4 Essential Devices for Beginning Archers

Archery is a fast-growing activity and pastime for people all over the United States. Approximately 7.9 million people, aged six and older, participated in archery in 2016. With such a high demand for the activity, there is equipment for archery training sold everywhere and a large variety of objects to sort through.

• Bow: The most essential tool is, of course, your bow. The most commonly used bow for beginners is the recurve bow, as seen on the Olympics. These come in a classic and simple wood finish, or in modernized designs with balance weights and sights giving you a little extra to play with. The compound bow is the most high-tec and is made for maximum accuracy.
• Armguards: If you are pursuing archery as a serious activity, you will need to protect your arm. An armguard is worn on the arm holding the bow and prevents the bowstring from rubbing against your skin as it quickly shoots your arrow. In a similar vein, you can get gloves to protect your hand that is shooting the arrow. These often come in leather. Another popular option for protecting your draw-hand is a finger tab, which slides onto your preferred finger on your draw-hand and comes over its palm side.
• Sight: Shooting without a sight is completely possible when an archer is comfortable relying on their natural sight. Many archers, however, use a bow-mounted sight that allows you to move your sight pin directly to the spot needed to hit your target. You can also personally mark it to indicate different yardage settings.
• Phone Mount for Bow: A newer piece of equipment and great archery training device is the phone mount for bow. This mount attaches your smartphone to the front of your bow, allowing you to watch more closely as your arrow flies and see where exactly it lands. With the phone mount for bow, you can also record your target practices to review yourself or show family and friends.

Archery has come a long way from when it was commonly practiced for the practical purpose of hunting and protection. Today it is a sport that everyone can participate in. Approximately four million women participated in archery this year according to the studies commissioned by the Archery Trade Association. Its also a sport that is surprisingly active, engaging muscles throughout your upper body, core, and back. If an archer participates in an archery tournament, they walk about five miles each day, burning 100 to 150 active calories every 30 minutes. Stay active, learn a new skill, and have fun by starting your archery journey with these archery training aids today!