Choosing the right equipment...

Information taken from Learn-Archery.com

Determining and selecting proper archery equipment can be confusing for anyone who is new to the sport of archery.

If you do not select the proper archery equipment that fits you specifically, your archery experience will be less than rewarding, painful and an expensive loss.

Eye Dominance

There are two simple methods that I use to test an archer's eye dominance:

Miles Test
Porta Test

With the Miles test note that there are two different ways you can evaluate your eyes.

The results will be the same.

If there is any uncertainty about the results then do all of the self testing methods mentioned below.

Miles Test: Version A

Extend your arms out in front of you at eye level with your palms facing away.
Bring your hands together forming a small "V" shaped" hole or view window by overlapping your thumbs and fingers.
Select a small object at least 10 feet in front of you and look at it with both eyes through the hole in your hands.
While remaining focused on the object close one eye and take note of what happens then open the eye.
Now close the opposite eye and take note of what happens to the object.

Miles Test: Version B

Extend your arms out in front of you at eye level with your palms facing away.
Bring your hands together forming a small "V" shaped" hole or view window by overlapping your thumbs and fingers.
Select a small object at least 10 feet in front of you and look at it with both eyes through the hole in your hands.
While remaining focused on the object close one eye and take note of what happens then open the eye.
Now slowly draw your hand closer to you. When you have drawn your hands back to your face the view window will be placed over one eye or the other. This is your dominate eye.

The Porta Test For Eye Dominance

Extend your arm out in front of you.
With both eyes open raise your thumb or align your index finger on a distant object.
Close the left eye and observe the location of the object.
Now open the left eye and close the right eye and observe the location of the object.

It is likely that when you closed one eye or the other, the object disappeared or appeared to move to one side or the other.

It is also likely that when you closed the opposite eye, the object remained stationary in the view window you created with your hands.

The eye that kept the object stationary in the view window is your dominant eye.

If you performed this simple test and the object did not appear to move when you closed one eye or the other then you are among the rare individuals who have central vision. If that is the case then you are likely to be a very effective archer regardless of which hand you shoot with.

For more in depth information and further tip and tricks visit LearnArchery

On this Page (quick links)

1. Eye Dominance

2. Should I shoot left or right handed

3. Determine your proper draw length

4. Determine your bow size

5. Selecting your draw weight

6. Choosing the right arrow length.

7. Selecting an arrow

Eye Dominance

Left or Right Handed

Should I Shoot Archery With My Right Or Left Hand?

Does Eye Dominance Matter When Selecting A Bow?

The answer to this question depends greatly on your personal preference and goals as an archer.

If you are one of the lucky people who are right handed and right eye dominant or left handed and left eye dominant then selecting archery equipment becomes obvious.

Left hand/Left Eye dominant = Left Hand Bow

Right Hand/Right Eye dominant = Right Handed Bow

Eye dominance is particularly important to the archer because most all of us have one dominant eye that works a little harder than the other.

While we use both eyes to see, you will use your dominant eye to focus on an object or your point of aim.

If you are lucky, your dominant eye will be correlated to your dominant hand

In other words, your dominant eye is on the same side as your dominant hand.

Example: If you are left handed and your left eye is dominant.

What does all this parallax and ocular dominance stuff mean to me as an archer?

Archers who shoot a bow that matches the ocular dominance possess a competitive advantage over cross dominant shooters.

Cross dominance means your dominant eye is on the opposite side of your dominant hand.

For more in depth information and further tip and tricks visit LearnArchery

Determine Your Proper Draw Length

Selecting your proper draw length is equally important as choosing the right size shoe.

Just like a pair of shoes that are made to fit a certain size foot, every bow is designed to accommodate a specific range of human factors including arm length or draw length.

It is impossible for an archer to learn proper archery shooting form if the draw length and bow size are too small.

This applies to both compound and recurve archers.

Conversely, if the bow is too large for the archer then you will be missing out on the full potential of the stored energy for the bow and the compound shooter will not be able to anchor at all because the nock point will be located to far behind the face.

Regardless of the bow type or archery style you choose, before you can purchase your first bow you will need to know 3 things.

Draw Length
Bow Size
Draw Weight

Before you can determine your proper bow size you first need to determine your proper draw length.

I also address proper bow size here and proper draw weight here, which are both vital to your success as well!

The information on this page will help you determine your proper draw length which you will use to identify a bow size that is right for you.

In your search for answers you may have already come across other methods and variations for determining your proper draw length but rest assured there are only two methods that you should be using exclusively...

Proper Draw Length
Method 1: Calculated Draw Length

This process is fast and easy and it works great for both compound and recurve archers.

There are two simple steps to finding your Calculated Draw Length.

Measure your arm span
Divide by 2.5

This method is called the Measure and Divide method. The archery community has been using this tried and true method to calculate proper draw length for many years...why? ...Because it works!

To determine your calculated draw length you will use a tape measure and some simple maths, but you will need an assistant to help you measure.

Here is how it works...

Step 1

Stand like you are making the letter T. Now measure your arm span from finger tip to finger tip.

NOTE:

Stand up straight with arms reached out and palms open (facing forward)
Make sure your shoulders are not scrunched up or the chest over extended
Just stand natural and relaxed otherwise you could affect the measurement

Now have your assistant measure with a tape measure from the tip of one middle finger to the tip of the other middle finger.

An alternate method determining your proper draw length is to stand with your back against a wall.

For more in depth information and further tip and tricks visit LearnArchery

Draw Length

Selecting A Bow Size

To select a bow that will be perfect for you, all you need to know is your

calculated draw length OR actual draw length.

If you do not already know your calculated draw length go here then come back to this page.

The following chart is for Recurve bows...

NOTE: I always round the calculated draw length up to the nearest 1/2" inch for Recurve bows. It is preferable to shoot a longer bow than one that might be too short.

For more in depth information and further tip and tricks visit LearnArchery

Bow Size

Bow draw Weight

Selecting A Bow Draw Weight

Your physical condition, stamina and motor skills will change the more often you shoot.

If your draw weight is too heavy, the likelihood that you will learn proper biomechanical form is greatly diminished and the experience will be less than enjoyable.

In the section you will find a guideline for recommended draw weights for Recurve and Compound bows.

Use these as a starting point to determine your proper draw weight.

RECURVE
Recommended Proper Draw Weight

For Beginner Recurve Bows

Youth (Age 8 to 10) 10 - 12 pounds
Youth (Age 11 to 13) 10 - 14 pounds
Teens (Age 14 to 17) 12 - 16 pounds
Young Adults (Age 18 to 20) 16 - 22 pounds
Adult Women 16 - 26 pounds
Adult Men 22 - 28 pounds

For Intermediary Recurve Bows

Including beginners who are athletically inclined
with better than average upper body strength

Youth (Age 8 to 10) 10 - 14 pounds
Youth (Age 11 to 13) 12 - 18
Teens (Age 14 to 17) 16 - 22 pounds
Young Adults (Age 18 to 20) 18 - 26 pounds
Adult Women 22 - 32 pounds
Adult Men 26 - 38 pounds

COMPOUND
Recommended Proper Draw Weight

For Beginner Compound Bows

Youth (Age 8 to 12) 10 - 16 pounds
Teens (Age 12 to 14) 14 - 22 pounds
Older Teens (15 to 18) 24 - 28 pounds
Young women and male teens 26 - 36 pounds
Women with above average strength and younger males 30 - 40 pounds
Average Man 40 - 50 pounds
Men and women with above average strength 40 - 60 pounds

For Intermediary Compound Bows

Youth 18 - 22 pounds
Teens 24 - 30 pounds
Young women and older male teens 30 - 40 pounds
Women with above average strength and younger males 40 - 50 pounds
Men and women with above average strength 50 - 60 pounds

How To Determine Your Beginner Arrow Length

If you don't have the correct arrow length you are putting yourself and others in personal danger.

Secondly, if you don't have the correct arrow size (spine) you will increase the risk of an accident tenfold.

What is the difference between arrow length and arrow size?

Arrow Length - refers to the length of the arrow shaft.
Arrow size - refers to the spine (stiffness) of the arrow. The shaft size is always referring to the diameter of the shaft, the wall thickness of the shaft and the distance that the arrow shaft will flex before it bends or breaks.

Shooting arrows that are too short is dangerous not only to the person drawing the bow and arrow but to everyone who is in close proximity to the archer.

Not a lot of words need to be said here - simply look over the following images and read the captions to understand why an arrow should be the proper length.

Arrow Too Short!

In the photo below the point of the arrow is going to fall off of the arrow rest if the archer "over-draws" the bow.

What happens next can result in very serious and painful injury.

If you're new to archery or you have not had formal instruction you should have arrows that are at least 1.5" - 2" beyond the back of the bow until you have learned proper shooting form.

Drawing the bow and arrow with proper archery form and anchoring in the correct location is the only way to reduce the risk of overdrawing the arrow.

If in doubt please ask, any of the experienced members of our club will be happy to assist you and help you work out your correct arrow length.

For more in depth information and further tip and tricks visit LearnArchery

Arrow Length