Chinese Traditional Archery (6)

Arm Technique

Forearm: Hold the bow with your front hand, tightly gripping the target with your thumb and index finger. Curl the remaining three fingers tightly. Push your wrist forward with force, and twist your lower arm slightly inward. Align the base of your thumb with the elbow, and the elbow with the base of your thumb, forming a straight line. The ancient saying, "The three bases should be aligned," refers to this. When the three bases are aligned, your arm and shoulder are naturally straight.

Backarm: Hold the bowstring with your back hand, as if wearing a holster. Curl the middle, small, and small fingers tightly in your palm, and twist your lower arm slightly outward. Don't press too hard with your thumbnail; too much pressure will cause the release to sluggish, and the arrow will waver and unsteadily. Bend your back wrist slightly outward, allowing for flexible application of force. Keep your back elbow tightly bent, aligned with your front elbow. Keep your shoulders and hands aligned, but not the front elbow of your front hand and the back elbow of your back hand in a straight line. This is important to note. This technique is called "four-level stance," meaning your shoulders and elbows are aligned.

The Method of Sight

The method of sight refers to aiming. The common method involves looking directly from the arrow shaft through the arrowhead with your right eye. Keep your left eye open and follow your right eye's gaze. The distance of the target is measured by the height of your forehand. For farther targets, raise your forehand slightly above the target; for closer targets, lower your forehand slightly below the target. The principles of aiming in archery are the same as those for shooting, with slight differences. In shooting, the target scale and the muzzle sight are directly aligned with the eye. In archery, the arrowhead is aligned with the upper part of the mouth, not the eye. This may seem counterintuitive, but in reality, it's the fist, the arrowhead, and the eye that are aligned. In principle, this is no different from aiming a bullet.

After becoming proficient in archery, you can sometimes aim without looking at the arrow shaft, simply with your forehand fist, and still hit the target. This is because the thumb and index finger of the forehand fist serve as a guide, and the forehand fist and the entire arrow are both within your field of vision. At this point, the eye and the "target" form an aiming arc, which does not contradict the principle of aiming. But outwardly, it may appear to be misaligned with the eye. A skilled archer relies on personal experience to determine the correct aiming technique; adhering to established rules is inappropriate. In reality, aiming is a delicate arithmetic, requiring a dynamic assessment of various circumstances before determining the correct position to aim for the desired target. The subtleties of this technique vary from person to person, requiring careful practice and understanding, making it difficult to describe in detail.

Release Technique

Release and stance are crucial in intermediate archery. Improper stance technique can lead to incorrect postures in all areas, significantly impacting the overall movement. A clumsy release, with even the slightest movement, can deflect the arrow, ultimately ruining the entire effort. As the saying goes, a small error can lead to a great error. Releasing with the back hand, while the front arm remains completely still, is most reliable. Releasing with the back hand, while the front arm remains unaware, is even more precise. The head and eyes must also remain motionless, as movement can affect the stability of the shoulders and arms. In the split second it takes to release the arrow, all parts of the body must be tightly coordinated, and the mind and energy must be unified. This way, the arrow will fly swiftly and will surely hit the target.

The Mind and Intention Method

During archery, the mind and the movements of all parts of the body are closely intertwined. If the mind and body are out of sync, the mind cannot control the movements of the entire body, and the archery technique will be imperfect. The Mind and Intention Method requires effort in cultivating the Qi. If one can calm the mind and focus the mind on the spirit, before the shot even begins, the entire "shooting" objective will be concentrated in the mind and energy. Then, the mind will react to the action. Only then can one shoot as desired and be sure to hit the target. Mr. Li Shugu said, "The mind is in the target, the arrow is in the heart, the energy is focused, the energy is concentrated, the inner movement is strengthened, and the outer strength is strengthened." This is the excellent Mind and Intention Method.

The Inspection Method

The Inspection Method involves checking your movements for errors and correctness. Regardless of the technique you are learning, you must constantly check and correct them to achieve the desired result. Otherwise, incorrect posture and movement, once formed as a habit, are difficult to correct. There are two ways to check your posture: one is self-checking. During practice, you can look in the mirror and check your posture to see if it's correct. The other is correction from teachers and classmates. During practice, by asking for correction from teachers or discussing with classmates, you can reduce your own mistakes. After learning archery, many mistakes will occur. You may not be aware of them, or you may be aware but fail to check them, or you may have checked but failed to correct them. In these cases, you must seek guidance from an expert before you can correct them. As the saying goes, "Ten years of sitting facing a wall are not as good as one night of guidance from a master teacher." Because mistakes often become "habits and oblivion," "bystanders see more clearly" and are easily noticed.

Strength Training Methods

Previous archery strength training methods were rigid and unnatural. For example, practicing the standing stance requires using two forks to support your arms. This method is unnatural and too rigid. Now, if we want to improve standing strength, we can practice more horseback riding techniques from Chinese martial arts to naturally increase lower body strength. To improve the strength of pushing with our arms, we can learn gymnastics or Chinese martial arts; over time, our arm strength will naturally increase. A rigid bow can only be pulled to 120,000 strokes. Any more than that and you'll injure your shoulder bones and be detrimental to your health. To maintain bow grip strength, you can adjust your grip at any time or use a springy iron dumbbell. The essence of archery lies in the gentle application of force; excessive brute force training is counterproductive. Gentle force is the best way to build strength. With long-term archery practice, your energy and strength will naturally improve, eliminating the need for specialized training. Excessive force training will inevitably lead to forced exertion, which can be detrimental to your health.