Have you ever wondered where the best archery academies are located? or if there are online courses that can be taken?
Learning archery is not an easy process and it often discourages people. I believe that those who have a very limited amount of patients should not try to learn on their own. Self-taught archers are often going to be very patient. They are very likely to be ok with the process of trial and error, but this is not always the case with some people.
In my case, I have learned from the internet mostly, but I have done my research and I know archers who have attended archery academies. Some of them are exclusively for archery, while others are in universities and colleges.
I believe that the best way to approach this is to give you basic information. This way you are going to get a good idea of what you can expect if you choose to attend an academy or to get your lessons online.
The best archery schools in the world
Learning Kyudo in Japan
The first thing to consider about learning archery in Japan is that there is a lot of equipment involved in Kyudo. You also have to attend several classes at the beginning that are strictly academic. This means you won’t even be holding a bow and arrows for the first few weeks. This is going to allow you to have a solid foundation on the history of Kyudo. This is combined with the importance of understanding safety measures when using this powerful and deadly weapon.
You also need insurance if you choose to start archery lessons in Japan. This is a very safe class with experienced archers, but the possibility of an accident caused by another amateur archer is a remote, yet possible situation. I’m not trying to scare anyone out of the idea of taking archery lessons, but it’s important to get insurance for this. There will be some minor paperwork, but the process is fairly fast. This is not optional, so consider it an essential step of the process.
There are many academies and schools for archery in Japan, and you can bet that all of them are worth checking out. The Japanese take pride in the level of skill and professionalism of every Dojo they open. Just do some local research if you plan to travel to Japan or happen to live in Japan.
The top and most prestigious archery school
If you are looking for the very best archery school in the world, You will find that Coach Kim Hyung Tak is known for having the greatest archery training center in the world. This world-class archer has led Olympic teams to glory, conducted seminars worldwide, and helped archers and their coaches improve their skills in their respective field within archery.
You can find out more about his archery school on the link below. The academy is located in Geosangun Chungbuk, Korea. If someone wants to learn the highest level of archery from one of the best coaches in the world, this is the place to be. Some of the best archers in South Korea has started its formation in this school.
You can check specific information on schedules, prices and other details at the Archery School website: http://www.archeryschool.com/
Archery lessons in the USA
The best archery schools in the US are found in prestigious colleges. Some of them allow people who are not students to attend specific courses, and others are reserved only for students. Either way, it’s always good to know which colleges have the best and strongest archery academies. Columbia University, Michigan State University, Stanford University, and Harvard University are all known for their top-level archery clubs.
Just as I have mentioned in other articles, there are more schools, academies, tournaments, and activities in the USA than any other country where archery is popular. This is the reason why you are likely to find a good academy in every state and city.
Online courses
I did some research on courses that people could take online to learn archery. I found a lot of courses for safety when bow hunting, but most of them where USA state-specific. There are quite a few online courses for archery safety, the Bow Hunter Ed safety course is a great option to look into.
One of the best beginner’s courses I found was in Udemy.com. This was probably the best one and it has a good number of enrolled students with great reviews. They have a reputation for only allowing the best teachers and coaches to teach in their online platform.
https://www.udemy.com/online-archery-lessons/
You can also check out the Olympic Archery Schools website. They have an excellent online training program that covers the basics of archery and also information on equipment safety, shooting technique, and competition. Definitely worth checking out.
https://www.olympicarcheryinschools.org/online-training
If you do some local searches in your specific area, you are likely to find plenty of online courses for archers, but this depends heavily on each area and the regulations they have for the use of the bow. Remember that all US states have completely different laws when it comes to weapons and this includes bows and arrows.
YouTube for archers
When YouTube started to become a worldwide phenomenon, we started to see that people would upload videos showing how to do all kinds of things. I decide to do a search on archery, and to my surprise, a good number of people had uploaded videos on proper posture for archery, how to tune your bow, how to shoot from different distances, etc. I was happy to see that I could learn a lot of great things from the comfort of my home.
Some of them will only share basic tips and promote online lessons, while others will give you a lot of detailed information on archery for no cost. The point is that YouTube has become an amazing source for all kinds of information on archery. I strongly recommend you browse around for archery videos and you won’t be disappointed.
Here are a few channels worth checking out:
NUSensei
This guy has a very good channel for archery basics as well as mid-level and advanced results. I also like how he has topics related to fictional archery in video games and movies.
World Archery
If you want to see some of the best indoor World Series tournaments and watch great highlight videos, you will find that World Archery is definitely the optimal channel to watch.
Hoyt Archery Inc
This channel is ideal for people who are looking to learn more about the hunting side of archery. You will find great videos on kill shots, information on top archery equipment for hunting, and videos featuring great male and female hunters.
Lanc Archery
This channel focuses more on the side or reviewing and explaining details regarding all kinds of archery equipment. The owner of the channel goes into great detail for every item reviewed and he has guest appearances by other skilled archers.
Archery Talk Video
I really like this channel because the owner really takes his time to produce quality videos, but he does it with short clips that last around 3 to 4 minutes each, so you never feel like he is including any fluff or useless content.
Verify your sources
The internet has become a very vast place that allows everyone to share information. Unfortunately, this means that a lot of incorrect information and improper technique might be shared by amateur archers. It’s important that you always verify the source you are using to learn any kind of technique. If you find a great archery website, find out what other people say about the accuracy of their information. The same goes for YouTube and online coaches that make videos in that platform. Do a search on them and see if they have enough experience to be considered reliable.
There is no specific learning formula
Some people are going to do a great job learning to shot a bow and arrow by watching some online videos and practicing on their own. Others are going to attend a school because they feel the need to be pushed to continue learning. I think that those who feel passionate about archery are going to be enthusiastic regardless of the learning method.
In my opinion, archery is a very personal journey that requires plenty of practice. The most important thing is to have a strong foundation. This will allow you to make the most out of every single practice.
Final Thoughts
A large number of people have learned how to use the bow and arrow without any professional instruction. There are many individuals who have enough time and patience to learn the process in a way that feels natural to them. Trial and error can be a very exciting part of learning a new skill.
It’s up to everyone to decide what is going to work best for them, but there is undeniable value in having so much information available for free online. I hope that this article is going to help you find the best option for your particular needs.