Archery: Olympics, Bows, and Targets

Archery is inexpensive, enjoyable recreation. You may have shot arrows at summer camp or seen compound bows in Cabelas. It is easy to get started. You can learn the basic technique within weeks. For example, the actor Geena Davis took up Archery at 41 and 2 years later, she made the semi-finals at the U.S.A Olympic trials. Most new participants increase their accuracy fast. And to compete, you will need to be accurate and consistent.

Watch the Summer Olympic Archery Events from Thursday, July 22, 2021. There are 5 events, mixed team, individual men and women and men's and women's team. South Korea is historically the dominant country. However, the United States has taken home the second most Gold medals.

How can Archery benefit your health?

You will find patience and focus improve. The primary benefit will be to improve your hand-eye coordination. Reviews of archery clubs also point out the people and socialization -- it is often a fun community.

What is a good bow to start archery with?

Start with a recurve bow. They are easy to use, at any age, and forgiving. Pay special attention to the ​shelf,​ the part of the bow an arrow will rest upon. Easier to have the arrow rest on the shelf, as my summer camp experience taught me.

Is Archery an expensive sport?

Archery is not an expensive sport. An inexpensive bow set ranges between $50 and $150. As you progress, an expensive bow ranges up to $400 as of 2021. To practice, there are a plethora of Archery clubs in the United States. For example, the City of Los Angeles built public Archery ranges ahead of the 1984 Summer Olympics and they are still frequented today.

Is Archery an NCAA college sport?

Archery is a club sport at colleges and universities. Check out USA Archery Collegiate page to find one or start a club near you. The 2021 Collegiate Target Nationals and World University Games – U.S. Team Trials will be on May 20 - 23 in Richmond, Virginia.

What are the 3 types of bows?

There are three common shapes today: straight, recurve and compound. However we consider one more, the crossbow in our article, the four types of archery bows.

• The recurve bow is named for its shape. Easy for beginners to start with, the recurve bow is also used in Olympic events.
• The compound bow involve an innovative system of cables, pulleys and eccentric cams that assist the archer in holding a heavy draw weight at full draw.
• The longbow are characterized by their simplicity: they consist of a long, slightly curved piece of wood the same height as the archer and do not have arrow rests or sights. Longbows are much more difficult than other modern bows.
• The crossbow has a short bow horizontally attached to the muzzle. The bows are drawn by way of a crank mechanism; the string is then attached to the trigger mechanism and locked in place until the archer fires.

How do Recurve Bows compare to Longbows? While both bows are fairly simple, consisting only of the bow and its string. Neither bow comes with the complicated system of pulleys and counterweights in a compound bow. The recurve bow is the only type of bow permitted in Olympic target archery.

How do Recurve Bows compare to Compound Bows? A compound bow uses a system of pulleys or cams, and the string that passes through the pulleys or cams on each end multiple times. This system allows the bow to build up considerable force as it is drawn. Recurve bows, on the other hand, rely more heavily on the archer's technique to ensure a clean shot.

What is the difference between a short bow and a longbow? A short bow length is smaller than 5 feet 5 inches, but typically 3 feet long. A longbow is traditionally about as long as the archer is tall. However, the big difference is ​draw length,​ the distance you can pull back the arrow back before releasing it. A long bow typically allows you to draw the arrow back to your cheek bone. A short bow, on the other hand, typically draws to somewhere between your elbow and dominant shoulder.

What is the wood used in archery bows?

While the first wooden archery bows were made from yew, numerous types of wood have been used through the years. Among these wood types are hickory, mulberry, walnut, ash, cherry and hickory along with exotic woods such as basswood, yucca, osage orange, lemonwood, blackwood and ironwood. Despite the long list of potential wood for an archery bow, ​maple​ is the most common core wood, especially for glass-faced and backed bows.