This article offers a specific model, Minimum Qualifying Movement (MQM), for coaches and athletes to use for: a) identifying when to increase limb resistance, b) verifying the increase is appropriate, and c) a progression for building sport-specific strength needed to achieve MQM. For Olympic and Barebow disciplines, achieving Barrel of the Gun (BOG) by coiling efficiently during Set-Up is the Minimum Qualifying Movement for considering if increasing bow resistance is appropriate. For Compound archers, once optimal draw length is set, achieving BOG as an outcome of Drawing with comfort and ease while maintaining posture is the MQM for assessing draw weight. Included is an MQM flow chart that provides a clear pathway for making decisions related to increasing draw weight and a sample progression plan for strength training. The standardized use of MQM by coaches prioritizes the process and, therefore, the athlete.
Summary
Archery is a form-based sport that requires attention to the process to achieve exceptional outcomes. Holding is the most important part of the shot process as it leads to greater control over the shot and decreased mental injury. The athlete will not achieve Holding if they cannot exert the force needed to coil and achieve Barrel of the Gun during Set-Up (Olympic and Barebow) or maintain posture while drawing through peak draw weight (Compound). For Olympic and Barebow, achieving BOG by coiling efficiently during Set-Up is the MQM for considering if increasing bow resistance is appropriate. For Compound, once optimal draw length is set, achieving BOG as an outcome of Drawing with comfort and ease while maintaining posture is the MQM for assessing draw weight. Resistance exercises to develop core stability, lower body stability, and bow arm stabilization may benefit athletes looking to increase draw weight. Progressively overloading the body is physiologically required to increase strength. Until an athlete can achieve Barrel of the Gun while coiling through Set-Up (Olympic and Barebow), the overloading and struggle need to occur in the gym and not with the bow on the field where neural pathway development will be interrupted rather than informed, and time wasted.
Originally published in the USA Archery High Performance Newsletter in spring, 2021, this version in recently edited.