In this post, I’m going to detail the essentials of your shooting form. After reading it, you’ll be absolutely ready to start practicing archery and developing the habits of shooting with proper form. We’ll start with the bottom part of your body – your feet and your legs, then continue upwards to your torso, arms, shoulders, and head. Excited? Let’s go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Feet: types of archery stance<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThere are a few possible foot positions you can try. Decide\nwhich feels most natural to you and stick with it. It’s surprising how foot\nplacement can affect the accuracy of your shooting, but trust me, it’s\nsignificant, so pay attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are 3 common archery stances you should know about: squared stance, open stance, and closed stance. The first two are more common than the third, but you should choose the one you’re more comfortable with. Having a correct foot placement is essential for accuracy.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"archery](\"https:\/\/archerymind.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/stance_graphics.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWith all types of stance, make sure that your feet are about shoulder-width apart, and that your feet are correctly grounded. You should be completely balanced, so you can perform your shot with a stable base, without leaning in either direction too much. Try to keep your legs relaxed, without putting tension in your knees. Good posture will feel easy to repeat and be consistent with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Try to test all types of stances and find out which one is most comfortable and natural to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Squared stance:<\/strong> in this position your feet should be in line with the shooting line, meaning you’re side-on to the target. Your front foot (your stronger foot) should be closer to the target. Remember to have your legs at shoulder-width apart, and equally spread the weight between them.
This is probably the most common stance, that every archer learns at the beginning. It’s really natural for many people and easy to learn, which is why it’s recommended for beginners, but it’s also great for more advanced archers.<\/li>- Open stance:<\/strong> with this one you’ll have your front foot slightly turned to the direction of the target. A good rule of thumb for the angle is about 30 degrees to the shooting line in the direction of the target. Some people find it comfortable to have your other foot in line with the shooting line, others align it with their front foot. Your hips and shoulders will be more open to the target in this stance.
This stance feels really comfortable to many archers – it’s the position most people stand naturally. It’s really balanced and, when done correctly, great for proper muscle engagement. <\/li>- Closed stance:<\/strong> in this one, you’ll have your back foot turned away from the targets, and your front foot aligned with the shooting line. You’ll basically mirror the open stance. By turning your torso towards the target, you’ll be able to aim and shoot.
Though less common than the previous stances, many archers find that they can put much more force into their shots with this one. You’ll have much more tension in your muscles, which will also create stability.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\nHow to find your ideal shooting stance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
A good method of finding your ideal shooting stance is using the “blind shooting” method. To do that, you’ll need to locate a range with a target in the middle of a target wall and get the help of a friend. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Position yourself in front of the target, with the stance you want to check. Close your eyes and turn your head away from the target, without moving your feet, and while keeping your bow pointed in a safe direction<\/strong>. Keep your eyes closed, turn back to the target and draw your bow to the correct shooting position. Have your buddy make sure you’re safely shooting at the wall, and release the arrow.<\/p>\n\n\n\nNow see where your arrow landed relative to the target. Depending on where it was located, move your legs and try to find your centered position. Try this process a few times until you consistently hit around the target. When you do – you found your preferred position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finding your ideal shooting stance is important because shooting in a different stance might decrease your accuracy. For example, I’ve mentioned stance as a major cause of arrows going off to the side<\/a>, and arrows going low<\/a> in recent articles. While there are other causes, which are detailed in the posts, the stance is definitely a common one.<\/p>\n\n\n\nNotice your postural sway<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Postural sway is a leaning of the entire body when on full draw. By watching the shooter from behind, you can notice the whole body moves forward like they’re being pushed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This movement is usually managed by fixing your lower body stance. The more stable you are when on full draw, the easier it will be to remain still in the correct position. You can check if you sway by filming yourself from behind with your phone, or simply by asking a friend to watch you from the back. The goal should be to remain in place until after your arrow hits the target.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you sway a lot, consider re-checking your stance and strengthening your core. The more still you’re able to stay, the better your aim will eventually be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Legs, glutes, and pelvis<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
An extension of your feet, that helps to maintain balance and stability, are your legs, glutes, and pelvis. Keeping good posture in your legs is essential for accuracy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your legs should be straight, but without locking your knee and overextending the quads. You should aim to “push out” with the legs muscles, to avoid inwards collapsing the knees. This means your glutes should be tight. Your pelvis should be positioned directly in the center of your body, without your bum sticking out.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThe basic thing you need to notice about your legs is that they’re straight but not overextended<\/strong>. This means you don’t lock your knees, but don’t bend them as well. This means your quads shouldn’t feel very tense, and that the position should feel natural and relaxed.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAnother thing you should focus on is pushing out with your legs<\/strong>. This would feel like you’re trying to push your heels together, but without moving your feet at all. This will make you much more stable and will avoid your knees collapsing inwards, which causes instability.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBy pushing out with your legs, you’ll feel your glutes engaging<\/strong>. This essentially means your bum is tight and squeezed. This will help with increasing your stability and overall form.<\/p>\n\n\n\nRegarding your pelvis<\/strong>, you should aim to keep it in the center of your body<\/strong>. Engaging your glutes will be the first step because your bum can’t stick out when your glutes are tight. You should feel that your pelvis is tilted forward. This will ensure that your back isn’t arched and will promote good posture.<\/p>\n\n\n\nObviously keeping your legs, glutes and pelvis contribute and compliment each other. Keep one in a proper position will make it much more likely that the others are also correct. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Torso<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThis area is where many archers make mistakes, that cost them all around in their shot accuracy. Just like other parts of your body, inconsistent torso posture will eventually lead to inconsistent shots, which will cause worse groupings. Having a proper torso position will make it much easier to have better results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The main thing you should notice about the position of your torso is that it’s straight-up. You shouldn’t be leaning forwards or backward, or be bent left or right. Your core should be engaged, but you shouldn’t puff your chest out – simply try to stand naturally.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\nThe main thing you should notice when considering your torso is that you’re not leaning<\/strong>. The position of your torso affects how you perform your shot and which muscles are being engaged as a part of the movement. An incorrect torso position can mess you shot up, while the bad habits of improper form can facilitate the development of back imbalances. <\/p>\n\n\n\nTry to relax, and not lean into the bow or away from it. Also, notice that don’t bend left or right, because it will compromise the way your weight is spread. Your position should be straight up<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWith all types of stance, make sure that your feet are about shoulder-width apart, and that your feet are correctly grounded. You should be completely balanced, so you can perform your shot with a stable base, without leaning in either direction too much. Try to keep your legs relaxed, without putting tension in your knees. Good posture will feel easy to repeat and be consistent with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Try to test all types of stances and find out which one is most comfortable and natural to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Squared stance:<\/strong> in this position your feet should be in line with the shooting line, meaning you’re side-on to the target. Your front foot (your stronger foot) should be closer to the target. Remember to have your legs at shoulder-width apart, and equally spread the weight between them.
This is probably the most common stance, that every archer learns at the beginning. It’s really natural for many people and easy to learn, which is why it’s recommended for beginners, but it’s also great for more advanced archers.<\/li>- Open stance:<\/strong> with this one you’ll have your front foot slightly turned to the direction of the target. A good rule of thumb for the angle is about 30 degrees to the shooting line in the direction of the target. Some people find it comfortable to have your other foot in line with the shooting line, others align it with their front foot. Your hips and shoulders will be more open to the target in this stance.
This stance feels really comfortable to many archers – it’s the position most people stand naturally. It’s really balanced and, when done correctly, great for proper muscle engagement. <\/li>- Closed stance:<\/strong> in this one, you’ll have your back foot turned away from the targets, and your front foot aligned with the shooting line. You’ll basically mirror the open stance. By turning your torso towards the target, you’ll be able to aim and shoot.
Though less common than the previous stances, many archers find that they can put much more force into their shots with this one. You’ll have much more tension in your muscles, which will also create stability.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\nHow to find your ideal shooting stance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
A good method of finding your ideal shooting stance is using the “blind shooting” method. To do that, you’ll need to locate a range with a target in the middle of a target wall and get the help of a friend. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Position yourself in front of the target, with the stance you want to check. Close your eyes and turn your head away from the target, without moving your feet, and while keeping your bow pointed in a safe direction<\/strong>. Keep your eyes closed, turn back to the target and draw your bow to the correct shooting position. Have your buddy make sure you’re safely shooting at the wall, and release the arrow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now see where your arrow landed relative to the target. Depending on where it was located, move your legs and try to find your centered position. Try this process a few times until you consistently hit around the target. When you do – you found your preferred position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finding your ideal shooting stance is important because shooting in a different stance might decrease your accuracy. For example, I’ve mentioned stance as a major cause of arrows going off to the side<\/a>, and arrows going low<\/a> in recent articles. While there are other causes, which are detailed in the posts, the stance is definitely a common one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Notice your postural sway<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Postural sway is a leaning of the entire body when on full draw. By watching the shooter from behind, you can notice the whole body moves forward like they’re being pushed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This movement is usually managed by fixing your lower body stance. The more stable you are when on full draw, the easier it will be to remain still in the correct position. You can check if you sway by filming yourself from behind with your phone, or simply by asking a friend to watch you from the back. The goal should be to remain in place until after your arrow hits the target.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you sway a lot, consider re-checking your stance and strengthening your core. The more still you’re able to stay, the better your aim will eventually be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Legs, glutes, and pelvis<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
An extension of your feet, that helps to maintain balance and stability, are your legs, glutes, and pelvis. Keeping good posture in your legs is essential for accuracy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your legs should be straight, but without locking your knee and overextending the quads. You should aim to “push out” with the legs muscles, to avoid inwards collapsing the knees. This means your glutes should be tight. Your pelvis should be positioned directly in the center of your body, without your bum sticking out.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
The basic thing you need to notice about your legs is that they’re straight but not overextended<\/strong>. This means you don’t lock your knees, but don’t bend them as well. This means your quads shouldn’t feel very tense, and that the position should feel natural and relaxed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another thing you should focus on is pushing out with your legs<\/strong>. This would feel like you’re trying to push your heels together, but without moving your feet at all. This will make you much more stable and will avoid your knees collapsing inwards, which causes instability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By pushing out with your legs, you’ll feel your glutes engaging<\/strong>. This essentially means your bum is tight and squeezed. This will help with increasing your stability and overall form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Regarding your pelvis<\/strong>, you should aim to keep it in the center of your body<\/strong>. Engaging your glutes will be the first step because your bum can’t stick out when your glutes are tight. You should feel that your pelvis is tilted forward. This will ensure that your back isn’t arched and will promote good posture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Obviously keeping your legs, glutes and pelvis contribute and compliment each other. Keep one in a proper position will make it much more likely that the others are also correct. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Torso<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
This area is where many archers make mistakes, that cost them all around in their shot accuracy. Just like other parts of your body, inconsistent torso posture will eventually lead to inconsistent shots, which will cause worse groupings. Having a proper torso position will make it much easier to have better results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The main thing you should notice about the position of your torso is that it’s straight-up. You shouldn’t be leaning forwards or backward, or be bent left or right. Your core should be engaged, but you shouldn’t puff your chest out – simply try to stand naturally.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The main thing you should notice when considering your torso is that you’re not leaning<\/strong>. The position of your torso affects how you perform your shot and which muscles are being engaged as a part of the movement. An incorrect torso position can mess you shot up, while the bad habits of improper form can facilitate the development of back imbalances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Try to relax, and not lean into the bow or away from it. Also, notice that don’t bend left or right, because it will compromise the way your weight is spread. Your position should be straight up<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Open stance:<\/strong> with this one you’ll have your front foot slightly turned to the direction of the target. A good rule of thumb for the angle is about 30 degrees to the shooting line in the direction of the target. Some people find it comfortable to have your other foot in line with the shooting line, others align it with their front foot. Your hips and shoulders will be more open to the target in this stance.