When I think of archery, I immediately imagine bows and arrows. I flash back to a specific scene in the Disney movie, Pocahontas, where the Native Americans used bows and arrows as weapons of choice against the invading English soldiers. I am sure that aspects of that movie were based on actual events of US History. At one point in time, archery was used to hunt for food, as well as defend against enemies. It is amazing to me that this means of survival has evolved into a unique and competitive sport (‘unless until the zombie apocalypse’- Dennis).
By no means did I ever imagine that I would engage in this activity. Like many others, I have never heard of anyone ever trying it. Fortunately for me, Dennis saw a Groupon that offered discounted prices for a local archery arena which included rentals and lessons. I had the preconception that it would be easy to learn, and super fun. I was half right.
When we arrived at Pacifica Archery, I was immediately intimidated when the first thing we had to do was sign a waiver. The waiver informed us of the risks that could occur, and a laundry list of rules we had to follow. After signing the consent form, my mind was further blown when we learned that there was protective equipment. After our forearms were covered, and ours fingers fitted with gloves, we were presented with glossy bows that were ¾ my height. That is the moment it started to sink in that archery was not just fun and games, it could potentially be dangerous.
Out fitted in our proper gear, the lessons began. Brian, our trainer, quickly but thoroughly went through the body mechanics to archery. From what I remember, the steps included the following (for those right handed):
1.) Legs hip width apart, perpendicular to the target.
2.) Hold the bow with left hand resting on wrist
3.) Fingers aligned with string
4.) Right elbow up, and pull back the string until index finger reaches the point of your smile
5.) Close left eye, and aim at target
6.) Turn nose until the tip touches the string
7.) Release
Sounds simple enough. However, it took me about 30 minutes, and lessons from both Brian and the manager to teach me to hit around the target. Dennis, on the other hand, was naturally talented at archery. He hit the bull’s eye in the first round. Naturally, I felt defeated. It didn’t help that we were learning next to professional archers training for a competition that made learning even more difficult. We eventually figured out the problems. The first problem being, I was afraid of the bows and arrows! I couldn’t bare the idea of having my face in such close vicinity to the bow. But once I got past the fear that the bow would take off my nose, my arrows stopped going over my target, and actually landed on the foam board! Next, what I was aiming at caused me to miss the bull’s eye every time. After adapting my target, I was actually able to hit the bull’s eye at least once! After being able to nail the mechanics, archery began to be fun.
Archery is by no means a social sport. The gym was dead quiet, with only sounds of speeding arrows penetrating foam boards. The only burst of laughter I heard was from other archers, after I accidently pierced their score boards. As I was observing the professionals, I noticed that they were of all shapes and sizes. But what they all had in common was their focus and passion for the sport. It occurred to me that archery is very appealing, because it doesn’t discriminate against people based on athletic ability. The secret to being successful was focus, and the consistency of your body mechanics. The more consistent you are, the better you perform. From what I learned, being unafraid of your equipment and being aware of your body position is the secret in attaining consistency.
I would recommend this activity to anyone who wants to try something new, regardless of athletic ability. If you are looking for a sport not designed for team players, and are looking for a mental challenge, I would strongly recommend archery. My overall impression of archery was a positive one. I would definitely attempt it again sometime soon!
Cindy
