Archery exercises?

kestrel359
kestrel359 Posts: 342 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I love archery but rarely ever get to do it. Recently my husband got a membership to a shooting range that also has archery targets, but at best I can only make it out there once a week. I need to build up the muscles needed to improve at this sport with exercises I can do at home. Does anyone have any suggestions? (please don't just say weight lifting, be specific)

Replies

  • kestrel359
    kestrel359 Posts: 342 Member
    anyone?
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    I haven't done archery in ages, but I would think any shoulder lifts might help. I do the bent arm side raises from Scooby's Workshop - http://scoobysworkshop.com/shoulder-exercises/ .
  • Lady_Bane
    Lady_Bane Posts: 720 Member
    I am a 2 time NFAA champion. Been shooting since I was 4. (Just so you can understand I know what Im talking about :P)

    The best thing to do is to use your bow as a tool. Are you able to hold the string without dry shooting it? (thereby ruining the bow)
    Do you have a large back yard? You could get a butt and target practice there.
    Elevated cable rows are awesome if you squeeze your sub scapular muscles and pause, thus imitating holding the string back.
    Lying T bar rows...etc. Rows are excellent for toning archery muscles...
  • Cole114a
    Cole114a Posts: 24 Member
    I don't know much about archery, only what I know from hunting with a bow, but I would think getting one of those cheap youth bows from wal-mart and drawing it and releasing without dry firing would be good exercise.
  • kestrel359
    kestrel359 Posts: 342 Member
    thanks everyone for the suggestions, I'll have to give them a try. Unfortunately, my current yard is to small to safely set up a target, but my husband and I are looking to buy a house with some acreage in the near future. Then I could practice every day :bigsmile:
  • Lefty634
    Lefty634 Posts: 56
    I agree with the rows and some bench presses work to help with the pushing arm need to do both but the best method is shooting.
  • jrnyman
    jrnyman Posts: 1 Member
    use resistance bands weak ones at first then hard ones once you have developed the muscles needed use them just like you are drawing your bow
  • LoriLou67
    LoriLou67 Posts: 173 Member
    Ok, don't laugh. When I first started archery, my husband gave me a cannonball (a big weight used for fishing). My exercise was to hold it out away from my body, arm fully extended. We started with oh, 20 seconds or so. And used it with both arms. This not only helped with strengthe needed to pull back, but also with have the strength to hold the bow still at full draw. You could do this exercise with a handweight, or a soup can, whatever. Just start with a light weight.

    I was recently given some exercises by a PT for scapular stabilization - it was work with a resistance band. If you know a PT or can go to just one visit to get exercises, they would be an excellent resource.

    I also spent time just pulling my bow back....the poundage was low as a beginner.

    Happy Flinging Arrows :)
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    I have had a bow for several years now. It is set for 45 pounds. Every year I had difficulty shooting more than a couple of rounds. This year I started doing Jillian Michaels DVD's. This year I had no problems with the bow. Pushups, planks, burpees and dumbbell rows.
  • kestrel359
    kestrel359 Posts: 342 Member
    Thanks everyone for the great suggestions

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