What the expert says
Michael Peart is a member of the Great Britain archery squad.
Use your instinct Archers will usually draw the bow string with their right hand, but simply pick up the bow and see what feels natural. If you use your right hand to draw, your right eye will be the one you keep open to look at the target, and vice versa for the left.
Position yourself One foot needs to be either side of the shooting line. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, weight even on both feet and your body at a 90-degree angle to the target.
Draw your arrow Once you're in position, you can draw your arrow from the quiver. Place it on the bow and slide it backwards to 'nock' the arrow - this is where you clip the back of the arrow (the nock) on to the bow string. The 'cock feather', which will be a different colour from the rest, should be pointing to the left.
Position your fingers on the string Curl your index finger around the string above the arrow and your middle and ring fingers beneath it. The string should rest just past the first joint of your fingers.
Prepare to shoot Lift your bow and pull back the string until your index finger is under your chin and the string is touching your nose. This is called your anchor point. Close one eye and get the sight on your bow to line up with the centre of your target.
Breathe easy Take a deep breath and then let out half of it. Clear your mind of everything except the target, and relax. Allow the string fall out of your fingers, rather than opening them to release it. Let the rest of your breath out and hold your position until you see the arrow hit the target.
Be consistent The key to success in archery is doing the same thing every single time - from the way you stand and how far you pull back the string to how far you let out your breath.
Build your strength It's very hard to work on the muscles you need for archery in the gym. The best exercise you can perform is to get into a shooting position with your bow, pull the string back and hold for 30 seconds, relax for 30 seconds and then repeat as many times as you can.
Be still The tiniest movement can make a huge difference, especially when you are shooting over a long distance. The arrow can travel at up to 60m/second and targets can be up to 90m away. One twitch and the arrow won't even hit the board. You get the most points for hitting the gold circle. The centre of that is called the x-ring (not the bullseye). You don't get extra points for hitting it, although it defines who wins in a tie-break situation.
Getting started
There are clubs all over the UK and many of them welcome beginners. Archery is a great family sport, so you can take everyone from your six-year-old to your grandma. It's also a great sport for people with disabilities (they often compete directly against able-bodied competitors in tournaments). Club membership costs around £35 a year, depending on the size and location of the club. You can do archery all year since most clubs move indoors in winter. The indoor season runs from October to March, when you can shoot in church halls, sports halls, etc (the targets are closer, but smaller). To find a club, visit the Grand National Archery Society at gnas.org or the International Archery Federation at archery.org.
Clubs will require you to have some tuition before they will allow you to shoot on your own. You'll start with targets that are about 10m away; the distance will then be increased as you improve. You can become fairly proficient after about six weeks. Courses cost between £20 and £50.
There's only one competition that's the preserve of the top archers (the UK Masters tournament). The rest are open to any standard of archer, so you can go along and compete with your club.
The gear
Clubs will usually provide you with equipment, so at first you won't need any. Wear flat, stable shoes - golf shoes are ideal. Don't wear any kind of heel that could unbalance you, and wear a close-fitting top so it doesn't catch on the bow.
Archers wear a guard on the arm holding the bow, to protect it from the string when they shoot, and a finger tab, which is a soft leather pouch that protects their fingers. Some people also wear chest guards to keep clothing out of the way. A pair of binoculars can be handy for seeing where your arrows have hit the target when shooting long-distance.
The type of bow most commonly used is called a recurve bow. If you buy your own, you will also have to buy a sight, for lining up the arrow to the target, and stabilisers, which are carbon rods that protrude forwards from the bow and are weighted to stabilise the bow when shooting.
For equipment, visit clickersarchery.co.uk or altservices.co.uk. Good brands to look out for are Hoyt for bows and Easton for arrows. Bows cost from £40 to £1,200, and arrows from about £1 to £30 each.
The upside
Reduces stress Staying cool and precise under pressure can enable you to apply those skills in other, more stressful areas of your life
Sharpens the mind The focus and mental clarity needed for archery will boost your ability to concentrate
Tones the upper body Repeatedly lifting the bow and drawing the string strengthens the muscles in your arms and shoulders
Burns calories A 10st person would burn about 180 calories an hour. In a typical one-day tournament, an archer will walk five to six miles
Strengthens the back The majority of the work in archery is done by the scapula muscles in your back, which take the strain when you draw the bow string
The downside
It's frustrating The addictive element of archery is that it's simple to learn and yet so hard to perfect (a bit like golf). Even the best archers in the world can't hit the centre of the target every time.
The weather can scupper you British summers are unpredictable and the wind can ruin a day's shooting. There will be flags above the targets to show wind direction, but it's very hard to shoot well in bad weather.
It won't do much for your cardiovascular fitness Archery makes you stronger and burns calories, but it's not going to boost your heart and lung system in the way that sports such as running do.
