Hi All,
Welcome to this weeks quick tips email, as always, please do forward this message to any of your archery friends who might find it helpful.
I got a question this week asking if I’d be able to recommend a good recurve hard case for travelling, so I posted a full video about this in my OAA Members Telegram group and will put a brief summary below.
If you want a hard case for travelling by car to domestic competitions, then I’d recommend the Win & Win ABS Case or this Shibuya case.
But these are very expensive and for travel by car I would also consider buying a ‘backpack’ type case like these or using a sports holdall (you can buy these from most big brands (Adidas, Nike…etc).
If you plan on travelling by plane, then don’t get the previous hard cases. I’d suggest buying something from SKB, like you can see on their website here.
The initial hard cases I recommended aren’t sturdy enough to deal with the ‘gentle’ airport baggage handlers 😜
Your hook that you create at the set position is one of the most important parts of your technique, and there’s a key aspect of it that many archers forget about; it should be secure through your whole shot.
It’s extremely easy to place your fingers on the string, and then allow your hook to slip, twist or slide as you draw the bow. Perhaps even more commonly, it’s very easy to relax your draw hand as you come into anchor, which changes how your hooking fingers are attached to the string.
All this movement is quite a natural thing to do. Because your bow weight is increasing as you draw it’s easy to let your hook slip. And because you’re trying to get a secure fit with your hand against your face at anchor it’s easy to allow your hand shape to change.
However, you must keep your hook secure through your shot, including during full draw and expansion!
Check this week if your hook is properly secure or not. Do you set it at the set position and then keep it, or do you let it slide through the shot?
One of my archers that I coach individually sent me a link to this great alignment drill from the World Archery YouTube channel.
Getting someone to put an arrow on your scapula like this is a great way to check your alignment, but often it’s inconvenient to have to keep asking them to do it. So the drill above is a genius way of being able to get regular feedback on your own without the need for an overhead camera setup.
That’s it for today, have a wonderful weekend!
Happy shooting,
Ashe
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