Traditional archery

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The terms traditional archery and intuitive archery (since the archer's body awareness and experience alone bring the arrow to the target - purely intuitively without aiming technique - often incorrectly referred to as instinctive archery) are often used synonymously and denote archery without bow sights or other additional technical equipment on the bow . The term "traditional archery" refers to the construction and material selection of bows and arrows and the archer's equipment , which are often based on historical models. Aiming aids such as string walking or face walking are also used. In contrast, the term "intuitive archery" refers to the intuitive shooting technique without the use of technical target systems or aids. Shooting techniques such as string walking or face walking are not allowed in archery tournaments . Intuitive archery is possible with all types of bow.

While the more well-known sports archery is relatively tightly regulated and standardized according to the rules of the FITA or World Archery Federation (WA) , as it is practiced at the Olympic Games , there is a large variety of different types of bows, arrows and arrows in traditional archery Tendons and exercise variants. This form of archery has become increasingly popular in recent years.

Drain technology

The shooting technique of traditional archery is somewhat different from that of Olympic archery: the string is pulled exclusively with the fingers of the drawing hand, without the use of technical aids. Different grip styles are used for this.

The Mediterranean handle

Mediterranean handle

The arrow is placed on the string, the index finger is over, the middle and ring finger under the arrow. The tendon lies in the anterior grooves of the fingers. The arrow is only held loosely in the tendon by the middle and index fingers. This has the advantage that you don't lose the arrow when pulling it out (relevant with thin tendons or self nocks ) and that you have enough strength with the three fingers to pull the string.

The lower anchor

Lower anchor, "Apache Draw"

Also underhand . In this method, the index, middle and ring fingers are under the arrow. Here, too, the tendon lies in the anterior grooves of the fingers. A feature of this technique is that the arrow is much closer to the eye than with the Mediterranean anchor. This technique is used by system and FITA shooters because they aim at the target with the arrow. When string walking the tendon is tapped to varying degrees depending on the distance to the target under the nock point, which at a unchanging position of the bow hand and the grip for different shooting angle makes the arrow.

The Mongolian handle

With this technique, which is mostly used for composite arches, the tendon below the nocking point is gripped from the inside with the thumb and remains in the anterior thumb groove when it is pulled out. Anchoring is done with the second phalanx below the ear, which is a much longer extension than the chin anchor. With this shooting technique, a thumb ring is worn instead of a tab or shooting glove.

Styles

Intuitive shooting

There is no conscious aiming with assistance (e.g. the arrowhead). The arrow and the bow are aimed at the target only through empirical values ​​(intuition), which have been saved through training in the subconscious. The focus of the shooter is on the smallest possible point in the target that you want to hit. This type of shooting is often compared to throwing a stone, in which one does not really aim, but determines the direction of the stone according to one's own intuition.

advantages

  • Ability to hit moving targets
  • Faster firing sequence
  • The distance to the target does not have to be known
  • Shooting in the twilight is possible
  • Cross dominance (e.g. right-handers with eye dominance of the left eye) has no effect on the shooter

disadvantage

  • Quick successes are not possible, long training is required

Note: The term "instinctive" is often wrongly used, although it has nothing to do with instinct but with intuition.

System shooting

In system shooting, the bow and arrow are used as aiming aids. Depending on the distance, you can vary the position of the arrow by changing it with the pulling hand, whereby the distance to the target must be known or well estimated. Aiming is usually done with the arrowhead, which points exactly to the target.

advantages

  • Quick to learn, good results very soon
  • A reproducible shot pattern is easily possible

disadvantage

  • The distance to the target must be known
  • Twilight shooting is not possible due to the poor lighting conditions
  • Moving targets can hardly be hit
  • Shooters with a cross-dominant eye must e.g. B. use a left-hand bow as a right-hander

equipment

The arc

Selfbow

Under Selfbows sheets are understood, which are built from wood. They have no arrow rest and no cut-out bow window and belong to the class of the primitive bow . The arrow is on the back of the hand or index finger.

Sheets that can meet such criteria include: a .:

"Other natural arch"

There are also bows made from various natural materials:

  • Wooden arch with a backing (covering on the arch back)
  • Horn composite bow (horn, wood, string)
  • Japanese Kyūdō - Yumi (bamboo, wood)

these bows also have neither an arrow rest nor a bow window.

Modern longbow

Modern longbows are about the size of the archer in length, but usually a little shorter. They have limbs that are long, straight or with a slight forward bend (recurve) and a handle with an arrow rest.

The style is more like that of a flat bow than an English longbow, as the limbs are kept flat and not - as with the English longbow - in a continuation of the grip shape similar to a "D". These can also be built in a slightly long curved recurve shape in order to soften the hand shock.

Hunting recurve

The modern hunting recurve is a significantly shorter bow with an ergonomically shaped handle, an arched window with a shelf above the handle and dynamic recurves. The recurve parts of the bow are the far forward bent ends of the limbs and offer the shooter a significant increase in throwing power and a gentle shot by optimizing the limb physics.

Take-down recurve

Take-down recurves have removable limbs and thus a smaller pack size. The draw weight of the bow can be changed by using other limbs. They often have a heavier grip than one-piece recurves, which can help stabilize the shot.

One-piece recurve

In terms of shape, they are built like take-down recurves, only the limbs cannot be removed.

Arrows

Wooden arrows

Wooden arrows are most commonly used in traditional archery. Differences are made in different types of wood (mostly spruce, pine or cedar). Disadvantages are the relative susceptibility to breakage of the wooden stocks and the slightly different material properties due to the natural substance, which affect the shot pattern. The advantage is the lower price compared to shafts made from modern materials. Wooden arrows are mostly feathered with natural feathers.

Carbon and aluminum arrows

These modern materials are also gaining ground in traditional archery. Even if they are significantly more expensive compared to wooden stocks, they have great advantages in terms of durability, material properties and predictability. For traditional shooters, however, these modern materials play a subordinate role.

Bamboo arrows

Bamboo arrows are the natural alternative to carbon and aluminum arrows. In Japanese Kyūdō, bamboo arrows are used.

Quiver of arrows

To keep the arrows safe on the shooter and to be able to transport them, quivers are used. The main types are:

Back quiver

This quiver , regarded as "classic", is carried on the back so that the archer can pull the arrow out of the back with the hand that pulls the string.

A disadvantage is that if the archer stoops forward, the arrows can fall out of the quiver.

Side quiver

Side quivers are worn on the belt on the side of the pulling hand and allow the arrows to be pulled out quickly and easily. The disadvantage is the somewhat unstable way of carrying, so that the side quiver dangles around the legs in the worst case when running fast.

Bow quiver

Bow quivers are devices that are attached to the bow itself and usually offer space for six to eight arrows. The arrows are firmly attached to the bow, do not interfere in the terrain and the dead weight of the bow and thus its stability in the shot are increased. This type of quiver is predestined for bow hunting , on medieval bows it would be an anticipatory anachronism .

literature

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