Shooting a recurve bow involves three stages: the drawing stage, the execution stage, and the follow-through stage.
During these stages, the archer has to overcome external distractions like wind and internal distractions like focus and confidence. Also, you need to maintain proper form and follow the right techniques throughout the process to ensure the accuracy of your shots.
In this blog, I will walk you through the fundamentals of drawing, aiming, and shooting a recurve bow like a pro. I will also share a list of common mistakes that beginners make so you will know what to avoid.
Let’s get started!
Choose the correct size of recurve bow
Choosing a recurve bow that fits your skills and draw length can help you stay comfortable and maintain your form without straining.
The size of the recurve bow depends on two things; your draw length and draw weight.
- Draw length refers to the distance that you pull the bowstring back for shooting. To find your draw length, measure your wingspan and divide it by 2.5.
- Draw weight is the amount of force needed to pull the string back to full draw. For beginners, I recommend starting with bows that have a lower draw weight, typically around 20-30 lbs, depending on your strength.
Please read my blog on what’s the best size for your recurve bow for more details.
Once you have the right equipment, you are ready to shoot. Here’s how to begin.
Step 1 – Take your stance
Your stance shouldn’t just be based on your comfort. It should be a position that offers maximum stability and proper muscle engagement to help you develop muscle memory over time.
Here’s a table that represents how you must stand while shooting a recurve bow.
| Body Part | Proper Stance |
|---|---|
| Foot placement |
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| Back Alignment |
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| Head position |
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Now that you know how to stand while shooting a recurve bow, let’s learn to grip the bow correctly.
Step 2 – Grip the bow
Hold the riser, i.e., the handle of your bow, with your non-dominant hand. Wrap your fingers around it.
Make sure your grip isn’t too tight or too loose. A tight grip will tense your muscles, whereas a light grip will give you a bow torque, making your bow twist. Both these issues can affect the accuracy of your shot.
Hold the bow as if you are doing a handshake with it.
Step 3 – Draw the bow
This is fairly simple, but you need to know a couple of things, like drawing techniques and anchor points.
Drawing technique
There are two ways you can draw the bowstring; Mediterranean, i.e., three-finger draw technique, and thumb draw technique.
In the Mediterranean draw technique, you use your index, middle, and ring fingers to pull the string and shoot. This technique is commonly used in Western archery.
However, I recommend using thumb draw, a technique ancient warriors used to shoot rapidly during wars. In this traditional archery technique, you rest the arrow against the thumb, wrap your index finger over it, and pull the string.
Here are the three reasons why I recommend the thumb draw technique for shooting your recurve bow.
- It gives a smoother release.
- It reduces string pinch.
- It is typically faster than the Mediterranean release and frequently used for hunting.
Let’s learn about anchor points.
Anchor point
An anchor point is the place on your face where your drawing hand will rest when the bowstring is fully drawn. It serves as a reference point for aiming.
The jawline, corner of the mouth, and cheekbone are the most commonly used as anchor points.
Important – Choose an anchor point and stick to it consistently. Do not change your anchor point, as it could affect your muscle memory and instinctive aiming capabilities.
How to draw the recurve bow for shooting
When you have got a good grip on the bow, extend your bow arm towards the target, keeping your elbows slightly bent.
Hold the string using either the Mediterranean draw or thumb draw technique, depending on your preference. Pull the bowstring back smoothly until the string aligns with your anchor point.
Read my article on how to shoot a Mongolian bow to learn more tricks about drawing the bow.
Step 4 – Aim
When it comes to shooting a traditional bow, like a recurve bow, you can either choose to aim with or without sights.
Sights are visual tools that eliminate guesswork and help you shoot more accurately. However, adjusting sights takes time, making them unusable for hunting. Plus, a lot of people prefer shooting without any help, just the way the medieval archers did.
If you are one of them, you can practice instinctive shooting, gap shooting, or string walking.
Here’s a table highlighting the pros and cons of each aiming method.
| Aiming technique | Description | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shooting with sights | Use distance-adjustable pins or sight windows to aim at the target. | More accurate than non-sight methods, especially for long distances. |
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| Instinctive shooting | Use only your intuition and judgment to aim. | Faster and works well for moving targets. |
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| Gap Shooting | Use the tip of the arrow as a reference point for estimating the gap, i.e., the distance between the arrow tip and the target. | More accurate than intuitive shooting. |
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| String walking | Adjusting the placement of your fingers on bowstrings based on distance. | More accurate than intuitive shooting. |
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For more details, you can read my comprehensive guide on how to aim a recurve bow.
Once you have your focus on the target, it’s time to release the string.
Step 5 – Release
Keep your bow steady, aim at your target, and release the arrow. Keep moving your hand back until it reaches your ears.
Here are the three things you should keep in mind while releasing the recurve bow.
- Tension in arms and fingers can give you jerky, unsteady release, affecting the accuracy of the shots. Keep your body relaxed.
- When releasing the string, let it gently slip off your fingers. Do not push or pull the string when you have taken your draw position. Instead, open your fingers to release.
- Keep your eyes locked on the target until the arrow has landed. This helps ensure a proper follow-through.
The process of shooting a bow is incomplete without a proper follow-through. Let’s understand why it is important and what you need to do.
Step 6 – Follow-through
There are several reasons why you must practice proper follow-through in archery.
- It helps keep the bow steady, preventing unnecessary movements that could change the flight path of the arrows.
- It gives you a smooth and consistent release every time.
- You learn to stay focused on the target.
- Staying in your position helps you evaluate your shots so you can diagnose the issues and fix them next time.
Let’s see what the follow-through process looks like.
How do you follow through in archery?
In simple terms, follow-through means continuing what you were doing even after you have shot the arrow.
Here’s what it includes.
- Maintain your shooting posture after release. Keep your body stable. Do not hunch or move.
- Keep your bow arm extended and relaxed as it was before shooting.
- Continue extending your arms backward to ensure a clean release.
- Focus on the target. Do not look down at the ground. Look exclusively at the target.
Once your arrow has landed, analyze your shots. Pay attention to inconsistencies and figure out what’s causing them. Make the adjustments needed to improve your shots.
Key takeaways
Shooting a recurve bow requires skills, focus, and patience. From standing correctly to aiming and follow-through, you have to be perfect at every step. You won’t get immediate results, but remember that every arrow you shoot takes you closer to your goals.
Before you go, I recommend you read my comprehensive guide on how to string and unstring a bow. And, if you are a DIY enthusiast, you might be interested in my detailed step-by-step guide on how to make a recurve bow.
