THE BOW - DEATH FROM AFAR
Just like the spear, most cultures that have survived the test of history have at one time, utilized the bow as a mainstay weapon of war. Samurai were renown more for their use of the Yumi bow from horseback than they ever were with their katanas. Horse archers from Mongolia and China using their advanced composite bows have also turned the tide of world history with their ability to dominant the battlefield. And a volley from English archers with their famed and strong longbows famously decimated lines of soldiers and cavalrymen in many historical battles. There are many ways and styles to shoot a bow but they all accomplish the same goal: sending projectiles to kill from afar.
EASTERN VS WESTERN ARCHERY
There were hundreds (if not thousands) of different styles of bows and shooting styles of archery throughout history. We would be here forever if we tried to discuss each and every one. The two predominant styles of shooting are the “Mediterranean” style in Western archery and the Eastern style of archery that uses a thumb or finger ring.
The Mediterranean style of traditional archery has the archer place the arrow on the inside of the bow while he/she uses two to three fingers to draw the bow back and tension the arrow against the shelf/side of the bow. They release the arrow with these fingers when ready to fire.
Contrast to this, the Eastern styles of traditional archery use hard thumb/finger rings as a sort of “trigger” to release the arrow. This style of shooting was made mainstream by China, Mongolia, Korea, and Japan. Archers using this style nock an arrow and rest it on the outside of their bow. Their thumb (with ring protrusion) wraps around the string and they draw back. They release their thumb to fire their arrow.
MORE THAN JUST THE BOW
A quality bow is very important to get the most out of traditional archery training. Equally important is purchasing or commissioning quality arrows that are matched to your bow. Weight distribution, fletching, length, and straightness of a shaft are all factors that you should consider when purchasing arrows for your bow.
If you are going a traditional route (wooden shafts), we recommend commissioning a set of arrows specific to your bow. A qualified fletcher should be able to discern what length and weight arrows you should need to ensure you shoot straight. If you decide to train with us, our archery instructor is a trained fletcher that can make you beautiful arrows that shoot straight for years to come!
OUR ARCHERY CLASSES
All of our archery lessons are taught by Matt Harvey out of Chesapeake, VA. Matt is a gifted archer with a love for teaching new archers how to shoot their bows. Our club teaches Western (Mediterranean draw) traditional archery with the use of a longbow or recurve bow even though Matt can shoot Eastern bows as well. In your lessons, you will learn everything there is to know about archery fundamentals such as stance, draw, arrow placement, instinctive positioning, and more. Matt has a track record of training extremely skilled archers and can aid you no matter your skill level. He is also an experienced fletcher and can construct custom-made arrows tailored to both your body and your bow.