Archery is an easy sport to get into, but can be a difficult sport to master. The most important thing you must do to improve your archery skills is practice. Archery ranges, either indoor or outdoor, can be found all over Texas. If you want to get some practice in, or take archery lessons in Austin, there is a multitude of places to choose from. Everyone needs to keep up with practice to make sure their skills stay sharp, and people of any skill level can benefit from a lesson from a professional instructor. Here are a few beginner tips to improve your archery skills that you should keep in mind when you are practicing by yourself.
Stance
A good solid stance is the first thing an archer needs to develop. The stance you take is the foundation for the rest of your form. The basic stance used by most archers is the T stance. What you want to do is stand perpendicular to the target, have your feet shoulder-width apart, and your bow arm pointed toward the target. Now extend your bow hand toward the target, turn your head toward the target, and draw to your anchor point with your draw hand.
Draw
Making your draw a bit relaxed, and keeping it consistent is another key to good form. What you do not want to do is grip the bow too tightly. If your grip on the bow is too tight, it will cause torque on the bow. This will make the bow twist a tiny bit when you release, and kick the back of the arrow out causing problems with accuracy. Looser grip is always preferred. Some archers barely even grip the bow at all, they just let the bow tip forward slightly after they release.
Also, when you draw, it is important to do it consistently the same way. The best way to do this is to have a particular anchor point that you draw to. The most common one is the corner of your mouth. If you draw the bow so that your first finger always comes to the corner of your mouth, then you can get more consistent results. Then, you can work on sighting.
Follow-Through
Follow-through is another important part of your form. You should practice keeping your bow arm extended after you release the arrow. Bringing your bow down too soon is another way to introduce inconsistencies. Keep your form together, and try to stay as still as possible until you hear the arrow stick into the target.
