In October of 2018, USA Archery official unveiled its 2019 United States Archery Team. This elite group of professionals will travel the country representing the best that the sport has to offer.

Do you dream of taking one of these coveted spots one day?

If so, you’ll need to master the art of archery first, and that begins with learning how to aim your compound bow.

Perhaps you’re an amateur just picking up your bow and arrow for the first time. Or, maybe you’re a seasoned pro who got rusty after a little time off.

Regardless, you’ve come to the right spot. Today, we’re teaching you how to perfect your aiming method in a few steps. Ready to learn more? Pick up your equipment and let’s get started!

What Is a Compound Bow?

Before we delve into the mechanics of how one works, let’s first review what a compound bow is. In short, this bow employs a set of complex pulleys that serve to force an arrow through the air toward its target.

More traditional bows, including recurve bows and longbows, are devoid of such modern mechanisms. Instead, they require powerful upper body strength, as sheer force is required to draw the arrows. As such, you’ll also need to stand closer to your target with these types of bows.

A compound bow, on the other hand, allows you to put more distance between yourself and the target. It also relies less on bodily strength and more on a deep knowledge of proper aiming techniques. They’re ideal for beginner archers, as they allow you to focus on your form and strategy over more advanced aspects of the skill.

Below, let’s take a look at a few steps to take when aiming a compound bow.

1. Release Tense Muscles

It’s proven that stress can directly lead to muscle tension, which can impact an athlete’s motor skills. To improve your odds of hitting the target every time, be sure to warm up your shoulders before you pick up your bow.

Try a few simple stretching exercises to get yours in peak condition. Continue those motions into your neck and upper back to make sure you’re loose and ready for action.

Right before you release the arrow, take note of your muscle tension again. Archers tend to carry stress in their forearms, which can throw off their aim. Make sure yours is relaxed and in position, shifting that tension instead to your tricep if possible. The result will be a smoother, more consistent shot.

2. Look at Your Feet

You know how important a golfer’s stance is to his or her performance? The same holds true with archery.

If your feet and legs aren’t aligned in the correct position, your entire posture will be off-kilter, which could throw off your aim. Successful archery aiming is rooted in finding your perfect stance.

Begin by finding your target and facing it at a 90-degree angle. Then, place your feet as wide as your shoulders. Rather than keeping both your feet pointing entirely in the same direction, lift your lead foot and turn it outward at a slight angle.

At this point, resist the urge to lean in a particular direction. Rather, balance your weight as evenly as possible between your feet. If you find that you become wobbly easily, there are several single-leg exercises you can perform to improve your balance.

3. Grasp the Bow

There are myriad complicated compound bow holds out there. However, in reality, unless you grab the bow in a natural way, you’ll be hard-pressed to repeat that move every time. What’s more, you’ll have to strain more to maintain that specific grip throughout the duration of the shot.

So, it’s wise to hold the bow naturally, putting the majority of the grip pressure on your lower thumb.

While you may feel the urge to squeeze the bow and put your fingers directly against it, turn your hand outward instead. This helps to relieve any built-up tension and pressure, allowing you to better maneuver the tool.

4. Find Your Anchor Points

“Anchor points” is an archery term that means the places on your face where sections of the bow graze it as you pull the arrow backward.

Your individual anchor points will differ from someone else’s, but there are three basic regions that define these areas.

Hand-to-Face Point

As the name implies, this is the spot on your face where your hand reaches up and touches as it pulls the arrow. Depending on the length of your draw and your release type, this might be along your jawline. Or, it could be at your cheek or even under your ear.

In general, women will have a shorter draw length, making bows equipped with adjustable lengths on the single cam system especially desirable.

Nose Touch

A preferred though not always possible form, there may be times when your bow setup allows the string to touch your nose as you pull it back. Take note of how you achieved this stance and seek to repeat it in the future.

Kisser Button

If you aren’t using a peep sight, you can use a kisser button to further improve your for. These can take many forms, from a simple knot in your thread to an actual plastic button. You position this object so that it sits against your lips when you’re at full draw.

If you are using a peep sight, you’ll need to bypass the kisser button altogether. Why? A peep sight is a small tool, usually shaped like a ring, that you place inside the string itself. This allows you to see through the string, improving your aim.

These two indicators, which work fine on their own, can often work against each other if applied in tandem. So, use one or the other to make sure your head posture is accurate.

Position the arrow in the string and pull it back, making sure your wrist does not turn in the process. Then, once you have established those anchor points above, notice the ones that feel the most natural.

5. Set Your Eyes on the Target

As mentioned above, a peep sight is an excellent way to help guide your eyes toward the target. Especially if you’re a beginner archer, this can help you train your focus. If you’re wondering how to use compound bow sights, the best rule of thumb is to lead with your instinct.

Most compound bows come equipped with these handy accessories, though not everyone will use them in the same location. If you’re wondering how to use compound bow sights, the best rule of thumb is to lead with your instinct.

When positioning your peep sight, notice where your gaze usually falls. You want to be able to look comfortably through yours when you have your bow drawn to full position. If you’re having to shift your eyes down, up or to the side to get your target in view, move the peep sight until it’s properly aligned.

If your bow does not include a peep sight, you can buy one at your local hobby store. Be sure to select one according to your needs.

Do you commonly shoot at wide-distance ranges? If so, a smaller peep sight is able to accommodate those setups. If you’re used to shooting in low-light conditions, such as at dusk, a larger peep sight is the way to go.

Not sure if yours is correctly aligned? You should be able to spot both your forward sight (attached to your bow) and the target through your peep sight.

6. Try Closing One Eye (Or Don’t)

You’ve likely seen this move in archery competitions, though it’s not a required form. Some athletes find that squinting one eye shut helps them better focus the other. If you’ve ever looked through a telescope to see the night sky, you may have done the same thing.

Try it a few times to see if it works for you. If it improves your aim and allows you to find your target more easily, go for it. If not, that’s OK, too. In fact, leaving both eyes open allows you to have more accurate depth perception and can help you track your arrow after it leaves your bow.

One note: If you do find that shooting with one eye works best for you, try to find out which eye is more dominant than the other. Then, find a compound bow that is built to accommodate that side. For instance, if your left eye is stronger, a bow designed for left-hand use is preferred.

Not sure which eye is the strongest of your two? Try this at-home test.

7. Set Your Distance

Within the forward sight on your compound bow, you will find a few different pins. These are used to designate how far away your target is. For instance, you may be shooting from 20 yards away, 40 yards or more.

Select the pin that matches your target most closely. Next, align your bow to ensure the pin and target are aligned.

Your pins might not be marked as to the distances they represent. If this is the case, you’ll need to work with your bow a few times to determine what they mean. Start by standing 20 yards from your target and try to find your target through each pin.

The one that allows you the greatest control over your target at that spot is your 20 yard one and you can use that as a baseline for the other measurements.

Next, look at the area below your pins. Some bows may include a level in this region, which works similarly to one you’d find at the hardware store, helping to make sure everything is aligned as it should be. Position the bubble in the center of the level if it isn’t already there.

8. Try a Few Focus Techniques

The period of time right before you let your arrow go is a critical one. You might find that aligning your pin lines directly with the target helps you to aim more consistently. Or, you might find that trying to make those precise measurements line up is creating unwanted tension in your upper body.

If the latter is the case, try relaxing your stance a bit and letting the target float in between one or more pins. No, you won’t have as accurate of a draw, but you’ll be better able to repeat your results the next time around if you aren’t as stiff.

In the same vein, some archers prefer to bypass the peep sight and pins altogether and look at the target instead. This can take a more sophisticated degree of skill, though it can help even inexperienced archers eschew the anxiety that comes with trying to get every mechanism perfectly straight.

Learning How to Aim and Excel at Archery

Now that you know how to aim, are you ready to take on the exciting sport of archery? One of our nation’s most longest-lasting and iconic traditions, it’s a game of coordination and precision as much as athleticism.

When you’re ready to take your interest to the next level, we’re here to help. We’ve scoured the internet to find the best compound bows available, along with some of top tricks and tips on how to make the most of your new purchase.

Not sure where to begin? Before you head to the store or start working on your form, check out our introduction to compound bow shooting to learn more about your new favorite sport.

The post Targeting Tips: How to Aim a Compound Bow appeared first on The Best Compound Bows.

Every sport has its own work-out regime. Archery is an activity that requires a great deal of strength, but not big muscles like a football linebacker.

The truth is, it’s one of those rare sports that are really about mental toughness.

Being able to steady the bow and focus on the target is what the archer is aiming for. Building those skills requires archery strength training. It just isn’t the type of muscle building training most people think about.

When designing a workout regimen your focus needs to be on developing muscles that will help with body control. Working on core muscles help with stability and hitting your target. Each body part working together will improve the consistency of your shots. 

The best archers incorporate strength training, yoga and a lot of practice to raise their skill levels. Finding a balance between the three will give you great results.

Interested in the best exercises for archery? Continue reading for 10 of the best exercises to improve archery form.

Archery Strength Training for the Novice and Pro

Archery is a fun sport that anyone can enjoy. Some people do it for enjoyment because it is a great way to unwind after a long week.

Some use it for hunting, while others make a career of it by becoming professional archers.

Whichever reason you take up the sport you will want to be proficient at it. It is also wise to consider injuries that can occur if you are not using the correct posture or muscles.

Part of training is so you can maintain your ability to draw back the bow so the arrow can reach the intended target.

All in all, you can improve your overall health, burn off some fat, and tone your body. It will also help you with concentration. That is a skill you can use at work and in school.

Mental Toughness

Like tennis, archery is a sport that relies heavily on mental toughness.

This is the ability to remain resilient in the toughest circumstances. People that master mental toughness have a huge advantage because they realize they are not competing against others, but against their own inhibitions.

A competitor has to have the ability to drown out noises and other distractions.

Allowing your nerves to get the best of you is a sure fire way to lose focus and miss your target. Once doubt enters the mind, stress levels increase and a mental battle ensues.

Here are a few exercises to help you sharpen your focus and drown out what’s happening around you.

1. Know Your Weaknesses

The quickest way to address a problem is to come to terms with its existence. Understanding the things that are keeping you from achieving your goals is the first step to overcoming them. 

NBA Player Shaquille O’Neal was horrible when it came to shooting free throws.

Knowing this was his weakness he had two choices. One, avoid getting fouled and being sent to the free-throw line. Two, put more time into practicing free throws.

Not dealing with a weak point in your technique only causes additional stress. Visualize yourself taking the perfect stance and going through every motion to hit the target.

Focus less on your actual movements until it becomes second nature.

2. Learn to Reset Quickly

Having a rest routine helps you to refocus quickly when you miss your mark. Let’s go back to the game of tennis. If you watch the greatest players in the game you will notice they all have a routine to reset and refocus quickly. 

Maria Sharapova turns and walks towards the wall, pauses for a second and then does a signature stutter step. This signifies she has refocused.

Novak Djokovic meticulously bounces the ball 30 plus times before serving.

In Archery, you can develop your own short routine to help you refocus before taking your next shop. Whatever you come up with, make it your go-to before you start second guessing yourself. In those brief seconds give yourself a positive affirmation.

Remember, your technique is what you’ve worked on in practice. The middle of the competition isn’t the time to try and tweak your motions.

3. Get Mentally Tough by Controlling Distractions

Working on being mentally tough is one of the best exercises for archery because where the mind goes the body will follow. Set up your practice sessions to include drills to help you ignore distractions.

These include random sounds like a phone ringing, a car horn blowing, an alarm going off, and people talking or laughing.

Learn to shoot threw random disruptive noises. Teach yourself to pause and take a deep breath instead of reacting or responding. Don’t turn in the direction or seek-out the offending party. Just take a deep breath and reset.

Another tip is to have a go-to phrase. Some people take a breath and as they exhale exclaim “Woosah” to regain their composure. You can say or think of something or someone you love. 

There is also the technique of thought stopping. This is where you immediately tell yourself to stop a negative behavior by either saying stop or envisioning a stop light or stop sign.

Muscle Strengthening

For anyone that has suffered an injury pulling back on a bow, you know it can do damage to your muscles. Having a good archery workout can help reduce injuries.

The bulk of the strength needed for archery comes from the upper body. This doesn’t mean you ignore your lower body. Focusing on the upper body help condition the muscles needed to draw the bow back.

Archery strength training also helps with maintaining the position of the bow so you can hit your target with precision. Lacking the strength to work the bow can also affect your stamina.

Being able to breathe correctly and get oxygen to your muscles is a result of good conditioning.

Weights, Reps, and Sets

Before creating your workout plan there are three things you need to keep in mind. The workout needs to include weights, reps, and sets.

Only use enough weight to create resistance. You are not a body-builder so there is no need to have 50 or 100 lb. weights. You are not trying to build your muscles, just strengthen them.

Reps and sets are the number of times you will do each exercise. You can do five sets of an exercise, with each set including 10 repetitions.

The exercises listed below do not require a gym membership, fitness trainer, or a lot of equipment. All you need is about 30 minutes and a commitment to the process.

1. Push-ups

Traditional push-ups can be done anywhere you have enough space to stretch out on the floor. The only equipment you may want is a towel or yoga mat to place on the floor, but that’s optional. 

Push-ups will strengthen your triceps and works towards building your core muscles for balance. There are two ways to do push-ups based on whether you are a man or woman.

A lot of women have no problem doing the standard push-up that men do. 

Archers can choose to do a standard position with the elbows pointing backward, or they can try with the elbows pointing out. The outward position will reduce the stress on the shoulders.

Bend your elbows to lower your torso until your chest is almost touching the ground. Count to three and then raise the torso back up by pushing upward and straightening the arms. Do not lock the elbows when the body is raised.

2. Planks

There are at least 20 ways to do a plank. No matter which method you choose, it forces you to stabilize your body. Because you will be placing pressure on your forearms and elbows, a yoga mat is recommended.

For a standard fore-arm plank to strengthen your core muscles lie flat on the floor, face down. Spread your legs until your feet are waist-length apart and you are supported on your toes.

Clasp your hands together and raise your body, resting on your forearms arms and elbow.

Your elbows will be shoulder length apart, and your body straight.

Contract your abdominal muscles and hold the position for a minimum of one minute. Challenge yourself to increase the time with each set.

3. Pull-ups and Chin-ups

Unless you have a very sturdy bar in your home or yard you may have to go to a local park for these exercises. A flick of the wrist is the difference between a pull-up and a chin-up.

With a pull-up, the palm of the hand is face out when you drip the bar, and with a chin-up, the palm is facing in.

Both exercises work the bicep muscles, but a pull-up will put more emphasis on the back.

Place your hands around the bar and ensure they are a shoulder-width apart. Pull yourself up until your chin passes the bar. Hold the position and count off a few seconds before lowering yourself back down.

Typically the bar will be at least an arm’s reach above you. If you are working with a lower bar, you will need to bend your knees and cross your ankles so you are not touching the ground during your reps.

4. Bicep Curl and Hold

Bicep curls and holds is another exercise that has multiple variations. For the archer, it is recommended that you do bicep curls and bicep holds. Both will require dumbbells at a weight you are comfortable with.

Remember, you are not trying to build muscle. Five to ten lbs. is a good weight to start with.

For the bicep curl start in a standing position.

With dumbbells in hand, turn your hands with the palms facing away from the body. Keep your arms close your sides and then lift the weights by bending the elbow and bringing the weights up to your shoulders.

You can also do reps with the palms of your hands facing inward.

For bicep holds, start with arms straight and by our sides.

Extend the arms outward at shoulder height. Pause for a few seconds and lower the arms. You can also do reps extending the arms out in front of the body.

5. Bench Dips

Bench dips work your triceps, pecs and anterior deltoids. They are a quick and simple exercise that only requires a sturdy surface the height of a bench or chair.

Sit down on the structure placing your hands palm-down next to your hips.

Extend your legs out and shift forward until your buttocks are clear of the bench. Lower your body down a few inches, pausing, and then raise back-up. Your elbows will be slightly bent.

Only return to the seated position between reps and sets. 

6. Specific Physical Training (SPT)

SPT is designed specifically for archers. It is believed to be the best exercises for archery. Popular exercises include the use of stretch bands to mimic the motion of drawing a bow.

The exercises will be customized to fit the level of the Archer. Whether you are a beginner or pro, you can build an SPT program tailored to your skill level.

7. Bow Draw and Hold

This last tip comes into play after you have worked on your upper body muscles to build your core strength. They involve working with your actual bow. Three popular exercises are the power, flexibility, and the bow raise. 

Depending on the technique you may or may not use an arrow.

The goal is to help the archer build, strength, power, endurance, and expansion. Each exercise involves pulling back your draw length and holding the position without releasing the arrow.   

Are You Ready to Get Your Archery Game On?

You will find that archery is a great sport whether you’re playing for fun or have goals of entering competitions. Now that you have archery strength training tips it’s time to get take your game to the next level.

Get a few friends to join you on the journey.

Once you reach your desired level of mental and physical it’s time to shop for bows. Click here for an introduction to compound bow shooting.

Related guides: How to aim a compound bow · Beginner compound bow buying guide · Best compound bows of 2026

The post Archery Strength Training: 7 of the Best Exercises to Improve Archery Form appeared first on The Best Compound Bows.

So beginners, take comfort: even experienced archers make the same mistakes you do.

Here, we’re breaking down everything you need to know about proper bow form, from placing your feet to shooting position all the way through releasing an arrow.

Proper Bow Form

To the untrained eye, archery looks easy: point and shoot.

Experienced archers know that the sport is more demanding than that, requiring engagement and awareness of the entire body.

Even something as seemingly insignificant as the angle of your feet can change the trajectory of the arrow.

In order to break down proper bow form, let’s go through the entire body from the bottom up.

Your Feet

First, let’s start with your feet since everything else will be affected by the angle of your feet.

Your body has a natural centering point. If you assume the wrong stance from the moment you place your feet, you’ll be unconsciously fighting your body as it tries to center itself.

There are three basic foot positions an archer can use:

• Squared (feet parallel to each other and perpendicular to the target)
• Closed (archer’s hips are closed/turned from the target)
• Open (archer’s hips are open to/facing the target)

In all of these positions, your feet will be shoulder width apart.

Not sure which is your body’s stance of choice? There are a few easy steps you can follow to figure it out. Grab a friend for this one.

1. Find an archery range with a wide target wall
2. Place the target in the center of the wall
3. Assume your stance
4. Without moving your feet, turn around and close your eyes
5. Keeping your eyes closed, turn back towards the target and draw
6. Have your friend make sure the arrow will hit the target wall
7. Release the arrow
8. Open your eyes and assess where the arrow landed

Usually, if you’re right-handed, the arrow will be to the right of the target. If you’re left-handed, it will be to the left. This means you weren’t positioned at your natural centering point and your dominant hand took over.

Adjust your feet and keep repeating these steps until you’re consistently hitting near the target.

Torso Alignment

Once you have the correct foot stance, you can move on to torso alignment.

One of the best things you can do for your shot is to stand up straight. No slouching, no hunched shoulders. Instead, draw your shoulders down your back and engage your core to help your spine stay upright.

Looks like all those core moves are actually helpful for archery after all!

If you have a strong stance, your back won’t be arching or leaning. A strong, active core is helpful for this because it helps you balance.

Head and Shoulders

Finally, if your feet are positioned properly and your torso is solidly upright, the last piece of your stance is your head and shoulders.

While your hips may be in various positions relative to the target, your shoulders are usually perpendicular, about 75% in line with the target (which makes sense–if they weren’t, you couldn’t shoot straight!) This also helps encourage core activation to stabilize the slight twist from torso to shoulders.

Your head should be looking directly at the target so that you can see the target with both eyes.

Positions to Practice

Great, so you’re ready to shoot, right?

No so fast.

Once you understand the basics of body alignment and you’re comfortable with how to orient yourself, it’s time to practice the various archery positions.

There are four different positions:

1. Standing
2. Sitting
3. Kneeling
4. Crouching

If you’re wondering why on earth you need to practice shooting from four different stances, keep in mind that if you’re using a bow and arrows to hunt, you’re likely going to go through many different positions out of necessity.

Standing

Standing is a no-brainer and the best place for beginners to start since this is the easiest position to figure out your stance.

If you’re new to archery, break out your beginner’s bow and start with the basic steps outlined above.

If you’re already comfortable shooting and standing all day, though, it’s time to challenge yourself.

Practice with your feet together, spread apart, or on uneven ground. Practice at varying distances from your platform and consider how much space you have to work with as you prepare your shot.

Keep in mind that things rarely go perfectly in the heat of the moment. When push comes to shove, you should be comfortable in any shooting situation.

Sitting

Got standing down to a science? Time to practice your seated shot.

This is a shot that many treestand and ground blind hunters neglect every single year, figuring that it’s easier than the other positions.

But that will come back to bite you. In the other three positions, the engagement of your legs is vital to a successful shot. When you’re seated, the back muscles are what make the shot happen.

And as any hunter will tell you, springing up to stand is a guaranteed way to spook a deer.

Ideally, you should practice on the stool or chair you’ll use while hunting.

Kneeling

Kneeling is a popular position, as it offers you a ton of flexibility when hunting from a ground blind. If anything, it’s more mobile than shooting from a seated position.

That said, it’s also an extremely awkward shooting position if you’re not used to it. It’s basically the halfway point between a standing shot and a seated shot–your back does a lot of work, but your legs are more active than they would be sitting down.

Crouching

Be prepared for the family, neighbors, and even your hunting buddy to burst out laughing when they see you practicing this one. If they make jokes about shooting from the toilet, give them kudos for inventiveness.

But make no mistake: this is one of the hardest positions to shoot from.

Think about it. You spend most of the day standing and walking. Crouching is another story entirely. Your legs are working to hold you up from a halfway position, which means (if you’re doing it right) your core is also engaged to protect your spine.

Oh, and you have to focus on shooting an arrow. Preferably with accuracy.

This position is a lot harder than you think. Even if you have the leg strength to spend five minutes hanging out as if you’re about to sit in a chair, you may not have the balance. And your stumbling for balance could spook your target.

So, before you embarrass yourself on a real hunt, practice this position on your own time, and practice it often. The leg and core strength required will serve you well in other positions.

If you want to make this position feel cool, think of it as “crouching tiger”. Because channeling a classic martial arts movie is the best way to feel like a boss on the archery range or out in the woods.

Practice Makes Perfect: Break It Down

So, you know about shooting stances and you know about various positions. Time to add in the most important part: the bow and arrow.

If you practice with different bows, it’s a good idea to practice with all of them. Most of our advice regarding the arrow is focused on compound bows here since they’re the first choice for many hunters.

Posture

Sorry, but there’s no getting away from this: you have to have good posture if you want to shoot straight.

Regardless of whether you’re sitting down, crouching, or standing proud, your back should always be tall and flat with your core gently engaged. This will help keep you stable, especially if you need to hold your balance.

Keeping your back flat will also force you to use the bigger, stronger muscles in your back.

That said, resist the urge to carry this tension into your shoulders. You need your shoulders loose enough to comfortably shoot.

If your shoulders are tight, take a long breath in and exhale. Feel your shoulders drop on the exhale. Then, without creating too much tension, roll your shoulders back and away from your ears.

Nocking an Arrow

Once you’ve got your posture, it’s time to nock your arrow.

For the newbies out there, nocking is the process of connecting an arrow to a bowstring. It’s called nocking because the nock is the part of the arrow that snaps onto the bowstring.

Thankfully, this process is super simple:

• Take your arrow from your quiver
• Line up the arrow so the vane (the odd-colored feather) points up
• Push the nock onto the bowstring

The nock will snap onto the D-loop, which is the loop in the center of the bowstring that looks like the letter D. You’ll need the loop later when you attach the release aid to the bowstring.

Hint: you know the nock is in place when you feel/hear it click into the D-loop.

From there, you’ll set the arrow on top of the arrow rest (unless you’re using a full containment rest).

Hooking

When you use a compound bow, hooking is the process of attaching your release aid to the D-loop and positioning your hand on the release.

There are tons of release aid options depending on the hunter, what level you are, and what you like. Most beginners use a wrist strap release aid. This type of aid buckles or velcroes onto the releasing hand and is activated by gently squeezing the trigger with the index finger.

Regardless of the type of aid you go for, don’t form a fist around the release. Instead, keep the back of your hand relaxed. There should be just enough tension to keep the release from falling out of your fingers.

Gripping

In case you haven’t noticed yet, the little details are a big deal in bow hunting. The same can be said for gripping the bow.

We just talked about the hand that releases the bowstring. When we talk about grip, we’re talking about the hand that grips the bow to hold it steady. Much like the seated shooting position, this element is often underestimated.

Begin by placing the meaty part of your thumb/palm on the middle of the bow grip. The key here is to maintain just enough tension to keep the bow from sliding out of your hands (i.e. no clenched fists in sight).

Once you’ve placed your thumb, the rest of your fingers should be at a 45-degree angle to the bow.

Clear Your Mind

Next is the part many hunters neglect: clear your mind.

Even if you struggled up to this point, you have to let it go and clear your head. If you want to hit your target, you have to focus on the task at hand.

Draw and Anchor

From here, extend your bow arm towards the target with the bowstring either in your fingers or the release aid.

Point the arrow at the target, check your grip, and draw the string back towards your face. Keep the bow and arrow steady as you draw.

If your bow has too much poundage to draw back smoothly, rewind and reduce the bow weight until your shooting muscles are stronger.

Once the bowstring is drawn, lock your string hand against the side of your face (anchoring). You should have a comfortable anchor that more or less aligns your aiming eye with the string. Release aid shooters usually press their release alongside or under the chin.

Aim and Release

Once anchored, take aim. Most bowhunters use bowsights to aim, though some don’t. If you’re a new or inexperienced bowhunter, it’s a good idea to use a bowsight to get started.

Bring your aiming sight pin on target. Most archers raise their bow towards the target, which makes it easier to see the bull’s-eye above your sights.

The key is consistency. You should train your muscles to swing on a target the exact same way every time so you can do it without thinking. Move the bow smoothly, hold steady for a second or two, and release the arrow.

If you use a release aid, you’ll have an easier time avoiding jerking and flinching than finger shooters, since you just need to squeeze the release. The key is to squeeze, not punch.

Looking for a Compound Bow?

Once you know proper bow form, it’s hard to resist practicing every single day.

Of course, your practice is helped by the right tools. A great compound bow can make all the difference in your shot.

If you’re looking for a compound bow or reviews of the best options on the market, we’ve got your back. Check out our review of the best compound bows of 2017.

Related guides: How to aim a compound bow · Archery strength training exercises · Guide to compound bow sights

The post Helpful Shooting Positions and Proper Bow Form to Practice Now appeared first on The Best Compound Bows.

Whether you’re a hunter or a hobbyist, a compound bow is a big investment. To stay at the top of your game, you have to keep your compound bow well maintained.

Proper compound bow maintenance will keep things running smoothly and extend its longevity–in both appearance and performance.

But where do you start? With all the different parts of the compound bow, it can be challenging to put together the right maintenance checklist–and be sure that you’re handling every aspect of bow maintenance.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner, an expert, or somewhere in between–bow maintenance is crucial for archery. Here’s a guide on how you can get started.

What Are Compound Bows?

You can tell right away whether a bow is a compound bow or not–just by looking at it. Compound bows can be identified by the pulleys at either end of the bow. The system of pulleys and cables give it what’s known as the “let-off” capability.

As the archer draws back the bow, they’ll reach the “let-off” point. Even if they start pulling at the full weight of the bow, when they reach that point, the draw will be reduced to a lesser weight. Then they’ll stay at this weight until they release the arrow.

This means that with a compound bow, you can fire a more powerful shot with less effort.

The wheels at either end of the drawstring help reduce the full weight of the bow, so you won’t have to struggle to keep the bow straight. You’ll have a stronger shot as well as a more accurate one. A compound bow can reduce the draw weight by 50% or more.

Compound bows are used in field archery, target archery, and hunting. There’s a wide range of styles, weights, and sizes, but they all have the same fundamental design.

What Makes It Different from a Traditional Bow?

All bows rely on stored energy. When you pull back the string, the bow is storing energy to shoot the arrow more quickly than if you just threw it with your hand. But compound bows and traditional bows are different in the way that they store that energy.

A traditional recurve bow is pretty simple. The further you draw back the bow, the more powerful the shot. The harder it is to pull back the string, the faster it will shoot the arrow. This is a direct transfer of energy from the string to the arrow.

With a compound bow, the wheels at either end of the bow are designed to reduce that weight. The energy transfer is a little more complicated. If the bow has a 50-pound draw weight, you’re not holding the full 50 pounds with a compound bow.

Because of this unique energy storage ability, compound bows let you take more careful aim. Another plus, you don’t have to be physically strong to pull back a strong bow–even children can shoot a compound bow.

Compound Bow Parts

Unlike a traditional recurve bow, a compound bow can be strung all the time, even when not in use. While this might mean less day-to-day maintenance, there are a lot more moving parts in the compound bow.

Here are some of the different parts that make up a compound bow.

Limbs

The part of the bow that flexes when the string is pulled, storing and releasing energy

Cams

The wheels on either end of the limbs which help to create the let-off point and reduce the draw weight. Compound bows can come with one cam, two cams, or hybrid cams. More cams usually mean greater speed.

Bowstring

The string which is pulled to rotate the cams and flex the limbs. When you release the string, it launches the arrow.

Cables

The cables keep the limbs tied to the cams, allowing them to pull on each other.

Cable Slide

This holds the cables off to one side so that they don’t get in the way of the arrow.

Riser

The riser holds the limbs and gives a space to mount items like the rest, stabilizer, and the sight. It also functions as a handle for the archer.

Brace Height

This is the distance between the grip and the string when the bow is at rest. A shorter brace height means the string transfers more power to the arrow, which allows for the arrow to fire at faster speeds. However, the longer the brace height, the more challenging accuracy becomes.

A Comprehensive Guide to Compound Bow Maintenance

The following guide can give you a good place to start your compound bow maintenance. Once you know what to do and how to do it, you can start putting together a schedule for cleaning, fixing, and maintaining your compound bow.

With these essential tips, you’ll be off shooting your bow in no time.

1. Listen to Your Bow

Every week, take the time to inspect your compound bow for any damage or regular wear. If at any time during your inspection–or while you’re shooting–you hear a strange sound or feel vibrations that shouldn’t be there, stop shooting.

Examine the bow for damage. If you can’t find the problem, take it to a shop to have it checked out.

Damage may start as a small irregularity, but it can quickly turn into a serious issue. What feels like just an odd noise could end up becoming a cracked limb. The sooner you can fix the little problems, the less likely it is that you’ll have to pay for a big repair later down the line.

2. Watch Your Strings

Check your bowstring and cables regularly. If you notice any damage or wear, replace them as soon as you can.

It’s generally recommended that you replace strings and cables every 12 to 18 months or every 2,500 shots. This will help you maintain optimum performance.

Apply bowstring wax to the string and cables. If you’re using the bow regularly, apply once a week. A few times a month or once a month will be fine if you use the bow on a less frequent basis.

Only use soft wax on your string, and don’t rub it in too hard. If you cause too much friction, you could create heat which could damage the cable.

3. Don’t “Dry Fire”

Don’t ever “dry fire” your bow, or shoot the compound bow without an arrow in it. If you ever do accidentally dry fire or misfire without an arrow, check the bow for any damage. Inspect the limbs for any cracks or signs of wear.

Also, take a look at your arrows to make sure none of them are bent.

4. Keep It Synchronized

Your compound bow’s cams need to be synchronized in order for it to fire.

The position of the cams can affect the timing, draw length, and ability to store energy. If your cams aren’t in sync, you might find that you’re struggling with aim or the arrow falls short. It can also lead to premature bowstring failure.

At full draw, the cams should rotate and reach the let-off point at the same time. If one cam isn’t in the same position as the other, one of the buss cables needs to be adjusted.

If you don’t know how to adjust a cable, it might be best to leave this one to the professionals. Just keep an eye on your cams to make sure they’re functioning in perfect sync, and take it to the shop if you think there might be an issue.

5. Never Draw Too Far

Don’t draw the string past its designated draw length. If you consistently draw too far, you’ll put stress on the cables and cause them to break over time.

Take a close look at your cable and see if you have any dents or cracks. Some smaller dents are normal, but if there are too many or they seem deep, your cable may end up snapping over the course of a few weeks or months.

6. Avoid Excessive Heat

Keep your compound bow away from any heat source. Excessive heat can cause limb failure or break down the materials of your string and cable. This can stretch your cables out and weaken them.

Even just the heat of a sunny day inside a closed car can damage your compound bow. Anything over 100 degrees Fahrenheit could lead to severe damage to all parts of your bow.

7. Always Lubricate

Help things run more smoothly by keeping your axles well lubricated.

Use high-quality oil without any cleaning agents. The oil will help keep the cams and cables moving smoothly, so you can draw back without too much friction.

If your compound bow has cams with needle bearings, don’t use oil. The oil could break down the grease that they’re packed with and cause damage to the bow.

8. Tuning Your Bow

Paper tuning your bow is one of the best ways to check if your bow is functioning well and your arrows are flying true. Here’s how you do it.

1. Fix a piece of paper to a frame so that you can shoot through it
2. Stand about 8 feet away from the paper
3. Using good form, shoot an arrow through the paper
4. Study the results
5. Adjust bow if necessary and repeat the process

This process allows you to study the shape of the hole or tear that your arrow made in the paper. The specifics of this tear will tell you a lot about what adjustments you need to make to your bow.

For example, if the tear is too long up or down, you might need to adjust the nocking point. If it’s too long left to right, you might have a timing problem or your spine is too stiff.

At the end of the tuning process, you should have a clean, straight hole in the sheet of paper–and a well-tuned bow.

9. Proper Storage

You won’t be shooting your bow all the time, so it’s important that you give your compound bow a good place to rest.

Store it in a dry place, preferably locked in its designated bag or container. Don’t expose your bow to the elements, and be sure to dry the surface of your bow before storing it. Moisture can cause the bow’s material to bend and it can warp the surface.

To protect from moisture, store a bow along with a pack of silica gel. The gel will absorb any excess moisture that may have remained on the bow.

10. Go to a Professional

Just remember, your compound bow is a mechanical device. There are a lot of parts and maintenance can get complicated.

While day to day bow maintenance can help keep your compound bow in top shape, it still requires periodic inspection and service by a professional. It’s recommended that you bring your bow in at least once a year for professional inspection.

They can best identify any serious problems and fix them–not to mention touch up on some of the maintenance that you might not have known about.

The Bottom Line

All it takes is just a few minutes each day to take care of your bow–and keep it in peak condition for when you need it the most.

With compound bow maintenance, a little extra care can go a long way. From inspecting your bow to adjusting and waxing the cables, it might take some time for you to set up a maintenance schedule.

Depending on how much you use your bow, aim for a bow maintenance routine that works well for you. And remember, if you take good care of your bow, it will take good care of you in return.

Ready to get started with a compound bow of your own? Check out our article on buying the best compound bow for you.

The post A Comprehensive Guide to Compound Bow Maintenance appeared first on The Best Compound Bows.

Did you notice on your last hunting trip that your buddy didn’t pull his crossbow arrows out of a pack? Then, after asking him about it you realized he actually fletched his own?

Tuning your own arrows is a great way to improve your accuracy that goes beyond the time you spend shooting into the hay bale (although that doesn’t hurt). Keep reading to find out why fletching your own arrows will help and what you need to know to do it well.

If you’re just starting out, don’t think tackling something like this is outside the scope of your expertise. Even if you’re just getting started, this is a straightforward process that can be useful for any archer at any level.

This practice may even turn into a new hobby!

Why You Should Spend the Time

The simple reason to invest in this “upgrade” to your crossbow arrows is the improved accuracy you’ll gain. Beyond that, you’ll be more in tune with your gear than you were before you started.

Speaking of tuning, you’re probably already tuning your bow. Or if it’s brand new, you know that you will need to be aware of the tuning down the road.

Basically, proper maintenance of your crossbow is already on your radar. Now it’s time to invest some of that care into your crossbow arrows as well.

Fletching your own bolt ensures your arrow will fly straight to its target every time. Packaged arrows are fine, but they have the potential for getting damaged during shipping.

You also want to shoot in practice what you’re going to use when shooting at the real thing. Take the time to fletch your arrows, practice with them, and fine-tune the process that works best for you. All these things will pay off when it’s time to lift the sights for real.

How Do You Fletch Crossbow Arrows?

Before we jump into the arrows themselves, it’s appropriate to step back and make sure the technique you use with your bow is correct.

Taking a quick look at that may seem overly simplistic. But if your technique is off, you will only be more and more frustrated as you try to fine tune arrows with poor results. In other words, fletching your own arrows won’t fix your technique as an archer!

First, we will address the components you need to start tuning your arrows.

The Bolt

You want the bolt to be as straight as possible. That may sound like a no-brainer, but there are different quality bolts available. Spend a little more for a better quality bolt.

Make sure the bolt you buy has nocks on it that are compatible with your bow. There’s not much worse than going through this whole exercise and realizing the bolt you bought won’t work.

The Broadhead

You may already have a style you like. That’s fine, you can stick with what you like. Keep in mind how much the broadhead weighs as it compares to the rest of the bolt and vanes.

You don’t want to add too much weight to your bolt, it will shed too much speed and be ineffective. But on the flipside, you don’t want to lose so much weight in the pursuit of speed that it dips under the optimum weight prescribed by your bow.

The manufacturer of your bow knows best. Follow their lead and land as close to the weight recommendation as possible.

The Feathers or Vanes

Here too, you need to know what’s recommended for your bow. If you already have the bolt and you followed the instructions above, you bought ones with the correct nocks on it.

The key to buying vanes is simple: Buy ones that fit the nock pattern for your bolt and rig. From there, you can start to have some fun.

Some Assembly Required

This may sound intimidating, but it’s really not that bad. You have all the pieces and it’s pretty obvious where they all go.

When gluing the vanes onto your bolt, the best tip we can offer is to get a slow-drying glue. Don’t worry about making a mess, you’re not the first. But slower drying glue gives a little leeway before everything becomes solid.

The real fun with assembly is you now get to experiment with the type of rotation you want to achieve. There are three main styles:

• Straight – the vane sits straight on the bolt
• Offset – the vane sits straight, but with a slight twist from the back to the front of the fletching.
• Helical – the vanes are fletched with a slight curve.

Of those three, the helical fletch tends to get the best results. But this begins to move into the realm of personal preference pretty quickly. There’s some science to how the arrows fly, yes. But at the end of the day, your comfort is key.

One way to test your work is with an arrow spinner. They will help you test the wobble in your crossbow arrows to make sure you have put together something that will fly straight and true. They are very simple to make at home.

Own It

If you’ve ever spent any time around a competition pistol or rifle shooter, it won’t be long until you hear about the weight they prefer for their trigger. Each of them swears by what they have become accustomed to.

Some like a long pull that’s smooth and heavy. Others prefer the trigger to be right next to the guard so that the smallest touch fires a round.

Both of them are entitled to their own opinions.

The same is true with fletching. You may hear people who are strong proponents of certain fletching styles and mock those that don’t conform to their ideal.

Find the fletch that suits you and your bow the best and stand behind it. Enjoy the process and be creative as you experiment with different vanes and styles.

In short, enjoy your new hobby! Contact us anytime for the best in crossbow arrows and bows. We’d love to hear your story!

Related guides: Guide to choosing compound bow arrows · Best broadheads · Compound bow maintenance guide

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Deer hunting season is almost upon us.

You’re probably itching at the chance to pull back on your bow and let fly at an eight-point buck.

But if you run off to a field without giving your bow a broadhead tune, you’re going to have a heck of a time getting your arrows to go where you aim them.

A broadhead tune is absolutely essential before your first hunt of the season. But a lot of hunters have very different ideas about how to tune your bow.

In this article, we’ll walk you through our tips for the perfect broadhead tune.

1. Check the Strings

Now matter how much you spent on your compound bow, your strings are not going to last forever. Even the best bows will require occasional restringing.

Your bowstrings are under constant tension. And when your bow sits unused for months at a time, that tension stretches the strings.

This can rotate your cams, move nock position, or even bent limbs.

This won’t only affect your aim. A string break can turn things ugly fast.

Check your nock and cams. Your strings might not need to be replaced just yet, but twisting and pressing them back into position can help immensely. If your cams are out of sync, adjust this as well.

Keep in mind that bow strings need to be replaced every three or four years. If you can’t remember the last time you replaced your string, it’s probably time.

2. How’s Your Draw Length?

A lot of people use a bow that’s just a little bit too long for them. While this might give them a faster draw, it can damage your shooting form and cause your arrows to fly incorrectly.

You might also be using arrows that are too long for your draw length.

When you give your bow a broadhead tune, make sure your draw length is correct. The simplest way to do this is to measure your arm span and divide by 2.5. Then adjust your bow accordingly.

If you need help finding or adjusting your draw length, your local archery shop will be able to help.

3. Find the Center Shot

In a perfectly tuned bow, the arrow rest and the nock will be perfectly aligned. This is called the center shot.

If it’s been a while since your bow has gotten any use, your center shot is probably askew. If you let this go without giving it a broadhead tune, you’ll aim won’t be as true as it could be.

Using a laser guide or bow square, find the center shot and move your nock into position.

4. Peep Alignment

Once your center shot is in order, the next step in a broadhead tune is to align the peep.

While you don’t necessarily need a peep to aim your bow—archers survived for centuries without them—a straight peep can make aiming much easier.

To align the peep, close your eyes and draw the bow to a natural position. When you open your eyes, you should be looking right through the peep.

If that isn’t the case, move the peep until it meets your natural eye line.

5. Choose the Right Arrow

Bowhunting isn’t simply a matter of the right bow. You need the right arrow as well.

Spine

Many bowhunters spend hours giving their bow a broadhead tune only to choose the wrong arrow spine, or stiffness.

When you shoot any arrow out of a bow, it will flex. The arrow will then snap back to a straight position and fly toward the target.

Depending on the speed of the bow, you will need a different amount of flexibility of your arrows. Faster bows exert more force, so they need a less flexible arrow.

If an arrow flexes too much out of the bow they will not fly straight after recovering their position.

Choosing the wrong arrow will make it impossible to get a proper aim out of your bow.

Fletching

The spine isn’t all that matters. You will also need to choose the right fletching. The right fletching will be able to counteract the weight of the bowhead and survive repeated firings.

Front of Center

The fletching does a lot to help the arrow’s stability, but it can only do so much.

The arrow must also be weighted properly. For a stable arrow, most of the mass should be at the front of the arrow. This factor is called the FOC or Front of Center.

To calculate an arrow’s FOC, find the point where the arrow is balanced. Measure from that point to the nock groove.

Subtract the center of the arrow from the balance point. Divide the sum by two.

A good arrow will have an FOC between 7-10%.

6. Test Your Arrows

Once you have the right arrows, take a moment to test them. Weight each on a scale to make sure there isn’t too much variance.

Hold the arrows from each end and rotate them. This will show you if there are any problems with the arrow’s straightness.

A broadhead tune means nothing if you are using faulty arrows. Testing them will ensure that your aim will be true.

7. Test It Out

Once you give your bow a broadhead tune, it is time to test your bow.

The Paper Test

Hang a sheet of paper about eight feet away. Make sure you have something to catch the arrow behind it!

Shoot a few arrows through the paper. Make sure you are using the proper form.

Look at the rips left in the paper. The way the broadheads tear through the paper will tell you a lot about your aim.

Take a note of the problems revealed by the paper test and adjust your bow accordingly.

The Field Test

After the paper test (and any additional tune, if you need it), it’s time for the field test.

Fire several arrows at a target from ten feet away. Then, fire again from twenty.

Do the same at thirty, forty, and fifty feet.

If your adjustment was correct, there should be very little variation in your shots. If your shots are inconsistent, go back to the beginning and troubleshoot where you went wrong.

Get Shooting!

Once your bow has been tuned, it’s time to use it!

Head off to the deer blind or archery range and let a few arrows fly.

If not even a proper broadhead tune can get your bow in working order, you might need to buy a new one.

Any questions? Contact us!

Related guides: Compound bow maintenance guide

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