So You Want to Shoot a Trad Bow
Archery is old. Really old. In fact, it's believed that it dates back to 10,000 BC with the Egyptians. As things age, they change. It can be a beautiful thing. Archery has undergone some significant changes, which have culminated in the modern compound bow.
However, recently there has been a trend back to the roots of the stick and string and traditional archery has grown substantially. "Trad bows" (think longbow or recurve) offer simplicity and a bunch of frustration. If you're thinking about switching, here’s are four things to consider (note: this is not an exhaustive list but we’re hoping it gets you started down the right path):
1. Fit is Everything
Just because you're pulling back 70# on your compound doesn't mean you should be looking at a trad bow with similar specs. I shot a 70+# bow for most of my life and didn't have any trouble pulling it back in any condition. However, I initially had a hard time drawing a 50# recurve without a bit of struggle. If you’re focusing all of your energy on pulling a bow back, you won’t have proper mechanics and your shot will fall apart. There are a ton of resources for figuring out what bow fits you best but we’d recommend starting by going to a local (and reputable) bow shop and trying a few out.
2. Form!
As it the case with most disciplines, form is critical to your success with the struggle stick. Do you have the proper stance with feet shoulder-width apart and your shoulders angled away from the target slightly? Are you gripping the bow properly? Do you have a consistent anchor point? Are you using back tension when you’re drawing your bow back? These are just a few of the many things to consider and to work on when you make the switch. If you’re like us, your form can probably use a lot of work. We’d recommend finding a local coach to work with. The guys from The Push are another great resource. They’ve got hours of material, with some of the leading traditional archery experts, aimed at making you a better shot.
3. Tune Up for What
Tuning your traditional bow is just as critical as it was for your compound. A perfectly-tuned arrow will fly clean and center where your instincts naturally direct the shot. Tuning takes a bit of trial and error – you’ll want to work with your brace height and nock-point location, as well as the weight and stiffness of different arrows. Try a bunch of arrows and then work on bare-shaft tuning. This video by the great Clay Hayes is a great resource on how to tune your bow.
4. Aim
Once you’ve got the right equipment and you’ve begun working on your form (a process that will never really end), it’s time to work on your aiming system. There are ton of ways to aim and it’s up to you to choose which you prefer. Joel Turner, founder of Shot IQ, is one of the masters of shot control, aiming and beating target panic. His material is definitely worth checking out.
There are dozens of other things to consider when it comes to living the trad life well. Don't just take our word for it either - we're pretty new to the game and are constantly learning new things.
Here are a few great resources to consider:
- the Stickbow Chronicles Podcast