Aim For The Bull’s Eye
From the Indian mythological tales of the Ramayana where people went to war with bows and arrows to the Olympic sport using the same tools, the two highly sophisticated tools use mental and physical preparation.
Archery and India share a long history. A year after the outdoor sport was included in the Olympics in 1972, India created its Indian Archery Association.
Balance is key to a better aim and also aides in longer uptime.
The main parts of the body that you use are the shoulder, elbow, forearm, wrist, lower back and fingers.
The most common injury is in the region of the shoulder with an incidence rate of 47 percent according to studies.
A weak shoulder can lead to various problems including inability to hold the bow and the arrow.
The string shoulder pulls and rotates the shoulder outward while the bow shoulder pushes and resists inward collapse.
You may not see this happen with the naked eye, but the human body reacts as much as it acts. When an archer releases the arrow, the tense shoulder muscles have a sudden reaction, resulting from the loss in weight from the arrow. This tensing and release repetition over time causes injury to the shoulder.
The shoulder’s primary function is mobility and for an archer this function is replaced by stability. What’s worse is when you exert the shoulder.
Follow these steps for prevention of injury and longer play
- Start slow in the string pull with a progressive increase in the shooting.
- It is important to use a low weight bow or when necessary to reduce your bow weight.
- The weight of the bow and the pull action puts tremendous strain on the shoulder cuff muscles. These muscles are small and can easily tear or sustain injuries. Age also affects the strength of the muscle. Don’t ignore the pain.
BEST PRACTICES
- Avoid drawing a bow cold after sitting motionless for hours.
- Get to your practice ground early. Proper warm up, get the blood flowing and get your body in tune with the elements.
- Proper practice.
- A gradual build up instead of “cramming” just before opener.
- Start with comfortable poundage – forget what the scale reads.
- Never try to make up for lost ground. When fatigue takes over, hang it up for a day or two.
- Listen to your body.
