Author Archives: 2020

Josie : Shooting at 2020.. Do’s and Don’ts

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While we’re here we might as well cover all the bases. This is by no means a definitive list but covers many things I’ve come across in my time at 2020. There are no doubt things I’ve missed, and perhaps some should be expanded upon, but for what it’s worth this is my 2020 “Do’s and Don’ts” Guideline List…

>>—->  2020 uses whistle codes on the shooting line. Please listen out for them! The safer we stay, the more shooting we can pack in.

>>—-> The shooting line can get very busy: be aware of where the ends of your limbs and arrows are at all times.

>>—-> Don’t run with arrows. The quicker we clear the butts and get safely back behind the line the more ends we can fit in, but never compromise safety for speed!

>>—-> The butt you are shooting on is your responsibility. Ensure the legs are always in the correct position.

>>—-> Be respectful of other archers and their kit – this includes club equipment too!

>>—-> Never distract an archer once they’ve started drawing.

>>—-> Never nock your arrow off the shooting line.

… and some positives:

>>—-> Have fun! If you’re not shooting well and getting frustrated your form will deteriorate. Take a break and clear your mind.

>>—-> On the other end of the scale, if you’re shooting well don’t let it go to your head – over-confidence will mess up concentration in exactly the same way as frustration.

>>—-> Not sure about something? Ask! There are plenty of coaches and club members milling around, don’t be afraid to ask questions (even if the question may seem silly – we were all beginners once).

>>—-> If you’re looking to purchase a new bow why not ask some of the club members if you can try theirs? Be prepared that they may not all say yes but it’s worth asking.

>>—-> When you’re struggling with technique (as we all do at times) ask someone on the line to watch you shoot and offer comments. Better still, if they can video you on their phone that will give you plenty of information to work with. If you’re anything like me you’ll hate seeing yourself on film, but it really works.

Anyone else? The floor is open to bidders…

Josie : Shooting at 2020.. Do’s and Don’ts

3 Replies

While we’re here we might as well cover all the bases. This is by no means a definitive list but covers many things I’ve come across in my time at 2020. There are no doubt things I’ve missed, and perhaps some should be expanded upon, but for what it’s worth this is my 2020 “Do’s and Don’ts” Guideline List…

>>—->  2020 uses whistle codes on the shooting line. Please listen out for them! The safer we stay, the more shooting we can pack in.

>>—-> The shooting line can get very busy: be aware of where the ends of your limbs and arrows are at all times.

>>—-> Don’t run with arrows. The quicker we clear the butts and get safely back behind the line the more ends we can fit in, but never compromise safety for speed!

>>—-> The butt you are shooting on is your responsibility. Ensure the legs are always in the correct position.

>>—-> Be respectful of other archers and their kit – this includes club equipment too!

>>—-> Never distract an archer once they’ve started drawing.

>>—-> Never nock your arrow off the shooting line.

… and some positives:

>>—-> Have fun! If you’re not shooting well and getting frustrated your form will deteriorate. Take a break and clear your mind.

>>—-> On the other end of the scale, if you’re shooting well don’t let it go to your head – over-confidence will mess up concentration in exactly the same way as frustration.

>>—-> Not sure about something? Ask! There are plenty of coaches and club members milling around, don’t be afraid to ask questions (even if the question may seem silly – we were all beginners once).

>>—-> If you’re looking to purchase a new bow why not ask some of the club members if you can try theirs? Be prepared that they may not all say yes but it’s worth asking.

>>—-> When you’re struggling with technique (as we all do at times) ask someone on the line to watch you shoot and offer comments. Better still, if they can video you on their phone that will give you plenty of information to work with. If you’re anything like me you’ll hate seeing yourself on film, but it really works.

Anyone else? The floor is open to bidders…

Roger : An Archers Path by Roger Huggins

4 Replies
Hi, my name is Roger and I’ve been shooting all sorts of bows for about 6 years. I’ve been teaching modern recurve archery at 2020 Archery for the past 8 months during which time I have taught over 200 people and counting. I learnt to shoot while I was at university in Sheffield with a recurve training bow. I was fortunate enough to be able to shoot compound bows and modern recuves after which I bought myself a very nice long bow which I still shoot today. I have a love of historical archery and own – or have owned – a long bow, a horse bow and a Chinese repeating crossbow.
 
Last year I came back to modern recurve archery when I started using them to teach beginners. To refresh and expand my knowledge I read several books on archery and coaching (more of this later) and I also started practicing with the recurve several times a week. After a few months of practicing and improving my form with a training bow I started building my dream recurve. Components started trickling in during September 2012 with the aim of having everything together ready for me to start shooting in competitions early in 2013.
 
Which neatly brings me to the aim of this blog, over the next few months I am going to share my experiences of my journey along the path from being a seasoned traditional archer, through intermediate archer, to (hopefully) competitive modern recurve archer.

Hopefully this will be interesting.. and hopefully it will also help beginner and intermediate archers avoid some of the pitfalls and problems that I’m encountering myself. I’m also working with a few people at the club trying to sort various issues which I’ll be able to share with you. I’ll be offering suggestions on how to move forward with your archery if you find yourself getting stuck in a rut, whether its getting over a slump or just looking to get something more from archery than shooting a few ends in your club once a week (not that there’s anything wrong with shooting a few ends once a week!). 
 
Well that’s more than enough about me, my next post will be on improving your knowledge to improve your shooting, what books to read and when and how to get the most out of watching the professionals.

Roger : An Archers Path by Roger Huggins

4 Replies
Hi, my name is Roger and I’ve been shooting all sorts of bows for about 6 years. I’ve been teaching modern recurve archery at 2020 Archery for the past 8 months during which time I have taught over 200 people and counting. I learnt to shoot while I was at university in Sheffield with a recurve training bow. I was fortunate enough to be able to shoot compound bows and modern recuves after which I bought myself a very nice long bow which I still shoot today. I have a love of historical archery and own – or have owned – a long bow, a horse bow and a Chinese repeating crossbow.
 
Last year I came back to modern recurve archery when I started using them to teach beginners. To refresh and expand my knowledge I read several books on archery and coaching (more of this later) and I also started practicing with the recurve several times a week. After a few months of practicing and improving my form with a training bow I started building my dream recurve. Components started trickling in during September 2012 with the aim of having everything together ready for me to start shooting in competitions early in 2013.
 
Which neatly brings me to the aim of this blog, over the next few months I am going to share my experiences of my journey along the path from being a seasoned traditional archer, through intermediate archer, to (hopefully) competitive modern recurve archer.

Hopefully this will be interesting.. and hopefully it will also help beginner and intermediate archers avoid some of the pitfalls and problems that I’m encountering myself. I’m also working with a few people at the club trying to sort various issues which I’ll be able to share with you. I’ll be offering suggestions on how to move forward with your archery if you find yourself getting stuck in a rut, whether its getting over a slump or just looking to get something more from archery than shooting a few ends in your club once a week (not that there’s anything wrong with shooting a few ends once a week!). 
 
Well that’s more than enough about me, my next post will be on improving your knowledge to improve your shooting, what books to read and when and how to get the most out of watching the professionals.

Josie : At the forefront of a sweeping tide of history

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Hi everyone, how’s the shooting going?

I thought I’d give you a bit of a clue what’s to come before we dive in. I’ll let you know how things are going with me – I have some bow upgrade work planned soon of which I’ll keep you informed, it should be quite exciting. However, I also want to share some thoughts and ideas which have helped me become a better archer over the past 8 months. If I come across something really useful I’ll pass it on. Who knows? It might just be the key you were looking for…

Technique is obviously a big thing to bear in mind, equipment is another. I’m probably not best-placed to comment on these but I doubt that’ll stop me and I hope someone will correct me if I’m wrong!

Then comes the psychology of archery which is perhaps something I can comment on. This is probably one of the most difficult hurdles, especially if you shoot in one of the busy sessions. Tricky keeping your calm rhythm when someone behind is poking you with their short-rod!

However, one can’t expect to always be in a zen-like atmosphere at every shoot. I imagine competition is far from it, not to mention the added pressure of graded performance. It’s up to you alone to create the perfect conditions for shooting and this can all be done from the comfort of your own head.

The beauty of archery is that it’s changed very little since the Dark Ages. The function may have evolved but the raw fundamentals remain intact. This is handy as we can safely draw on references from right the way through history and apply them to the present day. For instance, did you know that the first recurve bows were shot by the Assyrians around 1000BC? That’s not even the oldest form of archery. Have a look at some of the early archery manuals here:

The object may be different but the rest isn’t. Nice to know we don’t exist in a vacuum.

To all the new archers out there: welcome to the forefront of a sweeping tide of history! Glad you could join us…

Josie : At the forefront of a sweeping tide of history

Leave a reply

Hi everyone, how’s the shooting going?

I thought I’d give you a bit of a clue what’s to come before we dive in. I’ll let you know how things are going with me – I have some bow upgrade work planned soon of which I’ll keep you informed, it should be quite exciting. However, I also want to share some thoughts and ideas which have helped me become a better archer over the past 8 months. If I come across something really useful I’ll pass it on. Who knows? It might just be the key you were looking for…

Technique is obviously a big thing to bear in mind, equipment is another. I’m probably not best-placed to comment on these but I doubt that’ll stop me and I hope someone will correct me if I’m wrong!

Then comes the psychology of archery which is perhaps something I can comment on. This is probably one of the most difficult hurdles, especially if you shoot in one of the busy sessions. Tricky keeping your calm rhythm when someone behind is poking you with their short-rod!

However, one can’t expect to always be in a zen-like atmosphere at every shoot. I imagine competition is far from it, not to mention the added pressure of graded performance. It’s up to you alone to create the perfect conditions for shooting and this can all be done from the comfort of your own head.

The beauty of archery is that it’s changed very little since the Dark Ages. The function may have evolved but the raw fundamentals remain intact. This is handy as we can safely draw on references from right the way through history and apply them to the present day. For instance, did you know that the first recurve bows were shot by the Assyrians around 1000BC? That’s not even the oldest form of archery. Have a look at some of the early archery manuals here:

The object may be different but the rest isn’t. Nice to know we don’t exist in a vacuum.

To all the new archers out there: welcome to the forefront of a sweeping tide of history! Glad you could join us…

January News from 2020 Archery Mail Out

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We just sent out our newsletter to club members on January 17th. Here’s the link to the archived copy if you haven’t read it or it didn’t get to your mailbox.

Main points are that

  • we’re looking into installing heaters onto the roof pitch but it’s tricky
  • we’ve launched a new blog (but you knew that right?)
  • we’re re-launching our scoring records and handicap lists
  • alerting people that you can often book a space on the shooting line on the day of the shoot

Hope you enjoy it. Comments welcome!

January News from 2020 Archery Mail Out

1 Reply

We just sent out our newsletter to club members on January 17th. Here’s the link to the archived copy if you haven’t read it or it didn’t get to your mailbox.

Main points are that

  • we’re looking into installing heaters onto the roof pitch but it’s tricky
  • we’ve launched a new blog (but you knew that right?)
  • we’re re-launching our scoring records and handicap lists
  • alerting people that you can often book a space on the shooting line on the day of the shoot

Hope you enjoy it. Comments welcome!

Josie: Good Morning Ladies and Gents….

2 Replies

–>

Good morning ladies and gents, my name is Josie and I shall be one of your flight attendants on this voyage. Please read the safety instructions provided and ensure your seat belt is engaged. One of my colleagues will be along shortly with the menu, so sit back and enjoy the ride…
I’ve been shooting with 2020 since last April (2012) after doing the 5-week intro course with Asher. I had shot before back in Devon in a casual way so it was great to finally get a decent grounding in proper archery technique. Immediately afterwards I joined the club and there aren’t many weeks I haven’t shot since. It’s seriously addictive!
My first bow was purchased back in August last year. After much deliberation, questioning club members and a bit of testing I settled on the Hoyt Formula Excel with Formula Excel 30lb limbs; and what a choice she was. I still think she is far and away the best choice for me and I never tire of shooting her.
The starting set-up was quite simple: just the bow, string, Joomong Scorpion sight (which is a good beginner sight if you’re strapped for cash, although the bracket can shake loose if you don’t Loctite it) and a plastic Hoyt Super rest. Since then I’ve added a Shibuya DX button, Spigarelli Evo II rest and Easton X10 long-rod to the equation which has made a considerable improvement. In terms of arrows I shoot Easton X7 Eclipse at the moment, though that will be changing. More on that later.
I can usually be found shooting at 2020 on the weekends; either Saturday, Sunday or both if I have the time. I try to score as often as I can and chart my progress (which isn’t always upwards!) so I have a good idea what effect any changes to my bow or technique make. To give you a rough idea, my very first Portsmouth (shot on 19th May last year) scored 213. On 23rdDecember I shot 500. 
My goal is to try and join the 550 ranks this year. It’s a tough goal but I’m sticking to it. I’ll let you know how it goes!

Josie: Good Morning Ladies and Gents….

2 Replies

–>

Good morning ladies and gents, my name is Josie and I shall be one of your flight attendants on this voyage. Please read the safety instructions provided and ensure your seat belt is engaged. One of my colleagues will be along shortly with the menu, so sit back and enjoy the ride…
I’ve been shooting with 2020 since last April (2012) after doing the 5-week intro course with Asher. I had shot before back in Devon in a casual way so it was great to finally get a decent grounding in proper archery technique. Immediately afterwards I joined the club and there aren’t many weeks I haven’t shot since. It’s seriously addictive!
My first bow was purchased back in August last year. After much deliberation, questioning club members and a bit of testing I settled on the Hoyt Formula Excel with Formula Excel 30lb limbs; and what a choice she was. I still think she is far and away the best choice for me and I never tire of shooting her.
The starting set-up was quite simple: just the bow, string, Joomong Scorpion sight (which is a good beginner sight if you’re strapped for cash, although the bracket can shake loose if you don’t Loctite it) and a plastic Hoyt Super rest. Since then I’ve added a Shibuya DX button, Spigarelli Evo II rest and Easton X10 long-rod to the equation which has made a considerable improvement. In terms of arrows I shoot Easton X7 Eclipse at the moment, though that will be changing. More on that later.
I can usually be found shooting at 2020 on the weekends; either Saturday, Sunday or both if I have the time. I try to score as often as I can and chart my progress (which isn’t always upwards!) so I have a good idea what effect any changes to my bow or technique make. To give you a rough idea, my very first Portsmouth (shot on 19th May last year) scored 213. On 23rdDecember I shot 500. 
My goal is to try and join the 550 ranks this year. It’s a tough goal but I’m sticking to it. I’ll let you know how it goes!