Thoughts from the coaching team: Some tips for getting ready for the indoor season, Alan Davies, club coaching team.
I’m writing this as we’re enjoying one of the driest summers on records but by October we’ll be making the move to shoot indoors again. For those used to shooting longer distances outdoors it requires a few changes of approach. For those who’ve recently joined and are used to shooting at 18m/20yds outside, it may not seem much of a change but there are still differences that it’s worth thinking about before we start the indoor season.
Here are a few things to be aware of:
- Target distance We’ll all be shooting at 18m/20yd distance. However, unlike outdoors where we’re using a 122cm target face we’ll be using a 60cm target face to shoot a Portsmouth round or a 40cm face if you want to try a WA18 round.
- Sight settings For those shooting with a sight, if you haven’t got your indoor sight settings for 18m/20yds yet you might want to take the opportunity to shoot at this distance while we’re still outdoors and note down the changes you’ll need to make. For those shooting barebow or longbow, the same applies in terms of any stringwalking, gap aiming or floor/ground marker changes you might need to make a note of.
- Arrow choice Some archers prefer to shoot different arrows indoors, although this is absolutely not essential. You might well overhear senior archers having conversations about the merits of different arrow shafts, flights and point weight combinations!
Basically, thicker arrow shafts can increase your chances of scoring with a ‘line cutter’ a bit with the smaller target faces. However, you might need to retune your bow to work best with a different set of arrows. Some archers prefer to carry on using the arrows they’re happy with outdoors on the basis of consistency or cost.
So, if you have an indoor set that you are going to use then now is a good time to check on the condition of the flights and nocks. Also, for lots of technical reasons your club coaches can explain to you (maybe for a separate posting on the website – Ed.) longer flights and different flight types might also help your arrows perform better indoors.
If you need to order any new items or replacements do it early in September and they’ll be delivered in plenty of time to be fitted and ready for October. - Space on the shooting line
Moving indoors has the advantage that there’s no risk of rain stopping shooting. However, we are restricted with access to the sports hall to only two sessions per week. As a result, the shooting line will be a lot busier indoors than you might be used to if you’ve only shot outdoors before.
You’ll be shooting closer to archers either side of you. Please remember to be respectful when joining or leaving the line so that you don’t disturb anyone about to shoot. Also, remember to keep your bow vertical while you are putting your arrow on the bow to avoid the risk of knocking someone else.
It also really helps if you can remember to book ahead of time. This lets us know how many people we need to set up for each time and lets the club’s committee know what the level of take-up is throughout the indoor season. - Different rounds We’ve been supporting the use of the 252 round to help people progress during the outdoor season. For indoors, the Portsmouth round is a popular choice indoors and it means you are shooting a 60cm target face at 20yds. You’ll be shooting 5 dozen arrows, so scoring out of a maximum of 600, and we normally have enough time in each session to complete this round. It’s a round that can be used for indoor classifications and we normally shoot a ‘club competition’ round once a month to help people to achieve this. We also offer informal Portsmouth badge awards in the club for different scores that can be achieved, for example 450 or 475.
- Indoor competitions For those who are starting to enjoy entering competitions, be warned that the indoor competitions fill up quickly as they have less spaces available due to the size of venues. So, keep an eye on the Wales Archery Association website under ‘events’ for news of upcoming competitions.
Also, David O’Carroll runs an excellent virtual archery league for the Portsmouth round where you can compete with other archers for clubs across the UK and even abroad! For a modest entry fee you can sign up and you submit your best score for each month from October to March. All of this good fun and a great way of tracking improvements in your archery. - Clothing We use Pentrehafod sports hall on Monday evenings and Saturday morning during the indoor season. The heating system has had problems in the past, so it can be warm on some days and pretty chilly on others. So, you’ll need a combination of clothing that you can adjust depending on how it feels when you arrive and as you warm up when shooting.
Obviously, it’s good to avoid clothing that’s too bulky where it might interfere with your shooting. So, a few thin layers can let you adjust to a suitable temperature and think about adding a thermal layer, maybe a gilet and also a beanie or woollen hat for the colder months. Don’t forget there’s a lovely range of Bowmen of Gower club clothing available from Picton Sports – always an idea for Christmas presents as well! Finally, there’s also a lot to be said for handwarmers on particularly cold days – warm fingers make for a better arrow release! - Have fun! This wouldn’t be much of a coaching update without a reminder to say, “Remember to have fun!”. The indoor season can be used as a period to start a training plan to improve on your technique, set new targets for your Portsmouth scores or set your sights on taking part in the Virtual Archery League. Above all though, have fun.
Remember that the club’s coaches, Ieuan Johns and myself, are always available if you need help with anything.