Some days you have some extra energy that needs to be used up. You know that weird jumpy vibe when concentration is not high but you still want to do something…
As a swimmer back in the 80’s (!), one of my favourite workouts was Walkbacks. A 25 meter pool. All lanes open. One minute repeats as fast as you can… walk back along deck… then dive in again. Sixty times. It was one hour of very high energy output at race speed with a fair amount of recovery.
As I went from being a triathlete to being an archer, some of those workouts from my past life still come in handy ready when the need arises…
One Minute Archery Walkbacks –> so how do you do it?
- Wait for the Timer to beep…
- Nock ONE arrow.
- Shoot.
- Put your bow down.
- Retrieve your ONE arrow.
- Come back to shooting line.
- REPEAT… 60 times
You can use an Archery Clock set at one minute repeats or have someone watching a timer. If you have an audible countdown, then it increases the anticipation and helps everyone know when they need to be ready. If doing this in a group, safeguard that no one gets to retrieve arrows until all shots have gone and no one can nock an arrow while other archers are still walking back. A little competitive spirit usually keeps everyone at a good tempo but if someone needs a break then they can sit out one end.
18 meters is very possible to handle on one minute repeats. I have had archers go faster (40 seconds) or use shorter distances. Some archers jog back (which is quite fun when they get a little competitive). Quivers are not used during this!Usually a chair is placed at the shooting line to hold bows and/or finger tabs. Archers get a little creative with how they manage their equipment… everyone is a little different so let them figure out what is comfortable for them.
This is not a beginners’ workout. Make sure your archers can load the arrow safely while under time pressure. And check for any physical issues which might make some archers uncomfortable with the physical efforts. Youth archers enjoy this but so do the Masters. Give everyone the option and adapt as needed.
This workout is very good at –>
- helping archers get better at one arrow shoot-offs
- getting more confident at setting up for the first arrow at every end
- checking foot position every time
- loading the arrow while under time pressure
- concentrating on one arrow at a time
- only shooting at the top/middle/bottom of trispot targets
The walking part does increase heart-rate to a level that shocks some archers. BUT that is the point. Believing that heart rate needs to be low or that you need to be super calm doesn’t always help archers feel in control. This one piece of info is extremely useful in getting archers to understand that during competition, they need not worry so much about calming down. You can be a bit pumped and still get a good result. Additionally, the walking part does help to get rid of some of that excess energy too so archers learn how some physical movement helps keep them feel more mentally balanced compared to sitting on a chair between ends and trying to think their way to a calm state.
If you want a good experiment then score that one arrow every end –> Archers are amazed that their total score is in the same zone as a ‘normal’ calm score average.
Archers come in many shapes and sizes. For some, gym class is a horrible memory. And maybe, they have never got a chance to see what other physical capabilities they have. This workout might open the door to a whole bunch of training options… Just remember to keep it fun.
When I first began competing in archery, my energy was very high because all my competitive history was about being pumped at the start. I needed to go for 5-10 minute jogs around the venues just to get myself into a better zone more suitable for archery. I have developed new routines for pre-comp so I don’t have to run around anymore but I am also better at managing my physical energy too. Ah, the joys of getting older 😉
*** Search for other Archery GAMES…
Kelea Quinn 