Men and women shoot with different angles

The summary today

The measurements exist, but they are few, small and do not say the same thing. In the most studied sample, thirteen university archers measured with inertial sensors and described in three papers, some angles change with sex: with the 25 lb bow the bow-arm shoulder is abducted by about 74 to 75 degrees in women against 82 to 83 in men (p = 0.048 and 0.045), the trunk sits further into extension in women, and with the 32 lb bow the string-side shoulder and the flexion and rotation of the trunk separate too; other bow-shoulder angles, though, tell neither the sexes nor the draw weights apart. In seven Malaysian university archers the draw force line angle does not differ between men and women (39.2 against 42.1 degrees, p = 0.683), and in the Ukrainian national team the drawing-arm angles have ranges that overlap almost entirely. Each study measures a different angle, and none compares the sexes at the same relative draw weight: what looks like a difference between men and women may be a difference in load.

Also phrased as: "technique differences between men and women"; "women archers' posture"; "shooting angles men and women"; "female archery technique"; "bow-arm elbow in women"

Evidence

• 2017
  Context Archers Published later

  25 Ukrainian national team athletes, 13 men and 12 women, with two-dimensional video analysis: the drawing-arm elbow angle ranges from 35.9 to 45.6 degrees in men and from 31.7 to 49.7 in women, the angle between forearm and shoulder line from 116.8 to 146.5 and from 117.9 to 148.4. The ranges overlap almost entirely, but there is no statistical comparison between the sexes. Regional journal.

  Information Support of Highly-Qualified Archers’ Training · A. P. Vlasov, M. V. Ivashko, I. R. Svistelnyk

• 2024
  For Archers Published later

  13 university archers, 6 women and 7 men, with inertial motion capture, two bows and two distances: with the 25 lb bow, bow-arm shoulder abduction is 74.70 degrees in women against 83.39 in men at 10 yards (p = 0.048) and 73.88 against 82.22 at 15 yards (p = 0.045).

  An Ergonomics Analysis of Archers through Motion Tracking to Prevent Injuries and Improve Performance · Xiaoxu Ji, Jenna Miller, Xin Gao, Zainab Al Tamimi, Irati Arzalluz, Davide Piovesan

• 2024
  For Archers Published later

  The same sample of 13 archers, in a second paper with an ergonomic model: while aiming the trunk sits in slight extension, from -7.2 to -9.8 degrees in women against -2.4 to -4.3 in men depending on the condition, while the string elbow stays flexed at around 157 degrees and the bow elbow almost straight. The means by sex are descriptive.

  Exploring injury assessment using motion tracking technology and ergonomic tools in archery performance · Xiaoxu Ji, Irati Arzalluz, Xin Gao, Zainab Al Tamimi, Ethan Swierski, Davide Piovesan

• 2024
  Context Archers Published later

  24 Malaysian compound archers, 10 men and 14 women, electromyography of six shoulder and arm muscles: women show on average more activity in the anconeus (32.8 against 27.8 per cent of maximum contraction) and middle trapezius (31.9 against 24.1), men in the middle deltoid (19.4 against 14.7) and triceps (19.5 against 15.9), but no difference is significant (p from 0.26 to 0.85). It measures muscle activity, not angles.

  Shoulder Girdle Muscles Activation of Compound Archers · Fatin Nurfatehah Mat Salleh, Mon Redee Sut Txi

• 2025
  Against Archers Published later

  7 Malaysian university recurve archers with at least two years of practice, two-dimensional video analysis: the draw force line angle is 39.2 degrees in men (standard deviation 1.71) and 42.1 in women (11.1), with no significant difference (t = 0.433, p = 0.683). With seven people the comparison has very little power, and the spread in women is six times that in men.

  A case study on biomechanical parameters related to archery performance among UiTM Seremban 3 student archers · Uzma Qisthina Ahmad Ghazali, Muhamad Noor Mohamed, Muhamad Safiq Saiful Annur

• 2025
  For Archers Published later

  The same sample of 13 archers with a third, 32 lb bow: with the heavier load the flexion-extension of the string-side shoulder separates as well (p = 0.05 at 10 yards and 0.02 at 15), and so does the trunk, in flexion-extension (p = 0.01 and 0.003) and rotation (p = 0.04 and 0.008), with women up to about 10 degrees further into extension and rotation; the difference in bow-shoulder abduction with 25 lb remains (p = 0.03 and 0.04). The significant differences are worth between 9 and 15 degrees.

  The Impact of Draw Weight on Archers’ Posture and Injury Risk Through Motion Capture Analysis · Xiaoxu Ji, Zainab Al Tamimi, Xin Gao, Davide Piovesan

• 2025
  Context Archers Published later

  In the same paper, flexion-extension and rotation of the bow-arm shoulder tell neither the sexes nor the three bows apart, although in women with 32 lb these two angles vary by more than 20 degrees. Some angles change with sex, not all of them.

  The Impact of Draw Weight on Archers’ Posture and Injury Risk Through Motion Capture Analysis · Xiaoxu Ji, Zainab Al Tamimi, Xin Gao, Davide Piovesan

• 2025
  Context General population Published later

  104 Malaysian university students with no shooting experience, using a recreational bow: men score 16.0 points on average against 9.3 for women, with no statistical test. It is a difference in score among complete beginners, not in angles.

  Machine learning methods to classify engineering students’ ability to perform recreational archery activities using biomechanical data · N.R.H. Basri, M.S. Mohktar, W.n.l.w. Mahadi

• 2025
  Context Archers Published later

  27 compound archers from Jakarta, 15 men and 12 women aged 13 to 37: the men's bow arm sways less, with medians of 0.240 against 0.803 on the horizontal axis and means of 0.315 against 0.476 on the vertical one, but the authors report no test on this difference. It concerns stability, not angles. Regional journal.

  Pengaruh Kekuatan Drawing, Stabilitas Lengan Penumpu dan Kecepatan Laju Anak Panah Terhadap Akurasi Tembakan Divisi Compound Jarak 50 Meter · Fitriadi Sandhi Nugroho Yudho, Iman Sulaiman, Johansyah Lubis, Sujarwo

• 2026
  Context Review Published later

  Systematic review of five studies on the draw force line in recurve: it cites the study of the 13 university archers as showing that, as draw weight rises, men keep more constant angles and a more stable posture than women. It adds no new data, and the journal has doubtful editorial standards.

  Impact of Kinematic Variables of the Draw Force Line on Performance in Recurve Archery: A Focused Systematic Literature Review Questionable venue · Namchan Norbu Bhutia, Atanu Ghosh, Snehunsu Adhikari, Awesh Khati

Status history

1. 2017 Not studied The first data with angles split by sex come from the Ukrainian national team, 13 men and 12 women in video analysis: the drawing-arm elbow angle ranges from 35.9 to 45.6 degrees in men and from 31.7 to 49.7 in women, with ranges that overlap almost entirely. There is no statistical comparison between the sexes, though, and the journal is regional: the question has not yet been put to the test.
2. 2024 Reported Thirteen university archers, six women and seven men, measured with inertial sensors and described in two papers: with the 25 lb bow the bow-arm shoulder is abducted by 74.7 degrees in women against 83.4 in men at 10 yards (p = 0.048), and the trunk sits further into extension in women. The same year a study of 24 Malaysian compound archers finds no difference in muscle activation between the sexes, but it does not measure angles. A single small sample, with a difference at the edge of significance: reported.
3. 2025 Contested The first direct comparison that finds no difference: in seven Malaysian university archers the draw force line angle is 39.2 degrees in men and 42.1 in women (p = 0.683), with a spread six times larger in women. The group of thirteen archers adds a 32 lb bow and sees the string-side shoulder and the trunk separate as well, while bow-shoulder flexion and rotation change with neither sex nor load. Two other studies from the same year look at the scores of complete beginners and at bow-arm stability in compound, not at angles. One study on each side, both small and on different angles: contested.

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Research lines

• 25 studiesArchery injuries: what research has measured since 1971
• 54 studiesMovement variability and individual technique since 1971

Other claims in this domain

• CorroboratedBetween one and a half and two tenths of a second pass between the clicker sounding and the arrow leaving7 studies · 94 archers measuredStatus since 1990
• ReportedA camera diagonally behind the archer measures the vertical sway of the aim well, but not the horizontal1 study · 3 archers measuredStatus since 2010
• ReportedA continuous final pull through the clicker leads to better shots9 studies · 56 archers measuredStatus since 1993
• ReportedA sound or light cue about the angle of the bow arm tightens beginners' groups2 studies · 1 archers measuredStatus since 2012
• ReportedA thumb grip on the string is less tiring than a finger grip3 studies · 9 archers measuredStatus since 1990

See all claims on technique and biomechanics