Objective
This is a scoring exercise which you use over time to keep track of and improve the consistency of an archer.
Preparation
- Your complete bow setup, ready to shoot.
- Set up a target butt at your chosen competitive distance with the target face you’d like to use. Typically, this would be your standard competitive distance, like 50m.
- Make sure you have eight serviceable arrows, preferably with spares.
- Make sure you have a score card with 8 scoring blocks ready.
- You could also use two score cards.
- Ensure that you’re warmed up.
Technique
- Shoot a full round or half round, for example:
- 48 arrows, 8 arrows an end, at 50m on an 80cm 6-ring face
- 96 arrows, 8 arrows an end, at 40m on an 122cm 10-ring face
- Score all eight arrows for each end and total up the six highest and six lowest per end. Examples of scoring options are:
- Score all 8 arrows and keep two running totals
- Score the highest 6 on one score sheet, and the lowest 6 arrows on a seconf score sheet.
Notes
- This drill is used to build a picture of the consistency of the archer over time. It is a great way to track improvement, both to the archer and their gear.
- Seeing the difference between the six highest and lowest arrows over time gives you a measurable metric, but only if you keep the target face and distance the same over the selected timeframe.
- The aim is to track the difference between the highest six and the lowest six arrows. The smaller the delta, the more consistent the archer is becoming.
- Use the target which is the most appropriate to the competitive age of the archer.
Step it up
- Stepping up is not recommended as you’d like to track consistency at the competitive distance for the archer.