More shooting time wanted

[kinkychinky]

The club I have just joined only shoot on Sundays.

Due to work commitments I cannot always attend and as a beginner I'd like to get in more practise.

Is it a good idea to join another club that offers midweek shoots or will they normally allow non members to shoot for a nominal fee.

Are there any non shooting exercises that will help a beginner?

[clickerati]

kinkychinky - 7/5/2005 9:22 PM Are there any non-shooting exercises that will help a beginner?

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I've found these sites#really beneficial for archery fitness:
http://www.centenaryarchers.gil.com....ry_Fitness.htm#- Stetches and warm up
http://www.redrutharchers.fsnet.co.u..._exercises.htm#- Stretches and warm up
http://www.tenzone.u-net.com/Physio/trncrdbas.htm#- Cardio training
http://www.student.utwente.nl/~sagi/artikel/steps/#- Fitness Fundamentals
http://archeryfocus.net/services/sam...les/7-2fit.pdf#- Beginner's fitness program
http://www.usarchery.org/usarchery/h...inuteTest.html#- USAT 12-minute fitness test
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Hope they help Kinky C!
</p>

[TJ Mason]

There's nothing to stop you joining two or more clubs. But for purposes of GNAS affiliation, record keeping and handicap calculation, one of them must be designated as your "home" club.

If you're a member of the GNAS, most clubs will allow you to shoot as a day member. Our club charges £1 a time for day membership.

[Jal]

Will have to try some of these exercises myself as I'm usually huffing and puffing just setting up my shooting line tent.

[Archery1st]

Buy a target and shoot at home, then you can shoot all you want.# No distance = no problem.</p>

When I was shooting indoors in 1998 (recurve), I was training at home, in fact in the bedroom (no comment ) I had the target set at one corner of the bed, I stood across the bed just far enough away so the long rod cleared it on release, I spent all indoor season shooting like this, under the feeling that the arrow doesn't know how far it has to travel until it stops, so I made sure I was making good strong shots.# That year was my best indoor season ever, FITA 18 average was 575, with many in the 580's.</p>

This year I'm training outside at home (30m) and just making good shots, I use archers advantage and a chronograph to give me sight marks, so far this year I have shot two record status shoots, set one national record and equalled the other and the weather wasn't as good as I'd have liked.</p>

So shooting/training etc doesn't have to be at set distances, its all about making a shot not how far away you are shooting.# Just my take on this </p>

[kinkychinky]

I take it there are no legal reasons why you can't shot at home in your garden?

What do you think the distance was when you shot in your bedroom or are you saying it was just longer than the long rod to the target?

[Archery1st]

The distance in the bedroom was about 9ft, long rod cleared the bed#plus width of the bed.</p>

As for legal reason not to shoot at home, I'm not sure on that one, I do have some#3/4&quot; ply board fixed to the back of the fence, which is behind the hedge.# However I am very careful, and although I know accidents can happen I do try to take every safety precaution possible, including drawing up while aimed at the ground about 20' in front, just in case the release or D loop fails.</p>

[kinkychinky]

For your garden set up, are you using any specific target/bosses.

I have a pretty secure area I can shot in my back garden but the distance will only be about 6 metres. Will shooting at a boss cause any problems at this distance?

In particular, I was looking at buying one of the foam targets.

[Archery1st]

I'm using a layered foam target as these are fairly cheap and quite hard wearing, the first thing I did was to get a couple of 2&quot; wide ratchet straps, like those used on truck trailers, these are wrapped round the target so I can tighten it up as and when needed (placed round the outside edge following the straps already fitted), one great plus side of using these is that you can also rip the target apart and repack or even replace some of the foam (Merlin used to sell packs of this foam, not sure if they still do as I haven't bought any in a while).</p>

A couple of tips, put the target so that the foam strips are vertical, this way they don't get ripped up quite so much as the arrow is following the layers, horizontal layers only work the same way if your arrow enters at the same plane as the layers.# Move you aiming spot about you WILL blow holes in it if you are shooting loads, but again just tighten up straps or repack.# If you use a target face, get hold of an old wire coat hanger and make 4 U shape pins that are about 3&quot; long, the face won't move and if you hit them with the arrow they roll out of the way.</p>

A cheap target stand is a B&amp;Q workmate, use a smaller width ratchet strap to hold target to workmate and you have a light weight movable target setup, perfect for the home garden.</p>

Finally, when shooting a close distance, you can and probably will just start shooting arrows faster than normally you would, watch out for this as you'll also forget to make sure you are making perfect shots, take you time shoot good shots and enjoy all the training time you now have.</p>

Hope this helps</p>

[Shirt]

Absolutely agree, and a great idea on the Workmate (I'd never have thought of that...)

Bear in mind that if you're shooting at a short distance at home, you are looking for quality over quantity. Anyone can stand and chuck arrows into a target all day, but if you shoot for a little bit and they're all great shots the good bits of your form will reinforce and you'll come away from it stronger.

JMHO, etc.