Archery is a sport that is done by shooting arrows with the help of a bow as a cold weapon to reach a target or shooting target at a predetermined distance. Usually the target is a circle of rings that improve scores as the arrow hits the middle.
Archery is inspired by human life since thousands of years ago. Archery with bows and arrows was originally used as a hunting or war tool. The function of archery for hunting or fighting has been decreasing since the invention of firearms.
Currently archery is more aimed as a sport or a means of recreation for some people. According to World Archery, the first archery competition took place in Finsbury, England in 1583 which was attended by around 3,000 participants. Subsequently, archery became an Olympic sport in 1900 for men and 1904 for women.
Just like any other sports, there are some archery's equipment that needs to be prepared before starting this activity. At least, to start archery you need basic equipment, such as bows, arrows, and targets.
The first one is a bow. Bow is one of the main pieces of equipment in archery. There are three types of bows, namely recurve, longbow, and compound, each of which has its own character. For beginners, generally will use a recurve bow that has a curved shape at the end. This type of bow is also the easiest for beginners to learn.
The second is arrows. Arrows can be made of wood, aluminum, carbon, or a combination of carbon and aluminum. The tool in this archery sport must have a certain stiffness and length. If it's too short, the arrow could miss the bow and injure you.
The third is target. In archery, you have to shoot arrows at the target. The target is a circular target with a certain part to determine the point of the shot. At the Olympics, archery athletes must aim at a target from 70 meters away, but beginners need a shorter distance.
In addition to these three tools, an archery athlete generally needs other supporting tools, such as a bracer (chest protector), a quiver (a place for arrows), and a finger tab (finger protector). Equipment for this sport usually has a relatively expensive price, so you don't have to buy it. If you want to practice archery, it's better to join an archery community to rent tools and get the right technical direction from an instructor.
There are some benefits from this sport such as the following explanation for human physique. Strengthens the upper body, archery emphasizes stress on the muscles of the arms and chest, back and shoulders. This pressure will be held for a few seconds before releasing the arrow. With repetition, the pressure of pulling and releasing the bowstring can strengthen the muscles of the upper body.
Control balance, practicing archery can help control balance while the archer is focusing on the target. The more you practice, the more your core will get used to balancing your body.
Practice coordination, In archery the most important coordination is the eyes and hands. This sport trains the hands to work together while performing different tasks, namely aiming and shooting arrows based on what the eye sees.