Is it really necessary?

[Furface]

Why do some longbowmen - particularly historically minded ones - adopt an exaggerated stance with their feet wide apart and their glutes sticking out behind. For example, please see front of Quicks catalogue. Is there some biological advantage in this for drawing heavier poundage bows? Or is it "historically justified"? In which case, is it described in original texts anywhere, or is it copied from picture evidence? If the latter, then it might be about as sensible as assuming that ancient Egyptians walked funny!

[Dave]

I remember seeing a chap on TV pulling a 150lb longbow adopting that stance. This is the first and only time I've seen it used - and I've shot with quite a few longbow men, and it seemed completely justified in that particular case

[fleawort]

I am a relative newcomer to archery and only shoot a 55lb longbow but after watching the same bloke on tv (I think?. He was demonstrating distance shooting and also had an exagerated jump on release.) shooting with the exagerated stance I tried it. It does seem to work. It feels more confortable and natural and I would even say it adds to speed of release and accuracy, as with practice the actions of lifting, aiming, drawing and shooting seem to blend into one flowing movement. Does this sound plausable or am I talking out the back of my neck?
You feel a right prat doing it though!

[Broken arrow]

There was a saying in times of old when it was compulsory to practice in the art of shooting a long bow."Put your backs into" it .Take a look at the stance of a longbow archer drawing a 150 pounds + .An example of would be Mark Stretton of whom can draw and release under control a 160 pound war bow .Proberly much lesser poundage bows being drawn up of wich i have seen picts of in magazines and news letters are a proberly form of reanactment and are not a true stance needed.

[Haywain]

The photo is of someone shooting a 100lb + warbow..... something most archers would have great difficulty doing using a "normal" stance. The most somfortable way of drawing a heavy bow (and remember true medieval longbows get harder to hold the more you draw) is to really put your back and shoulder muscles into it. The wider the stance the easier this is.

More pictures of same person and aforementioned Mark Stretton shooting are on this link :

http://www.bickerstaffebows.co.uk/european_tour.htm

[Broken arrow]

Hi Wain not seen you at Fleet Ibex recently Dave

[Haywain]

Been busy Dave - Lots of shoots in the South West with my sons. I'll be at the Fleet Ibex open end of the month though.

[Field Archer]

Haywain - 9/4/2005 6:42 PM

Been busy Dave - Lots of shoots in the South West with my sons. I'll be at the Fleet Ibex open end of the month though.

Hi Wayne, if you are shootng a lot in the SW I hope you will be entering the Druids Sumer Solstice two day shoot in June.
Entry form at http://www.druids.org.uk

I have entered your shoot later this month, then again, I always do.

[Field Archer]

Ooops, looks like we have gone off topic. Get it back some one.

We really dont know. Looking at the old pictures a few of the archers seem to stand as you say, the majority 'normally'. How accurate is the artist? I do think that they would have shot without moving much. If you have a few thousand archers packed into a herce [even with staggered ranks] you are not going to be very popular dancing around when you loose, sticking the end of your bow in someones ear. I am always open to correction.........