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Our section on technical gestures: we tested … archery at the Sentinelle in Brienon-sur-Armançon

Every four years, archery gets a serious spotlight with the Olympics. How easy it looks when you watch the men’s and women’s teams win gold in Tokyo after having multiple arrows right on target. We almost forget that the target is 70 meters from the archer. So, is it as simple as it sounds? To be clear about it, I decided to take part in the exercise during a training session with the Sentinel of Brienon-sur-Armançon.

Mission: after having received the advice of the president and trainer François Degrange and his archer Élodie Kaczmarek, attempt several ends of five arrows and observe the progress on each of them.

Advice

1. François Degrange, president and trainer of the Sentinelle de Brienon: “At the beginning, we will simply aim with an arrow so as to have a very simple logic. To manage the height of the arrow at the finish, we will catch the rope either higher or lower. And then we have to lift bow, put the arrow in the target, stand straight, respect a vertical axis for the body and horizontal for the arms and head and shoot. “

2. Élodie Kaczmarek, archer from Brienon: “You have to have your feet slightly apart, parallel to the target, take the handle of the bow well, position your hand well on the string and sheath your body to be as stable as possible. And when raising the bow and to cock your shot, you have to cut your breath to gain stability there too and let go of the arrow. “

3. François Degrange: “You have to transform a static balance into a dynamic balance. When I am going to raise my bow, I have a precise starting point and when I am going to cock my string by bringing the hand back to the face, you have to let go while maintaining the gesture until at the end. If once you’ve shot you disunite, that can have a huge impact on the outcome. The end of the shot is not the release of the arrow, it has to be completely included in the shot. “

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4. Élodie Kaczmarek: “As soon as you have the bow in your hand, you put the arrow on it. For one good reason, it’s that if you shoot without an arrow, you break the bow.”

Preamble

Before I started on this report, I had never taken a bow in my hand. The discovery was therefore total. Having no notions of archery, apart from the various competitions I attended in Brienon-sur-Armançon, I am all the more attentive to the advice given by François Degrange and Élodie Kaczmarek. I also try to take an example from the young people of Brien, who have been exercising for several minutes and who seem to have mastered the exercise.

Once the training of the “youngsters” is over, it’s time for me to take charge of my bow. A tool adapted to my abilities and logically less powerful than that of the archers who accompany me. Do not imagine that I did not force to bend the bow. You still have to work hard to pull the rope and hold it long enough to aim and be sure of your shot. Once the theory has been guided, it is time to practice alongside the president and coach of the club.

Verdict

Conclusion

(Excluding camera) the beginnings are correct. At first, my first arrows are shot at six meters. The chances of deflecting your shot are lower. For this first try, I am not aiming using a sight, but simply the arrow itself. When my shot is too high, I grab the rope slightly higher. And vice versa. Once the firing logic is integrated, the sight can enter the equation.

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Therefore, from the moment my gesture is good, François Degrange touches the viewfinder to adjust the sight. Rather comfortable at this distance – I did not put an arrow beyond the 7, the president of the Sentinel of Brienon-sur-Armançon suggested that I go to 10 meters. It’s time for me to try the “cigarette” grip when grabbing the rope to gain some power. The first end of five arrows and in line with the previous ones. Then comes the moment to film the five decisive shots. The concentration goes up a notch, the precision of the shots and their result too. Two “8”, one “9”, two “10” and as many applause from François Degrange to salute an achievement deemed “very good”. Nothing more was needed for my happiness. I could return to Auxerre with the feeling of having successfully completed this initiation into archery.

Text: Hugo Borrel
Photos: Florent Leybros
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