7 Best Strength Exercises for Archery + Conditioning Workout

Best Exercises for Archery – Introduction

What are the best exercises for archery strength and conditioning? 

Archery is a sport of precision and control and probably not an activity usually associated with feats of strength.

However, contrary to that image, strength does play a part in successful archery, and lifting weights can make you a better archer.

Using a bow, especially one with a high draw weight, requires a fair amount of muscle power.

Then, once you’ve pulled the string back, you need to hold your bow steady to acquire your target.

During this time, you need to remain relaxed, so you’d better have plenty of strength and endurance.

The stronger you are, the easier these actions become, and the more often you’ll be able to perform them in a given time.

That’s an important consideration for archery practices, where you take shot after shot to perfect your technique.

But what are the best exercises for archery?

Ultimately, any strength training will help improve your conditioning for archery.

Athletes call these workouts general physical preparation, or GPP for short.

That said, some strength training exercises are especially beneficial for archers.

In this article, we reveal the seven best strength exercises for archery, many of which can be done at home and with minimal equipment.

We also share a simple but effective archery strength and conditioning workout to try.

7 Best Strength Exercises for Archery

Make sure you include these exercises in your archery strength training workouts!

#1. Horse stance hold

Target muscles: Quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus maximus, adductors, and abductors.

A good archery stance starts with a solid base, meaning you need strong, enduring legs.

Unlike most other sports, where the legs must work dynamically to propel you forward, in archery, the legs work isometrically or statically, so that’s probably the best way to train them.

Horse stance squats are a common martial art exercise that’s equally valuable for archers.

How to do it:

1. Stand with your feet about 1½ shoulder-widths apart, toes parallel or turned slightly outward.
2. Brace your core and adopt a good, upright posture.
3. Bend your legs and squat down until your thighs are roughly parallel to the floor.
4. Push your knees out and open your hips.
5. Keep your chest up and your shoulders back.
6. Breathing steadily throughout, hold this position for as long as possible.
7. And yes, that burning in your legs is entirely normal!

Horse Stance Holds (Exercise Demo)

#2. Push-up

Target muscles: Pectoralis major, triceps, deltoids, core.

The humble push-up is arguably the best upper-body pushing exercise for archers.

It strengthens all the muscles you use to hold your bow out in front of you.

Getting better at push-ups will undoubtedly improve your control and accuracy.

How to do it:

1. Kneel down and place your hands flat on the floor, roughly shoulder-width apart, and fingers pointing forward.
2. With extended arms and your core braced, walk your feet out and back, so your body forms a straight line.
3. Tuck your chin in, lengthen your neck and look straight down at the floor.
4. Bend your arms and lower your chest down toward the floor.
5. Keep your upper arms tucked in close to your sides.
6. Push yourself back up and repeat.
7. Bend your legs and rest on your knees to make push-ups easier, or place your feet on a bench or chair to make them harder.

The Perfect Push-Up To Build Muscle (AVOID THESE MISTAKES!)

#3. Single-arm dumbbell row

Target muscles: Latissimus dorsi, biceps, trapezius, rhomboids, deltoids.

The single-arm dumbbell row is one of the most archery-specific exercises around.

It hits all the muscles you use to pull the bowstring back.

Doing this exercise will make drawing your bow easier and may even mean you can use a bow with a heavier draw weight.

However, you will need an adjustable dumbbell to do it.

How to do it:

1. Stand in front of a knee-high chair or bench.
2. Hold a dumbbell in one hand.
3. Lean forward from your hips and place your free hand on the bench for support.
4. Move your feet out and into a shoulder-width stance, bend your knees slightly, and brace your core.
5. Let your arm hang down from your shoulder, palm facing inward.
6. With your wrist straight, bend your arm and pull the dumbbell up and into your ribs.
7. Focus on leading with your elbow and pulling your shoulder back.
8. Pause for a second on this most-contracted position.
9. Extend your arm and then repeat.
10. Do the same number of reps with your other arm to ensure you are strong on both sides of your body.

Single-Arm Dumbbell Row Demonstration

 

 

 

 

 

 

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#4. Side plank

Target muscles: Rectus abdominis, obliques, erector spinae.

Holding your bow out to your side puts a lot of stress on your core or midsection muscles.

A strong core will allow you to hold this position longer and without shaking.

Side planks are one of the best ways to target these all-important muscles.

How to do it:

1. Lie on your side with your weight resting on your forearm.
2. Your elbow should be directly under your shoulder.
3. Rest on a mat for comfort.
4. Place one leg on top of the other, so the outside of your lowermost foot rests on the floor.
5. Lift your hips up, so your body forms a straight line.
6. Extend your non-supporting arm vertically toward the ceiling.
7. Flex your abs as hard as possible and hold this position for 20-30 seconds.
8. Flex harder if you feel you can continue for longer.
9. Lower your hips to the floor, roll over, and repeat on the opposite side.

Side Plank Tutorial — (Oblique Workout for Beginners) – Fit Father Project

#5. Inverted row

Target muscles: Latissimus dorsi, biceps, trapezius, rhomboids, deltoids.

Like single-arm rows, this exercise works your pulling muscles.

However, because it’s a bodyweight exercise, it may be more convenient to perform, especially if you work out at home.

You can do this exercise using a squat rack, suspension trainer, or gymnastic rings.

How to do it:

1. Set your handle(s) to around waist height.
2. Sit beneath it with your legs extended.
3. Grab the handle(s) with an overhand, slightly wider than shoulder-width grip.
4. With your elbows extended, lift your hips and lean back so your body is straight and your arms are vertical.
5. Brace your glutes and core and pack your shoulders down and back. 
6. Bend your elbows and pull your chest up to your hands.
7. Squeeze your shoulders back and pause in this position for 1-2 seconds.
8. Slowly extend your arms and repeat.
9. Make this exercise harder by putting your feet on a bench or chair or easier by raising the height of your handle(s) so your body is more inclined.

14 Ways to Do Inverted Rows – Testosterone Nation

 

 

 

 

 

 

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#6. Dumbbell lateral raise

Target muscles: Deltoids.

Dumbbell lateral raises are an isolation exercise for the muscles on the side of your shoulders, the medial deltoids.

These muscles are responsible for raising and holding your arms out to your sides.

As such, they’re very important during archery.

How to do it:

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand by your sides, palms turned inward toward your legs.
2. Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent.
3. Or you can perform it seated while leaning forward against a high-incline bench.
4. With a very slight bend in your elbows, lift the dumbbells up and out to shoulder height.
5. Your palms should now be facing the floor.
6. Slowly lower your arms back to your sides and repeat.
7. No dumbbells?
8. You can also do this exercise with resistance bands.

Stop Doing Lateral Raises Like This! (8 MISTAKES)

#7. Archer band pull-apart

Target muscles: Deltoids, biceps, trapezius, rhomboids. 

Band pull-parts are a popular upper-back exercise.

This variation is very similar but designed to more closely mimic drawing a bow.

Also known as an archer pull, this exercise requires a resistance band, but you can also do it with an old-school chest expander.

How to do it:

1. Hold your resistance band in both hands.
2. Raise one arm and hold it out to the side, parallel to the floor.
3. Your other hand should be in front of your opposite shoulder.
4. Leading with your elbow, pull your arm back as if you are drawing a bow.
5. Keep your arm up and pull your shoulder back.
6. Pause for a few seconds.
7. Return to the starting position and repeat.
8. Do the same number of reps on the opposite side.

Resistance band archer’s pull

Archery Strength and Conditioning Workout

While any of these exercises will strengthen your muscles for archery, you’ll get better results if you put them into a program – like the one below!

However, before you begin, make sure you spend a few minutes preparing your muscles and joints for what you’re about to do.

Warm up by doing 5-10 minutes of easy cardio, e.g., jump rope, followed by mobility and dynamic flexibility exercises for all your major joints and muscles.

In terms of weights, choose loads that will take your muscles to within a couple of reps of failure within the prescribed rep ranges.

For the bodyweight exercises, just do as many reps as possible, indicated as AMRAP on the program.

Best Exercises for Archery Workout – Copyright Fit Apprentice®

Best Strength Exercises for Archery – Wrapping Up

The best way to get stronger for archery is to spend more time using your bow.

The more shots you take, the stronger your archery muscles will become.

Of course, this is not always possible, as things like bad weather, work, school, and family commitments can make practicing archery impractical.

The good news is that you can develop your archery strength at the gym or at home.

All you need is a couple of hours per week.

So, do our archery strength training workout 2-3 times a week so that, when you can finally get out and shoot your bow, your muscles are primed and ready.

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