Few of us, looking at a sports bow in the hands of an athlete, think that this is one of the most ancient items in human everyday life. Curious is the fact that the bow has retained its shape and design to our times almost in the form in which it was used at the dawn of human civilization.
The principle of operation of the weapon and its equipment remained intact. Only the scope has changed. The traditional bow moved from the category of military and hunting weapons to the category of sports equipment and historical paraphernalia.
Sports, hobbies and hunting are the areas where the bow has still retained its position. Today you can still find a bow for hunting, which is used for limited purposes by hunters.
History of occurrence
Starting from the era of Alexander the Great and ending with the Battle of Agincourt, the small bow often became a decisive factor influencing the outcome of battles.
Even with the advent of firearms in service with armies, the bow continued to be the main small arms for a long time. Only with the advent of armor and the subsequent improvement of firearms put an end to the combat use of the bow.
As for the use of weapons for hunting purposes, here the hunting bow continues to maintain its position. Some tribes of Central Africa, South America and Oceania still use these weapons as the main tool in the struggle for food.
However, despite new technologies and the emergence of the most advanced weapons, the bow has not lost its appeal. The man still retained an interest in this weapon. The main reason for our attention to this ancient human satellite is the simplicity and low cost of construction.
Archery is one of those activities that almost every healthy person can master. For a modern person, a combat bow and the ability to shoot from it have become a sport, pleasant entertainment and a hobby. There is something magical about this weapon.
The ringing of a bowstring and the flight of an arrow have a bewitching effect on a person. Holding a bow with an arrow in his hands, a person involuntarily feels like a shooter, in which the primitive instincts of a hunter and warrior wake up.
Combat bow and sport
Beginning in 1972, sport archery became a regular event during the Summer Olympics. From that moment on, this sport began to develop rapidly. The growth in popularity was facilitated by the emergence of new weapon modifications and the relative accessibility of this sport. Archery looked attractive for the younger generation.
Children, having read adventure novels about Robin Hood and brave knights, with great pleasure switched from childish fun to a serious passion for shooting. The children’s bow became a springboard to a big sport, where it was already possible to improve their skills and achieve serious success.
According to experts, the ability to shoot from a bow has a beneficial effect on the development of a child, so it’s no secret that children’s archery sections are by far the most numerous.
The ability to shoot accurately from a bow is not only the perfection of the physical condition of a child. Accuracy and accuracy of shooting develop composure and endurance in a teenager. No wonder archers in ancient times have always been famous for their endurance.
It is difficult to stand and maintain composure when an enemy horseman rushes at you at full speed. Keeping calm until the last moment and making sure an accurate shot is not an easy task.
First, an ordinary bent stick with a bowstring, and only after that a heavy compound bow for competitions, become the weapon thanks to which children develop strength, dexterity, dexterity and patience.
Sports and compound bow
This weapon today can be found during sports. Gone are the days of classic wooden bows. Today’s athletes are armed with powerful weapons, which are not a one-piece product, but a composite, spring structure. Wood has long ceased to be used as the main material. The bow is a set of plates made of fiberglass or carbon fiberglass.
The spring principle lies in the fact that the bending of a thin plate as part of a stacked structure has a small amount of compression and tension. The elasticity of the composite structure increases and the strength of the bow increases.
Despite a significant and qualitative improvement in the manufacturability of weapons, archery of a sports modification requires certain skills and abilities. The base of the bow has become demanding on the skill of the shooter.
In contrast to classical and traditional weapons, the force of the bowstring tension has increased. The firing range has increased by 1.5-2 times. Due to the installation of sighting devices on the base, the accuracy of the shot was significantly improved.
The arrow is now placed in the plane of movement of the bowstring, respectively, this reduces the beating of the projectile during movement.
It will take some effort to shoot from such a weapon. So for adults it will be quite enough to make an effort of 12-14 kg. Teenagers and women will have enough effort to pull only 8-12 kg. Children can cope with archery with a force of 5-7 kg, so a child should not buy a children’s bow for the first training. An ordinary sports bow weighing 10-12 kg. will be suitable for the first training.
The modern compound bow is a steel structure that also came to us from antiquity. Comparison and kinship, however, is conditional, but the principle remains the same. The main feature of a steel bow is a collapsible design, which consists of blocks.
The shoulders of the weapon were screwed to the handle. Such weapons have high accuracy, but are demanding to maintain and need to be prepared for firing.