Why are archery lessons so much fun?
We are lucky enough to have had a lesson in the Medieval art of archery and we can say it really was good fun for all the family. We loved that fact that we were in the great outdoors learning something new. Bow and arrow in hand, you might feel a little nervous at the start of these lessons, but coaching from skilled instructors means you'll soon get the hang of it.
In fact, it has been said that the sport is fairly easy to get the hang of, but to perfect each and every shot takes a lifetime to master and even the pros have the occasional stray arrow moment. Our range of archery experiences cover both field and sporting targets, including archery with twist, in the form of LaPorte and Skybox archery. The experiences use recurve, crossbows or longbows and take place at both inside and outside ranges.
Have a look at our
archery experience in Nottingham, where you’ll be shooting arrows in the heart of Sherwood Forest, like a real life Robin Hood or Maid Marian!
A range of targets for archers to aim at
As for the targets, they are mostly the round rings printed on paper (actually called the 'face') that are attached to a 'boss', a straw or foam stuffed backing that supports the sheet. And, fact fans, the smallest gold ring in the middle isn't the bullseye it's actually the x-ring. In competitions this doesn't give you more points, but it is used to settle draws. In addition to these traditional targets, there are also archery centres offering 2D animal shape targets for more of a hunting-themed challenge.
Of course, there's no actual competition during these experiences as it's all about learning the skills needed to become an archer whilst having fun. But there's no denying it will bring the competitive spirit out in you. As soon as you start regularly hitting the board and then continually getting closer to the hallowed golden circle, it is sure to get the adrenaline flowing. Remember you need to steady yourself on the stand, control the excitement and keep progressing to become a fully fledged toxophilite.
Archery top tips
Our top tips for budding bow girls and boys? Go with the flow when it comes to which hand you hold the bow with and which hand you use for the pulling back the arrow. Use whichever feels more comfortable, then stand at 90 degrees to the target. Nock the arrow (i.e. when you clip the arrow onto the bow) and then close your eye (the left one if you are using your right hand to release the arrow and vice versa).
At that moment in time it's all about being cool, calm and collected on these archery lessons. Arrows travel at speeds of up to 60m per second and can hit targets anything up to 90m away, so even a little wobble at that crucial moment can be the difference between being spot on and your shot whizzing right past the straw and plummeting straight into the ground.
1.jpg)
7.jpg)
