Tag Archives: archery tips

Archery Wrist Strain: Why Your Grip Is the Problem (and How to Fix It)

Female archer drawing recurve bow outdoors

The Death Grip and the Wrist It Destroys If you are experiencing wrist pain after archery sessions, the most likely culprit is not your wrist at all — it is your grip. Specifically, the white-knuckle grip that many beginners (and plenty of experienced archers) apply to the bow handle, squeezing it as if it might […]

Shoulder Tendinopathy in Archery: Signs You’re Doing Too Much Too Fast

Brady Ellison archery competition practice

Tendinopathy vs. Tendinitis: Why the Distinction Matters For decades, overuse tendon injuries were called tendinitis — inflammation of the tendon. Treat the inflammation, the thinking went, and the tendon heals. The problem is that research since the 1990s has consistently shown that most chronic tendon pain involves very little actual inflammation. Instead, what happens is […]

Rotator Cuff Injuries in Archery: Prevention, Symptoms, and Recovery

Brady Ellison archery recurve bow shooting

The Rotator Cuff and Why Archery Stresses It The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles — supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis — and their tendons that wrap around the head of the humerus and attach it to the shoulder blade. Their job is to stabilize the glenohumeral joint (the ball-and-socket of the […]

Archer’s Elbow: How to Treat and Prevent Lateral Epicondylitis

Archery arrows in target Olympic style

What Is Lateral Epicondylitis and Why Do Archers Get It? Lateral epicondylitis — commonly called tennis elbow, but just as accurately called archer’s elbow — is an overuse injury that affects the tendons attaching the forearm extensor muscles to the lateral epicondyle, the bony prominence on the outside of the elbow. When these tendons are […]

Archery String Slap: Causes, Treatment, and How to Never Get It Again

Recurve bow athlete preparing equipment for competition

What Is String Slap in Archery? String slap is the sharp, stinging contact between a bowstring and the inner forearm that happens at the moment of release. If you have shot more than a few arrows, you have probably felt it — a red welt, a bruise that turns purple within hours, and a growing […]

Compound Bow Stabilizer Setup: Weight, Length, and How to Tune It

compound bow competition archer

A practical guide to how compound bow stabilizers work, what length and weight to choose, and how to tune a front-and-back bar system for consistent shots at any distance.

Field Points vs Broadheads: When to Switch and Why

Bowhunter at full draw with compound bow on mountain ridge during hunting season

Quick Answer: Field points are slim, aerodynamic practice tips designed for target shooting; broadheads are wide-bladed hunting tips that create lethal wound channels on game. Switch to broadheads six weeks before your hunting season opener — after paper tuning is complete. Because broadhead blades act like miniature wings, they magnify bow imperfections that field points […]

How a Compound Bow’s Draw Cycle Changes Across Price Tiers

Compound archer at full draw side view showing proper draw weight technique

Spec sheets tell you what’s different between a $400 bow and a $1,200 bow. This guide explains what those differences actually feel like to shoot — and which tier your current archery stage belongs in.

Archery Mental Focus: 7 Techniques for Better Shooting

Archer holding mental focus at full draw

Quick Answer: Archery mental focus is the trained ability to hold your attention on one aiming point and run your shot process without letting doubt, adrenaline, or the score interrupt it. You build it the same way you build draw strength — with deliberate reps: a fixed shot routine, controlled breathing, a single visual focus […]

Archery Etiquette: Range Rules Every Archer Should Know

Two archers aiming recurve bows on an outdoor archery range

Quick Answer: Archery etiquette is the set of safety habits and courtesies that keep a shooting range running smoothly. The core rules: obey the whistle commands (two blasts to the line, one to shoot, three to collect arrows, five or more to stop), never draw a bow when anyone is downrange, wait behind the shooting […]