Stance and the feel of release
Ready when: Range commands at home (b1) done.
What you are learning
How an archer stands, tall and still, and how a good release feels: the back squeezes and the fingers simply let go. Learnt now without a bow, both are ready for the first lesson.
Words on this card Shooting line, Release, Back tension, Stance
- Shooting line
- The line archers stand on to shoot. Nobody goes in front of it while anyone is shooting.
- Release
- Letting the string go, by relaxing the fingers while the back keeps squeezing.
- Back tension
- Squeezing the shoulder blades together to hold and release the draw, instead of using the arms.
- Stance
- How the archer stands: one foot each side of the shooting line, side-on to the target.
Show it first for the one teaching
- Stand with one foot each side of the line, feet a shoulder-width apart, side-on to the far wall.
- Put a little weight on the front foot, stand tall and let the shoulders drop.
- Hook the fingertips of both hands together in front of your chest at shoulder height.
- Squeeze between your shoulder blades, then let the finger tension go until the hands part.
Your part while they practise
Show the stance: feet either side of the line, shoulder width apart, a little weight on the front foot, tall, shoulders down. For the release feel the child hooks their fingertips together across the chest at shoulder height, tightens between the shoulder blades and lets the finger tension go until the hands part.
Step by step
- Take the stance and hold it still for 10 seconds.
- Relax, step away, and take it again. 5 stances.
- Hook the fingertips together at shoulder height.
- Squeeze the shoulder blades and let the fingers part. 5 pulls.
How much: 5 stances of 10 seconds then 5 release-feel pulls 5 min a session 3 days a week
Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.
The game: Statues
Hold the stance still while the judge walks round looking for wobbles.
Who plays: the child holds, a grown-up judges; then swap.
How to play, turn by turn
- Turns
- The child takes the stance
- The judge says "Hold" and counts 10 seconds aloud
- While counting, the judge walks once round the child looking for wobbles
- 5 holds each, then swap
- Fair play
- A younger child holds for 5 seconds.
- Points
- 1 point for each 10-second hold with no wobble; 1 extra point if the shoulders stay down the whole time.
- Fouls
- No points for that hold
- A foot moves
- The body sways or wobbles
- The shoulders rise
- Winning
- More points after 5 holds each.
- 3 points for 1 star
- 6 points for 2 stars
- 9 points for 3 stars
Easier or harder
A wall behind the child to feel upright.
Hold for 20 seconds.
What you will see, and what to say
- the hands snap apart suddenly
Let the back do the work
Squeeze the shoulder blades; the fingers only relax. - the shoulders rise
Shoulders down
Let them drop away from the ears.
Self-check
10 seconds still in the stance, 3 times in a row.
Stop and get a coach when
Pain in the shoulder or back during the pull.
Fitness for this
Warm up first: how to warm up, at workonfitness.com. For strength and stretching, its exercise library shows each exercise step by step, with an easier version.
This card trains balance, back tension.
awiseathlete.com/sports/archery/archery-b3