How to Shoot an English Longbow
Archery is a great sport for people of all ages to enjoy. Although an overabundance of archers use compound and recurve bows, there are still some traditionalist that enjoy the challenge of shooting a real English longbow. These simple, yet powerful weapons have a long history, and anyone can learn to enjoy the skill involved in shooting one of these weapons.
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Instructions
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1
Stand with your knees slightly bent, bow held out in front of you with your elbow slightly cocked.
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Grip your bow with your thumb pointed straight out from your wrist, rather than your hand curled around the bow. It will look like your wrist is cocked back slightly.
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3
Angle the bow slightly to the outside, so that it creates a V-shaped notch between the grip and the stave. Place your arrow on the string, and rest its shaft against this notch.
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4
Smoothly draw back the string and arrow to the corner of your mouth, pause and let go while aiming at your target.
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Tips & Warnings
Shooting a longbow puts a lot of stress on your wrists, elbows and shoulders. If you plan to shoot a lot, then start increasing the strength in your arms and back prior to doing an extended session of shooting.
Do not hold a longbow in a drawn position. These bows are made from single lengths of wood, and long holds can weaken the staves and eventually cause your bows draw strength and resultant thrusting power to weaken.
Don't hyperextend your wrist, or your arrows or string will slam into your wrist each time the string is released.
Bows are weapons and should be treated as such. Never shoot an arrow at anything other than a target or an animal you wish to kill while legally hunting.
