What exactly is strength training for archery? What exactly does increasing your strength do for you if you are an archer or a bow Hunter? Undoubtedly, by now you are familiar with the fact that most professional sports teams utilize strength training as part of their conditioning program. Progressive resistance or strength training has been around since the time of the ancient Greeks.
Milo of Croton a Greek wrestler increased his strength by carrying a newborn calf on his back every day until the calf was full-grown. Strength training for archery will yield you many benefits such as improving your aim and your draw weight.
Strength training will enable if you are a bow Hunter to go after bigger game. There are many ways to increase your strength for archery. There are some archery exercisers sold on the market today such as the Bowfit that can provide you a decent workout. This archery exerciser is very low in cost but unfortunately only allows you to train in one specific movement.
While it is important to train in a "sport specific," exercise it is just as important to strengthen the supporting muscles. Such as, shoulders, chest, stomach, trapezius muscles, biceps and triceps. By strengthening your entire upper body and your legs you will have a stronger base from which to shoot from.
One of the quickest method to increase your strength is by using isometric exercise. Isometric exercise is a scientifically validated training protocol that has been well established in bodybuilding circles. In addition, isometrics has been used for rehabilitation for years. Isometric exercise has the advantage of increasing muscle and ligament strength, both at the same time.
The strength gains from isometric exercise have been well documented. In some cases, increases in strength of 300% in as little as four weeks are possible. What this means to an archer or bow hunter is that you can quickly improve your aim and draw weight.
If you are not familiar with isometrics here is a quick example of an isometric exercise that you are now performing. When you draw your bow and hold it steady to aim it, you are utilizing isometrics. The act of holding the drawstring in is in essence what increases your strength. This is isometrics.
You can use isometrics with any type of exercise equipment. The best of course is an isometric exerciser but you can also use a good set of resistance bands. One of the advantages of these two pieces of exercise equipment is that you can exercise your total body as well as perform "archery specific" exercises at a very low cost.
If you have not included strength training as part of your archery training program then try it, you will be amazed at the results.