# Minimum poundage for competition?



## 1/2 Bubble Off (Dec 29, 2016)

If you are shooting spots....You only need enough energy to stick the arrow into the target reliably... I've seen women shooting 25# OR and quite effectively!!!


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## Bikeman CU (Nov 27, 2005)

Compound or recurve, fingers or mechanical release?


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## Flyinhawaiian (Nov 2, 2018)

No minimum, but for compound bows there is a maximum limit. It varies from a 60# in USA Archery to 80# in NFAA. Recurve bows no limits.


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## kbrede (Nov 13, 2021)

Good to know. I’m a long way from shooting competitively but was curious. Thanks


Bikeman CU said:


> Compound or recurve, fingers or mechanical release?


Recurve, fingers.


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## chevy_freak (Sep 27, 2015)

kbrede said:


> Good to know. I’m a long way from shooting competitively but was curious. Thanks
> 
> 
> Recurve, fingers.



No you're not. 

Go shoot local leagues. Only way to get better is solid practice and being around others will teach you that there's always someone worse, and some better. Worst thing you can do is think you're not good enough.


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## kbrede (Nov 13, 2021)

chevy_freak said:


> No you're not.
> 
> Go shoot local leagues. Only way to get better is solid practice and being around others will teach you that there's always someone worse, and some better. Worst thing you can do is think you're not good enough.


There is a local club that has leagues. I’ll have to look into it. Thanks


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## "TheBlindArcher" (Jan 27, 2015)

kbrede said:


> There is a local club that has leagues. I’ll have to look into it. Thanks



Leagues are a great way to get your feet wet in a competition environment... Helps you learn the written and unwritten "rules" and etiquette in a low pressure environment.


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## Bikeman CU (Nov 27, 2005)

Draw weight for recurves is normally at 28 inches, so select the correct spined arrow at your draw weight and length. Practice good form, being overbowed will lead to bad form. You can increase your draw weight as you build up your strength. I never got extra points for how deep the arrow was in the target/bale. You only get points for where the arrow lands. 
Find a good coach and just because they shoot a bow doesn't make them a coach. 
Go to the " F.I.T.A, N.A.A., Collegiate Archery, And J.O.A.D." thread for more information on recurve shooting.


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## c_m_shooter (Aug 15, 2018)

Most good recurve shooters are shooting mid 30's for indoor and 3ds. In the TFAA for indoors you start with a clean target face. They have youth shooters mark each arrow hole before removing that arrow. This allows the scorer to give the shooter credit for a bounce out. The only arrows that regularly do that are genesis arrows on a new foam target. 25lbs is fine for most games, although lightweight arrows will be needed to reach the long targets in field shoots.


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## ahunter55 (Aug 17, 2009)

Long ago, as an adult I shot a ton of Field & Target events with 38#s with no problems. Fingers, 70" recurve. You, with 25#s indoors should have no problems at all. Outdoors, depending on the round maybe on long targets (field, target). I saw young kids shooting 60 yds at the Ia games but do not know their poundage. Outdoor 3Ds have few "long" targets (30 & less) & I'm guessing you would be fine on these as well. I've have also seen several kids & women kill Deer in Wisconsin with 30# recurves (legal weight). Enjoy...


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## 1/2 Bubble Off (Dec 29, 2016)

chevy_freak said:


> No you're not.
> 
> *Go shoot local leagues. Only way to get better is solid practice and being around others will teach you that there's always someone worse, and some better. Worst thing you can do is think you're not good enough.*


This 100%!!!!


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## G302A (Dec 23, 2021)

As others have said, 25# is no problem indoors and with carbon arrows would get to 50yds or so. More pounds generally is only to get “further” (but needing stiffer and heavier arrows often negates that) and to minimize the effect of releasing the arrow while still moving across the face (in other words if you had perfect form and released properly low poundage is not a problem at all)


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## lees (Feb 10, 2017)

For compound, I competed for a few years with my old Supra Max at 33#. I lost, but that's because I suck not because I wasn't sufficiently overbowed like my competitors were. Even outdoors, I still lost like always, but it wasn't humiliating or meltdowns, etc and I had fun. The key technology is the arrow at low poundage, tho. I shot Easton ACE's outdoors and GT Ultralights indoors.

In the intervening years I've managed to work my way up to about 43#, somewhere in there. I continue to suck, but the extra 10lbs has improved my groups at 50 m considerably (still with the same ACEs).

lee.


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## ahunter55 (Aug 17, 2009)

in my recurve days I used 35# 38#s out to 80 yds in Field rounds. Many of the youth/women using less. Currently I use a 45# Darton compound for all outdoor.


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## PBinLA (Jan 3, 2022)

kbrede said:


> Good to know. I’m a long way from shooting competitively but was curious. Thanks
> 
> 
> Recurve, fingers.


Good to knowat my son's 1st comp now 
😁


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