Where to start
The registry is large. Here are four paths, depending on who you are: for each, the claims with the most studies in its area and the pages you will need.
If you shoot · If you coach · If you do research or study · If you run a club or a federation
If you shoot
The questions that matter on the shooting line: technique, the mind, equipment. Start with the claims backed by the most studies, then look at what people say and the studies do not confirm.
Reported Expert archers repeat the shot with less variability than beginners
34 studies · 425 archers measured
Reported The less the body sways while aiming, the better the shot
30 studies · 423 archers measured
Contested Mental skills training improves the score
26 studies · 855 archers measured
Contested More anxious archers shoot lower scores in competition
25 studies · 1,299 archers measured
Contested The less the bow moves while aiming, the better the shot
24 studies · 307 archers measured
Contested Holding aim for too long makes the shot worse
24 studies · 252 archers measured
Reported Expert archers hold the draw with the shoulder and back rather than the forearm
23 studies · 303 archers measured
Contested A lower heart rate at the moment of the shot improves the score
22 studies · 347 archers measured
Corroborated As it leaves the bow, the arrow flexes and snakes around the riser instead of leaving straight
19 studies · 47 archers measured
If you coach
Physical preparation, learning the movement, health: where research gives solid guidance and where it is still guesswork.
Reported Expert archers repeat the shot with less variability than beginners
34 studies · 425 archers measured
Reported The less the body sways while aiming, the better the shot
30 studies · 423 archers measured
Contested Arm strength is linked to shooting accuracy
24 studies · 846 archers measured
Contested The less the bow moves while aiming, the better the shot
24 studies · 307 archers measured
Contested Holding aim for too long makes the shot worse
24 studies · 252 archers measured
Reported Expert archers hold the draw with the shoulder and back rather than the forearm
23 studies · 303 archers measured
Reported Archers often have poor general physical condition
23 studies · 678 archers measured
Refuted Elite archers share one single correct shooting technique
19 studies · 276 archers measured
Reported Physical conditioning improves shooting accuracy
19 studies · 616 archers measured
If you do research or study
Where archery research has stalled, who does it and with what samples, and the Lab essays to cite with their DOI.
Contested Mental skills training improves the score
26 studies · 855 archers measured
Contested More anxious archers shoot lower scores in competition
25 studies · 1,299 archers measured
Contested Arm strength is linked to shooting accuracy
24 studies · 846 archers measured
Contested The less the bow moves while aiming, the better the shot
24 studies · 307 archers measured
Contested Holding aim for too long makes the shot worse
24 studies · 252 archers measured
Contested A lower heart rate at the moment of the shot improves the score
22 studies · 347 archers measured
If you run a club or a federation
Competition rules measured, talent selection, load and injuries: the questions faced by anyone deciding for many archers.
Reported The average score per arrow tells you an archer's level
48 studies · 1,167 archers measured
Contested While shooting, an archer's heart rate sits at around a hundred beats per minute
16 studies · 285 archers measured
Contested Many competitive archers weigh more than is normal for their height
16 studies · 458 archers measured
Corroborated About 150 points on a FITA round separate a club archer from a national-team archer
13 studies · 492 archers measured
Reported In archery the scoring gap between men and women is small
12 studies · 3,881 archers measured
Reported In archery the shoulder is the most common site of overuse injury
12 studies · 861 archers measured
Corroborated Within one group of archers, scores differ widely from one archer to another
11 studies · 244 archers measured
Reported Scores fall as shooting distance increases
11 studies · 3,747 archers measured
Registry updates by email
At most one email a month, sent only when something has changed: claims that change status, new claims, Lab predictions registered or resolved, new studies and new books.
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