British weather, even in Summertime, can get a bit windy! It helps to know how to combat this in your archery so you can prevent your arrows going off course. Patrick Huston has some tips…
Tackling a strong breeze can be challenging even for the most experienced archer
Q. My son found shooting in windy conditions yesterday challenging at times. Any thoughts on technique considerations or advice about equipment that may be helpful? He currently doesn’t use a longrod. How much difference do they make for a beginner? Thanks.
A. For a novice archer, I would say the main thing about shooting in windy conditions is that it is very tiring. This is true even for top level archers. As your son’s strength builds with the bow this will become noticeably easier.
A very useful thing to focus on in windy conditions is to continue moving quickly through the clicker. Trying to hold the bow absolutely steady while fighting the wind and cautiously moving through the clicker is extremely tiring. On set up try to put the power into the movement in one continuous motion. Accept that the accuracy will decrease compared to what he can produce in calm conditions, but the average shot in the wind will be easier and more powerful.
In terms of equipment a longrod will provide quite a lot more stability for the bow and archer, though for novices this is then a trade off between the benefit it gives and the extra fatigue the weight will bring.
The best advice I can give your son is to train hard, with a good amount of bow training to increase his strength.
This article originally appeared in the issue 123 of Bow International magazine. For more great content like this, subscribe today at our secure online store www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk