I got to the range for the first time in 2 weeks. I am borrowing equipment from another recurve archer and he's coaching me a lot too. I've decreased my poundage so I can concentrate on my form, incorporating my shoulder mechanics into each shot instead of only using my arms. I switched from a 30# draw to 18# and then back up to 24#. It is so nice shooting an ILF rig instead of a traditional bow. The traditional bow has lots of pros and is great for beginners but I am somewhere between beginner and intermediate and an ILF better suits my style right now. I usually start with fairly tight groups and get frustrated when they loosen up to the size of a basketball. I got frustrated because it seemed to happen pretty fast today and I still wanted to shoot. I shot more for over an hour. It's amazing how tired I get considering how short a time it is. I've been doing quite a few arm exercises but I am going to increase them and make sure I eat enough protein to build more muscle. I also need to slooow down. I tend to shoot my arrows pretty fast and my fellow archer pointed out how much weight I am holding. He said, 'Give your muscle time to rest and take a deep breath and then shoot.' I really need to work on that.
These days I've been reading as much as I can and watching as many archery videos as I can to learn better technique. And I just may be drooling over my archery equipment wish lists online. But that will come when I have the funds. I have to get a few other ducks in a row before I can splurge on some equipment.
I also met some other recurve archers today and one who actually competes. It was great to talk more with another archer and get some more perspective, ogle her equipment and talk about how hard it is to test equipment physically yourself before investing in it.
On the exercise front, I've been waking up early to go running around my neighborhood. It keeps my weight down and is great for mental discipline. The actual shooting is a workout in itself. My arms are much more toned and have more muscle then they did 6 months ago. I can also notice more definition in my core muscles. Ideally I want to be doing daily weight lifting and programs like crossfit, barre workouts, yoga inversion classes to increase my strength and overall fitness. SUP is a great core workout and fun. I hope one day to complete an ironman triathlon. This is all in the hopes of improving my archery ability, remaining fit and taking care of myself.
I never want to take the joy out of archery that I feel now. I look forward to shooting so much and love the challenging process of each shot. I get super excited when I shoot a tight group and it's a plus when they are all in the gold. I must look like a 3 year old with how excited I get but honestly it's just sheer joy. And I haven't felt that in so long that I will never give up that feeling ever again. Here's hoping I can take it to the next level soon.
