- Stance: Straddle the shooting line, feet shoulder width apart. Draw an imaginary line from the target to where you’re standing. Place the ball of your Draw Side foot on that line (toe pointed towards the target) heel about a15 degree angle from the shooting line. Place Bow Side foot 2” behind the Draw Side foot (toe pointed towards the target) at about a 30 degree angle from the shooting line. This is an open stance. Lock knees & tighten quads & glutes, with 60% of weight on balls of feet & 40% on your heels.
- Nock the Arrow: Snap arrow on the bowstring under the nock point & listen for an audible click, index vane (different color) pointed up, making sure the arrow is on the rest.
- Hook & Grip: For a compound bow, your “hook” is a mechanical release (thumb, trigger or caliper, back tension release). Attach your release to the D loop. Grip: Place the web of your Bow Hand on the pivot point (top) of the grip. Bow side palm comes down to make solid contact on the pressure point, the pad between your lifeline & the base of your thumb. *The soft, fatty part of your palm. Thumb points down range, finger nail up, wrist low, & remaining fingers curl down at a 45 degree angle.
- Set Position (Posture & Mindset): Tighten core, tuck hips under ribs, shoulders down, head & neck aligned over spine. Rotate Bow Side elbow out 45 degrees, away from the string, extend Bow Arm, & slight tension on the Draw Side in lower trapezius as you begin to brace the bow. Turn your head towards the target, & it’s a good time to take a deep breath & exhale.
- Set Up: Is the act of raising the bow. Leading with the Bow Arm in a “hinge motion” raise the Bow Arm in line with the target, & the Draw Arm follows, keeping the shoulders down/low & level. Draw Side scapula moves closer to the spine, & elbow remains behind the arrow line. Draw Side Shoulder should be set back slightly to engage back muscles in the motion of drawing. Sight is slightly above target, but archer isn’t aiming yet.
- Drawing/Loading: *** ”Barrel of the Gun” is set (Imaginary straight line from left wrist to right shoulder.) Draw bow in angular motion, as scapula moves toward the spine & draw elbow pivots around the spine & shoulder joint. Shoulders remain low/down, and joints- ball in socket, bone on bone to prevent injury.
- Anchor: Depending on your release, every archer will establish a “touch point” on the face, nose, and/or lips. For a trigger/caliper release, a good reference is tucking the web of the draw hand behind the mandible with the 1st knuckle firmly tucked under the cheek bone. Thumb & Trigger/Caliper releases should be set on the harder/hardest setting so that the archer can comfortably wrap or curl his/her finger or thumb around/on the trigger without fear of it going off & later employ the back muscles to release the arrow. (The pad of the index finger & thumb have many nerve endings, which could lead to “slapping the trigger” without using back tension & subconsciously releasing the arrow.) *Barrel of the Gun maintained.
- Transfer to Holding: Any tension in the archer’s release hand, wrist, & forearm transfers out of the arm and into the back muscles. Shoulder blade engages the lower trapezius. Holding the weight in the back is a conscious feeling of perfect alignment when skeletal alignment (bones & muscle) are bracing the forces of the bow at full draw. Archer is still not aiming, but focusing on the correct feeling and steps in order to execute a good shot. “T” position **”Barrel of the Gun” is fully established in a straight line from the bow arm wrist to the draw arm shoulder. Think of a front & rear sight on a gun.
- Contraction/Expansion while Aiming: Further activating the back muscles to complete the release of the bowstring. Aiming is established with the peep (pin or scope) and target aligned. Aiming will continue for 3 seconds until release. Releasing the arrow is small movement with the spot on the back of the tricep (called LAN2) moving parallel to the shooting line….scapula closing to spine & expanding chest, increasing back muscle contraction evenly & continuously and the arrow is subconsciously released. *Think back to physics, the archer needs an equal and opposite force of the front arm with the contracting back muscles in order to have a clean break of the release. (Synchronized Push with bow arm & pull with draw arm)
- Release and Follow Through: Expansion continues through the Release & Follow Through, so it’s imperative that the archer maintain tension & direction throughout this shot. Everything stays still, maintaining the “Barrel of the Gun”, pointed at target, muscles strong through the release as the release hand slides along the archer’s neck in the opposite direction of the arrow. The only movement is in the archer’s arms and back. Archer should focus on the feeling of the final position of the Follow Through & maintain head position & eye focus on the target until the arrow hits the target.
- Feedback: Period of evaluation while taking a few deep breaths. Focus on whether the archer completed the set goal for the shot. The goal should be focused on the archer’s shooting technique or mental focus, not on the score. Determine if an adjustment is needed for the next arrow (wind, rain, bright light, distractions) and make a change to mental focus or physical adjustment depending on evaluation. Set a goal for the next shot. “Self-talk” should be positive.
**The NTS System was developed by KiSik Lee (US National Head Coach) and is a Biomechanically Efficient Shooting Technique. The National Training System (NTS) involves using the biomechanics of the body to produce a safe, repeatable shot. It is applicable to both recurve and compound bows. The shot sequence of 11 steps will prevent injury & target panic, both preventable conditions, and produce a stronger, more repeatable shot due to reliance on bone structure & more capable muscles in addition to reduced aiming time.