Like any other sport, archery too needs continuous practice. In fact, archery is all about practicing and keeping up with the pace of the game. The sport of shooting arrows with utmost precision and speed with a bow designed to shoot the arrow forward has garnered an immense fan following of its own.
But due to the Covid19 pandemic hitting the entire world, everyone has been forced to stay at home and abstain from going out too much. If you’re also someone who’s missing out on the fun of shooting and the thrill of the sport, then this guide is for you.
Get hold of how to practice archery at home during the pandemic to keep up with your well-practiced and honed archery skills. The experience might not be the same as usual, but all that matters is you not falling short of archery practice while still staying indoors.
But if you are planning to buy new archery gear and accessories, or replace old ones with new ones, then VaporTrail must be your go-to place. Being in the top three bowstring manufacturers globally has made them make a mark on the quality of bowstring and other gears.
Head straight to the below-mentioned tips to know how to practice archery at home.
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Keep yourself knowledgeable of local authority’s rules, regulations, and ordinances
If you’re planning to practice your archery skills in the backyard, then you might need to contact the local law enforcement authorities for requisite information if you would be breaking any law or not. In many areas and suburbs, shooting with a bow and archery might be considered equivalent to shooting or discharging weapons. If not this, chances are you might not be allowed to practice archery for safety reasons.
So it’s better that you keep yourself well-informed and well-aware.
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Building a backstop is the next step on how to learn archery at home
It is one of the most important aspects of practicing archery at home in the backyard. You of course wouldn’t want to damage yours, your neighbor’s, or any other possible government property or even people and pets in general. This is what backstop comes into the picture. It helps catch missed shots. Hay bales prove to be a practical and affordable option when setting up a backstop. They should be stacked at least five feet tall and 5 feet wide in height and size for extra margin.
But densely compressed foam or thick plywood can also help act as an alternative to hay bales.
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Choose an ideal target
The next step to the idea of how to practice archery at home is to know the right and ideal target. There are predominantly two target options at disposal: bags and blocks of foam. Bag targets prove to be lightweight and allow for easy removal of arrows. But only provide two-sided shooting and also don’t last long.
While foam blocks have multiple shooting faces and offer the high-performance capability. If you are someone who often hauls their target in and out during practice, larger blocks may be inconvenient and cumbersome to manage.
Note: The choice of target totally depends on your ways of practicing and interest. Go for a foam model if you’re vouching for a long-lasting target. But if you shoot with low-poundage gear, a bag model will work perfectly for you.
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Safety should be the first priority
Whether practicing indoors or outdoors, safety should be your topmost priority. Archers often misinterpret the importance of safety and safety gears when not practicing archery in the professional setup. Ensure your neighbors well in advance of the shooting range. Also, don’t forget to wear proper eye-protecting guards and setting up a backstop as already mentioned.
Note: It’s always a better idea to practice at times when there’s the least possible chance of any person or pet being disturbed. It also helps others have a schedule as to when you’ll be practicing and when not practicing. Not all neighbors might be supportive of your practice sessions.
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Resort to training bands in absence of arrows to understand how to practice archery at home
Training or stretch bands help train muscles to gain requisite strength for both novice and experienced archers. They also mimic the actual bow’s weight and force, thus preserving one’s muscle memory. To practice and maintain muscle memory with a bow, don’t load it with an arrow. Instead, anchor and draw as usual while holding for almost 3-5 seconds. Do this the way you would normally do before releasing the tension to bring the bow back to its original and standard shape. Don’t release the bow sharply. Repeat this activity 6-12 times with a 5-minute pause in between.
While this might not be a preferred option, it often becomes the only option when feeling short of bow and arrows.
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Maintain the fun
The sport might not seem that thrilling in the backyard, but it can be made into a fun game. Some modern targets have different shapes on them. You might want to allocate points when someone hits a requisite target spot. Even having fun competitions in between will help you keep entertained.
So you see how it’s not that difficult to learn how to practice archery at home. The experience and feel might not be like the outdoors, but intentions are the same. Keep setting up goals and exercising to keep yourself fit and healthy when things become normal once again.
Till then keep yourself stocked with the right and high-quality gear and accessories from VaporTrail. You can also choose to customize the bowstring as per your preferences. Check them out here and experience an all-around shopping experience. Don’t let the pandemic hit your game as hard as it has hit the entire world.