[English Longbow] Novice longbow shooter advice please

Siggy

New member
I've recently started shooting longbow but am really struggling with technique. I watched other longbow shooters when at local competitions & at my club but everyone seems to have their own way of shooting.
Unfortunately there doesn't appear to be anyone offering training specifically for longbow otherwise I would take this up even if I had to pay.
Can anyone offer advice or if you know of a trainer in the East Midlands let me know
Thanks
 

DavidH

New member
Siggy you'll get loads of advice on here, but many clubs don't have coaches with sufficient knowledge to help you. Many of us are self taught and go through, or have gone through, all the same struggles that you are having. Have a look at the instinctive thread on here, and all the threads you can find on longbow. Be careful of some of the you-tube videos, there's a lot of so called experts who really dont have a clue.

Watch and learn most from the ones at your club who are hitting the target most successfully, but most of all enjoy your shooting. Good luck with it. Have you come from recurve?

edit: also watch the ones who are enjoying it most;)
 
I used to shoot recurve but changed, for the better, to longbow just over 3 years ago. The missus went on a 6 week course at our club, which she was taught to shoot with a recurve but as soon as that finished she went straight to longbow shooting exactly the way she was taught and is pretty good considering she rarely practices.

I'd like to know what knowledge you need to teach somebody to shoot a longbow because from what I have seen most people have their own little querks and ways. The most important thing in my mind is having the right equipment in the first place, ie a decent set of well matched straight arrows. No point going out with a set of bananas of differing weights and hope to be consistent.

If you have been on a course and shot recurve then that's good enough surely? All you need to do (probably not quite that simple) is decide if you want to shoot with a glove or tab, use a band or ground marker for sighting or the so called 'instinctive' method (lets not go there again).

Some anchor under the chin and some from the side of the face (the latter I cannot get on with) or drawer to the ear. I guess it also depends to a certain extend on what you want to shoot, ie target, field, clout etc.

At the end of the day as long as what you do feels comfortable and you do the same thing every time then it should all come together. As DavidH has already said, make sure you enjoy it.
 

Siggy

New member
Thanks, I did shoot recurve for about 2 years but wasn't enjoying it.
I do really enjoy shooting longbow but just wish I could find a technique that works. I mainly shoot instinctively but it's very hit & miss (excuse the pun). Did try a sight ring but that really messed my head up.
Unfortunately it's mainly recurve & compound at my club so very much in the minority.
 

Danelaw

New member
No doubt over the months you will get bombarded with what is right and what is wrong, simple answer is , try the advice, watch archers that have experience, experiment with what they have told you and tweek it to suit you. Everyone shoots longbow/warbow slightly different.
After a while it will click and you will settle in a style/technique. Most of all enjoy it, don`t think you have to be Robin Hood in 3 months.
 

micksaxblack

New member
I've not long had a longbow, but I've found the way to improve is to practise a lot and talk to guys in your local club. My biggest leap in consistency came with using the right arrows and I only found that out with chatting to other archers.
The best thing about longbows is the lack of gadgetry, if you get good at it, then it's all down to you.
Enjoy!
 

Siggy

New member
Thanks all, I'm going to try shooting as a guest at a local club to get more practice. I have a small boss at home but don't seem to have a problem hitting that apart from once!
Won't be going back to recurve though I'm pleased to say
 

Raven's_Eye

Active member
Ironman
I was in a similar boat when I started, I did my beginners course with a recurve and as soon as it was over I went to longbow, as its why I got into archery. As others have said above most longbow archers are self taught with only the lucky ones being taught by someone who know how to shoot longbow well.
When I first started I was encouraged by other longbowers to try different sighting methods to see which one I was more comfortable with. Point of aim I never really got one with esp indoors as I found it odd not looking at what I was ment to be shooting at. The rubber band I found more appealing but since was only a rough sight that changed due to weather, temperature etc I didn't want the hassle of the bookwork. Though it did improve my shooting initially I found after a while I wasn't even noticing it so I removed it from my bow and shot instinctively and not looked back.
If you choose instinctive there are a few truths:
1) You will need ALOT of practice just to get the feel for where you are ment to be shooting.
2) Indoors you can be as good as any other longbower with sighting aids.
3) Outdoors you are at a distinct disadvantage compared to theose with sight aids esp when it comes to the longer distances, as you have no constant referance and a slight change in angle can make a big difference. So you'll need more practice.

I would honestly say that the longbow is the most unforgiving bow, but then that just makes it all the more rewarding. I would suggest alot of practice, talk to longbowers at clubs/competitions. We are usually a very friendly and chatty bunch and since most are self taught we don't mind giving tips to what we've found successful or not.
Lots of archers don't expect longbowers to be accurate in fact one of the longbow archers at my club sum up the three main disciplines:
Compounds get upset if they stray out of the gold,
Recurves get upset when they stray out of the red,
Longbows smile when they hit the target, as each hit is a small victory.

When I first started I found this to be a big help towards attitude as I could get a bit down that I was missing the target (which doesn't improve the shooting), true now I get annoyed if I miss at short range, but I still have the attitude at the longer ranges. As long as you don't get disheartened and enjoy your shooting then you will improve.

As for shooting tips:
1)Consistancy is key, find your prefered anchor point and stick to it.
2)Gently loose the string don't pluck it.
3)Hold the bow lightly in your hand, have the ball of your thumb against the handle, with your knuckles at an angle, just remember to hold the bow.
4)Take a deep breath BEFORE drawing, and as you draw breath out half slowly.
5)DON'T hold the bow at full draw for too long, not only will this decrease the strength of the bow it'll increase the chance of it breaking. Hold for max 3 seconds.
6)Don't adjust your shot for every arrow, find the group then move.
7)Whether you make your own arrows or buy them you will need the right spine for your arrow depending on bow weight and arrow length, and try to get them all within a similar weight.
8) When shooting at longer range bend at the waist, don't raise your arm. I see this alot at some competitions and they struggle to hit the target for as they raise their arm the draw length shortens, once pointed out they are much happier.
9)If you go to competitions or local clubs, other archers will gladly watch you shoot and offer advice. I went to a shoot once with other members of my club, and one was struggling, so at lunch time an archer on the same target pulled out spare arrows and tested her with them, finding the arrows she was using were over spinned by quite a bit. For the second half she used the borrowed ones and really improved.
 
D

Deleted member 7654

Guest
It all depends if you are shooting target or field.
If target, I have no idea... !
If field, I'd simply say, find what is comfortable and easy to reproduce, as consisteny is key. Then don't 'think' just practice shoothing smooth quick, comfortable and relaxed, your body and mind will eventually do it for you.
How does a kid learn to throw a stone with any accuracy?
I've told this before, so forgive me.
My son was shooting into the garage at 10 yards, arrows not grouping at all.
I turned the light off so he could just see the white 2" square bit of plastic he was aiming at, but not the arrows!
I said "shoot as fast as you can, but with out rushing".
I kept feeding him arrows... there was a nasty clatter near the end, 'I think I missed the target' he said.
I went to the target and dragged it out to show him (he can't get in there as he's in a wheelchair) the group was so tight I could get my hand round all the arrows and the clatter was him hitting the ather arrows!
When I'm 'shooting in' a bow I put about 100 arrow through it quickly and I invariably find if I try 'aiming' I do much worse that if I just point and loose.
Del
 

DavidH

New member
We are at risk of turning this into yet another instinctive thread;) but I'll tell a similar story (I'm probably repeating too Del).

With my first new longbow, the bowyer advised that I build up the pull very gradually, first shooting into the ground and then gradually increasing from a couple of yards into the target. As I increased distance, and draw length, with no real sense of aiming, the arrows maintained a solid group up to about 15 yards or so. I'm going to repeat that exercise one day because if you just keep increasing with the same technique, which has to be truly "instinctive", there's no telling how far you could go. Hope I'm explaining that right:)
 
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