Strength Training For Archers

Did you know that as we age we tend to lose between five and 7 pounds of muscle during each 10 years of our adult life? This even happens when we are in our 20s! The result of this is that we lose a tremendous amount of muscle strength that will have a negative effect on our ability to shoot a bow. Being able to hold your bow at a full draw, steadily, has a major impact on your aim and accuracy. If as science claims, we become weaker as we age then it is safe to assume that your aim and accuracy is going to suffer. Perhaps a pound or two does not seem like a lot but it really is a considerable amount of strength loss.

Many times when we are not shooting well we believe it to be either our technique or our bow hunting equipment. Rarely do we understand that our draw weight is becoming, gradually, too much for us to handle. Despite training for hours, our performance begins to suffer. Many times when we do not understand why our accuracy or shooting is poor, it can be very frustrating and lead to even worse performances.

Merely practicing drawing you bow, no matter how many times we do it, is just not enough to overcome the loss of strength and muscle in our upper body. Extra practice and training will do nothing to maintain the strength of the stabilizing muscles of our core, legs and lower back. Especially the muscles around our midsection, the core muscles, these along with our legs are as important if not more so than the muscles of the upper body.

Strength Training for Archers

A study performed for the Olympics back in 1984 discovered that leg strength was a major factor in determining your archery target success. As you probably know, your legs are the stable base from which you shoot your bow. If this base is not sturdy, you will not be accurate. This is especially true after a long day of competition shooting, as our muscles begins to tire. By strengthening these core muscles along with your legs and upper back, you will maintain a steady base, better accuracy and avoid back problems in the future.

Today, athletes know that strength training will solve the problem of age dependent strength and muscle loss. As an archer, strength loss will have a dramatic effect on our ability to shoot a bow. However, there is hope, with good strength training for archery program we can hold back the ravages of time and continue to enjoy the sport we love so much. Through continued strength training workouts, we will have more confidence in our physical ability, which will allow us to focus completely on the process of shooting and thus become an even better archer.

Unfortunately, strength loss happens to everyone. That is why in all sports today star athletes are utilizing strength training workouts to get and maintain a performance edge. Football has had strength and conditioning programs since the 1950s. In fact, the Green Bay Packers were one of the first teams to utilize strength training as part of their workouts. In addition, isometric exercise and training played a critical part in the success of the Green Bay Packers winning so many Super Bowl victories.

It is no longer enough to "just practice" your sport, to become the best you must include strength training for archery into your training schedule.