April 03, 2017

Coach Linda Beck's Top Tips for Transitioning to Outdoor Season

With Arizona Cup and the start of outdoor season right around the corner, USA Archery Level 5-NTS coach and pioneer of the Compound Junior Dream Team and Regional Dream Team programs, Coach Linda Beck shared some pro tips for transitioning from your indoor range to the great outdoors:

• Tuning: As you move from indoor to outdoor distances, chances are you will be switching to your "outdoor" smaller diameter arrows. Remember you need to change your nocking point when changing arrows, and tune your bow. (I recommend checking out the Easton Tuning guide.) Some suggested methods for tuning either recurve or compound bows include bare shaft and walk back. For compound, try paper tuning to start followed by walk back tuning.

   

• Arrow Selection: One key to success outdoors is finding the best arrow spine for your bow. With indoor shooting, archers want the largest diameter arrow allowed, which for most is too stiff in spine. It works at 18 meters and 20 yards, but shooting incorrect spine at long distances will result in less than optimal arrow flight, poor groups and low scores.

   

• Skills Training: Practice your aiming off skills indoors so you are prepared for aiming off in the wind outdoors.

   

• Setting Your Sight: If you can't move your sight down far enough for the distance you need to shoot, moving the aperture of sight closer to you will enable you to move sight down further. In extreme cases recurve archers can put the sight on backwards with the sight on face side of bow.  

   

• Exercise: Work on increasing your core strength with exercises such as sit ups, planks, crunches, etc. to improve your ability to brace your body and bow against the wind.

   

• Tricky Conditions: Practice in the wind, rain, under lights, any challenging situation you might encounter, to prepare for outdoor tournaments.

To find an outdoor tournament near you, visit USA Archery's Sanctioned Tournaments Calendar. For more coach tips, USA Archery certified coaches and instructors can access premium video content in our FREE Mobile Coach APP.

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