Higher-level archers have a stronger grip than beginners

The summary today

The comparisons between levels all point the same way, but none separates grip from body size. In the cleanest comparison, twelve young Malaysian archers split into two halves by score, the better six have a stronger grip in both hands (medians of 35.2 against 23.8 kg on the left and 33.8 against 29.3 on the right), but they are also twelve centimetres taller, and height and arm span are the variables most closely linked to the score. In a hundred Indian recurve archers the experienced ones have three or four kilos more grip, and are also ten centimetres taller and eight kilos heavier, in a journal with doubtful editorial standards. When the score within a homogeneous group is examined instead of level, the link disappears: in the fifteen control archers of a Turkish study grip is never linked to the score, and in twenty children under thirteen it does not predict it (p=0.925). Today it can be said that higher-level archers have a stronger grip on average, not that grip matters more than stature, nor that it helps anyone shoot better.

Also phrased as: "experienced archers have stronger hands"; "grip strength and level"; "the dynamometer picks out the better archers"; "strong grip strong archer"

Evidence

• 2017
  Context Archers Published later

  In the 15 archers aged 18-20 in the control group, who did not do the grip programme, the score is never linked to grip strength: right hand r=0.289 (p=0.299) before and r=0.210 (p=0.264) after, left r=0.254 (p=0.261) and r=0.254 (p=0.260). It looks at the score within one group, not at a comparison between levels, and the journal has doubtful editorial standards.

  The Impact of Hand Grip Strength Exercises on the Target Shooting Accuracy Score for Archers Questionable venue · Süreyya Yonca Sezer

• 2020
  Context Archers Published later

  One elite archer and one beginner, both sixteen, in a simulated 70 m competition: at rest the elite archer has more grip in both hands, 93.9 against 80.2 lb in the dominant hand and 91.6 against 75.0 in the other, and in the elite archer grip does not drop throughout the competition. Two people, and the elite archer is also taller and heavier.

  Physiological demands of archery: effect of experience level · Thiago Oliveira Borges, Alexandre Moreira, Reury Frank Bacurau, Fernando Henrique Magalhães, Caroline Dario Capitani, Alexandre Nunes Martins, et al.

• 2020
  For Archers Published later

  12 young Malaysian recurve archers split into two groups of six by score: the better archers have more grip on the left (median 35.2 against 23.8 kg, p=0.016) and on the right (33.8 against 29.3 kg, p=0.010), and right-hand grip correlates with the score (rho=0.614, p=0.034), the left only marginally (rho=0.571, p=0.053). But the better archers are also taller (173.1 against 160.5 cm, p=0.016), and height and arm span correlate with the score more than grip does (0.80 and 0.82).

  Anthropometric And Physical Fitness Components Comparison between High- And Low-Performance Archers · Jiun Sien Lau, Rosniwati Ghafar, Hairul Anuar Hashim, Erie Zuraidee Zulkifli

• 2021
  For Archers Published later

  100 Indian recurve archers aged 15 to 25, 50 experienced and 50 beginners: on the dynamometer the experienced archers have more grip in the drawing arm (27.0 against 23.9 kg, p=0.039) and in the bow arm (26.2 against 22.0 kg, p=0.008), but they are also taller (162 against 152 cm) and heavier (54 against 46 kg). Journal with doubtful editorial standards.

  Comparative Analysis of Upper Extremity Performance Variables in Elite and Novice Recurve Archers: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study Questionable venue · Pranita D. Ganjave, Ajit S. Dabholkar

• 2025
  Context Archers Published later

  13 licensed Turkish archers aged 15 on average, with at least two years of practice: on the Jamar dynamometer grip is 30.4 kg (19 to 50) in the drawing hand and 28.8 kg (17 to 45) in the bow hand (p=0.011, d=0.21). A reference value for the age group, with no comparison between levels.

  Physical characteristics of the pulling and stabilization arm in archers, examination of posture and injury risk · Pakize Nurgül Sarı, Ramazan Çevik, Tamer Çankaya

• 2025
  Context Archers Published later

  20 standard-bow archers under 13: in a multiple regression with other physical qualities, grip strength does not predict the score (p=0.925). It looks at the score within a group of children, not at a comparison between levels.

  Physical fitness and shooting accuracy: an evaluative study on early adolescent archery athletes · Rahmaniar Wahyuningtias, Indra Himawan Susanto, Ananda Perwira Bakti, Soni Sulistyarto

Status history

1. 2017 Not studied The first piece of data close to the question does not compare levels but looks at the score: in the fifteen Turkish archers aged 18-20 who formed the control group of a study on grip training, grip strength is not linked to the score either at the start or at the end (right hand r=0.29, p=0.30). Fifteen people of the same level, in a journal with doubtful editorial standards: it does not say whether the better archers grip harder, and the question remains unanswered.
2. 2020 Reported The first comparisons between levels arrive, and both point in favour. Twelve young Malaysian archers divided by score: the better six have a stronger grip in both hands (medians of 35.2 against 23.8 kg on the left, 33.8 against 29.3 on the right), and right-hand grip correlates with the score at 0.61; but the better archers are also taller, 173 against 160 cm, and height correlates with the score at 0.80. In the same year a comparison between an elite archer and a beginner, both sixteen, points the same way, 93.9 against 80.2 lb in the dominant hand. An association in twelve people, tangled up with stature: the evidence in favour exists and it is limited.
3. 2021 Reported A hundred Indian recurve archers aged 15 to 25, half experienced and half beginners: the experienced ones have more grip in both arms, 27.0 against 23.9 kg in the drawing arm and 26.2 against 22.0 in the bow arm, but they are also taller (162 against 152 cm) and heavier (54 against 46 kg), and the journal has doubtful editorial standards. The sample is large and the direction is the same, but body size remains tangled up with grip: the picture holds.
4. 2025 Reported Two small studies complicate the picture without changing it. In twenty standard-bow archers under thirteen, a regression including several physical qualities finds that grip does not predict the score (p=0.925); in thirteen fifteen-year-old Turkish archers the grip of the drawing hand sits around 30 kg, with a range from 19 to 50. The comparison between levels still points the way the claim does, but within a homogeneous group grip does not tell who shoots better.

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