipulations of the body and muscles.
5. Aiming in historical bows is intuitive (sporting bows have a special aiming device for this). Of course, at first, hitting the target (especially the top 10) will be a very difficult task for a beginner. But long and hard training will help develop a “sense of purpose”, when you will understand exactly what slope, position you need to give the arrow in order for it to reach its final destination.

How to hit the target?

Rule 1

One of the most important requirements is the ability to hold a hand with a bow straight - it should not tremble, change height, angle of inclination, otherwise the released arrow will be obviously doomed to failure. The archer will not be able to hit the target directly.

Therefore, if you want to learn how to shoot a bow really well, you will need to take the time special training. In particular, one can follow the example of the archers of England during the Middle Ages. They had to stand idle for hours with sticks in outstretched hands in order to learn how to hold objects on weight.

Rule 2

When shooting, it is important to correctly coordinate the position of both hands.

• The first common mistake of beginners, as we have already noted, is poor fixation of the left hand.
• The second gross mistake is when the right hand, having released the bowstring, “moves after it” for a fraction of a second, instead of simply opening its fingers and releasing the arrow into flight (the hand should remain in the same position where it was at the moment the bowstring was pulled) . As a result, the force of movement imparted to the arrow may not be enough to hit the target.

Rule 3

It is important to be able to calm the breath, because the movement chest at the wrong moment can ruin your shot.

Try to release the arrow on a half-exhale, holding your breath for a split second.

Rule 4

It is very important to analyze each of your shots. Therefore, after you have released the bowstring, do not rush to focus on the target itself and move on to a new shot. Carefully follow the trajectory of the boom and draw conclusions for future work.

How to put on or take off a bowstring

When stringing or unstringing a recurve or traditional bow, there are a number of ways to avoid twisting the arms of the bow when it is bent.

- using a belt on the leg and thigh

- using a belt

- using an emphasis on the leg

- using a special cord equipped with leather loops at the ends

- two points on a fixed support.

The universal way, in which you do not have to use any additional devices, is as follows:

The string is put on the eye of the lower shoulder of the bow, right hand a bow is taken, with the left - the upper loop of the bowstring. The lower shoulder of the bow is fixed with the left boot and the back surface of the right thigh, after which the bow is bent by pressing the right hand on the front surface upper shoulder. After the bow is sufficiently bent, it is necessary to put a loose loop of the bowstring on the eye of the shoulder. It is important to ensure that the movement of the right hand does not go beyond the working plane of the bow.

Recurve archery technique

Sports technique is a system of simultaneous movements, which are aimed at organizing the effective interaction of the external and internal forces of the athlete for their maximum use in order to achieve the most high results. Technique sports exercise is the most efficient way to do it. (Dyachkov V.M.)

This definition also applies to archery techniques. First you need to understand that the shooting process is a controlled action, a motor skill. From the point of view of modern biotechnology, and in particular, Agashina F.K., sports equipment- "the structure of control processes carried out by the athlete's biomechanical apparatus and aimed at the implementation of the motor programs of this sport." The main provisions of the kinematic structure of archery are described in the article "Some Issues in the Theory of Shooting from a Sports Bow".

This article analyzes the relative position of the athlete's links, as well as their relative movement in space and time. Mastering and honing the technique of archery - creating and improving the movements of the shooter, as well as organizing connections in the biomechanical apparatus of the shooter to achieve maximum efficiency in the implementation of the motor program.

Due to individual characteristics, the technique of shooters may differ, however, a certain system of movements in archery still exists.

To begin with, the archer must find a position that minimizes body and bow sway. This position must be taken before each shot. The location of the body of the shooter and the bow primarily affects the accuracy of shooting, in addition, it ensures the release of the arrow in the plane of the shot.

Summarizing, we can say that the technique of shooting from a sports bow is a complex of sequential movements and certain positions of the shooter's body parts, which are necessary to perform a shot with the maximum probability of hitting a target. This complex consists of next steps: shot processing, breathing control, preparation for the next shot. Let's look at each of these actions in more detail.

Installing an arrow on a bow.

Before shooting from a bow, it is necessary to insert the shank of the arrow into the socket of the bowstring and place it on the shelf. If the shooter uses a clicker, then the arrow must be inserted under it as well. The right-handed shooter holds the bow with his left hand, the position of the bow is horizontal or with a slight inclination of the handle window.

The arrow is taken with the right hand and inserted into the nest with the shank. Its middle part is placed on the lower ledge of the window, after which the arrow is inserted under the clicker (if used) and lowered onto the shelf.

Sometimes shooters (especially those who use a kink clicker) prefer to insert the arrow in a different order - first passing it under the clicker and placing it on the shelf, after which the shank is inserted into the socket. With any of the methods, it is important to remember that the guide pen must be directed away from the bow. To ensure safety, it is recommended to insert the arrow only when the shooter is in the shooting line and his bow is pointing towards the target.

fabrication

Position - a certain position of the legs, arms, torso and head relative to the direction of shooting. Position must be the same for each shot. The manufacture of an archer can be original and working.

The initial position is the position that the shooter takes when ready to draw the bow. When accepting the initial position, the shooter performs a number of actions:

1. assumes a stance, determines the position of the head, torso and legs, and also sets the arrow
2. determines the grip and position of the hand holding the bow, as well as the grip and orientation of the bowstring with the pulling hand
3. determines the position of the forearm and shoulder of the pulling arm

After the archer has assessed and checked the initial position, he draws the bow so that the string touches the front surface of the chin. This position is a working position. The pulling arm should be bent at the elbow so that the hand is as close to the neck as possible, and the forearm and shoulder form an acute angle and are practically in the same horizontal plane. Stretching the bow should be carried out due to the tension of the rear beams deltoid muscle, as well as due to the muscles that take the scapula back. The function of capturing the arrow is carried out by the nail phalanges and the flexors holding them. In this position, aiming is refined, reaching, after which the preparation for the shot is completed.

Foot position for archery

The archer must stand on the target with his left side, feet shoulder-width apart, toes parallel or slightly apart. Due to this position of the feet, stability in the sagittal and frontal planes will be ensured, and freedom of movement in hip joints will be limited.

Body position for archery

Body position is one of the key elements of archery stance. The position of the torso should be stable and natural, the torso should not twist or bend. The location of the shooter's body should be vertical, with a slight forward inclination. To check the correct position of the body, it is necessary to stretch the arrow in front of the mirror.

Head position for archery

The archer's head should be turned towards the target and tilted slightly towards the back. The chin should be slightly raised for greater convenience in the location of the pulling hand. For determining right position head, you will need a trainer who will stand in front of the shooter, hold the bow with his right hand, and correct the position of the head with his left.

The position of the hand holding the bow

The hand that holds the bow in its weight experiences the elasticity of the bow during the extension of the shoulders and the release of the arrow. This hand performs static work, but it is involved in both drawing the bow and aiming. The position of the left hand relative to the plane of the shot should be as follows:

1. The pressure of the hand on the handle of the bow must be in the plane of the shot, and the point of application must not change from shot to shot.
2. The hand must not interfere with the free passage of the string when shooting, until the arrow has left the bow.
3. The position of the left hand should provide the maximum possible stretching of the bow by the athlete.

The degree of muscle tension depends on the position of the left hand relative to the plane of the bow shot. shoulder girdle. The load on these muscles when holding the bow increases in proportion to the distance of the axis of the joints from the plane of the shot. Accordingly, it is recommended to keep the hand as close as possible to the direction of the arrow.

The position of the hand on the handle of the bow

The position of the hand on the bow handle is determined by the grip. There are many different types of archery grips. The effectiveness of one or another type of grip depends on the individual characteristics of the shooter.

The grip has the following requirements:

1. the area of ​​contact between the brush and the handle of the bow should be minimal

2. the direction of the pressure force of the bow on the hand when pulling the bowstring should be as close as possible to the wrist joint

3. The muscles responsible for bending the fingers should be as relaxed as possible. If they are involved in holding the bow, then grasping the handle should be carried out with the same force.

4. The center of application of the force of the hand must always be in the same place on the handle.

The grip is classified by the location of the wrist joint relative to the plane of the bowstring, by the location of the fingers, by the nature of the work of the hand, by the work of the fingers.

Pulling the string when shooting

When the bow is drawn, the hand, shoulder and forearm should be in a straight line, located in the plane of the shot. Under the action of the force of stretching the bow, the hand moves in the direction of this force during the shot, therefore, after the shot, the hand moves towards the target.

The bowstring is usually gripped with the index, middle, and ring fingers. The string is located on the nail phalanges, and the arrow should be between the index and middle fingers. It is important to distribute the load on all fingers. It is recommended to bend the middle finger in the second joint so that the load is distributed to the ring finger. In order to pull the bowstring without creating inconvenience, you can use a fingertip. To avoid interference from thumb fails, then you can either press it to the palm of your hand, take it away and press it to the neck, or take it away and press it to rear surface lower jaw.

Aiming refers to the process of pointing the bow at the target and then maintaining that position until the shot is fired.

When aiming, it is necessary to control the alignment of the aiming line and the aiming point and the projection of the bowstring relative to the shooting plane. There are several ways to aim:

- aiming at the arrow, when the arrow shank is placed at the height of the eyes;

- with a change in the shooter's base, when the location of the arrow shank relative to eye level depends on the distance.

It is important to consider that the shooter's teeth must be closed so that the base of the shooter does not increase. The second point when aiming is the front sight of the sight, which is located on the handle or remote ruler. The point of aim in archery is the target.

How to shoot a bow. Preparing for a shot. was last modified: October 1st, 2012 by Igor Ivanov

Archery - one of sports disciplines , the essence of which is to hit the target (target) with the help of this type of weapon and arrows.

The art of archery It has ancient history . The first mention of this sport dates back to the late Paleolithic or early Mesolithic era.

Archaeologists date the oldest finds VIII-IX centuries BC. This weapon was used most often for hunting and warfare.

Beginning since 1900, archery was included in the Olympic program. The winner of the competition is the one who manages to score the most points.

Fundamentals of target archery rules

Archery has its own rules.

The goal of the game for two, the number of players

Archery mission - score as many points as possible, ahead of the enemy or his team.

Important! Can fire on the same shield at the same time from one to four athletes. In team competitions, each participant releases two arrows, six in total(four arrows in mix teams) per group in a series.

And also quite often practiced such a variety as archery for two. In personal meetings, each of the participants in the competition shoots at their own target. His main task is to overtake the opponent in terms of points.

Photo 1. Archery for two. Two athletes stand next to each other and fire at the same time.

Distance

Depending on where the competition is held, different distances are set. So, according to the rules of the International Archery Federation, athletes indoors compete at distances:

1. 18 meters.
2. 30 m.
3. 50 m(for men).

On open air:

1. 30, 50, 70, 90 m for men.
2. 30, 50, 60, 70 m for women.

On Olympic Games the universal distance is used in 70 meters.

How to properly hold a bow

First of all, when shooting, you need to take the right position. Turn left side to the target, place your feet shoulder-width apart.

With your left hand, grasp the handle of the weapon approximately in the middle (usually there is a special grip on the bow itself). The hand that holds the weapon in the air checks on itself its elasticity when the bowstring is pulled. In no case do not allow the tremor of the hands, otherwise the arrow will move out, and you won't be able to fire a shot.

Reference. In the Middle Ages, future wars stood for hours with a stick and outstretched left hand, to make her strong.

The hand with which you hold the bow should not interfere with the course of the bowstring. Otherwise, the blow will either be very weak, or it will not work at all. By the way, in this case, there is a high probability of injury to the shooter. elbow joint needs to be moved aside rotational movement hands.

How to hold an arrow

An arrow is placed in a bowstring, holding it by the shank. It is necessary to ensure that the guide pen is located away from the bow. The arrow, as usual, is placed on the wrist of the hand that holds the bow.

Photo 2. The principle of holding the arrow. The projectile is held by the tail between two fingers, the bowstring is pulled with the same hand.

And there is also a technique in which the archer holds the arrow a little index finger. This allows it not to slip and is stronger in the bowstring.

Attention! index finger for correct technique shot should be held over the arrow, A middle and nameless place under it.

What is the maximum firing range

Thanks to the myths carefully maintained by the film industry, archery range is greatly exaggerated. You should not think that you, like the heroes from the films, will be able to shoot an arrow for several kilometers.

The main parameters that affect the firing range are the model of the weapon and the preparedness of the shooter himself. On average, a regular bow allows you to make a shot with a length up to 500 m, professional — up to 700 m.

How to play

As in any other sports game, archery implies strict rules for the actions of its participants.

In the case of a single series, the archer is given 36 arrows at each distance for both male and female athletes.

However, their number may vary depending on the series set at the competition. Duration is set in accordance with the regulations. Yes, there are:

1. York series for men: 72 arrows at 91.4 m; 48 arrows at 73.1 m; 24 booms at 54.8 m.
2. The American Series is held for all athletes, regardless of their gender: 30 arrows at 54.8; 45.7; 36.5 m.
3. Colombian series, women only: 24 arrows for each of the distances of 45.7; 36.5; 27.4 m

If we talk about the Olympic Games, they are held in two rounds - qualifying and dueling, where athletes compete in pairs. For the first stage, two series are provided, in each of which 36 arrows. In the final personal round, the player makes 12 shots for elimination.

Outdoor championships are usually held in three days, each of which represents a separate round: long distance qualifying round, short distances qualifying round, duel round.

At each stage, archers act in pairs. First stands under the letter "A", second - "B". If there is no opportunity to shoot at the same time, then the archers, with the permission of the referee commission, can do it in turn.

If there are three athletes in a group, then their order will look like this: AB-C, C-AB and so on.

During the team stage of the competition, the change of approaches is made in such a way that at each new line, a new pair started shooting. This allows to ensure equal position of all athletes.

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Recording results

Carried out by a special judge-counter. It is carried out in the presence of a senior judge, who controls the correctness of the recorded data.

In the individual standings, the personal result of the participant of the competition is recorded in a special form, in the group - the team result.

The athlete with the most points is the winner. Their number is determined by the judge according to the potholes on the target. The closer the player's shot is to the center, the more points he gets.

More about the rules of the competition

There are two types of championships: outdoors and indoors. The rules differ depending on the type of fight.

Photo 3. Archery competition. A lot of athletes get on one lane at once.

In competitions, players can shoot in series 3 or 6 arrows each. According to the standards of the International Federation of Archers on series of three arrows athlete can spend 2 minutes, on six- the allowable time is doubled.

Steps

Archery

Position your body perpendicular to the target. When you are ready to shoot, stand in such a way that you can mentally draw a straight line across your shoulders to the target (this line will be perpendicular to your feet). If your dominant eye is right, grab the bow in your left hand, point your left shoulder towards the target, and grasp the bowstring with your right hand. If the leading eye is left, do the opposite.

Stand up straight and spread your legs shoulder-width apart. Tighten your buttocks to push your pelvis slightly forward. Keep your back straight so that your arms and shoulders can form a "T" as you draw the string. The stance should be comfortable enough that you can stay in it for a long time, yet firm and alert.

Lower the bow down and attach the arrow to the bowstring. Lower the bow to the ground and attach the arrow shaft to the socket of the bowstring. You should attach an arrow shank to the bowstring with a recess on it, the so-called notch (the shank can be represented by a plastic nozzle). If the arrow has three feathers, position it so that one feather is pointing up. Then attach the arrow under the bead on the string (if there is only one bead) or between two beads that mark the nest.

Lightly hold the arrow on the string with three fingers. If you are shooting with a scope (focusing on the front sight), place your index finger on the arrow, and the middle and ring fingers under it. This is the so-called Mediterranean grip with an arrow between the fingers. If you're shooting without a scope, place all three fingers under the arrow so it's easier to bring it closer to your eye. Hold the back end of the arrow with your thumb and make sure it is level.

Point the bow at the target. Keeping the position of the fingers on the string, raise the bow and point it at the target. Place your hands parallel to the ground and remember to keep the bow upright. IN correct stance your gaze will be directed along the shaft of the arrow.

With three fingers, pull the string towards your face. Work your back muscles to increase strength, and relax your arm as much as possible. Draw the string until you feel enough tension on the bow, then you can use your chin, cheek, ear, or other part of your body as a guide to always draw the string to the same point.

• Try to pull back the string as much as possible. This will increase accuracy and also reduce the effects of wind and gravity.
• Pulling the string, lift your elbow up. This will work your shoulder muscles, not your arms.

1. Take aim. Most amateur archers use the intuitive shooting technique. To do this, simply point the bow in such a way that the arrowhead points to the target. If you need to shoot more accurately, try buying an adjustable scope that attaches to your bow. While shooting, you can cover your non-dominant eye or look ahead as usual with both eyes.

   Release the arrow by relaxing your fingers on the stretched bowstring. The goal is to perform a clean descent, with minimal deceleration and side effects on the boom. Although it may seem like an easy task, the way you release the string affects the flight of the arrow, and any awkward movement or hesitation can throw it off course. After shooting, wait until the arrow reaches the target, then lower the bow.

   • Do not move your hand forward to "strengthen" the arrow at the moment of the shot. Stay as still as possible for the most accurate shot.
   • Pay attention to bow recoil after shooting and whether you wiggle under its influence, as this may indicate that you are not in the best physical shape.

2. Load the crossbow with an arrow. After cocking, insert a bolt or arrow into the groove of the crossbow and align it with the guide. For safety, load the crossbow from above, always keeping your hands away from the trigger and the front of the weapon.

   Attach the crossbow to your shoulder. Similar to a rifle, attach the crossbow to the main shoulder (it can be pressed against the notch of the shoulder or placed on top). Then place your non-dominant hand under the crossbow to stabilize it. Keep your fingers away from the trigger. Do not shoot the crossbow from your hand, as this can lead to inaccurate and even dangerous shots.

   • Shooting from the hand means that you hold the crossbow in one hand and shoot with it.

3. Aim with the front sight or scope. If your crossbow is equipped with a telescopic sight, look through it and aim the reticle at the target as necessary. Be sure to read the instructions for the sight to know which label means what. If you don't have optical sight, align the crossbow with an open sight that requires the front sight and rear sight slot to be aligned with the target line.

   Shoot. When you're ready to shoot, grab your crossbow and double-check your aiming. Then pull the trigger in the same way as they do when firing a pistol. At the moment the arrow is launched, you will hear a slight click of the trigger.

Purchase of equipment

1. Buy a bow under your prevailing eye. Most bows and related equipment are marked for right-handed or left-handed, depending on which hand draws the string. If your dominant eye doesn't match your dominant hand, buy a bow and equipment for your non-dominant hand. Although it will take some time for your hands to adjust, choosing gear for your eyesight will improve your marksmanship.

   • Crossbows can usually be fired with either hand.

2. Choose arrows for your bow. In the case of a crossbow, pay attention to the requirements for the length, specific gravity and notch of the bolts that the manufacturer of your weapon specified. For a bow, buy arrows that are about 2 inches longer than your string line. If possible, buy high quality arrows made of carbon, aluminium, fiberglass or wood.

   • If you plan to shoot at targets, buy arrows with sporty pointy tips. If you are going to hunt, use hunting tips with sharp blades or blunt training tips (when hunting small animals or birds). There are also hunting tips-shockers. Once in the prey, they open up and cling to it.
   • To determine the length of your own line of draw, draw the bow as if you were about to shoot. Then ask a friend to measure the distance from the front edge of the bow to the drawn bowstring.
   • It is best to learn to shoot from a trainer who will give you guidance, as beginners often make mistakes that are difficult to notice on their own, but a professional eye from the outside will easily identify them and help correct them.

   Warnings

   • Do not pull the bowstring without an arrow to release it empty, as microcracks may form on the bow because of this.
   • Never aim at something you don't intend to shoot at.
   • There must be a protective barrier behind your targets in case you miss.