You probably know by now that the DCAS Postal League is in full swing.  Shooting a round for the Postal (and in any competition) can be daunting for newcomers and experienced archers alike. So here’s 5 tips to help you shoot at your best.

1. Check Your Equipment

It’s frustrating getting up to the line and realising you’ve forgotten to put something onto your bow.  Even worse when you’re 4 ends into a bad round and then realise you don’t have a button in!  Whenever you shoot it’s important to run through a mental checklist on all the parts of your bow.  If you’re a recurve archer don’t neglect your string, having a well waxed string and correct brace height will pay dividends.  Finally don’t forget your arrows, make sure all the fletchings are secure and the shafts are straight.

2.Warm up

Not everyone does it but warming is very good for you.  Not only are you helping to reduce the risk of straining yourself, you are are also reminding your body which muscles you should be using to draw your bow.

3.Clear Your Mind

It can never be overstated how much of a mental game Archery is. Learning how to entirely focus on your shot and shut out distraction is not an easy thing to do. Before you start your end take a few moments to focus on your shooting. Many find it helpful to recite their shooting routine in their head.

4.Relax

Tensing up before a shot can lead to poor execution in the form of torquing and heeling the bow.  If your shoulders, arms, neck or back are tense before your shot you can’t properly control which muscles should be applying pressure at each stage.  Take a breath, hold it, release and let your upper body relax.  Once your muscles are free of tension you can start your shot.

5.Don’t Look At Your Scores

Scores can be a huge distraction when shooting. If you focus too much on a bad score you can pull yourself down mentally. Likewise getting cocky with a good score can lead to you neglecting your shot.  The key is to take each arrow one at a time. Focus on that one shot and once it’s in the target, let it go and move onto the next.

Hopefully you found these tips useful and we’ll be seeing a lot of new personal bests.