# How many practice ends before scoring



## Sbt110 (Feb 8, 2019)

For an indoor 600 round shoot, how many ends do you take to 'warm up'? I do best with the official 2 practice ends and maybe 1-2 more before that, but I've seen folks shooting much more than that before scoring begins. Curious if I'm the outlier, or the average and if anyone's found the magic formula to the warm up cycle. 

Also, does your answer change when looking at an outdoor 720, or 1440 round? 
Thanks!


----------



## Gaspert (May 9, 2018)

I always shoot 6 arrows during each of the 2 official practice ends. For me, typically the shots don't feel right until the 9th arrow or so.


----------



## Rick! (Aug 10, 2008)

I only know what works for me and that is the longer I warm up, the better I shoot.

USA 50m - 5-10 ends.
NFAA Field Target - 50-60 arrows.
900 round - 5 to 10 ends, at least to ends at each distance.
5 Spot - 1 full game.
Vegas - 1 full game scored, another just working on relaxing (when at Vegas). 
Never shot a 1440 in one day - usually over two days.


----------



## msjcan1234 (Jun 27, 2004)

For me it takes 20 arrows before scoring


----------



## erdman41 (May 6, 2009)

So what do you all do if there is no practice range? You only get your two practice ends and then score?

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


----------



## weldermike70 (Nov 30, 2016)

As many rounds as it takes till i'm done with my fifth beer :wink:


----------



## hamnguyen (Apr 1, 2014)

I typically shoot as many arrows as I can fit into my practice ends and just go from there. This is also after I've warmed up with some bands and arm movements!


----------



## Bow Rider (Jan 16, 2015)

Personally, I have never practiced or warmed up before a competition. I'm not going to get anything out of it. The time for training is over. Just take the time to relax and get comfortable with the atmosphere. The two official practice rounds are just to confirm that your gear didn't get out of whack. The just shoot one arrow at a time, because the one on the string is the only one that matters.


----------



## RMJack (Aug 8, 2018)

I'm reluctant to use up my bullsyes on practice ends - I also don't touch my bow until next week's league. Can't figure out why I'm not lighting the place up


----------



## Rick! (Aug 10, 2008)

erdman41 said:


> So what do you all do if there is no practice range? You only get your two practice ends and then score?
> 
> Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk



Then I just shoot the two practice ends, summon all the swagger I can and win my class, like yesterday.  Small consolation for last weekend’s underwhelming performance.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## erdman41 (May 6, 2009)

Rick! said:


> Then I just shoot the two practice ends, summon all the swagger I can and win my class, like yesterday.  Small consolation for last weekend’s underwhelming performance.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Sounds like a better strategy. If you didn't bring it with not gonna find it in warm ups.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


----------



## DJS2 (Aug 4, 2014)

Maybe use a shot trainer so you can warm up prior to your official practice ends.


----------



## robinson.2158 (Mar 31, 2019)

all depends on the archer and what they are comfortable with


----------



## Ye'Ol'Fart (Aug 9, 2016)

I used to shoot about 20 arrows then the two practice ends and I was good. Now, I don't know, most likely just the 2 practice ends. I'm old and get tired easily....LOL


----------



## huteson2us2 (Jun 22, 2005)

I use to practice for an hour prior to a tournament. Shoot the practice rounds, and then shoot the round. Then after the tournament, I would shoot for an hour or two because I wasn't satisfied with my round. Now at 72, I only have so many good shots anymore so I would be happy with no practice arrows. If I took my bow to the tournament by airline, A practice shot prior to the tournament would be required to look for damage.


----------



## wtpoohrn (Jan 12, 2019)

I like 4 ends with a 900 round but most tournaments only give 2


----------



## hydnawaab (Apr 19, 2019)

I believe it is specific to each individual. I usually recommend to shoot until you have 6 arrows in as tight group as you can get.


----------



## speedfirex (Jun 11, 2014)

Warm up with stretch bands. I usually shoot about 6 arrows for 2 practice ends for indoor. But it depends on how many practice ends are given during a tournament.

Outdoor, maybe 9 arrows per practice end to see how my grouping is.


----------



## Billm2019 (Mar 17, 2019)

I always try to get five arrows in


----------



## Brandman99 (Apr 7, 2019)

I shoot indoor competitions and you should always shoot two practice ends before you start to score. If you are shooting 5-spot, you should shoot 10 arrows, and if you shoot a Vegas target, you should shoot 6 arrows.


----------



## Jhaby (May 19, 2016)

NFAA gives you 2 warm-up rounds. That is all I use before scoring. That being said there is nothing stopping someone from shooting 12 arrows on each round. If I'm not comfortable with how I'm shooting (stress, pressure, nervousness) I will put some extra arrows down range as time allows.


----------



## VVID (Oct 19, 2016)

I tend to not like to adjust my sight during the competition so I'll shoot 3-6 based on how I feel I'm sighted in.


----------



## bowglo (Jul 16, 2019)

I need about 20 arrows


----------



## 17Tyndall (Mar 11, 2019)

I have found that I simply need to get my arm loose. Once that occurs I am good to go. If I warm up and find that I am off one way or another then I will spend too long practicing trying to complete perfection. It sounds like it differs for all. I am fairly involved between the ears when I shoot, and find it hard to forget and move on from mistakes.


----------



## Tipe (May 19, 2018)

Rick! said:


> I only know what works for me and that is the longer I warm up, the better I shoot.
> 
> USA 50m - 5-10 ends.
> NFAA Field Target - 50-60 arrows.
> ...


I'm slow warmer also.
As much as I have time in practice time limit or if I start to feel ready.
Way more than 30 arrows anyways.

I think this is personal feature what cant be rushed or if someone is ready with one arrow, it is their personal feature.

It's same as if U shoot 5-spot. One round I hit same hole every first arrow what I shot in that round of compettiton.
So upper left had only one hole after. But other 4 weren't that good. I think I need to learn shoot 5x at row that first arrow :wink:


----------



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

Sbt110 said:


> For an indoor 600 round shoot, how many ends do you take to 'warm up'? I do best with the official 2 practice ends and maybe 1-2 more before that, but I've seen folks shooting much more than that before scoring begins. Curious if I'm the outlier, or the average and if anyone's found the magic formula to the warm up cycle.
> 
> Also, does your answer change when looking at an outdoor 720, or 1440 round?
> Thanks!


God only allows me so many "good shots" each day.... I hate it when I waste them on the practice range!!!!


----------



## jlimoco (Aug 29, 2018)

2 i think


----------



## Invertedmedia (Jul 16, 2019)

Mix it up! No tournament is ever the same. Some days you’ll have to start shooting cold. Don’t be a slave to a warm up routine. When you don’t get it just right you’ll have that little demon on your shoulder all day.


----------



## Robspartacus (Feb 20, 2017)

I shoot a minimum of 20 arrows. Every different indoor event I have to tweak my sight. For some reason, outdoor 3D I may bump a notch or two. No big difference. For indoor events I may need to make 15 clicks. Weird like that I suppose. My warm ups are more for sighting than actually warming up. 

Sent from my SM-N960U1 using Tapatalk


----------



## Tipe (May 19, 2018)

Invertedmedia said:


> Mix it up! No tournament is ever the same. Some days you’ll have to start shooting cold. Don’t be a slave to a warm up routine. When you don’t get it just right you’ll have that little demon on your shoulder all day.


Haven't been in any competition where's no possibility to warm up.
OK if i
it's about U.. U can get in time in there, then it's possible.
But then the guilty party for that will look back at mirror :wink:

I like to warm up but sometimes in practice I will not.
Yesterday went pretty well without but stil kind of stiff at first targets.


----------



## mumu666 (Sep 25, 2019)

I just started with target archery and I was imagining much smaller number. Seems like a long way to go


----------



## MockNugget (Oct 4, 2019)

2 ends is enough for me imo


----------



## GrymNick (Oct 30, 2018)

i like 2 ends of 5 arrows before each 300 round indoor and 2 ends of 6 outdoors


----------



## chrstphr (Nov 23, 2005)

my advice to you would be to start scoring the very first arrow. Learn to shoot cold.

Then when you go to a tournament, if you get 2 or 3 official practice ends, you are golden. 

I see it every year at the Vegas shoot, the practice lines and lanes are full and people can't warm up before they have to officially shoot aside form the practice ends. Mentally they are dying and an anxiety wreck because they didnt get to shoot 30 or 40 arrows first. 

Many times at a tournament, there are delays from weather, targets, timers etc. You cant always stay warmed up. If you are used to shooting cold for scores, you will be way ahead of the game and probably shoot higher scores in a tournament. 

This is the major difference between practice scores and tournament scores. 

Learn to shoot and score cold. 

Chris


----------



## Tblodg (Aug 28, 2019)

This is something I have been wondering about lately. Just getting back into shooting I have usually been tweaking things and needed to set my sights during warm up rounds. The last two Vegas practice rounds, however, I didn’t make any changes so I started off with 2 warm up rounds and both times I shot six 10’s. Then when I started scoring I shot three 9’s in the first two ends. I would have scored 3 points higher if I would have skipped the practice rounds. 

In my case it’s not a matter of using up my good shots it is more putting pressure on myself when scoring and being relaxed during warmups. So I guess I need to improve my mental approach and learn to shoot relaxed all the time instead of adjusting my number of warmups.


----------



## tiltshift (Jan 25, 2017)

you know the saying "my warm up is your work out"... I feel like that with you guys as your "warm-up" sounds like my "workout". I apparently need to strengthen up as if I "warm-up" too much my shoots at the end of the session/card start to get pretty iffy...


----------



## TxDefArcher (Sep 3, 2019)

I try to shoot maybe 2 rounds at the most for warm ups before competition. I feel if I shoot too much and then at teh end I start performing worse. Alot of this is me needing to work on building up my stamnia and build up strength to shoot more. I have done where I started off cold - and I was shooting lights out so - it varies on how I feel that day.


----------



## Krusti.Donutz (Oct 12, 2019)

I will usually shoot 3 ends, by then I usually know how Im shooting.


----------



## rook-e (Jun 18, 2012)

2 ends, perfect amount to warm up and adjust to lighting etc.


----------



## enderdocc (Dec 3, 2013)

I need at least 20 arrows to warm up...… I guess that's what happens as we get older and have to get everything moving


----------



## xring1252 (Jan 7, 2020)

the older I get the less I warm up. Outdoors it seems like it's easier to shoot more during warm up but I spend about 20-30ish arrows before I shoot just to make sure everything is on.


----------



## Zanglha (Apr 25, 2019)

I generally like to warm up with 5-10 ends. I just find that it steadies needs out a bit better from the holding perspective rather than my actual shot execution if that makes sense. I tend to be a bit jittery or revved up before a competition so it just settles me out. But for a lot of our USA Archery shoots they don’t have time for that so I just deal with the two practice ends.


----------

