- 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) towards the archer, making sure the arrow is on the rest. (If applicable under the clicker. If there are 2 nock points on the string, place the nock of the arrow between them.)
- Hook & Grip: (3 fingers under or split hook) Hook index, middle & ring fingers around the bowstring under the arrow nock, or if split finger, index finger above nock & middle & ring finger under. The bowstring passes just before the joint on the index finger, 50% pressure, in the joint of the middle finger, 30% pressure, & on the pad of the ring finger, 20% pressure. The pressure on your 3 fingers will change throughout the shot process, but it’s important to maintain a deep hook. Thumb & pinkie finger curl back towards palm, back of hand is flat, & wrist bent slightly outward. Squeeze the finger spacer slightly between the index & middle fingers. Grip: Place the web of your Bow Hand on the pivot point (top of the grip). Bow Side palm lowers down to make solid contact on the pressure point, which is the soft, fatty part between your lifeline & the base of your thumb. Thumb points down range, nail up, wrist low, & remaining fingers curl down at a 45 degree angle from the shelf.
- 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, & feel slight tension on the Draw Side in lower trapezius as you begin to brace the bow. The archer’s upper torso begins to coil above the hips, around the spine, & towards the target. 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 “hinging 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 on bow (or Bow Hand if no sight) is slightly above target, but archer isn’t aiming yet. *** ”Barrel of the Gun” is set (Imaginary straight line from left wrist to right shoulder.) It’s a skeletal alignment that allows the archer to coil & rotate above hips to reach holding the weight with the back.
- Drawing/Loading: Draw the bow string and focus on the imaginary spot on the back of the tricep (LAN2), keeping the elbow behind the arrow line, as the right scapula moves toward the spine & bow pivots in Bow Hand. Arrow & stabilizer rotate towards the target. Shoulders remain low/down, and joints–ball & socket, bone on bone to prevent injury. Bow Hand is at or above the target but not aiming.
- Anchor: Anchor is achieved using an angular motion & is a continuation of drawing & loading. Establish a “touch point” on the face or jaw. For 3 fingers under, touch 1st knuckle under the cheek bone and the web of hand is framing (behind) the mandible, thumb & pinkie tucked underneath. If shooting split finger, the pinkie & thumb are curled under and must touch the neck & stay tucked under, index finger contacts the jaw bone, knuckle behind the mandible. There should be no gaps between the Draw Hand and jaw where you have anchored. *Barrel of the Gun maintained & upper torso coiling around the spine to line up with the target.
- 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 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. Very small movement with the spot on the back of the tricep (called LAN2) moves parallel to the shooting line….scapula closing to spine & expanding chest, increasing back muscle contraction evenly & continuously. Aiming will continue for 3 seconds until release. *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 the shot. Releasing the bowstring should be done subconsciously by relaxing the fingers while allowing the bowstring to push the fingers out of the way. Everything stays still, maintaining the “Barrel of the Gun”, pointed at the 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.
For a definition of some of the terms above, please refer to the Blog Post Video of NTS Steps for Success Using a Compound Bow.