Top 10 physical and mental benefits of archery

Archery is the activity of shooting an arrow from a bow. The bow and arrow can be used both as a weapon and sport. Archery was tremendously popularized in the movies “Lord of the Rings” and “The Hunger Games” which sparked renewed public interest in the sport.

After the two blockbuster movies, families suddenly started booking archery lesions and parents encouraged their kids to try the sport. While the arrow and bow were predominantly used as hunting by our ancestors, the activity is now as popular sport that even features in the Olympics.

Archery is often considered a stationary sport, however, competitive archers require a significant level of endurance, focus and strength to perform well, which makes it an ideal activity to help keep you fit and healthy. Here is a quick look at the top 10 health benefits of archery.

1. Upper Body Strength

Practicing archery requires the use of arms, chest, back and shoulder muscles especially when drawing the strength. Similar to weightlifting, the stress on these muscles requires maintaining a certain level of stress on the above named muscles before releasing the string to fire the arrow. The repetitive act of drawing and firing the arrow encourages muscles development in the upper body over time. The level of development depends on the draw strength of your bow and period of time that you practice archery. Just be sure to get the best crossbow that matches your drawing strength.

2. Balance

Balance is a fundamental element of archery since archers need to hold their bodies still while aiming to make a shot. Taking time to practice archery helps you build control over your body’s balance as you aim and try to hit the bull’s eye. As you practice more and more, your core muscles become used to keeping you steady and balancing your body as you focus and fire the arrow.

3. Coordination

Another essential skill that all archers need is hand-eye coordination. The sport trains your hands how to work together while carrying out different tasks like aiming and firing the arrow based on your eye’s input. Consistent archery practice eventually sharpens your coordination even in other daily life activities. The improvement in coordination results in better aiming which can help you in other sports.

4. Walking

During archery competitions, participants can walk up to 4 miles when performing common tasks moving from one position to another within the archery range. While this walking is often in short intervals, its cumulative effect throughout the competition season can improve your leg strength, cardiovascular health and muscle tone. These benefits will be also gained during practice since you will be regularly walking to retrieve shot arrows.

5. Mental Focus

Focus is yet another very important element for successful archery. Developing focus has a positive impact on mental health and wellbeing. High level of focus when aiming your targets also improves your ability to clear your mind and become more precise during both practice and competition. The same skills will come in handy when dealing with stress and when you want to keep your mind worry free away from the archery sport. Focus is also great recipe for those want to overcome distraction and procrastination.

6. Patience

Archery as a sport is pretty easy to learn, but it takes time to perfect. While it’s fun to play, it can at times be frustrating, and you will need patience to build the skills for future success in the sport. It takes patience and determination to repeat a certain technique in archery and play competitively at events. This same patience can be translated into other areas of your life making you a better person.

7. Improves confidence
The game of archery can be against oneself or others. And since the outcome is measurable, improving your technique and form can result in improved self-confidence. Additional, the approvals you get from your coach, fans and colleagues gives you a sense of accomplishment and boosts your self-esteem. Soon, these positive elements will starts reflecting in other areas of your life and how you carry yourself around.

8. It’s a social sport
Archery is enjoyed by people from all walks of life a across different age groups. In fact, almost any age group can participate in archery; participants range from as young as 6 years to as old as 70 years. Just like most games, it also teaches the values of teamwork since some archery competitions involve groups or teams of players. As earlier motioned, archery also nowadays also played at the Olympic Games where archers get to interact with hundreds of other players and fans from different nationalities.

9. Relaxation
There is a sense of relaxation that comes with archery which only archers can explain. Releasing and watching an arrow fly and hit a target can be such a stress reliever. The practice of focusing while building confidences and stress brings an overall feeling of relaxation and satisfaction. This is even more rewarding if when taking part in competitive archery, every small millstone you make comes with a sense of accomplishment, a peace of mind and a feeling of being in control.

You can stay calm and accurate under intense pressure by managing breathing, nervousness and concentration. When you’re performing well, hours can go by in a blink of an eye. For some people, it’s just about them and their bow when they are on the line, which makes for a great moment for a bit of internal meditation

10. Open to all
Archery can be practiced by both able bodied and disabled people. So apart from accommodating players of all ages, the sport is quite friendly to people with different forms of disabilities. There are even specially designed tactile equipment for the blind which makes it a great family sport.

Considerations

Archery is physically demanding, but most importantly, it requires a keen mastery of the equipment and the skills. But the ultimate success starts by choosing the best crossbow that fits your skill level and strength. If you’re relatively new to the game and the equipment required, check out BowAuthority for their great selection and reviews of crossbows and some archery tips for the sport.