Archery words · Beginner

The words you will hear in your first match, grouped the way you meet them.

B · Beginner · 25 words · Step 1 of 2

Equipment

Bow

The equipment used to launch arrows, held in one hand while the other draws the string.

Recurve bow

The bow with tips that curve away from the archer, which adds power. It is the bow used in the Olympic archery events and has its own division in World Archery competitions.

Compound bow

A modern bow with a pulley and cam system that makes it easier to hold at full draw. Compound archers compete in their own division and are scored differently from recurve.

Arrow

The projectile shot from the bow, tipped with a point and featuring stabilizing feathers or vanes at the back.

String

The cord stretched across the bow that the archer pulls back and releases to launch the arrow.

Sight

An aiming device fitted to the bow. Recurve and compound archers may use one; barebow archers may not.

Quiver

The container archers use to hold and carry their arrows.

Arm guard

Protective gear worn on the bow arm to prevent the string from snapping against the skin.

Release tab

Protective gear worn on the drawing hand's fingers to protect them from the string.

Also called: glove
See also: String

Target and scoring terms

Target

The circular scoring face archers shoot at, divided into coloured rings. At the long distances a recurve archer shoots at a 122 cm face and a compound archer at an 80 cm six-ring face; at 18 metres the face is 40 cm.

Bullseye

The centre of the target, worth ten points. An inner ring, the X, is used to break ties: more Xs ranks an archer higher.

Also called: gold, ten
See also: Target

End

The set of arrows shot before archers walk to the target to score them. An end is three or six arrows. Scoring happens after each end.

Score

The points from where the arrows land. An arrow is scored by the position of its shaft in the target face, and if the shaft touches two colours or a dividing line it scores the higher value.

Qualification round

The opening stage in which every archer shoots a set number of arrows. The scores rank the archers and set their places in the match-play draw. Ties are broken by the most Xs, then the most 10s, at long distances.

Also called: ranking round

Miss

An arrow that does not score because it misses the outermost scoring ring, or because it is one of several arrows shot into the same face when only the lowest values count.

Also called: M
See also: Arrow

Technique terms

Draw

Pulling the bowstring back in preparation to shoot.

Anchor point

A consistent spot (usually near the chin/face) where an archer draws the string to each time, ensuring consistent aim.

Release

Letting go of the string to launch the arrow.

Follow-through

Maintaining form and stillness for a moment after releasing the arrow, important for accuracy.

Stance

The archer's foot and body positioning relative to the target.

Full draw

The position when the bow is pulled all the way back, ready to be released.

Matches and formats

Set system

How recurve and barebow matches are scored. Each set of three arrows is scored separately: the higher score wins two set points and a tie gives one each. The first archer to six set points wins (five in team matches). Compound matches use cumulative scoring instead: the totals of five ends are added (four ends in team matches).

Shoot-off

The tie-breaker for a tied match: each archer shoots one arrow, and the higher score wins. If the scores are the same, the arrow closest to the centre wins. A tie in qualification that decides who enters the elimination rounds is also broken by a shoot-off.

Also called: sudden death, tie-break
See also: Arrow

Team round

A match between teams of three archers, or a mixed team of two. A team shoots six arrows an end, two per archer, and a mixed team four. Recurve team matches go to five set points.

Division

The class of bow an archer competes in: recurve, compound or barebow. Each has its own equipment rules and its own competition.