Instructions On Archery Bows

Archery is one of the oldest forms of weaponry and today it is used for both sport and hunting. Though many forms of the sport are promoted by the National Archery Association, including target, field and ski archery, the fundamentals of aiming the bow at a target remain the same.

Step 1

Stand perpendicular to your target with your toes touching the imaginary target line and your dominant eye closest to the bow. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and slightly open in your stance. Balance your body weight between your feet.

Step 2

Slide the slit on the back end of the arrow, called the nock, between the nocking points on the bow string. If only one nocking point is on the bow string, the arrow goes under it. Align two of the arrow's guiding feathers, called fletching, vertically with the bowstring and have the third pointing toward you. Rest the shaft of the arrow in the arrow rest.

Step 3

Rest the bow grip against the thickest part of your bow hand thumb's base. Your fingers should not wrap around the grip, but should be merely used to steady it. Relax your wrist and fingers completely while gripping the bow. Place the index finger of your drawing hand around the bowstring on top of the nocked arrow. Wrap your middle and ring fingers around the bowstring below the arrow. The string resides between your first and second knuckle as you hold the arrow.

Step 4

Push forward with your bow arm and raise it so the bow sight is level with your dominant eye. The elbow of your drawing arm is raised up toward your head while you keep your shoulders level with each other. Ensure the elbow and wrist of your drawing arm form a straight line to the arrow rest.

Step 5

Draw the string back in a single motion. Focus on using your back muscles to power the string back. Anchor your hand in a fixed position on the side of your face that is repeatable for every shot you take. Place your index finger firmly under your chin. The string touches your chin and nose if possible.

Step 6

Hold the string tense and begin to aim your shot. Ensure that the bow string is parallel with the inside of the bow's edge. Move the bow sight to the center of the target and slow your breathing to increase your balance. Check your body position and ensure that you are comfortably in good form.

Step 7

Relax the fingers on your draw hand and allow the arrow to leave the bow. Do not use the muscles in your hand to unfurl your fingers. Keep your bow arm firm and do not move it in any direction as the arrow is released.

Step 8

Hold your bow arm in position until the arrow hits the target. Allow your drawing hand to drift backward parallel to the ground to complete the follow-through.

Tips and Warnings

Do not touch the arrow with your drawing hand after nocking it. Apart from traditional bows, there are recurve and compound bows. While the shooting actions remain the same for these bows, they offer different advantages, such as a more powerful arrow flight and reduction in draw weight.