Choosing the best and the most appropriate bow and arrow sets for your kids is just as important as knowing its difference with crossbows. There are a lot of people who are not aware of their difference and their proper usage. Thus, we have come up with this guide to help you choose the right bow and arrow sets for your kids.

Factors to Consider When Choosing Youth Bow and Arrow Sets

Since your decision to purchase a bow and arrow set is for child’s pleasure and mastery, it is only imperative that you choose the best one for them that will not only ensure their amusement while using it but will guarantee their safety. However, with the extensive list of the bow and arrow sets available in the market, choosing the best one will not be an easy task.

Check the following discussion as we give you the factors to consider before getting one. Follow this guideline for you to be able to get the best archery set for you and your kids. They are as follows:

1. Having The Right Mindset

This is the most important thing which you need to think through upon purchasing a youth arrow and bow set. You need always to remember that you will be buying something for your kids and not for your use.

You may buy the best and the most expensive set in the world, but if the item you purchased makes your child uncomfortable and uneasy while using the same, it will still be worthless.

You have to keep in mind that children do not care about the brand and the quality, what is important to them is they get to enjoy the activity. So, always consider which item makes it easier for your child to target and shoot. It should always be about them and not about you.

2. Determine Your Kid’s Dominant Eye

The moment that you have already digested the fact that this is all for your children, it is about time that you decide whether your child is a right-eye or left-eye dominant. This is very vital in the world of archery as it will help realize your child’s goals.

If you still do not have any idea whether your kid is a left or right eye dominant you can do the necessary steps to determine it on your own. The easiest way to do this is by doing the following:

1. Bring your child to a room free from any distractions and where there are only minimal visible objects.
2. Have your child focus on an object such as a wall clock or a picture frame.
3. Ask your child to close his left eye and then point his finger to the object.
4. Do the same while closing his right eye.
5. If his pointing finger jumps away from the object while closing his left eye, he is right-eye dominant, and if this happens when he points his finger while closing his right eye, he is left-eye dominant.

Knowing which eye dominates your vision plays an essential role when aiming as it helps you target better and avoid off targeting. Thus, it will make a difference knowing which one will help you and your child be better in shooting.

3. Correct Measurement Is the Key

Measurement is also an essential factor in archery and for a more proper and comfortable usage of arrow and bow. It is vital that you do the measuring of your child’s draw length, weight and even the correct length of the bow which your child will be needing. Check the following details for more understanding. 

• Draw length

This is the measurement that will help you identify the distance or the length which your child will be able to draw the bow. You can check the following steps to get the correct draw length of the bow which you will be purchasing.

1. Allow your child to spread his arms while his palms are facing forward.
2. Using a tape measure, run the tape from the fingertip of your hand to the other.
3. Get the measurement.
4. Divide it by 2.5.

The result should be your draw length and should be the basis when you purchase a bow.

• Bow Length

Bow length is the length of the bow from top to bottom. Youth bows usually range from 31 inches to 41 inches.  It is imperative to determine the moment you purchase a bow for your kid as it will result in discomfort if you picked the bow with the wrong length.

So, have your child try several bows with different bow length to be able to see which one provides the comfort that your child needs and prefers.

• Draw Weight

This refers to the amount of pressure which your child will need to be able to draw a bow back to its maximum extension. It is very significant that you get the bow that is appropriate to the draw weight of your child as it will either result in comfort or total discomfort to your child. You can always estimate the draw weight suitable for the child by checking the following details.

1. A child with a weight ranging from fifty (50) to seventy (70) pounds will be able to pull a draw weight of ten (10) to fifteen (15) pounds.
2. For children with weight ranging from seventy (70) to one hundred (100) pounds can draw between fifteen (15) to twenty-five (25) pounds.
3. Kids averaging weight from one hundred (100) to one hundred thirty (130) can usually pull a draw weight of twenty-five (25 pounds to forty pounds (40).
4. Children with one hundred thirty (130) pounds to one hundred (150) pounds weight can handle draw weights ranging from forty (40) to fifty (50) pounds.

4. The Bow’s Grip

Choose a bow that will perfectly fit in the hands of your child. Also, make sure that it is easy for the child to control the entire bow to prevent accidents or sideways spin. Overall, it should be comfortable enough for your child to handle the bow and aim effortlessly to its target fully.

5. Your Child’s Interest and Your Budget

These two factors come hand in hand with the other will determine whether you will need to spend extra money or just settle for the cheaper ones. It is not a hidden truth that quality and features that an item offers also dictates the amount which you will be paying.

So, it is necessary that you also consider if your child will be using the bow and arrow set for a longer time or if he is only trying this activity out to see if he likes it and wants to pursue a hobby in the long run.

For those who only want to train their kids with the necessary things that archery can offer, you can opt to get the set that ranges from $40 to $100. However, for those kids who plan to go on bow hunting adventures and join competitions, you can purchase the sets costing $100 to $400.

Our Final Thoughts on the Matter at Hand

As what we have highlighted above, choosing youth bow and arrow sets involves a lot of factors to be able to land on the best one that could offer the benefits and features which you require for your child’s comfort and amusement.

It is important that you take a moment to learn and act on the factors mentioned above to ensure your money’s worth while providing happiness to your kids.

The post How to Choose Youth Bow and Arrow Sets? appeared first on A Straight Arrow.

In general, sport is a way to develop self-confidence, teamwork, social skills, strength, and coordination; Archery is no different. Though it is not your typical, fast-paced, high-intensity sport, archery’s slow and focused nature is a great way to build your strength and coordination.

BUILDING STRENGTH

If you’ve ever tried pulling a bow, you may find that it can be quite difficult, especially when it comes to stronger and tighter bows. Pulling the string back does take some effort, but try doing it a couple dozen times – then you’ll start to feel the strain.

Muscles Used

There are a couple of upper body muscles triggered during archery, with the most obvious ones being the back and shoulder muscles. If you want to be more specific about which muscles are targeted, the primary muscles used are the trapezius, rhomboids, biceps, triceps, and forearms. The secondary or support muscles used are the deltoids and pectorals, while the auxiliary muscle used is the latissimus dorsi.

When doing archery, these muscle groups are forced to expand and contract to accommodate the resistance from the bow, which over time builds strength as you consistently pull it back. Basically, the contraction and expansion of muscles are what forces them to grow and get stronger.

As you increase the draw strength of the bow and the amount of time you spend shooting, your upper body muscles will compensate for that extra work resulting in an increase in strength.

In the same way, the movements done when pulling the string back are very similar movements to a seated or upward row that you will see people doing in the gym. Bodybuilders and other people who work out often incorporate rows to build more strength and definition on their back muscles.

Other Physical Benefits

Apart from muscular strength, archery also works on your balance, posture, flexibility, core strength, cardiovascular fitness, mental focus, and coordination.

As you practice more, your fingers, hands, arms, and back muscles begin to get more flexible because of the need to draw the string back constantly. Stretching before archery is actually very important and encouraged as to avoid injuries.

Your posture is also improved by learning the proper stance and keeping it the same exact way every time to ensure precision and accuracy. The sport can help you find your center of balance and build your core strength because even the slightest movement will cause the arrow to move in a different way and miss the target.

Cardio, on the other hand, has more to do with the fact that you have to walk back and forth to get your arrows. In a competition, an archer may end up walking a total of about 5 miles, which would roughly be about the same during practice.

If you practice every day, that’s 5 miles a day – enough to get your heart pumping and strengthen your cardiovascular system a good deal.

IMPROVING COORDINATION AND FOCUS

It’s no secret that archery requires a lot of hand-eye coordination, after all, you wouldn’t be able to hit a four-inch target from 7 meters up to 70 meters away if you didn’t have some form of coordination.

Of course, everyone starts somewhere so, in the beginning, your coordination may not be as great. But over time, your body begins to understand what the mind needs it to do and your eyes are able to hone in on a specific target.

Archery trains your hands and arms to work together while doing other tasks, and then ultimately aiming and firing at something that your eyes are focused on. This is why focus is something that is incredibly important and will also improve the more you practice.

MAKING YOU HAPPY

Pulling from focus, developing and actually learning how to focus have positive impacts on your mental health and well-being. Think of it as a form of meditation. The focus you need in archery stems from the need to clear your mind and focus only on the target.

Interestingly enough, there is a form of meditation called trataka, which means “to look or gaze.” The method involves staring at a single point like a small object, but more commonly, a candle flame. Though not exactly the same, the focus in archery comes from the same principle of focusing on only one spot.

Archery also teaches you patience, which is something that can aid in being a happier person. Unlike other sports, archery is slower and takes time because it is about precision and not speed – kind of like trekking or hiking. Understanding this fact will teach you how to be patient, which can then turn into patience in everyday life.

As a final not on archery and happiness, countless studies have linked sports and being active to being happier. This is because our bodies were designed to move and archery gets you moving.

WHY DO IT?

Now you might be wondering, why archery? Why not just walk a mile a day just to improve my health? The thing is, it’s more than just health!

A great thing about archery is that virtually anyone can do it – young and old. In fact, older people can benefit greatly from archery because it helps keep the mind sharp and the body moving without being too high-impact.

Archery is even a sport in the Paralympics so people with disabilities are able to participate. There are people who are legally blind who are able to do it as well, making it a very open sport. It’s a great way to not only get moving, get active, but to get to know yourself and other people.

While it may not be a sport that is considered “mainstream” just yet, it is a great activity you can at least try with your family and friends. Who knows, if you get into it, you might actually enjoy it, and as time goes by, you’ll probably even notice how it has improved your strength, coordination, and happiness!

The post How Archery Improves Strength, Coordination, and Happiness appeared first on A Straight Arrow.

1.Archery Is Open to Just Anyone

Archery can be enjoyed by disabled and able-bodied people. Children with the most severe disabilities can easily join and enjoy the sport. In 2012 London Olympics, a world record in archery was set by Im Dong-hyun. He was legally blind.

2. Archery Helps Physical Development

Archers need significant stamina and upper body and core strength to pull bows and keep them steady while aiming. In a competition, average total weight male and female archers pulls is 7.8 and 5.3 ton, while the strongest weightlifter lifts 1.5 ton.

3. Archery Improves Focus

Archers need not only physical strength, but also mental wellness, and young archers get to improve their focus, resilience, and attention skills while practicing archery.

4. Archery Improves Patience

Archery is mostly useful for youngsters as it allows them to learn the many benefits of patience just from the way archery competitions and practices are organized.

5. Archery Improves Self-Confidence

Archery offers great satisfaction in combining both physical and mental traits to good effect. Whatever the final result is, every archer will draw satisfaction to greater or lesser extent, from winning a personal mental battle.

6. Archery Gives a Sense of Accomplishment to Your Child

Not all kids do well with team sports, that’s a fact! But individual sports may give them a place to rise and shine. Being in a position to pull back the string and successfully loose an arrow straight into the target definitely gives a child a great sense of accomplishment.

7. Archery Teaches Goal Setting

Archery offers a perfect goal-setting environment. Young archers often get a chance to set their personal goals as they improve by simply focusing on smaller target rings and increasing distance.

8. Archery Is a Social Sport

Individuals from numerous walks of life can enjoy archery. Virtually every age group is able to practice the sport. It is not uncommon to see 50-year-olds practicing alongside 14-year-olds at a range, conversing and offering help and tips.

9. Archery Teaches Teamwork & Sportsmanship

Archery is not only an individual discipline but also a team sport. Being in a team will teach your kid to lead others, support them and rely on them.

10. Archery Is Relatively Inexpensive

If you just want your child to play for fun, then archery can be a cheap sport. The most basic bows can be made from PVC pipes or bought for cheap.

11. Archery Can Be Practiced All-Year Long

Archery can be practiced both indoors and outdoors with many clubs having access to indoor facilities over the winter season so the weather need not be a barrier to participation.

12. Archery Teaches Kids the Importance of Safety

No doubt that the sport can be very dangerous if anyone is reckless. You can be sure that Archery will teach your kids to be responsible not only for one another and also for the equipment being used.

13. Archery Is Fun

Well, the definitive goal of the recreational archery for your child is enjoyment. As an archer, your kid should remember to concentrate on improving him/herself instead of worrying about what others are doing, and with that in mind, archery certainly becomes a lot more fun.

 14. Archery is Cool

Every child wants to be a hero. Being able to shoot arrows will let kids feel like the famous heroes– Green Arrow, Hawkeye, Katniss Everdeen, Robin Hood, Rambo, and others! 

15. Archery Teaches Valuable Skills (and Prepares Your Kid for a Zombie Apocalypse)

Sportsmanship, physical fitness, hunting, physics are just a few of the skills your kid will learn. All invaluable in case of a Zombie Apocalypse. To become a better bow hunter your kid need to work on many different skill and the most important is developing his skill as an archer. Archary and hunting can involve lot of equipment (for example survival bows) and accessories which you need to put in a backpack. If you are looking for hunting backpack where you can store your equipment check backpackreviewed.

…Archery is Timeless:

In addition, you can pay for research paper and help your kids write an essay well while studying.

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