Archery Drill Book, The

Become a more consistent and accurate archer! The Archery Drill Book covers all aspects of the sport, with 130 of the best drills for developing superior technique, skill, physical stamina, and the focused mind-set needed to shoot under pressure.

Renowned coaches and archers Steve Ruis and Mike Gerard have compiled the most effective drills that will help you focus your training on building accuracy and consistency. Each drill provides step-by-step instructions so you know exactly how to perform the drill. Coaching tips and variations are provided to enable you to modify the drills to fit your skill level.

There are drills to help refine recurve bow, longbow, and compound bow technique. Skill-building drills will help improve the timing and execution of your shot, while physical training drills will build strength, stamina, consistency, and balance. Finally, mental training drills will help maintain your focus to deal with target panic and the pressures of competition.

You can maintain your motivation and enjoyment with the tips for changing the drills into games that add fun to your training. You’ll also get insights from the pros—elite archers and coaches such as Bob Ryder, Tom Dorigatti, and Randi Smith share their favorite drills and explain how these drills have been instrumental to their success.

Make The Archery Drill Book your go-to resource to get the most out of each and every training session and to ensure that every shot is strong and on target.

Audience

Archery coaches and archers with some familiarity with the sport.

Introduction. Integrating Drills Into Your Archery Practice
Chapter 1. Recurve and Longbow Essentials
Chapter 2. Compound Essentials
Chapter 3. Flawless Execution
Chapter 4. Timing and Rhythm
Chapter 5. Strength and Stamina
Chapter 6. Consistency
Chapter 7. Balance and Stillness
Chapter 8. Training Mind-Set
Chapter 9. Competition Pressure and Ailments

Steve Ruis was the coach of the University of Chicago archery team (2011-2018) and has worked with a full range of students, from beginners to Olympic hopefuls, in the Chicago area. He supports two Junior Olympic Archery Development (JOAD) programs, is a member of two archery clubs, is a United States Collegiate Archery Association (USCA) certified judge, and still competes from time to time. He also serves as secretary of the Illinois Target Archery Association. He is a former USAA level 4 coach and NFAA master coach.

Ruis has been the editor of Archery Focus magazine since 1999 and has written 13 books on archery and coaching archery (including Precision Archery). He has written for Archery magazine of Japan and currently writes for Bogensport Magazine in Germany.

Mike Gerard is the owner of Jurassic Archery and has developed a number of archery-related products. He teaches both unlimited compound and release and Olympic-style recurve. He has trained a number of Junior Olympic Archery Development (JOAD) Olympians and Junior World Team members as well as adults.

Gerard was the National Intercollegiate Overall Champion in 1979 and the runner-up in 1980. He was winner of the U.S. National Indoor Championships in 1975 and again in 2015. He is a seven-time Huntsman World Senior Games champion (2011-2018). He is a member of USA Archery and has served on the National Coaches Development Committee and the Board of Justice for USA Archery. Gerard has written articles for several archery magazines and has given numerous seminars on archery.

“I’m excited about this great collection of drills. The Archery Drill Book is a solid gold resource for archers, coaches, and instructors.”
—Bob Ryder, President of Shenandoah Valley Target Archers, Tournament Director for U.S. National Indoor Archery Championships, and Level 4 NTS Coach

Drill: Call the Shot
Drill: Instilling a Shot Sequence
Drill: Varying Practice Locations