Practice methods and volume

steve58 · #1 (**permalink**) 28-01-07, 07:01 PM

No doubt someone is going to tell me that this belongs in training and methodology, but I think it belongs in here because I suspect that there will be slightly different views in this part of the forum ... Anyway, how do you guys use practice time? Do you just try to shoot as many arrows as possible to build the muscles? Or do you do technique drills, if so, what exactly? Do you do non-archery training eg weights or stretching? What has worked well for you? What was a disaster? How much (either how often per week or how many arrows) do you reckon you need to shoot to maintain physical and technical form?

Macbow · #2 (**permalink**) 28-01-07, 09:07 PM

A friend and I practice as a team. We take turns watching each other for form errors - telling each other if our arrows are creeping forward or if we are still moving through the shot etc. It's amazing how many fidgets and movements you are not aware of until someone else points them out. We then spend 30 minutes on the range starting at 10 yards and moving back to 65 yards in 5 yard stages just to dial our gaps/get your eye in. The first hour is pretty intense and very controlled with long periods holding steady at anchor. I suffer from a degree of TP and use the above drills to keep it in control. I only can take about 30 minutes of that intensity and I'm mentally tired by the end of it.
Cup of tea then 28 targets on the course usually with four arrows per target but sometimes with just one. The one arrow per target is always scored and is fun but really competitive.
Basically we put in some serious practice when we are fresh then shoot until we get too tired to shoot well. If one of us is having a bad day on the course we stop taking it seriously or often just stop as there is no point in reinforcing a bad day's shooting.

steve58 · #3 (**permalink**) 06-02-07, 11:32 PM

Thanks for that MacBow. Read about your winter sports injury on that thread, hope it gets better quickly; one of my clubmates broke her arm ski-ing at the start of the outdoor season, I think the shoulder was also involved and she's only just getting back to full flow.
My situation is that in summer I can usually get up to the club three times a week, or twice and shoot a tournament, but in winter we only have the one indoor session a week. I try to make up for this by shooting at 10 yards in the back garden, concentrating on form. I was just wondering whether anyone had bright ideas for making best use of time; as lots of people have said, better not to practice mistakes.

jb.68 · #4 (**permalink**) 08-02-07, 08:06 PM

I go litteraly for numbers, so we shoot clout ends of 12-36 arrows and then collect, saves me poor old legs too.
Also try to out shoot the distance, which now I am actualy shooting in the bow rather than to the mouth, I am acheiving the greater distances that I wanted. Unfortunately the accuracy goes off a bit, but I guess it depends what you're in it for, I think that scoring can get in the way of a decent shoot. I'm only here to see arrows fly

As far as warming up goes, I'm a bit lazy there, just fling me arms around and flex me back muscles. (I'm sure someone will tell me off for that)