Keeping sane

In difficult times

Chances are, by now, you'll never want to hear the word 'coronavirus' ever again, unless it's in a historical context. But inevitably, you know this will be with us for a while yet. Almost every national or international outdoor competition this year has been cancelled, and it's not even certain the indoor season will restart on time either. While a handful of clubs may be gradually reopening as of this writing, it's obvious that club archery as we know it is going to look very different this year.

But what does it look like if you don't have your own garden (with enough space so that you don't accidentally shoot the neighbours) or the ceiling height in your own house or flat is not sufficient? How can you still call yourself an archer?

An enforced break from the sport can offer us some opportunities, however. Who hasn't heard the phrase "I should really do more training at home". But how many of us do it? Why not seize the opportunity now to really take a few minutes each day and devote it to archery – even with a lack of 'live' training opportunities?

Banding together

Let's start with the most basic, training with the Theraband. Here you can train your normal movement pretty well and also vary the 'poundage' instantly. You can optimally combine this training with a mirror, with the help of which you can also carry out a visual check of the movement. In addition, you can combine the whole thing with a change of lateral side, i.e. if you are right-handed, try shooting left handed. This offers the opportunity to train the muscles, which are otherwise stressed differently on both sides, and especially to feel the movement on the “wrong” side, making it important for motor skills and the brain. You should have more than one Theraband, of course. Stash a dozen of them all around the house if you have to.

As well as the Theraband, there are more powerful long training bands with handgrips widely available which are a solid substitute for the gym for flexibility and strength-building. Working on pushups, even the most 'beginner' forms (as recommended by Lucy O'sullivan in the last issue of Bow) will help a great deal.

The next thing to try is to improve your sense of balance and body stability through targeted exercises. The easiest option is of course a balance trainer, which only a handful of archers have at home. (You can get some of the way there by just folding a towel several times so that you can still stand on it with one foot.) Then practice shooting with the

somewhere at home and that is always pulled back for a few “shots” as you go past. In principle, the unwanted break should be used as effectively as possible to lay the foundations for a successful coming season. A lot of people, archers and not, have of course been working on many aspects of their fitness. (I have been astonished by the number of people out jogging during lockdown.) Cardiovascular fitness remains perhaps a little underrated for archers, and will, of course, improve all aspects of your life.

keeping perspective

Of course, this is a positive spin on things. You many have read a few articles about what to do with your time this year, and more of them should end like this: absolutely, categorically do not beat yourself up about it. Many (perhaps most) people entered lockdown thinking that they would get fit and healthy, or learn a new language, or complete some other project, and they simply haven't managed to do it. The circumstances are difficult, and the mental health pressures on everybody should not be underestimated – and for people with children, everything becomes exponentially harder.

One of the best things about having archery in your life is that skills and form never atrophy completely; it's a sport you can quit for six months, two years or twenty and still come back to. It may be a while until we collectively get out of the woods; so please: stay healthy and just try to make the best of it you can.