It never ceases to amaze me how little thought is given by archers (even quite good ones) to their practice time below is some information about practice structure taken from a video clip which can be seen here. This makes up part of a lecture I give on practice structure and getting the most out of practice time.
Practice methods. Top athletes structure there practice to include drill work, as well as high volume and high intensity training. The balance between these areas will allow you to get the most out of your archery training.
The amount of time spent on volume and intensity training will alter with respect to the season. During the off season there is an equal amount of intensity and volume training for fitness with drill work to focus on technique. During the competitive season the amount of volume work decreases as the fitness levels have been achieved and the concentration is on drill work and high intensity practice.
Volume training includes bare boss and physical training. This increases fitness and is done without technical analysis. Although the volume work will decrease in season it is an important part of any session
Drill work is where a skilled archer performs tasks that allow them to look at and train specific parts of the technique. There are many physical drills but here are a couple that look at physical feedback. The archer uses a mirror to allow immediate visual and physical feedback on the shot, giving a greater tie up between kinesthetics and feel allowing for increased use of visualization. In this drill the archer “calls” the shot on release and a partner spots it allowing the archer to learn a greater accuracy in understanding physical feedback.
Intensity practice is where the archer imitates competitive situations in a safe practice environment. This requires shooting to the rules of the round including timing and scoring It requires the setting and monitoring of goals for both measurable achievement in score and the pinpointing of possible difficulties that will be encountered in competition. Done properly this is a rich experience that can even include the anxiety of success in competition.
The proper use of practice techniques allows the individual to not only make the best use of the time available to them but also work on as many aspects of performance archery as possible.
Here is an example of a practice schedule for an intermediate (non elite) archer during the competitive season so the emphasis is on intensity not volume:
Good Practice Technique
The aim of good practice technique is to manipulate your practice to mirror competition as much as possible. This will allow you to practice the skills used in competition and identify strategies to enhance your performance under pressure. Therefore practice sessions must be structured, this will largely be in mimicking competition conditions both in structure and in content including limited sighters, shooting three arrow ends, timing and scoring. Shooting under pressure may be simulated by shooting against other club members. Other important considerations are pr- performance management which will include developing an effective warm up, both in mental and physical terms and dress.
Competitions and practice should be approached with a pre-performance plan that covers your expectations of the session, analysis of what you have done and a realistic assessment of the effectiveness of strategies used to control the score (see attached plan and example).
Analysis of what you have done is vital feedback and includes using target plot or shooting at a new target face – group size, sight set, where bad arrows go.
Strategies: used to control the level of performance during competition score.
Coping strategies on how to deal with bad shots and how to deal with performing under pressure.
Practice time 4-6 hours per week split into three sessions of approximately 2 hours.
An example of a practice session:
Warm up without bow (10 mins)
mobilise, stretchy band
increased thought of score, build up mental arousal concentrating on expectation and performance pre performance planning!
Sighters (10 mins, to allow for break between sighters and competition)
6 sighters as with normal competition, timed to 2 minute ends with a two minute break between shooting and collecting arrows
Scored Arrows (50 mins)
30 arrows in three arrow ends, in timed ends with two minute breaks between shooting and collecting, scored
various strategies to increase pressure and therefore simulate competition will include: concentrating on the number of points dropped, competing against another archer and performing after exercise
various strategies to cope with increased pressure: dealing with bad shots and re-focusing, using the time period to your advantage.
Drills (30 mins) EXPLAIN THAT ONE FOR EACH SESSION ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THESE ARROWS NOT NECESSARILY SHOT TO TIME
further 24 arrows maximum
these are based upon performance within the scored arrows and will include: single arrow ends (this breaks up the natural rhythm as in head to head competition and means that the individual must be able to turn on and turn off or rest performance), plotting groups (to imitate accuracy of sight positioning within competition and reinforce group size) shooting three arrows in 30 seconds (compound 1 minute).
Finish (15 mins)
final 12 arrows big pressure shots, shooting for tens, timed three arrow ends in two minutes
Record
Practice sessions should be recorded but only in terms of score, work done and the briefest of comments on performance including three good and three bad things, which will be used by a coach to evaluate and direct the program.
March 29, 2008 at 1:18 am
Very nice article, please keep up!