ATARN Chinese Traditional Archery Training, Summer 2003
Beginners' Level

Day 1 : 18 May 2003 (Bring a notebook and pen)

Orientation

Qigong exercise

  • History

  • Nature and purpose

  • Stance, breathing, opening movements, closing movements

Introduction to the bow and arrow

  • Materials

  • Design

  • Naming of parts

  • Stringing the bow

Safety

  • Pointing and drawing the bow

  • At the target face

  • Handling of arrows

Military drill

  • Purpose of military drill in relation to learning traditional archery

  • Basic steps

  • Drill practice

Initial archery practice

  • Concepts: interrelationship of ritual archery, military archery, horseback archery

  • Stance

  • Nocking the arrow

  • Practice with the elastic band

Discussion

Day 2: 25 May 2003

Qigong exercise

  • Revision

  • Intervening movements

archery practice

  • stringing the bow

  • revision of nocking the arrow

  • draw-hand position, bow-hand position

  • draw-and-release at the floor

Military drill

  • Spacing and co-ordination

  • Initial target work

Discussion

Day 3 : 1 June 2003 (Location to be confirmed)

Qigong exercise

  • Revision

  • Further intervening movements

Archery practice

  • stringing the bow

  • revision of nocking the arrow, draw-hand position, bow-hand position, draw-and-release at the floor

  • preparing for full draw with an elastic band

  • full draw with the bow

Military drill

  • Spacing and co-ordination

  • Target work with elastic bands

Discussion