ARCHERY is the practice or skill of using a bow to

shoot arrows. The word comes from the Latin

arcus meaning ‘bow’ or ‘arch’.

Archery has been used for hunting and combat

and was invented in the late Palaeolithic or early
Mesolithic periods.
The bow and arrow is a ranged
weapon system consisting of an
elastic launching device (bow) and
long-shafted projectiles (arrows).
The oldest signs of archery’s use in Europe date
from around 10,000BC, while in Asia and the
Middle East evidence suggests archery originated
even earlier.

A person who participates in archery is typically

called an ARCHER. Someone who is fond of or an
expert at archery is called a TOXOPHILITE.
A person who shoots arrows with a bow is
called a bowman or an archer. Someone
who makes bows is known as a bowyer,
one who makes arrows is a fletcher, and
one who manufactures metal arrowheads
is an arrowsmith.
FASTEST ARCHER:

Lars Andersen (born 8 November

1964) is a Danish painter and
archer. Claiming to hold a world
record for speed, he is able to
shoot 10 arrows in 4.9 seconds,
or 3 arrows in 0.6 seconds.
Kim Soo Nyang - Best Female
Archer of All Time.
In 2011, Kim was declared the
Female Archer of the 20th Century
by the International Archery
Federation (FITA).
 The World's Greatest Archer"
Howard Hill was an expert bowman who for over two decades,
from the early 1930s into the 1950s, was often introduced or billed as.

He established the record for winning the most bow-and-arrow field

tournaments in succession, a total of 196 competitions.
In addition, Hill served as a supporting actor, trick-shot performer, and
technical adviser on archery for Hollywood shorts and feature films. He
also produced and directed documentaries and instructional films on
bowhunting, and in the 1950s published two books on the subject,
Hunting the Hard Way and Wild Adventure.
United States of America is the leading
nation in archery, and has been since 2008,
according to the World Archery Federation,
which ranks countries based on how
athletes finish in international competitions.
Players & Equipment
While clearly only one archer holds a bow at once, both
individual and team competitions are undertaken.
Archers must, of course, have a bow, which is described
by the World Archery Federation (WA) as “an instrument
consisting of a handle (grip), riser (no shoot-through
type) and two flexible limbs each ending in a tip with a
string nock.”
The bowstring may have any number of strands as long as it
fits the bow, and an adjustable arrow rest and a bow sight may
also be used. There is little restriction over the types of arrows
used, other than those that may cause undue damage to
targets, though the maximum diameter of the arrow shaft
should not exceed 9.3mm and the diameter of the tips should
not exceed 9.4mm. The athletes’ arrows should all be marked
with his or her name or initials on the shaft and all arrows used
by a competitor in a particular round (or “end”) should be
identical.
Finger protection (including tape or gloves) may be used, as are chest
protectors, arm guards and other such accessories that offer no explicit
advantage other than of a protective or comfort-enhancing nature.

The target itself varies in size –those used in Olympic archery events
measure 122cm in diameter – but all contain 10 concentric rings which
represent the different scoring sectors. The outermost two rings (called
one ring and two ring) are white, three and four are black, five and six are
blue, seven and eight are red and nine and ten – the innermost rings –
are gold. Ten ring also has an inner ring (known as “inner 10” or “X ring”)
which is sometimes used to decide ties.
Scoring
Scoring in archery is very simple: you just add up the number of points
based on where your arrows hit the target. The highest score for a
single arrow is 10 for hitting the inner gold ring, while the least (for
hitting the outer white ring) is one point. Arrows missing the target
altogether do not score at all.

In Olympic competition athletes must shoot 72 arrows in 12 phases,

with the overall cumulative score deciding their ranking. They then go
into a head to head knockout competition where they must simply
score more than their opponent. Tournaments vary in format and the
number of arrows competitors must shoot and the distance to the
target.
Winning the Game
As mentioned it would depend on the specifics of the tournament in
which the archer is competing, but in an archery competition the
winner is either the person who has the highest cumulative total score
after a set number of arrows, or the one who has successfully overcome
all opponents faced in a knockout scenario.
In the event of a tied score the archer with the highest number of 10s
(including inner 10s) is declared the victor. If that number is also equal
the one with the greater number of inner 10s is the winner.
Alternatively – or subsequently – a shoot-off can be used to separate
the competitors who have tied.
Rules of Archery
Archers must adhere to all official rules in terms of
the equipment they use in the performance of
their sport, with the main emphasis being on them
using no equipment or accessories that would give
an unfair advantage over an opponent.
The maximum time permitted to shoot an
end of three arrows is two minutes, and four
minutes for an end of six arrows.
Athletes may not raise the bow arm until the
signal to start is given and penalties can be
given – in the form of points forfeits – if the
bow is drawn after the official practice has
been closed.
An arrow cannot be re-shot under any
circumstances. The arrow may be considered
not to have been shot if it falls from the bow
or misfires, or if the target blows or falls over.
Extra time would be given in such
circumstances.
An arrow that rebounds or hangs from the
target will still score based on the mark it
makes on the target face. Arrows that stick –
Robin Hood-style – in the nock of another shall
score the same as the arrow in which they are
embedded.
Athletes can be disqualified, have points
deducted or be banned from competition for
various breaches of rules, based on the
severity of the offence.
If equipment is damaged, appeals can be made
to the judge for such equipment to be replaced
or fixed, and any time allowances will be at the
judge’s discretion.
How to Shoot a
Recurve Bow
Basic Archery Stance
Having a proper stance is important for stability,
posture, and aiming, and will enable you to draw and
release the bowstring without injuring yourself. Two
simple and popular archery stances that you can start
with are the Square Stance and the Open Stance.
Square Stance Open Stance
Nocking the Arrow
Holding the arrow in your right
hand, place it on the arrow rest on
the left side of your bow. Position
the arrow with the index fletching*
facing away from the bow. Push the Push the arrow's noc
arrow’s nock into the bowstring, in- into the bowstring
between the finger guides.
Do not wrap the index
Let the arrow rest on the bow
finger of your bow hand
by itself
around the arrow shaft
Hooking the Bowstring
The most common way to hook the bowstring is using
the Mediterranean Draw. Using three fingers, place the
index finger on the upper finger-guide and the other
two fingers on the lower finger-guide. It is best to hook
the string with the first joints of the fingers. Avoid
gripping the string with your fist or pinching the arrow.
Place the index finger on the It is best to hook the string
upper finger-guide and the with the first joints of the
other two fingers on the fingers
lower finger-guide
Holding the Bow
Grip the bow so that the handle rests on the large
padded surface between your palm and thumb.
The idea is to push the bow in place, rather than
gripping it tight in position.
A good indicator you
are holding the bow
correctly is if your
knuckles create a 45-
degree angle to the
center line of the
bow.
Elbow Rotation
Gripping the bow correctly is important for proper rotation
of the arm. Gripping too tightly will rotate your forearm in-
line with the bow string, which will hurt if you’re not
wearing an arm guard.
If your arm is properly
rotated, your elbow
will point away from
you and your forearm
will clear the string.
Shooting Form
Prepare your shot by bringing the left arm to shoulder-
height and hooking the bow string. When you pull the
arrow back, you want to pull with your right elbow
high and in-line with the arrow. Drawing the bow is
best done with the back muscles. Imagine squeezing
your shoulder blades together; using only your arms
will tire you out.
Pull with your right
elbow high and in-line
with the arrow
Releasing the Arrow
Releasing the arrow should be slow and smooth. Relax
your right hand and move it back slightly until the
bowstring slips out of your fingers. After releasing the
string.
Follow-through with your
shot by continuing to relax
your hand until it hangs by
your ear. The bow will
naturally tilt forward a bit
during the follow-through.
THANK YOU!