Archery

History of archery

Archery has been used in Europe for at least 14,000 years, which is proven above all by corresponding representations, finds of bow fragments or arrowheads made of flint. The oldest, from the time of the older Magdalenian (period from approx. 18,000 to 12,000 BC)The original find of an arch fragment was discovered in a gravel pit in Mannheim-Vogelsang. There are also flint blades (possibly arrowheads) dated much older (to over 64,000 BC). These come from the Abri Sibudu (province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa) but cannot prove the unambiguous use as an arrowhead one hundred percent since the necessary clues (such as wood) have not been preserved. It could, therefore, also be points for spears that threw with the spear thrower. The oldest arch depiction is an engraving on a limestone slab of the Grotte des Fadets, Dept. Vienne was upset in France. It dates back to the late Magdalenian period but is not considered reliable evidence. The oldest secured archaeological evidence for bows' use are completely preserved arrows from the Stellmoor near Hamburg (around 10,000 BC, Ahrensburg culture ). They are made from pine and have flint handle tips. The oldest undoubted arch finds it made from elmwood: two 8,000-year-old flat arches from Holmegård (Denmark). They come from a time before the Congemotic culture of the NordicMesolithic.

"How and where can I learn archery?" "How does aiming work?" And "What is the shooting technique about?"... 

Most newbies to Traditional Archery have questions like these!

Like many beginners, you are probably overwhelmed by the wealth of information available on the many different websites, in forums, YouTube videos, or in books and magazines. Especially as a newbie, it is challenging to get an overview of archery and to separate the critical and essential points from the things that are not so important for the beginning.

Therefore, as a new member of the traditional archers family, we would like to give you instructions to get started with conventional archery as efficiently as possible. The following approach for entering traditional archery has emerged as the royal road.

We recommend that you go through the following six steps in roughly this order:

Get to grips with "traditional archery."

Acquire the necessary knowledge

Find out where to practice archery.

Get some archery equipment.

Learn the Shooting technique and posture

Learn the aiming technique

Exercise regularly

If you proceed according to the seven steps and take steps 5 to 7 in particular to heart, you will get started with archery very quickly.

1. Please make yourself aware of precisely traditional archery and how it differs from other types of archery.

Archery can be divided into two major areas. These are "sporty shooting" and that - let's call it - "soulful shooting." The "target shooting" is usually exercised with sports arches, i.e., compound bows, recurve bows, Hightec, visors, and stabilizers, predominantly just shooting targets instead. On the other hand, with "soulful shooting," technical aids are dispensed mainly with, and simple bows such as longbows, hunting recurve bows, or simple modern recurve bows are used. It is operated as a balance to everyday work, to enjoy inner peace, out of the connection between yourself and nature. Campfire romance, the feeling of freedom, informality, and originality are also feelings that resonate. This type of shooting

is practiced most of the time in nature, on 3D courses or corresponding 3D tournaments. This more soulful way of shooting with the simplest of bows and without the doggedness and fixation on consistently hitting better and using all-technical possibilities is ultimately the term "traditional archery" means. Since traditional archery does not use visors as a targeting aid, "aiming" takes place here using special techniques that differ fundamentally from sports archery.

2. Acquire the knowledge about shooting/aiming techniques and material for traditional archery required for a beginner

The best way to acquire the basic understanding of conventional archery is through a beginner course, i.e., a "basic archery course" in traditional archery with an experienced trainer or through beginner textbooks. Unfortunately, it is often the case that in many archery courses, the shooting and aiming technique is only sketched out and that shooting or the event experience "archery" itself is often much more in the foreground than the correct learning to shoot. But that's precisely what you want. Therefore, check carefully whether the archery course you prefer aims to learn traditional archery properly. When it comes to books, there are a few perfect copies that, on the one hand, provide the knowledge necessary for beginners and at the same time do not go too deep. We have one or two good beginners' books in our store. In the beginning, you shouldn't worry too much about topics like arrow tuning, bow tuning, and other special issues and start with archery.

3. Find out where you can practice archery in your area.

A private garden or garage/attic is also generally suitable for archery. Nevertheless, it is nicer to practice archery together with others and to learn it in the environment of more experienced archers. There are a relatively large number of clubs and groups in Germany that practice archery exclusively. A good directory of archery clubs in our region can be found on the website of the 3D archery region Mainfranken / Spessart / Odenwald. A good Germany-wide directory on the website of the magazine Traditional Archery (TB). The shooting range must be as free as possible and accessible at all times so that you can train regularly. Especially at the beginning (first 2-3 weeks), memorizing the processes (shooting technique) often is essential.

4. Get some archery equipment (buy / rent/borrow) 

So that you can start archery properly, you should obtain suitable archery equipment. If you do a little research, you will find that some retailers offer inexpensive entry-level bow sets. However, we don't encourage you to do such. Both the bows and the arrow material sold with them are often of absolutely inferior quality and not suitable for a serious introduction to archery. In the beginning, it is a good idea to rent equipment or to use archery equipment that is available in the club or that of a friend. It is essential that the bow is not too strong, have regular access to it, and train with it. The swell should be in the range of 20-30 lb in draw weight for men. In women in the 15-25 lb. capacity. Lie.

You can usually rent archery equipment from any archery retailer. However, you should also make sure that you also rent the type of bow you want to shoot later. If you're going to hit a longbow, it is a good idea if you also shoot a longbow right from the start. Many dealers only offer multi-part recurve bows for rent. The necessary later change from recurve to longbow can, in our experience, cause problems after some newcomers. We also offer an entry-level rental program, where you can rent both longbows and recurve bows for beginners. Further information, how do you find the proper form for you, you will learn in our article "How to do you as a beginner the right form for the Traditional Archery?".

5. Learn the correct shooting technique right from the start

The key to getting started with archery is to learn the proper shooting technique practically. Suppose you now put what you learned in books and courses into practice with your own or borrowed bow. In that case, you will quickly get used to the processes and promptly internalize the essential principles of technique and the correct posture in archery. While learning the pure shooting technique, you develop a feeling for the bow, the arrow, and the shot. This phase doesn't matter how you "aim" because you should only shoot at very short distances (5-10 m). The first successes can be achieved, and you can also aim using the arrow or the like with a system, even if you later want to shoot instinctively, for example.

6. Learn the correct aiming technique

As soon as you have internalized the shooting technique to some extent, you can dare to learn the targeting process. The aiming method most widespread among traditional archers is "instinctive aiming" (hence the term "instinctive archery"). You will probably want to learn this technique too. Anyone can understand it, without exception! Simply because it is based on hand-eye coordination.

7. Practice, practice, practice 

As mentioned several times, nothing beats regular practice in archery. Initially in terms of shooting technique, then also in terms of target technique. Train at different distances in different terrain. Feed your mind with information, memories of shots you went through. So, day by day, hour by hour, you will become a better instinctive archer. We have also written our free email course on Instinctive Archers Training. However, it is not aimed directly at absolute beginners in archery! Instead, the system is intended for shooters who have been practicing instinctive archery for at least half a year and need an impetus for regular training. Nevertheless, it certainly doesn't hurt if you, as a beginner, work through the course.