Coon asked:
I’m shooting a traditional archery longbow that’s about 50lbs currently but I would like to build up strength to shoot more powerful bows. I’ve seen those bow training systems before however I cannot afford them. I want to know what muscles I should be working on for shooting archery and what exercises I can do to strengthen them.
Isometrics is a method of exercises that develops the muscles with out the use of machinery just tensioning the particular muscle in repeated steps every minute off and on will work that muscle group.
Another way is to simulate with whatever you have laying around the house like pulling against a door jam or trying to stretch a garden hose. Both of these moves will work the pecs and shoulder blades. trying to squish a tennis ball will strengthen the grip.
Put two chairs together, side-by-side, so they form a bench you can lay down on. Get a pail or bucket with a handle on it, and fill it with 50-60 pounds of weight; put the pail/bucket on the floor in front of the chairs. Lay down on the chairs, on your side (left side, if right-handed – right side if left-handed), and grab the handle of the pail/bucket with your string hand. Now lift it straight up, ACROSS your chest, while Pulling your elbow “back” (as if you were standing up). The secret is to use your shoulder and back muscles to do the lifting, not your arm muscles.
Add more weight as you get stronger.
To strengthen your bow arm, just do one-handed push-ups.
It’s a method I still use to keep in shape.