Archery beginners course
You’re going to start archery! Here you can read up a bit in advance about what to expect during the course, and you can find some extra information that might give you a flying start!
Welkom at the HSH
Dear participant,
You’re about to start your beginner’s course in archery. On this page, you can already find some general information about the names of the different parts of a bow, the steps involved in safely shooting an arrow at a target, the safety measures you need to take for yourself and others, and the (safety) rules that apply.
The course takes place on Wednesday evenings from 8:30 PM to 10:00 PM. Please make sure to arrive about fifteen minutes early to set up your bow and do your warm-up, so we can all start on time.
The course overview
What are we doing?
For the beginner’s course, we will teach you to shoot according to the ‘Olympic recurve’ class. This means you’ll learn to shoot using a sight and stabilizers. On the first evening of the course, we’ll demonstrate how to stand, how to place the arrow, how to hold the bow and the string, and finally how to shoot the arrow.
The course is designed so that it’s not a problem if you miss a class due to a holiday or not feeling well. However, make sure to attend at least the first two lessons.
One of the lessons will also focus on the other bow classes, and you’ll have the opportunity to try out some of them yourself to see which one you enjoy most.
At the end of the course, the trainers will assess whether it is safe to let you shoot independently at the club. If so, you will receive a certificate that proves you have successfully completed the beginner’s course — both for our club and for others.
What are we going to use?
When you start, of course, you won’t have your own bow yet. The club provides training bows, arrows, and stabilizers for you to use during the course. After the course ends, you may continue to shoot at the club with the club equipment free of charge for one more month. After that, if you decide to become a member, you can still rent training equipment from the club for a small fee.
In addition to the bow and arrow (and everything that goes with them), you’ll also need personal protective gear. This will be given to you at the start of the course and is yours to keep. Your protective gear package includes a (finger) tab, an arm guard, a sling, and a resistance band so you can practice at home (if you’d like). Don’t worry — we’ll explain later what everything is and what it’s used for.
Don’t forget to bring your gear package to every lesson!
TIP!: Bring a notebook and something to write with, or create a note on your smartphone to jot down some helpful tips!
First things first: Rules and safety!
We need to talk about something important: Rules and safety.
A bow, even the club equipment, is ultimately still a dangerous sporting item. That’s why there are a few things we need to be careful about:
You may only place an arrow on your bow when you’re standing on the shooting line.
Only do this if no one is standing between the shooting line and the target.
When you’re on the shooting line, the tip of your arrow must only point toward the target.
Never draw a bow without an arrow on it.
This applies both on the shooting line and anywhere else!Do not wear open-toed shoes.
No running on or around the range.
Always listen to the trainer’s instructions.
Bows and arrows are not allowed in the clubhouse/canteen.
Also, always use your personal protective equipment (arm guard (!), tab, and sling), so you stay safe too. A purple-blue bruise on your arm from the string slapping it might be a fun conversation starter at the coffee table, but it’s definitely not a pleasant experience.
Clothing:
Wear clothes that aren’t too loose, but still allow you to move comfortably. Also, no open shoes! Avoid clothing with dangling strings (like on a hoodie), as they can get caught in the bow. If you have long hair, bring a hair tie or clip to tie it back. Otherwise, it might end up caught in the string (and subsequently on the floor).
You can absolutely shoot while wearing a hijab. It doesn’t get in the way at all.
If we all keep these things in mind, archery will be completely safe, both for you and for everyone around you.
What's in a name: Naming the parts
Parts of the (recurve) bow
Parts of an arrow
Personal protection
Tab
Your tab is a modern version of a leather piece used to protect your fingers from being cut by the bowstring. Nowadays, this leather piece is attached to a frame that includes a fastening loop, a finger separator, and a hook to rest your pinky on. A tab not only protects your fingers but also helps you find a consistent shooting position.
Arm guard
One of the most common injuries among beginner archers is a painful bruise where the bowstring hits your arm. Of course, the goal is not to hit your arm at all, but while you’re still figuring out how everything works, it can easily happen. That’s where the arm guard becomes your lifesaver. Wear it on the part of your arm that gets hit when your shooting technique isn’t quite perfect yet.
Sling
Here’s a little sneak peek into the technique: you don’t hold a bow — you push it away from you. To prevent the bow from jumping out of your hand and landing on the ground every time you release an arrow, we create a small “fence” between your thumb and index finger. This fence catches the bow if it tries to get away. That fence is called a (finger) sling.
Finally... Let's shoot!
The 'basisschot'
In this course, you’ll first learn to shoot in the Olympic Recurve class. This means you’ll be shooting with a sight and stabilizers. From this class, it’s easiest to switch to another class later on if you find something else that suits you better.
On the first day of the course, we’ll walk you through the basic steps of shooting an arrow via the ‘basisschot’. If you’d like to read ahead or refer back during the course, you can download the PDF(s) below containing the official lesson cards from the KHSN, which explain the basic shot in detail. Unfortunately, they’re only available in Dutch, but you can still distill a lot from the pretty pictures.
Prectice with an elastic band (for at home)
In this lesson card, you can see how to practice your shot at home using a resistance band.
Shooting with a club bow (At the range)
In this lesson card, you can see the basic steps you need to follow before you can safely release your arrow.
Staan
Plaats je voeten links en rechts van de schietlijn, zodat je haaks op je doel staat. Je voeten moeten ongeveer onder je schouders staan.
Zorg dat je knieën niet op slot staan. Het kan helpen je voeten naar buiten te draaien, terwijl je je schoenen op hun plek laat staan. Met deze spanning haal je je knieën van het slot en kantelt je bekken iets naar voren. Dit is de meest stabiele basis om de rest van je schot bovenop te bouwen.
Een pijl plaatsen
Let bij het plaatsen van een pijl er goed op dat hij op het haakje van de oplegger ligt, dat je de nok op het nokpunt tussen de markeringen plaatst totdat hij hoorbaar klikt.
De haneveer moet van de boog af wijzen (anders komt hij tegen je boog en laat hij de pijl van zijn pad afwijken).
Houdt je boog wel recht als je een pijl plaatst. Wel zo sociaal voor je buurman of buurvrouw!
Plaatsen van je vingers
Plaats één vinger boven de pijl, en twee eronder. De pees moet in de groeven achter je eerste vingertop vallen. Zorg dat je met je wijsvinger en je middelvinger de pijl niet vastknijpt, maar de pijl de ruimte geeft om weg te vliegen als je loslaat.
Plaatsen van je booghand
Plaats je hand een beetje in een hoek tegen de boog. Het drukpunt moet in het zachte stukje tussen je duim en wijsvinger liggen, in het verlengde van je spaakbeen.
Houdt je vingers ontspannen en houdt de boog niet vast (want: je hebt een vingersling!). Je vingers mogen niet om de boog heen krullen. Als je in de verleiding komt om toch je boog te grijpen kan je je vingers naast je boog ‘verstoppen’.
Zorg dat je je pols niet in bochten wringt, maar dat je boog zich lekker in je hand nestelt.
En verder?
Als je bovenstaande tips al mee kan nemen naar de cursus, dan
