THE NATIONAL ARCHERY ASSOCIATION
History of Archery
Archery is one of the oldest arts of ancient times, which is still practiced today. From its first development until the 1500s, the bow was man's constant companion and has been the most widely used of all weapons in recorded history. The bow allowed the prehistoric human to become the most efficient hunter on earth, providing him safety, food and raw materials such as bone, sinew and hide. From that time on, archery has played an important role in many of the world's civilizations.
Starting with the reign of William the Conqueror, the bow was England's principal weapon of national defense for several centuries. Around the year 1200, Genghis Khan and his Mongol hordes conquered much of the known world employing short, powerful bows. For Native Americans, archery was the means of subsistence and existence during the days of English and later American colonization. Finally, after the bow's replacement by firearms as a weapon of war, archery became a favored sport, thus securing its continuous practice throughout history.
According to Encyclopedia Britannica, archery's importance as a cultural advance ranks with the development of speed and the art of making fire. The use of the bow appears in folklore from over 3000 years ago, although its invention probably predates that era.
The development of archery followed a course of key innovations by many historical cultures. About 3500 BC., Egyptians were using bows as tall as themselves. Their arrowheads, originally constructed of flint, were later made of bronze. Almost 2000 years later, the Assyrians developed the shorter recurve bow, which provided more power and easier handling. One central Asian clan, the Parthians, became famous for their ability to shoot backwards from a galloping horse, making the Parthian shot a meaningful phrase in our language. At about 1200 BCE, the Hittites developed the skill of shooting from moving chariots, and around 500 AD, the Romans, formerly second-rate archers, began to draw the arrow to the face rather than the chest, giving the shot more accuracy.
There are many legendary stories and heroes, which find their roots in archery. Homer's hero, Odysseus, reclaimed his wife and household upon his final return through his ability with his bow. The ancient Olympic games, tradition holds, were founded by an archer named Hercules. The Games featured archery with tethered doves as the targets. Target archery is also seen in the legends of Robin Hood and William Tell, which show the respect that the English had for great archers. In Japan, the practice of Kyudo and Yabusame raised archery from mere discipline to an art form and a philosophy of life.
Crossbows and the later developed longbow were the primary defense against massed cavalry. In the battles of Crecy and Agincourt in France, in the 14th century, English longbows overcame frightful odds against mounted, fully armoured knights to win the advantage. These longbows had draw weights of from 60 to 120 pounds, and were often used at ranges up to 250 yards. From 1330 to 1414, English kings banned all other sports because they diverted time from archery and a royal decree of 1363 required all Englishmen to practice archery on Sundays and holidays. The advent of gunpowder lead to a decline in popularity for archery as a tool of war, but it never completely died away, particularly among peasant poachers in the King's woods.
The National Archery Association of the United States had its origin as a result of just such a turn in our own country's history. After the Civil War, Confederate soldiers were not allowed to own firearms. Two brothers - J. Maurice and William H. Thompson - learned to hunt with the bow and arrow and became accomplished archers in Florida. Maurice's seminal book, "The Witchery of Archery", along with his poetry, continues to charm people to archery to the current day. They were both founding members of the NAA in 1879 at Crawfordsville, Indiana.
Archery tournaments, as we know them today, can also be traced back to England. Competitions were held as part of community festivals as early as the 17th century. By about 1600, three kinds of shooting were practiced in England, and they still survive in some form. In butt shooting, the ancestor of Olympic target archery, bowmen aimed at targets mounted on earthen butts at ranges of 100 to 140 yards. In clout shooting, the target was a piece of canvas, about 18 inches across, with a wooden peg in its center. Arrows are shot high into the air to descend on the target, which lies on the ground rather than being upright. Roving, the predecessor of modern field archery, grew out of casual hunting with bow and arrow. Archers are presented with targets of various shapes and sizes, simulating small animals, and they shoot at unknown ranges over rough ground, not a prepared course.
Archery became an official event in the modern Olympic Games in 1900 and was also featured in 1904, 1908 and 1920. International rules had not yet been developed, though, and each host country used its own rules and format. Because of the resulting confusion, the sport was eliminated from the Olympic program until 1972.
The Federation Internationale de Tir a l'Arc ( FITA ), was founded in 1931 as the international governing body for the sport of archery. The organization implemented standardized, international rules for competition, which allowed the first World Championship to be held that same year.
In 1972, after enough countries had adopted FITA's rules, archery was re-admitted to the Olympic Games. Since that time, technology has greatly advanced the equipment, and some competitive formats have become obsolete, but the sport of archery has essentially remained the same.
Starting with the reign of William the Conqueror, the bow was England's principal weapon of national defense for several centuries. Around the year 1200, Genghis Khan and his Mongol hordes conquered much of the known world employing short, powerful bows. For Native Americans, archery was the means of subsistence and existence during the days of English and later American colonization. Finally, after the bow's replacement by firearms as a weapon of war, archery became a favored sport, thus securing its continuous practice throughout history.
According to Encyclopedia Britannica, archery's importance as a cultural advance ranks with the development of speed and the art of making fire. The use of the bow appears in folklore from over 3000 years ago, although its invention probably predates that era.
The development of archery followed a course of key innovations by many historical cultures. About 3500 BC., Egyptians were using bows as tall as themselves. Their arrowheads, originally constructed of flint, were later made of bronze. Almost 2000 years later, the Assyrians developed the shorter recurve bow, which provided more power and easier handling. One central Asian clan, the Parthians, became famous for their ability to shoot backwards from a galloping horse, making the Parthian shot a meaningful phrase in our language. At about 1200 BCE, the Hittites developed the skill of shooting from moving chariots, and around 500 AD, the Romans, formerly second-rate archers, began to draw the arrow to the face rather than the chest, giving the shot more accuracy.
There are many legendary stories and heroes, which find their roots in archery. Homer's hero, Odysseus, reclaimed his wife and household upon his final return through his ability with his bow. The ancient Olympic games, tradition holds, were founded by an archer named Hercules. The Games featured archery with tethered doves as the targets. Target archery is also seen in the legends of Robin Hood and William Tell, which show the respect that the English had for great archers. In Japan, the practice of Kyudo and Yabusame raised archery from mere discipline to an art form and a philosophy of life.
Crossbows and the later developed longbow were the primary defense against massed cavalry. In the battles of Crecy and Agincourt in France, in the 14th century, English longbows overcame frightful odds against mounted, fully armoured knights to win the advantage. These longbows had draw weights of from 60 to 120 pounds, and were often used at ranges up to 250 yards. From 1330 to 1414, English kings banned all other sports because they diverted time from archery and a royal decree of 1363 required all Englishmen to practice archery on Sundays and holidays. The advent of gunpowder lead to a decline in popularity for archery as a tool of war, but it never completely died away, particularly among peasant poachers in the King's woods.
The National Archery Association of the United States had its origin as a result of just such a turn in our own country's history. After the Civil War, Confederate soldiers were not allowed to own firearms. Two brothers - J. Maurice and William H. Thompson - learned to hunt with the bow and arrow and became accomplished archers in Florida. Maurice's seminal book, "The Witchery of Archery", along with his poetry, continues to charm people to archery to the current day. They were both founding members of the NAA in 1879 at Crawfordsville, Indiana.
Archery tournaments, as we know them today, can also be traced back to England. Competitions were held as part of community festivals as early as the 17th century. By about 1600, three kinds of shooting were practiced in England, and they still survive in some form. In butt shooting, the ancestor of Olympic target archery, bowmen aimed at targets mounted on earthen butts at ranges of 100 to 140 yards. In clout shooting, the target was a piece of canvas, about 18 inches across, with a wooden peg in its center. Arrows are shot high into the air to descend on the target, which lies on the ground rather than being upright. Roving, the predecessor of modern field archery, grew out of casual hunting with bow and arrow. Archers are presented with targets of various shapes and sizes, simulating small animals, and they shoot at unknown ranges over rough ground, not a prepared course.
Archery became an official event in the modern Olympic Games in 1900 and was also featured in 1904, 1908 and 1920. International rules had not yet been developed, though, and each host country used its own rules and format. Because of the resulting confusion, the sport was eliminated from the Olympic program until 1972.
The Federation Internationale de Tir a l'Arc ( FITA ), was founded in 1931 as the international governing body for the sport of archery. The organization implemented standardized, international rules for competition, which allowed the first World Championship to be held that same year.
In 1972, after enough countries had adopted FITA's rules, archery was re-admitted to the Olympic Games. Since that time, technology has greatly advanced the equipment, and some competitive formats have become obsolete, but the sport of archery has essentially remained the same.
The Basics
Archery is a sport in which the participant uses a bow to shoot arrows at a target, which has ten concentric circles. The score of each arrow depends upon where it lands on the target. The highest score, a ten, is achieved by shooting an arrow into the center, or bullseye. Scores go down from nine for the next circle out to one for the outermost circle. Missing the target results in a score of zero for that arrow. For indoor compound archery, a ten is scored only when the arrow lands inside the inner ten ring.
After each end of arrows is shot, the arrows are scored. The number of hits (non-zero scores), tens and Xs (hits within the inner ten ring) are also recorded for the purpose of breaking ties in the final scores.
Outdoor
Most major outdoor target archery competitions in the U.S. follow the same format of a FITA Round followed by an Olympic Round.The FITA Round consists of 36 arrows shot at each of four distances (90, 70, 50 and 30 meters for men; 70, 60, 50, 30 meters for women) for a total of 144 arrows. Scores are then totaled to determine seedings into the Olympic Round. Arrows are generally shot in groups (called ends) of six within a specified time period.
The Olympic Round is a direct elimination, head-to-head style of competition, all at 70 meters. It is so named because it is the championships round used in the Olympic Games. The winner of each match advances until a gold medalist is determined. All matches are 18 arrows, except the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals, which are 12-arrow matches.The U.S. Target Championships utilize a double FITA followed by an Olympic Round. FITA scores are totaled to determine seeding into the Olympic Round. The targets used at outdoor events have 122 cm diameter faces.
Indoor
Indoor tournaments are held for the Olympic (recurve) and Compound Divisions. Olympic Division events are generally held at either 25 meters or 18 meters.In a 25-Meter Indoor Round called a “FITA II”, archers shoot 60 arrows at a 60 cm diameter target face. In the 18-Meter Indoor Round called at “FITA I”, archers shoot 60 arrows at a 40 cm diameter target face.Championship events employ a Grand Indoor Round, which starts off with FITA I, followed by a direct elimination competition for the top 32 archers. These direct elimination matches are 12-arrow matches shot at a 40 cm diameter target face.For the compound division, an inner 10 ring (X ring) is used on the 40 cm diameter target face.Round robin events, in which every archer shoots in direct competition with every other archer, are used to select teams for special international events, like the Olympics. The arrow scores combine with a match-winning bonus to make for high drama, as well as placing a premium on stamina, and are considered to be the best way of selecting the top archers entered.
After each end of arrows is shot, the arrows are scored. The number of hits (non-zero scores), tens and Xs (hits within the inner ten ring) are also recorded for the purpose of breaking ties in the final scores.
Outdoor
Most major outdoor target archery competitions in the U.S. follow the same format of a FITA Round followed by an Olympic Round.The FITA Round consists of 36 arrows shot at each of four distances (90, 70, 50 and 30 meters for men; 70, 60, 50, 30 meters for women) for a total of 144 arrows. Scores are then totaled to determine seedings into the Olympic Round. Arrows are generally shot in groups (called ends) of six within a specified time period.
The Olympic Round is a direct elimination, head-to-head style of competition, all at 70 meters. It is so named because it is the championships round used in the Olympic Games. The winner of each match advances until a gold medalist is determined. All matches are 18 arrows, except the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals, which are 12-arrow matches.The U.S. Target Championships utilize a double FITA followed by an Olympic Round. FITA scores are totaled to determine seeding into the Olympic Round. The targets used at outdoor events have 122 cm diameter faces.
Indoor
Indoor tournaments are held for the Olympic (recurve) and Compound Divisions. Olympic Division events are generally held at either 25 meters or 18 meters.In a 25-Meter Indoor Round called a “FITA II”, archers shoot 60 arrows at a 60 cm diameter target face. In the 18-Meter Indoor Round called at “FITA I”, archers shoot 60 arrows at a 40 cm diameter target face.Championship events employ a Grand Indoor Round, which starts off with FITA I, followed by a direct elimination competition for the top 32 archers. These direct elimination matches are 12-arrow matches shot at a 40 cm diameter target face.For the compound division, an inner 10 ring (X ring) is used on the 40 cm diameter target face.Round robin events, in which every archer shoots in direct competition with every other archer, are used to select teams for special international events, like the Olympics. The arrow scores combine with a match-winning bonus to make for high drama, as well as placing a premium on stamina, and are considered to be the best way of selecting the top archers entered.
Archery Disciplines
TARGET: The most commonly practiced form of archery, target tournaments are held both indoors and outdoors. The archers shoot from a line, which runs parallel to and is a designated distance from the target faces. Targets are comprised of multi-colored concentric circles which each have point values. A shot in the innermost circle scores the highest point value (usually 10), while a shot in the outermost circle scores the fewest (usually one). No points are awarded for a shot that misses the target. Target divisions include the recurve (Olympic) bow, compound bow and barebow. Events at the Olympic Games are in the outdoor target discipline, using the recurve (Olympic) bow only, and are shot at a single common distance, 70 meters (230 feet).
FIELD: A challenging outdoor discipline in which the archer takes on the terrain along with the target, field archery has widespread participation. A course is set up with 24 targets, which are marked with the distance to the shooting line. The distances to another 24 targets remain unmarked. Three arrows are shot on each target for a total of 144. The targets are placed with such difficulty that the shots do not resemble target archery. Many of the shots are made uphill or downhill and require consideration for obstacles. Field events are held for the recurve (Olympic) bow, compound bow and barebow divisions.
FLIGHT: Shooting for distance is the objective of Flight archery. Two types of arrows, regular flight and broadhead flight (arrows with cutting heads, suitable for hunting), are used and can be combined with many types of bows: standard recurve and compound bows, crossbows, flight bows that have an extended handle and a large overdraw, "primitive" bows and the "footbow". Records are kept for each combination of bow, arrow and shooter class sanctioned by the NAA's Flight Committee. In a flight tournament, each archer shoots four ends of six arrows. Each end may be in a different class. A different bow can be used for each class or the archer may shoot the same bow for all four classes. Note that the world's record for the footbow is over a mile!
CLOUT: A rarely practiced discipline, most archers take part in clout archery only for fun. Basically, it is a test of trajectory skill, the same talent used in the lighting of the flame at the 1992 Summer Olympic Opening Ceremonies. In clout archery, the target (15 meters in diameter) consists of five concentric circular scoring zones on the ground, which are outlined on the ground. The innermost circle is worth five points, and scores decrease to one point in the outermost circle. Each senior recurve archer shoots 36 arrows at the target at a range of 165 meters (540 ft) for men, 125 meters (409 ft) for women; male compound shooters shoot 185 meters (606 ft), and female 165 meters (540 ft). Youth rounds are identical, except the distance is 125 meters (409 ft).
CROSSBOW: Crossbow events are held in target (indoor and outdoor) and clout. Outdoor target events are shot at a 60-cm, 10-ring multi-colored target face. Indoor rounds are shot at a 40-cm, 10-ring target face. In the clout round, six ends of six arrows are shot from 165 meters at a 48-ft diameter target on the ground.
SKI-ARCHERY (aka Ski-Arc): A relatively new discipline,Ski-Archery combines archery with cross country skiing. It is performed much like the Olympic Biathlon, which features rifle shooting instead of archery. Bows are carried in a special backpack by the archers while they are skiing. The course is 12 kilometers long for the men and eight for the women. One end of four arrows is shot every four kilometers, and, in one of those ends, the archer shoots from a kneeling position.Targets are 16 centimeters in diameter and are positioned 18 meters from the shooter. Each shot is either a hit or a miss. For every target missed, the archer must ski a 350 meter penalty circuit before leaving the target site. The first athlete to complete the course is the winner.
ARCATHLON: A summer arcathlon event is a combination of target archery shooting and running, a challenging experience. The athlete is required to run a course and stop at prescribed points to shoot at fixed targets. The typical course is between 5 and 12 km. Athletes make three shooting stops, shooting four arrows at each. The typical event consists of a one-mile run followed by four arrows shot from a standing position, then another one-mile run followed by four arrows shot from the kneeling position, then another one-mile run followed by four arrows shot from the standing position.Bows are normally stored at the shooting range, but competitors have the option of carrying them. Targets are 16 centimeters in diameter and are positioned 18 meters from the shooter.
3-D ARCHERY: Targets in 3-D events are lifesize replicas of a variety of wildlife. These events combine the skills of determining distance to the target, determining what part of the target to hit and the actual shot. The majority of these events are outdoor, but several indoor tournaments exist. Most archers who compete in these events use a compound bow. Archers competing in the typical 3-D tournament walk a course and shoot 40 arrows at 40 different targets. The tournament is usually held over either one or two days.
FIELD: A challenging outdoor discipline in which the archer takes on the terrain along with the target, field archery has widespread participation. A course is set up with 24 targets, which are marked with the distance to the shooting line. The distances to another 24 targets remain unmarked. Three arrows are shot on each target for a total of 144. The targets are placed with such difficulty that the shots do not resemble target archery. Many of the shots are made uphill or downhill and require consideration for obstacles. Field events are held for the recurve (Olympic) bow, compound bow and barebow divisions.
FLIGHT: Shooting for distance is the objective of Flight archery. Two types of arrows, regular flight and broadhead flight (arrows with cutting heads, suitable for hunting), are used and can be combined with many types of bows: standard recurve and compound bows, crossbows, flight bows that have an extended handle and a large overdraw, "primitive" bows and the "footbow". Records are kept for each combination of bow, arrow and shooter class sanctioned by the NAA's Flight Committee. In a flight tournament, each archer shoots four ends of six arrows. Each end may be in a different class. A different bow can be used for each class or the archer may shoot the same bow for all four classes. Note that the world's record for the footbow is over a mile!
CLOUT: A rarely practiced discipline, most archers take part in clout archery only for fun. Basically, it is a test of trajectory skill, the same talent used in the lighting of the flame at the 1992 Summer Olympic Opening Ceremonies. In clout archery, the target (15 meters in diameter) consists of five concentric circular scoring zones on the ground, which are outlined on the ground. The innermost circle is worth five points, and scores decrease to one point in the outermost circle. Each senior recurve archer shoots 36 arrows at the target at a range of 165 meters (540 ft) for men, 125 meters (409 ft) for women; male compound shooters shoot 185 meters (606 ft), and female 165 meters (540 ft). Youth rounds are identical, except the distance is 125 meters (409 ft).
CROSSBOW: Crossbow events are held in target (indoor and outdoor) and clout. Outdoor target events are shot at a 60-cm, 10-ring multi-colored target face. Indoor rounds are shot at a 40-cm, 10-ring target face. In the clout round, six ends of six arrows are shot from 165 meters at a 48-ft diameter target on the ground.
SKI-ARCHERY (aka Ski-Arc): A relatively new discipline,Ski-Archery combines archery with cross country skiing. It is performed much like the Olympic Biathlon, which features rifle shooting instead of archery. Bows are carried in a special backpack by the archers while they are skiing. The course is 12 kilometers long for the men and eight for the women. One end of four arrows is shot every four kilometers, and, in one of those ends, the archer shoots from a kneeling position.Targets are 16 centimeters in diameter and are positioned 18 meters from the shooter. Each shot is either a hit or a miss. For every target missed, the archer must ski a 350 meter penalty circuit before leaving the target site. The first athlete to complete the course is the winner.
ARCATHLON: A summer arcathlon event is a combination of target archery shooting and running, a challenging experience. The athlete is required to run a course and stop at prescribed points to shoot at fixed targets. The typical course is between 5 and 12 km. Athletes make three shooting stops, shooting four arrows at each. The typical event consists of a one-mile run followed by four arrows shot from a standing position, then another one-mile run followed by four arrows shot from the kneeling position, then another one-mile run followed by four arrows shot from the standing position.Bows are normally stored at the shooting range, but competitors have the option of carrying them. Targets are 16 centimeters in diameter and are positioned 18 meters from the shooter.
3-D ARCHERY: Targets in 3-D events are lifesize replicas of a variety of wildlife. These events combine the skills of determining distance to the target, determining what part of the target to hit and the actual shot. The majority of these events are outdoor, but several indoor tournaments exist. Most archers who compete in these events use a compound bow. Archers competing in the typical 3-D tournament walk a course and shoot 40 arrows at 40 different targets. The tournament is usually held over either one or two days.
Common Bows
Recurve or Olympic: The only type of bow allowed in Olympic competition, as yet. Its limbs curve away from the archer. This is the direct descendant of the bows of antiquity, differing only in the materials used and refinements. The force required to pull a recurve bow increases directly with the distance pulled.
Compound: This bow uses cams and cables to make the holding weight less than half of the draw weight. These bows are favored by bowhunters because of their greater accuracy, flatter arrow trajectory and their ease of use.Beginners are often referred to the recurve bow to start with, because it has a variable draw length, better string angle for drawing with the fingers and because it is a better tool for learning proper form and technique. Mastery of the recurve bow results in better muscle tone and overall archery habits; once that is accomplished the compound bow represents a leap forward in ease of use and force. Also, a compound bow is built for a particular draw length, which may not be easily changed. Growing bodies will grow out of compound bows swiftly in the teen years.
Barebow: This is a recurve bow without a mechanical sight or stabilizers. There are two types in use: the primitive, or traditional, longbow, made of wood with no arrow rest or other accoutrements, and the modern longbow, which may use other materials and have a simple arrow rest. These are used in traditional archery events, as well as target, 3-D and other disciplines..Crossbow: A short bow mounted horizontally at the end of a stock that is similar to a rifle stock. The bow must be cocked before use, an arrow (or quarrel) inserted and the string released with a finger trigger, just as with a rifle.
Compound: This bow uses cams and cables to make the holding weight less than half of the draw weight. These bows are favored by bowhunters because of their greater accuracy, flatter arrow trajectory and their ease of use.Beginners are often referred to the recurve bow to start with, because it has a variable draw length, better string angle for drawing with the fingers and because it is a better tool for learning proper form and technique. Mastery of the recurve bow results in better muscle tone and overall archery habits; once that is accomplished the compound bow represents a leap forward in ease of use and force. Also, a compound bow is built for a particular draw length, which may not be easily changed. Growing bodies will grow out of compound bows swiftly in the teen years.
Barebow: This is a recurve bow without a mechanical sight or stabilizers. There are two types in use: the primitive, or traditional, longbow, made of wood with no arrow rest or other accoutrements, and the modern longbow, which may use other materials and have a simple arrow rest. These are used in traditional archery events, as well as target, 3-D and other disciplines..Crossbow: A short bow mounted horizontally at the end of a stock that is similar to a rifle stock. The bow must be cocked before use, an arrow (or quarrel) inserted and the string released with a finger trigger, just as with a rifle.
The Recurve BowBow handles (risers) are made of aluminum alloys and are machined for a combination of strength and lightness. Some bow handles are made of a magnesium and aluminum mixture which is heated to liquid form and poured into a mold. Once cooled, it is cleaned, final machined and painted. Some lower cost, childrens bows have wood risers, as do some rather expensive, hand made bows.Bow limbs are generally constructed of man-made materials, such as fiberglass, carbon and syntatic foam. The limbs store the energy of the draw and release it to the arrow. The string and the limbs are commonly removed from the riser when the bow is not in use, allowing for easy storage of the "knocked-down" bow.Bows have stabilizers to reduce torque (twisting) in the arrows upon release. They also have sights to aid in aiming and rests to help align the shot.Most bow strings are made of either "Fast Flight", a hydrocarbon product that also has medical and other uses, or "Kevlar", the material used to make bullet-proof vests. The important point to be made about the string is that it must not stretch under normal environmental conditions, as that would change the bows pull weight and make consistency impossible. A layer of string material called the serving is placed where the arrow is nocked to snugly match the notch on the arrow, and a small ring is permanently placed on the serving to mark where the arrow rests when nocked. A small button, called the kisser button, is often used to assure that the back end of the arrow is always pulled back to the proper, repeatable anchor point. When properly drawn, the kisser button rests right between the lips.An arrow is pulled back to the anchor point using the middle three fingers of the draw hand. These fingers are often covered with a glove or a leather "tab" which protects the fingers. A tab may have a metal shelf built in so that the two fingers on either side of the arrow do not squeeze it.
On recurve bows a clicker is a small, spring-loaded lever that is held out away from its resting point by the arrow. When the arrow is drawn back to exactly the same point each time, the clicker slips past the tip of the arrow, producing an audible "click", which tells the archer he has the arrow at the same, repeatable release point. This causes very close to the same amount of tension to be used on every shot, so the arrow flight is the same.A sight allows the archer, when the arrow is properly drawn, to line the bow up with the center of the target by eye. The sight generally has adjustments in up-down and left-right dimensions with caliper-style read outs so that ageing equipment, weather, temperature and distance to the target may be accommodated. Olympic archery allows for sights which do not have lenses or electronics associated with them.Arm guards and chest protectors protect the skin from string burn, as well as provide a low-resistance surface that the string may skim over easily upon release. A pair of binoculars or a sighting scope allows the archer to see the arrows in the target, and thereby make corrections to the sight as required. A quiver to hold arrows and other periphernalia completes the archer's accessories. The NAA, in accordance with FITA rules, has established a dress code that is used at all NAA tournaments; this accounts for the "whites" look of the competitors.
Compound bow
The Compound bow, unlike the recurve bow, is never knocked-down between uses. The great tension preset into the lambs can only safely be countered when the bow is couched in piece of equipment called a bow press. The cams are synchronized when this is done, and are held in place by the tension. Compound bow cases must be able to accommodate the entire bow.Because the Compound bow's forte is accuracy, equipment which increases the accuracy is deemed fair for compound use while it is not for Olympic archery. The site may include electronics and/or lenses to increase accuracy, and a release, rather than fingers, may be used. A release is a mechanical "finger" that grips the string and releases it when the trigger is pressed by the draw hand.
The Compound bow, unlike the recurve bow, is never knocked-down between uses. The great tension preset into the lambs can only safely be countered when the bow is couched in piece of equipment called a bow press. The cams are synchronized when this is done, and are held in place by the tension. Compound bow cases must be able to accommodate the entire bow.Because the Compound bow's forte is accuracy, equipment which increases the accuracy is deemed fair for compound use while it is not for Olympic archery. The site may include electronics and/or lenses to increase accuracy, and a release, rather than fingers, may be used. A release is a mechanical "finger" that grips the string and releases it when the trigger is pressed by the draw hand.
Arrows in the recurve (Olympic) bow events can travel in excess of 150 miles per hour, while compound arrows can fly in excess of 225 miles per hour. The shafts are made of either aluminum or aluminum with carbon fibers. Aluminum arrows are more uniform in weight and shape, while carbon arrows fly faster and provide less cross-wind resistance, and are therefore more useful in long distance outdoor archery.The business end of the arrow is weighted and tipped with a target point, designed to penetrate but a short distance in the target butt. Hunting arrows, of course, use a different, extremely sharp cutting point called a field point. All NAA sanctioned events use only target points, except for certain Flight archery events.Arrows come in varying widths. Carbon arrows, designed to minimize cross-wind interference at long shooting distances, have small widths, minimizing the wind's grip during flight. Larger widths are used for short distances and indoors. Since the arrow need only just touch a line in order to score the higher point, wide arrows theoretically provide slightly better scoring advantage. FITA has ruled in the past that arrows may not exceed 11mm (.433 in) in width, and that has been lowered to 9.3mm (.366 in) after April 1, 2000.The other end from the tip features a nocking point, a plastic cap glued or otherwise attached to the end of the arrow. Its two fingers grip the string until it is flung loose, and it provides a protection for the arrow shaft by deflecting hits from later incoming arrows. This generally destoys the nock, but leaves the arrow reusable. Sometimes, of course, the aim is too perfect to deflect; the resulting "Robin-Hood" is both spectacular and expensive, as both arrows are usually destroyed.On the shaft itself fletchings are glued to stabilize the arrow's flight. Sometimes they are glued in such a way as to cause the shaft to spin around its long dimension, further stabilizing its flight at a cost to its flat trajectory. The fletchings are generally three in number, one of which (the index feather) has a different color than the other two. The nock is installed gripping the string perpendicular to the index fletch, so that it's friends both brush the riser equally in passing, minimally disturbing the arrow's flight.Fletchings may be plastic "feathers" or solid vanes, in a variety of shapes, lengths and, of course, colors. Markings, called crests, may be drawn on the arrows at the owner's discretion. All the arrows used in a tournament end must have identical shaft color, fletcing and crests. In addition, FITA requires that all arrows be marked with the owner's initials so that they can be unequivically identified while embedded in the target.
Arrow
Archery's Costs
Beginners' Level: Equipment can be rented for approximately $3. Used beginners' equipment (bow, arrows), can be bought for less than $100. Beginners' equipment (new) can be bought for about $100. Basically, archery is like golf when it comes to equipment - if you want to go out and buy top of-the-line equipment at the start, you can spend up to $1,500 or more.
Competitive Level: Equipment (bow, arrow, sights & other accessories) can range from $800 to $1,500., or more.Coaching Costs: The cost of coaching varies upon the circumstances. Many coaches work on a volunteer basis. For youth under the age of 18, the NAA supports JOAD programs where they may have good basic coaching and intra-club, even national, tournaments for nominal fees.
Range Fees: Let's not forget the commercial enterprises that support the sport on a local level. Range fees for indoor ranges vary from $5 per day to as much as $7 per hour, depending on local costs. Outdoor (and some indoor) ranges are run by clubs or local government agencies, like park and recreation districts. All generally have a nominal, annual fee for the use of the facilities.
Beginners' Level: Equipment can be rented for approximately $3. Used beginners' equipment (bow, arrows), can be bought for less than $100. Beginners' equipment (new) can be bought for about $100. Basically, archery is like golf when it comes to equipment - if you want to go out and buy top of-the-line equipment at the start, you can spend up to $1,500 or more.
Competitive Level: Equipment (bow, arrow, sights & other accessories) can range from $800 to $1,500., or more.Coaching Costs: The cost of coaching varies upon the circumstances. Many coaches work on a volunteer basis. For youth under the age of 18, the NAA supports JOAD programs where they may have good basic coaching and intra-club, even national, tournaments for nominal fees.
Range Fees: Let's not forget the commercial enterprises that support the sport on a local level. Range fees for indoor ranges vary from $5 per day to as much as $7 per hour, depending on local costs. Outdoor (and some indoor) ranges are run by clubs or local government agencies, like park and recreation districts. All generally have a nominal, annual fee for the use of the facilities.
Glossary
Armguard: Protects the bow arm from abrasion by the string when the arrow is released.Clicker: A spring loaded finger that sounds an audible cue to the archer that the arrow has been drawn to a repeatable distance.Elimination Round: A match tournament which pairs archers in a sudden-death format, used for teams and individuals; also known as the FITA Olympic Round (FOR).End: A group of arrows, usually three or six, which are shot before going to the target to score and retrieve them.Finger Tab: A flat piece of leather that is worn to protect the string fingers when the arrow is released.Fletching: Feathers attached to an arrow which help stabilize the arrow during flight.FITA: Federation Internationale de Tir a'lArc, archery's international governing body. FITA's archery rules govern all NAA archery events.FITA Round: A round of 144 total arrows shot at a target from four different distances, the most common round in target archery competition.Group: (n) The pattern of arrows on the target. (v) To shoot three arrows on the target.Inner Ring: A ring printed on standard FITA targets inside the ten ring. It is used only for indoor compound scoring.Limb: Part of the bow from the riser (handle) to the tip.Marking arrows: marking each hole in a target so that arrows that pass through the target or fall out can be scored by their unmarked holes.Olympic Round: The round used in Olympic championships, in which the top 64 archers in each class face a single elimination tournament.Nock: (n) The attachment on the rear end of an arrow which holds it in place on the bow string. (v) To place the arrow on the string.Qualifier Round: A round in which each archer shoots identically with all others, and the best scores rank the winners. Often used to reduce a field before an elimination round. Also known as a standard FITA or double FITA round.Quiver: A case for holding arrows. Usually, a long leather container usually worn on a belt at the waist.Release Aid: Mechanical device used to release the arrow, used by most compound shooters.Riser: The handle of the bow. The side facing the target is called the back. The side near the string (closest to the archer) is called the belly.Sight: A mechanical device placed on the bow with which the archer can aim directly at the target.Round Robin match: a match in which each archer shoots against each other archer. Bonus points, in addition to the scores are usually awarded for winning each match.Stabilzer: A weight mounted on a bow, usually extending some distance from the handle, used to minimize undesirable torques of the bow string upon release.Robin Hood: An acccomplishment named after the legendary character and the feat he performed in the famous archery contest of legend. It occurs when an archer drives the tip of the shaft of one arrow deep into the end of another arrow already in the target. Archers display their Robin Hoods as golfers display their hole-in-one balls. The arrows stuck end-to-end can be found hung with pride above mantles, next to hunting trophies or in offices alongside letters and diplomas.Round Robin: a round in which each archer shoots a match with every other archer in his/her class. It is used to select teams for some international events.
The Metric System in ArcherySince FITA is an international organization with a French name, started in France by Europeans it is not unusual that it should have chosen to use metric measurements rather than English ones. However, the English system, and the influence of British Archery tradition, have not gone unfelt. The traditional indoor shooting distance was 20 yards; the metric equivalent of 18 meters is only about a foot shorter, a trivial, though duly marked, difference. The target sizes of 40, 60, 80, and 122 centimeters closely match English equivalents of 16, 24, 32 and 48 inches.
The Metric System in ArcherySince FITA is an international organization with a French name, started in France by Europeans it is not unusual that it should have chosen to use metric measurements rather than English ones. However, the English system, and the influence of British Archery tradition, have not gone unfelt. The traditional indoor shooting distance was 20 yards; the metric equivalent of 18 meters is only about a foot shorter, a trivial, though duly marked, difference. The target sizes of 40, 60, 80, and 122 centimeters closely match English equivalents of 16, 24, 32 and 48 inches.
In the end, archery is a mental game of skill and coordination. The ultimate aim is consistency; the ability to do exactly the same thing over and over again. The skill must be learned into habit through practice, while providing the ability to recognize and selectively correct out or incorporate changes into the archery routine.
