# Will Recurve shooting help Compound Archery for FITA Outdoor??



## Leighton (Aug 24, 2004)

I think you should just give up the devil bow altogether and come to the light.



From what most compound shooters have said on online forums, shooting recurve helps their form a lot. But once again, Give Up the Devil Bow!!!!


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## npk (Mar 3, 2003)

*??*

Do you mean that Compound bow is Devil Bow???

Please enlighten


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## Leighton (Aug 24, 2004)

*Re: ??*



npk said:


> *Do you mean that Compound bow is Devil Bow???
> 
> Please enlighten *


Yes. Compounds are evil. I am most certainly not the only recurve shooter who feels this way, but I'm pretty sure I'm a minority opinion.

Okay, justifying my opinion.
I feel that way because shooting a compound is not really shooting a bow.
It requires very little correct form and even less time to shoot it "good." And by good, I mean you can hit the 10 ring at 20m consistently.
It has a letoff, which means you can hold the thing forever, aim slowly and then release. Its more like shooting a rifle than a bow.
I suppose those are my main two beefs with compounds. But they are major beefs. It takes so very little time to become proficient at it than it does to become proficient at a recurve. Also, the letoff feature allows children to pull 40lb. Not to mention the tremendous advantage in arrow speeds and the use of a release. Oh yeah, releases...don't get me started on those.


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## TJ Mason (Mar 25, 2004)

Shooting a recurve will help you develop better bow-arm technique. Most full-time compounders I see have quite poor bow-arm technique.

Conversely, shooting compound can teach recurvers more than they might expect about drawing arm/back tension technique. Many recurve shooters use their biceps more than they realise, and this often becomes more apparent when shooting compound.


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## Jim C (Oct 15, 2002)

agree with Mason. Good post


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## MerlinApexDylan (Oct 14, 2002)

K, lets not let this thread turn into a compound vs recurve thread. We all have to support one another as archers to keep the sport strong and growing. 

Recurve is good for creating a strong foundation, but I've taken a few things from compound shooting as well. Compound is the bow I started with. I went to recurve because I had a dream about going to the Olympics. Who knows, maybe sometime I'll dream like that again.

Dylan


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## bowbender7 (Jun 1, 2002)

Darn those Mongolians for introducing a release other than fingers a couple thousand years ago 
Call me Saint bowbender, and the devils advocate - as I shoot a little of both. Actually, one a lot more than the other.
Ditto the comments about bow arm and release arm muscle discrepancies - each bow will show different flaws.
A recurve will also help you get your shot timing cut down - out of necessity. This can carry over to your compound shooting.

Sean


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## Mikie Day (Oct 21, 2002)

*shooting a compound is not like shooting a bow*

that is the most stupid thing i have ever seen or heard..

very little form needed to shoot..(lol)

You sir are very un educated in all forms of archery..very narrow minded for sure...

I shoot both forms of archery, long bow and compound...they are both bows and both require skill...i would rather have a compound anyday...


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## npk (Mar 3, 2003)

*I am not interested in the battle*

Sorry, I am not interested in the Battle.

I am just asking for help so that I can improve my Compound archery.

I have NO interest in shooting recurve for now. However, it shooting recurve can help me in Compound archery, I would try it.

NO Battle between Compound and Recurve, PLEASE!!!


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## Boltsmyth (Nov 16, 2002)

I mainly shoot recurve but have a compound. I've shot the compound a little over a dozen times since I got it two years ago. When my fxs delaminated on me before a recent fita I shot the compound and was a little surprised to keep up with the dedicated compound shooters. So my answer would be yes shooting recurve will help with compound. I'd venture a caveat though, Maybe practicing as much on the compound as I do on recurve could have made me a better compound shooter. (ducking the flames, lol)


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## Leighton (Aug 24, 2004)

*Re: shooting a compound is not like shooting a bow*



Mikie Day said:


> *that is the most stupid thing i have ever seen or heard..
> 
> very little form needed to shoot..(lol)
> 
> ...


If you'd like to get into this argument, please do so in private message or in another thread. I am not the only person who feels this way. That said, compounds definitely have their place in this world and I'm not going to change it, nor will I actively try to change that. Its just a fact of life.


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## BILL B (Jun 21, 2003)

I think it would be good for a recurve archer's mental game to shoot a compound bow indoors for awhile. It would be a good way to become accustomed to getting 30s and not having the lump come up on the third arrow.


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## >--gt--> (Jul 1, 2002)

I agree with you about that, Bill. 

We recurve shooters do have a lot to learn from shooting compound, mostly on the mental side, while compound shooters picking up a recurve can benefit on the physical side. 

It's shortsighted and ignorant to dismiss one as irrelevant to the other.

So, to answer the original question, yes NPK, it can help you.


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## hkim823 (Oct 6, 2004)

I guess it really depends. There's no definitive answer that shooting FITA Recurve will help your FITA Compound game. Fingers versus release / limbs versus cams, etc. etc. There's just a lot of differences between the two styles in when it comes to form. 

I personally do not think that shooting a target recurve will help someone who is dedicated to shooting target compound. Getting good coaching by a dedicated compound shooter will make you a better compound shooter. The same goes for recurve as well IMHO.


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## CHPro (May 21, 2002)

How much it helps I don't know for sure. But being predominantly a compound shooter who has spent some time behind the string of a recurve I can say that for me I felt stronger shooting the compound when I was also doing a lot more playing around with the recurve.

Biggest thing for me when shooting both, made me appreciate the compound more. 29's don't look or feel so bad with the compound after shooting 24's and 25's with the recurve (on the good ends, lol!) !

>>------->


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## >--gt--> (Jul 1, 2002)

Well, it's no secret that I am no compound expert, but I think if you were to ask shooters such as Michelle Ragsdale, Mike Gerard, Fred Van Zutphen, Erika LaBrie or Reo Wilde about whether picking up a recurve helps or hinders compound shooting, you might hear something very much like what my esteemed teammate CHeeshead Pro just mentioned...


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## Marcus (Jun 19, 2002)

My wife has been ranked #1 in Australia with compound and is currently 3rd in recurve and finds they compliment each other. With compound she is stronger and it makes her technique better. With recurve she doesn't accept bad shots anymore, she knows she can shoot 55-60 at 70m etc and goes for it. The technique is the same with both so she has no problems there. 

The downside is that she currently competes with both and thus has to train twice as much to get the most out of both. She does find that sometimes her gear gets neglected which can cost here points. But she can shoot top class scores with both in the same day.


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## UltraShooter (Jan 30, 2003)

>--gt--> said:


> *We recurve shooters do have a lot to learn from shooting compound, mostly on the mental side, while compound shooters picking up a recurve can benefit on the physical side.
> 
> It's shortsighted and ignorant to dismiss one as irrelevant to the other.*


I couldn't agree more George...good post!


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## SteveFSA (May 21, 2002)

Lately I have been training shooting a recurve with my release aid. A very good exercise IMHO. I'm using a pure BT release and you have got to use good back tension to execute. Recurve has also made my bowarm stronger. 

I think for a compounder to shoot a recuve for a period of time will have nothing but positive benifits.


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## Jorge Oliveira (Aug 13, 2004)

*Both - in the past*

Not wanting to add wood to the fire,

I started a long time ago shooting a recurve; due to the lack of decent bows over here, a few years later I bought a compound in a trip to the US (easy to find) and changed.

My feeling is that both require skill or it's useless.

But I like shooting fingers.


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## Michigander (Jul 31, 2002)

I was surely one of the last holdouts when the compounds got so popular.
During practice sessions I could watch my uncles fiddle constantly with their new "wheel" bows while I shot my bow all afternoon.
Will it help your game?..................probably........ if you had the time to dedicate to them.
I don't know if I could do well at all any more with a recurve these days. As much as I'd love to get back into it, I'm afraid I just don't have the time anymore.I've got too much going on with the compounds.
Fact of the matter is that I could probably use the humbling experience that you encounter with the change.
Have fun,
Jerry


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## XXXBowHo (Mar 17, 2003)

npk said:


> *I wonder if shooting Recurve can help me in my Compound archery.*


I've had the honor of representing the US shooting both bows. I shoot both for many of the reasons aforementioned. 

High let-off reduces push-pull forces so there is a tendency for the front arm to go soft. For me, recurve helped build stamina in my bow arm which equated to setting my shoulder and holding steadier. 

Recurve also challenges me to "continue drawing" with my compound. This reduces the tendency to deactivate back muscles and "stop at the wall." 

Vice versa, compound has helped raise my comfort zone with recurve. Hitting gold is easier to visualize, hence; it easier to accept when I shoot well with recurve. 


npk said:


> *Do most World Class Compound FITA archers also shoot recurve?*


There is not a long list of archers that compete with both at a world-class level, but I would venture to say that many have shot both at some point and have committed to a single style. For me, shooting both competitively demands a great deal and can be counter productive. However, I enjoy a good challenge. 



>--gt--> said:


> *It's shortsighted and ignorant to dismiss one as irrelevant to the other.*


Well said...


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## Hollowpoint (Jul 10, 2003)

I practice out to 20 with a recurve....and I really do think it helps with timing, strength, and form on a compound. (for all distances)
I shoot both with fingers.


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## Donald Yeo (Aug 20, 2002)

I was shooting with a recurve bow since 1959 to 1999. I am now shooting with a compound bow because of my age. I find that the transition of going from recurve to compound is smooth and best of all I have found that the lens in the scope has aided me tremendously to aim at the center of gold at even long distance. With the recurve due to the small pin in the sight, I had to practically strain to see the small pin aligning with the small yellow circle at 90 m. and 70 m. It is very difficult to aim when one has to wear spectacles when shooting with the recurve. Even in indoor shooting the recurve bow has great disadvantage as the aiming process depends greatly on the lighting. 

With the compound the let off is a tremendous advantage for an elderly archer. The stag of a recurve is so much strain on the aging muscles. Sometimes the bicep of the drawing arm in an elderly archer gets cramped when the stag is at its highest. 

At 45 lbs. draw weight the recurve is surely a "killler" for the elderly archer shooting a 28 inch arrow. It is well nigh impossible to aim and shoot through a clicker for the elderly using a recurve bow. At 90 m. the draw weight of a bow should be around 42-45lbs. for accuracy and speed.

Now, I shoot my compound set at 55lbs. draw weight using both aluminum and graphite arrows. It is a dice shooting it even at long distance of 90 and 70 m. One could hold a considerably long time to steady the aim with a compound and not be exhausted. It is most difficult to hold the aim of a 45lbs. recurve for more than 10 seconds for an elderly archer. 

Also, the necessity to rest in between shots for a compound is not imperative. For a recurve after each shot, the archer has to compose himself with deep breathing before he attempts the next shot. Shooting under the hot sun of Singapore with a recurve is very exhausting in a full FITA shoot. 

As we grow older we have to adjust our body accordingly. The compound bow affords old archers to still enjoy the sport of archery and not be unduly stressed and exhausted at the end of the shoot. My brother who at age 74 enjoys shooting compound bow very much. 

This is the main advantage of a compound bow over a recurve bow. 

Then the necessity to string the bow at the beginning of the session of archery is absent. We just take the bow out of our bag and fasten the scope and stabilizers then go straight to the shooting line to shoot. The other advantage is that in a compound bow the elderly archer needs not to put on so many stabilizers. One long stabilizer in the middle of the riser is sufficient to have good shots. There is no necessity to fix the Y bar and all the counter stabilizers.

The weight of the bow is relevant for an elderly archer if he is to shoot till the end of the session whether a full FITA or just ordinary practice. 

All in all, I find that the technique learnt from shooting the recurve bow earlier in my life helps me to shoot the compound bow most efficiently. It helps me to hold the bow steadily and gives me good form. Though, of course, I do retain the follow through movement of the finger release using the release aid. This gives the shot a more smooth flow using the finger technique. 

I would say shooting a recurve bow is more challenging than shooting a compound bow generally. One has to really be focussed in the release of the fingers with a recurve but in the compound the new modren releases eradicates the human mistakes of shooting with fingers making aiming the main focus for the elderly archer.

My brother who had found the Hoyt Defiant heavy has now chaned to a lighter Mathews bow instead. The mass weight of the bow is important for the elderly archer. A heavy bow makes him unstable in his form and technique. 

Lastly, I must say that the fast speed of a compound bow adds accuracy of the elderly archer. It is the aim of all archers to enjoy archery and not to strain himself to the extent that archery becomes a chore. Thus in this wise, a compound bow is more superior to the recurve for the elderly archer. It is in fact a boon to the elderly archer who enjoys archery.


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## Jorge Oliveira (Aug 13, 2004)

Exactly what you said, Donald


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## Leighton (Aug 24, 2004)

Well said Donald. Compounds have their place. ie Hunting and elderly shooting and also for archers that otherwise couldn't enjoy shooting a recurve.


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## Marcus (Jun 19, 2002)

Leighton said:


> *Well said Donald. Compounds have their place. ie Hunting and elderly shooting and also for archers that otherwise couldn't enjoy shooting a recurve. *


What about for people who enjoy shooting compound? I've been shooting compound since I was 12 years old and love it to bits. Recurve has never had any appeal to me. No interest in the Olympics, hunting or getting old, yet I love compound target shooting. :roll: I can shoot a recurve just fine and pick one up everynow and then, but find it offers me nothing over the compound. 
And there are more people like me out there.


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## TER (Jul 5, 2003)

Come on, Marcus, you know that compound bows are like American beer, suitable only for small children and the elderly.   

It's a joke! It's just a joke!


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## >--gt--> (Jul 1, 2002)

> And there are more people like me out there


Yes there are- at least here in the USA. More people take escalators than stairs given the choice too...


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## Michigander (Jul 31, 2002)

LOL!


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## Reo (May 23, 2002)

I can tell you that it realy didn't help me shooting my compound. It did take me about two years to get back to were I was with my compound before I left. Don't get me wrong it may work for some but to be at the top of the mens compound you have to aim unlike you could ever aim with a recurve. I will tell you that my dot when I'm shooting good indoors never moves. With a recurve you are pulling and pushing and this makes it harder to keep it even close to that still. Were with my compound my bow arm is dead and I just pull to set it off.

I don't want to start a war but I have never seen one person do them at a top leavel and win. So I think to say one helps the other is crazy because if that was true all of the recuve guys would just shoot a compound at all of the big money shoots and win all of the money and go back to it to win a gold at the olympic games. 

I will tell you shooting or you could call it practice is what helps booth of them. That is what I think is what people are seeing if the shoot the two bows they are shooting more arrows then they are if they only shoot one of them.

Reo Wilde


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## >--gt--> (Jul 1, 2002)

> don't want to start a war but I have never seen one person do them at a top leavel and win.


Ask your dad about Fred Van Zutphen, Reo


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## Marcus (Jun 19, 2002)

TER said:


> *Come on, Marcus, you know that compound bows are like American beer, suitable only for small children and the elderly.
> 
> It's a joke! It's just a joke! *


  LOL



> I don't want to start a war but I have never seen one person do them at a top leavel and win.


Reo, what do you consider a top level?
What about the Korean recurver who picked up compound and beat Mary at the World Uni games in 03?
May not be at a top level to some but my wife qualified for a spot on the Australian World Target team with both bows this year. At the Nats next year she has an excellent chance of making the team with both bows (then has to decide which one to take to Madrid). She also won our National INdoor with compound and placed 3rd in recurve at the same event, 2 weeks later won the state indoor with both (beating the National recurve silver medalist). 
This may not be considered the top level you are talking about, but it's getting close.


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## Donald Yeo (Aug 20, 2002)

Reo, I beg to differ with you. I had been shooting recurve since 1959 for almost 50 years till 1999 when I laid off archery and picked it up in 2000 with a compound bow, Hoyt Raider. My recurve bows were Yamaha and Hoyt GM. In my time we had no graphite arrows to shoot with so we shot with only Easton X7 arrows. 

I then bought the Hoyt Defiant with a scope and a lens of 8x. I had been shooting the compound bow most effectively since then. I had even got myself a couple of Robin Hoods with the compound at a distance of 18m. indoors with not very good lighting to boot. 

I found that the technique I learnt from shooting the recurve helped me tremendously with shooting the compound bow. 

I had earned my FITA star in 1972 shooting the recurve bow in National Competitions and had shot for Singapore in indoor shoots when I was selected to shoot in the national team. 

I do not know the reasons why you cannot find your technique learnt in shooting the recurve helpful with your compound bow. I do not wish to hazard a guess. However, I do agree with you that like in every sport, it is the practice we put into the sport that is the criteria to excelling in the sport. Proper practice gives not only good form it lends huge confidence. 

Nonetheless, it also is necessary to take into consideration the clemency of the weather in any outdoor shoots. When cross wind troubles the archer and consequently he would not get good scores or when he is shooting in bad weather. Also, the sunshine can disturb an archer's eyes aiming for that far distant gold. Wearing sun glasses is helpful but to a limited extent as I have found out in my years of archery. 

I have not hunted at all so I would not say anything about it. All I did in archery is indoor and outdoor shoots up to and including FITA competitions in the recurve bow section. In one national indoor recurve competition I won the event with my Hoyt GM. Subsequently, in the qualifying shoot for the national team shooting among 7 previous Singapore champions, I managed to come up tops beating all of them and was selected to shoot for the national team. 

I have yet to gain courage at my old age to shoot competitively in the compound bow section though my agerage scores are encouraging to say the least. I hesitate to shoot against archers, who could be my grandsons. They have the energy and stamina to shoot full FITA's. It would be silly for me to shoot against them in blistering outdoor weather when the hot tropical sun zaps one's energy very fast. 

In a foolhardy attempt at not wanting to be left out, I did enter a club competition with my compound bow in 2002. I found out to my chagrin that after 2 hours of shooting under the hot sun I could not even touch my bow as the sunrays on it caused it to be uncomfortably hot to hold after a rest of about half an hour. I found out also that unlike the younger archers I could not take the pace so I gave up before the end of the shoot due to exhaustion and suffering a little from sunstroke.

The minus factor of a compound bow is that I always fear the strings or cables would snap while I was at full draw. It happened to me once in an indoor practice causing my bow to dry fire. Thank goodness there was little or no damage to my bow but to my pride and ego. 

My friend aged about 30+, who is the Singapore dealer of Mathews bows and who has an archery indoor range fixed my bow after examining it for damage. 

This friend has gone to the USA to train as a coach and he has received a certificate signed by Dave Cousin and another in coaching. He also has certificates for coaching issued by our Archery Association of Singapore. 

In compound bow outdoor FITA competitions he always is among the top 3 contenders. His scores are impressive reaching the 1400's. He also was a recurve bow archer until he changed into compound bow archery. 

Like me he finds the recurve bow techniques learnt helps him tremendously in compound bow archery. He now teaches school boys and girls and also adults, who wish to take up archery as a sport.


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## Donald Yeo (Aug 20, 2002)

I wish to add that in my years of archery I had shot with Martin's Dynabo, Martin's Cougar, Jenning's Unistar, Mathews and Hoyt Raider and Defiant. I am contemplating buying a Hoyt Ultratec Elite in 2005. In recurve bows I had shot with Yamaha, Hoyt GM, John Williams' Wings and Black Widow.


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## Leighton (Aug 24, 2004)

Reo said:


> *I can tell you that it realy didn't help me shooting my compound. It did take me about two years to get back to were I was with my compound before I left. Don't get me wrong it may work for some but to be at the top of the mens compound you have to aim unlike you could ever aim with a recurve. I will tell you that my dot when I'm shooting good indoors never moves. With a recurve you are pulling and pushing and this makes it harder to keep it even close to that still. Were with my compound my bow arm is dead and I just pull to set it off.
> 
> I don't want to start a war but I have never seen one person do them at a top leavel and win. So I think to say one helps the other is crazy because if that was true all of the recuve guys would just shoot a compound at all of the big money shoots and win all of the money and go back to it to win a gold at the olympic games.
> 
> ...


Not really my place to judge as I don't have any empircal evidence other than your post, and you'll probably hate me after this, but...

Maybe your form needs work...


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## Leighton (Aug 24, 2004)

Marcus said:


> *What about for people who enjoy shooting compound? I've been shooting compound since I was 12 years old and love it to bits. Recurve has never had any appeal to me. No interest in the Olympics, hunting or getting old, yet I love compound target shooting. :roll: I can shoot a recurve just fine and pick one up everynow and then, but find it offers me nothing over the compound.
> And there are more people like me out there.  *


Yup, and you outnumber people like me 10 to 1.  

I'm going to defer to Chris Shull about compound target shooting. Oh, btw, GT, Chris says "hi" and some other things. He also says you'll hate me from now on.


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## npk (Mar 3, 2003)

*Daniel Mok??*

Donald Yeo,

This friend is Daniel Mok???

NPK

My friend aged about 30+, who is the Singapore dealer of Mathews bows and who has an archery indoor range fixed my bow after examining it for damage.

This friend has gone to the USA to train as a coach and he has received a certificate signed by Dave Cousin and another in coaching. He also has certificates for coaching issued by our Archery Association of Singapore.

In compound bow outdoor FITA competitions he always is among the top 3 contenders. His scores are impressive reaching the 1400's. He also was a recurve bow archer until he changed into compound bow archery.


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## Marcus (Jun 19, 2002)

I think you are right Leighton, You can see on target 1 here that he had one arrow also fully outside the X. Just not good enough.


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## Leighton (Aug 24, 2004)

Marcus said:


> *I think you are right Leighton, You can see on target 1 here that he had one arrow also fully outside the X. Just not good enough.  *


 I don't get it.


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## >--gt--> (Jul 1, 2002)

Some of us have noticed that about you


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## Leighton (Aug 24, 2004)

>--gt--> said:


> *Some of us have noticed that about you  *


ouch! =D

edit: nm, got it.


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## Reo (May 23, 2002)

GT I know Fred and that he has shot well with the two bows. I had to go into a shotoff at the world indoor agianst him. The thing I say is I have never seen a person go from one to the other and win at the worlds or a major shoot were all of the top guys are at. I think it is back to what I said before that the more arrows being shoot is what you see helps out your scores.

As for my form I don't care what anyone thinks I have won and hold world and national records. I hope that I don't have to defend my self because I think that my 4 world championship golds says I do ok with my form. 

  
Reo


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## TER (Jul 5, 2003)

Leighton said:


> *Not really my place to judge as I don't have any empircal evidence other than your post, and you'll probably hate me after this, but...
> 
> Maybe your form needs work... *


Umm, do you guys know who Reo Wilde is? The Wilde Bunch?

What about Reo's point the more arrows you shoot the better you get? "The more you practice the 'luckier' you get." 

What about Reo's point that if shooting compound isn't different from shooting recurve, why don't Olympic archers make money at compound money shoots, and then just shoot recurve for the WC and Olympics?

Hopefully we'll soon see the likes of Frangilli, Johnson, Wunderle and Barnes post on here so all us beginners and intermediates can say to them "Dude! You've got it totally wrong!"


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## npk (Mar 3, 2003)

*Let's constructive*

Hey guys, 

I started this thread to find out the general opinion. I am sure some agree and some don't.

Please do not insult others who disgaree with you.

I think Reo has made some very valuable comments.

Thanks and Happy shooting.

npk
Malaysia


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## Leighton (Aug 24, 2004)

Reo said:


> *GT I know Fred and that he has shot well with the two bows. I had to go into a shotoff at the world indoor agianst him. The thing I say is I have never seen a person go from one to the other and win at the worlds or a major shoot were all of the top guys are at. I think it is back to what I said before that the more arrows being shoot is what you see helps out your scores.
> 
> As for my form I don't care what anyone thinks I have won and hold world and national records. I hope that I don't have to defend my self because I think that my 4 world championship golds says I do ok with my form.
> 
> ...


I see you edited your post, I probably deserved those comments.

After giving the matter some thought and consideration, I am completely wrong, and you are probably right Reo. Please accept my apologies for shooting from the hip too soon.

My reasoning is this: shooting a compound is more of a mental thing than anything else. Releases, scopes and letoffs eliminate a lot of things recurve archers need to focus on. Whats left is just pulling it back, making sure your form is consistent and aiming. IF I understand compounds correctly, they will more or less hit where you aim the sucker, thus, you don't have to worry about form so much as much as aiming the thing correctly. A huge part of aiming is mental. Not getting too excited that you've nailed 29 10s and you need one more to seal the deal, etc.

Shooting a recurve I don't have problems like that so much. Very rarely will a recurve shooter shoot 29 10s in a row.

Thus, my argument is this:
Compounds require a lot more mental "stuff" than recurve shooting.
In order to improve your compound game, you need to work a lot at your mental "stuff"
Therefore, shooting recurve will not necessarily help you shoot compound.


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## Leighton (Aug 24, 2004)

I also haven't changed my views on target shooting with a compound, but slowly my defenses are breaking down and I'm going over to what I call "the dark side." Heck, I was even considering buying a used ultra tec just to see how I'd do shooting a compound.


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## Marcus (Jun 19, 2002)

Leighton said:


> *
> Thus, my argument is this:
> Compounds require a lot more mental "stuff" than recurve shooting.
> In order to improve your compound game, you need to work a lot at your mental "stuff"
> Therefore, shooting recurve will not necessarily help you shoot compound. *


I think you need to shoot both at a high level before making those judgements. 

The World's best compounders got there through dedication to their technique. It is a simple fact that you can shoot a compound poorly and not hit what you are aiming at. 
For example Clint Freeman shot the World's first 1400 FITA Star AFTER training with the recurve for sometime to get a better understanding of technique. He also was holding 41# at full draw when he shot that 1409. 

Reality is that both require as much dedication to technique and metal approach as each other. You may shoot more 10's with a compound, but just look at the Olympics and tell me that's not mentally tough. 

PS. The World Recurve indoor record is 598/600, same as the Compound record.


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## Leighton (Aug 24, 2004)

Marcus said:


> *I think you need to shoot both at a high level before making those judgements.
> 
> The World's best compounders got there through dedication to their technique. It is a simple fact that you can shoot a compound poorly and not hit what you are aiming at.
> For example Clint Freeman shot the World's first 1400 FITA Star AFTER training with the recurve for sometime to get a better understanding of technique. He also was holding 41# at full draw when he shot that 1409.
> ...


Oh well, the argument is still valid. Just unsound. =D

edit: makes me wonder if empirical evidence will settle the argument or if we have to resort to a deduction & philosophical arguments


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## Donald Yeo (Aug 20, 2002)

All these pros and cons about compound versus recurves are really not relevant in archery. The sport of archery is about fun. So long as an archer derives fun out of shooting arrows, whether he is getting all 10's or not is just an addition to his fun. In point of fact, I am in archery at my old age because I get great fun out of archery. Not many of us aspire to be Olympic champions or World champions. All of us just go into archery because we love the sport and it is fun to us. It also gives us an opportunity to socialise and have a yarn with our fellow archers. That is all.


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## palmer (Sep 23, 2003)

The benefits of "cross training" I think depend on where you are in your abilities with each. I am no "pro" with either  , but I can tell you that shooting recurve definitely improved my compound shooting. I had shot compound all my life basically for hunting and later for target. After a short hiatus due to an injury I found myself getting involved with longbows, recurves, self-bows, etc. and eventually dove head first into olympic recurve. What I found was that to my delight, the form discipline required by the recurve was of enormous benefit when I picked up my compound. I never thought of what my back was doing before I shot a recurve. I think your current skill level with the compound will really dictate just how much shooting a recurve helps you, but I can't believe that there is no benefit, even if it be small. A cheap Internature recurve would be an inexpensive way to find out.


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## hkim823 (Oct 6, 2004)

Compound shooting is more mental than recurve shooting? I completely disagree. I think all of archery is a head game, there are different things that can mess with your head in both shooting a compound with a release/scope or a recurve. 

I think the bottom line is there is no definitive answer. Can recurve shooting help your compound game? It's possible. Can your compound game help your recurve shooting? Sure why not. But I think just shooting both for the sake of shooting both will not affect the other game. They both require a high level of skill and mental focus to be great at.


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## palmer (Sep 23, 2003)

hkim823 said:


> *Compound shooting is more mental than recurve shooting? I completely disagree. I think all of archery is a head game, there are different things that can mess with your head in both shooting a compound with a release/scope or a recurve.
> *


I agree.


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## Reo (May 23, 2002)

Leighton no problem and I don't want you to think I hate recurve shooting. I have a very good friend that he loves to shoot a recurve and we shoot together all the time. I even liked shooting mine but my true love is a compound. I love to shoot in tournaments and there is just more good shoots for compounds in the US then there is for a recurve. 

I just wanted to tell the npk what I found not to start a war just like I said. I don't know why or will never understand the hate people have one over the other. I hope that we can all understand we are archers and that is how our sport will grow.

Reo


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## Jurasic Archer (May 23, 2002)

Interesting bunch of opinions out there. My winters are strongly divided between recurve and compound because of all the indoor events where money is involved. If not for the money, I would always shoot the recurve and just be broke all the time! I attempt to fund my recurve habit with some compound shooting money as best I can and I have an amount of success at it. I rarely practice with the compound other than league shooting, spend very little time tuning or messing with it and am able to hang with the locals to some degree. Whenever a bigger event comes around, I plan on shooting the stick (even when it is not the best investment!). I might be better with the wheel bow if I did some serious training with it, but then again I might not move an inch too. When I go up against the Wilde bunch, I have more guys rooting for me because I am the serious underdog!!!


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## hkim823 (Oct 6, 2004)

Reo said:


> *I love to shoot in tournaments and there is just more good shoots for compounds in the US then there is for a recurve.
> 
> 
> Reo *


Reo is is right though but it's the same world wide. The money game does come from the compound side of things, especially in the 3-d realm. There's basically no real money shoots for recurve archer's besides Vegas, ACC, and a few select other target events. I wonder sometimes if that has to do with the ideal that Olympic athletes are supposed to be amatuers (we all know that's no longer true).

I'd like to see the old PAA come back (which was WAY before my time but I've still heard about it) and see recurve shooters go out and get paid. It would I think bring more legitamacy to the sport and I think some people may take it more seriously.


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## Leighton (Aug 24, 2004)

I dunno man, after reading up about the Korean archery machine... Scary.


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## Marcus (Jun 19, 2002)

hkim823
Only in America with that. 
Go outside f the US and it's the other way around. 
At the Grand Prix shoots in Europe they can fill the 64 places in the matchplay with recurve, sometimes with compound they get about 20. 

Hopefully things will even out around the world, but at this point recurve is moe popular in competitive circles than compound outside the US. 




> I even liked shooting mine but my true love is a compound.


That's what it's all about.


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## hkim823 (Oct 6, 2004)

But like the Olympics, archer's aren't paid money when they place in the Grand Prix events right? It's just the honor of winning. 

On the other hand, a compound archer can make from what I remember tens of thousands of dollars at a really big 3-D shoot.


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## Leighton (Aug 24, 2004)

hkim823 said:


> *But like the Olympics, archer's aren't paid money when they place in the Grand Prix events right? It's just the honor of winning.
> 
> On the other hand, a compound archer can make from what I remember tens of thousands of dollars at a really big 3-D shoot. *


The female who won gold in the 2000 Sydney Games was paid $185,000 for her two medals.


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## Marcus (Jun 19, 2002)

Australian Recurvers have an incentive program in place that pays based on scores and performance. Shoot enough 1300's and you could live off it. 


hkim823 said:


> *But like the Olympics, archer's aren't paid money when they place in the Grand Prix events right? It's just the honor of winning.
> 
> On the other hand, a compound archer can make from what I remember tens of thousands of dollars at a really big 3-D shoot. *


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