Recurve archers are on average taller and heavier than compound or Indian traditional archers
2 studies · 167 archers measured
The summary today
There are two pieces of data, both small, and they do not reach the same conclusion. The first comes from the 2014 Indian inter-university championships: among 160 archers aged 18 to 25, the 56 recurve archers averaged 176.7 centimetres and 68.2 kilos, against 160.5 centimetres and 61.7 kilos for the 62 who shot the Indian bow and 163.3 centimetres and 58.4 kilos for the 42 compound archers. That is a gap of 13 to 16 centimetres, but the author runs no statistical test, does not say how many were men and how many women, and the journal has questionable editorial standards. The second, from 2020, measures seven elite Indian archers, four compound and three recurve: 166 against 172 centimetres and 68 against 70 kilos, in the same direction but with no significant differences, in a sample too small to find them. The picture is contested more for lack of data than because of a real conflict, and neither study says why: whether taller people choose the recurve, or whether teams and selection play a part, these data do not show.
Also phrased as: "height and bow type"; "recurve is for tall people"; "build of recurve archers"; "height in compound and recurve"
In practice
You hear that the recurve rewards people who are tall with long arms, while the compound would suit any build.
Evidence
-
2015
For Archers Published later
160 Indian university archers aged 18 to 25, at the 2014 national inter-university championships in Kurukshetra. Recurve (56): 176.7 ± 7.2 centimetres and 68.2 ± 8.1 kilos. Indian bow (62): 160.5 ± 11.3 centimetres and 61.7 ± 7.2 kilos. Compound (42): 163.3 ± 8.4 centimetres and 58.4 ± 6.8 kilos. No statistical test on these differences, sex not stated; the study was about peak expiratory flow. Journal with questionable editorial standards.
Comparative study of peak expiratory flow rate of archery players participated in all India inter university archery competition Questionable venue · Vishwajit Thakare
-
2020
Against Archers Published later
7 elite male Indian archers: compound (4) against recurve (3), height 166.0 ± 4.0 against 172.0 ± 7.0 centimetres, mass 68.0 ± 4.0 against 70.0 ± 10.0 kilos, experience 7.2 against 10.2 years, no significant difference (p>0.05). The direction matches the 2015 study, but the sample is too small to find a difference. Regional journal.
Heart Rate Values During Shooting is a Field-Side Performance Analysis Tool in Archery-A study of Elite Indian Archers · Chandra Sekara Guru, Anup Krishnan, Uma Mahajan, Deep Sharma
Status history
- 2015 Reported The first data arrive: at the Indian inter-university championships, 160 archers split by bow type, and the 56 recurve archers average 176.7 centimetres against 160.5 for those shooting the Indian bow and 163.3 for the compound archers, with six to ten kilos more. The author reports no statistical test and the journal has questionable editorial standards: it is a descriptive association in a single championship, reported and to be read with caution.
- 2020 Contested A second study measures seven elite Indian archers, four compound and three recurve, and finds no significant difference in height or weight: 166 against 172 centimetres, 68 against 70 kilos. The direction matches the first data, but with three and four people per group no difference could have emerged. One supporting study with no statistics and one with no difference across seven people: contested.
Related
Related articles
- Barebow / instinctive vs Olympic recurve vs compound: differences in the shot, the equipment and the scoreRecurve, compound and shooting without a sight compared: draw weight, arrow speed and flex, let-off, balance, scoring and injuries in the registry's data.
- Anthropometry and setup: draw length, arms, bow sizeHow draw length sets arrow length, spine and actual draw weight, and what the studies say about archers' arms, height and body proportions against score.
Research lines
Cite
Campagna, M. (2026). Recurve archers are on average taller and heavier than compound or Indian traditional archers (Version 2). In Evidence Registry. Retrieved 16 October 2026, from https://matteocampagna.com/en/registry/equipment/height-weight-by-bow-type
@misc{campagna2026_antropometriatipoarco,
author = {Campagna, Matteo},
title = {Recurve archers are on average taller and heavier than compound or Indian traditional archers},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {Evidence Registry, matteocampagna.com},
url = {https://matteocampagna.com/en/registry/equipment/height-weight-by-bow-type},
note = {Version 2; accessed 2026-10-16}
}
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