What Are the Physical Benefits of Archery?

You’re standing still in the breeze. There is no one around. It’s just you and your bow in the quest to become one. Archery equals mindfulness meditation. It provides you with a way to get in touch with the inner you in an attempt to become stronger. But what are the physical benefits of archery?

Archery is about focus, strength, coordination. It’s about enjoying the outdoors while building new skills.

This fantastic activity is even an Olympic sport. Ideal for youngsters and adults, it gives you a reason to be alone or to share special moments with your loved ones.

But what really matters is that archery is fun. I shot my first arrow when I was still a kid. Can even recall the emotion of letting go of the arrow. The sharp sound of it piercing through the air and the dull tone of the target when it was hit.

I still enjoy archery just as much. I’ll never get tired of that sharp sound nor of the sound of the target. And if you’re still looking for reasons to give it a try, know that archery comes with many physical benefits. Listing them all would take forever, so have a look at some of the most important.

Below are the Physical Benefits of Archery


1. Archery Keeps You Fit

Archery comes with a huge advantage - anyone can practice it. There is no age limit or skill requirements. And regardless of your age, shooting arrows keeps you fit.

There are many ways archery uses to help get rid of those unwanted calories. For instance, just drawing the bow can help you burn 280 calories per hour. That’s the equivalent of an hour of jogging at 7mph. Unless you’re used to attending marathons, we both know that’s a speed hard to achieve.

Then, the simple act of shooting the arrow helps your muscle grow. Forget the gym and the weights and embrace archery if you really want to build arm muscles.

Not to mention that archery equipment is heavy. Carrying it around helps you burn further calories without even thinking of it. Equivalent with weightlifting up to an extent, archery is no doubt a full sport that can help you develop at all levels.


2. It Makes You Exercise 

Archery is much more than shooting an arrow. You’ll have to get from point A to point B somehow, and that somehow is usually walking. Unless you’re an old-fashion knight, who loves horse riding.

Horses apart, whether you’re target shooting or love bow hunting, this sport keeps you moving. 

For instance, in most archery competitions the archers are required to walk up to 5 miles to achieve their goals and to score points. If you’re a hunter, you perhaps know already that what you see in most movies isn’t true.

Pray won’t just come to you. You’ll have to go and search for it. This means more walking, sometimes on rugged terrains. All this movement equals exercise which is often the equivalent of a gym session. Through this, archery improves your strength and lowers the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.


3. Improves Your Focus

Archery is a sport that requires concentration. Whether you’re a target shooter or a hunter, the outdoors is distracting. But being distracted means missing the target or your prey. That’s why you’ll have to learn how to stay focused.

You won’t hear the wind anymore, nor the voice of your buddy complaining about his life. When you’re shooting, all disappears. You learn how to focus on your target and aim with determination.

In real life, this translates into a major productivity. Your coworker won’t distract you anymore from your tasks. You’ll know that the YouTube video has to wait until later, and procrastination just won’t be part of the picture anymore.


4. Helps You Build Strength 

Archery is an elegant sport, but contrary to popular belief, it is not for the faint-hearted. This sport is about strength, and you’ll need plenty.

Rookies tend to start from a recurve bow. But as you work your way up to a compound or crossbow, your strength works its way up too.

Perhaps you’ll still need gym sessions for your lower body part, but as far as your upper body is concerned, archery will help you develop your arms and hands, chest, and shoulders.


5. Makes You More Flexible

Remember those stretching exercises your personal trainer swears by? Well, if you’re practicing archery, you can ditch those. At least as far as your arms and upper body is concerned.

The part of your body that will benefit the most is your hands. Your fingers will get more flexible, as you’ll use them to their fullest capacity. This means a rise of your fine motor skills, a better grip, and better hand flexibility. Amazing, isn’t it?


6. Archery Boosts Your Coordination

Like most skills, coordination is something that develops over time. And archery can help you achieve your goals faster.

This sport helps you train your hand-eye coordination but also enables you to improve your estimation skills and mathematics, especially if you’re shooting at a moving target. Along with that, you’ll improve your accuracy and your multitasking skills.

Since getting good results you’ll need a high precision, this also means an increment of your strength and concentration.

No doubt, archery is an amazing sport for the kids who suffer from motor or coordination disabilities, helping them improve the quality of life.


7. Shooting Arrows Improves Your Balance

Balance is a fundamental skill all archers need because you’ll have to hold yourself steady while aiming and shooting.

You might not have it at first, and this often translates into missed targets and wasted arrows. But there is nothing to worry about; archery will improve it day by day and arrow after arrow.

As your strength develops, so does your balance. You’ll soon be able to hit a perfect bullseye or get home with that trophy you’ve long desired.


Final Thoughts 

No doubt, archery is a sport with countless benefits, both physical and mental. It helps you burn hundreds of calories and look amazing in that tight outfit. Without realizing it, it builds your muscles and improves your strength, balance, and coordination.

Archery teaches you how to focus and boost productivity. And the best part, it can be practiced by anyone. Bows come in all styles and sizes that fit beginners and advanced shooters alike. You can enjoy archery alone or with your family and friends.

You can even practice it if you have disabilities, as most bows adapt to the archer’s needs. So don’t wait any longer. Get a bow, get some courage, and go out there and start shooting.


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