Backyard Archery Legality Issues

Frequently Asked Questions

#1. Where can I do archery?

#2. Is it safe and legal to do it in my backyard or similar locations?

#3. Is there a designated place to do archery in my city?

#4. Where else can someone go to do archery?

#5. Is it possible to get permission to shoot inside certain buildings?


Answers


 #1. The short answer: Anywhere that is safe and legal to do so.

The long answer is more complicated as it varies on your location and local laws.

In Toronto it is illegal to do archery in a public park, unless you have a permit or if it is a designated area that is purposely for archery. This is governed by Toronto Bylaw 608-4.

608-4. Firearms and offensive weapons.

• A. While in a park, no person shall be in possession of or use a firearm, air gun, cross bow, bow and arrow, axe, paint guns or offensive weapon of any kind unless authorized by permit.
• B. Despite Subsection A, bows and arrows may be used in designated areas in accordance with posted conditions.

So with respect to public parks a person can do archery if they either (A) get a permit or (B) only do archery in the designated locations (eg. The Toronto Archery Range located at E. T. Seton Park).

Now we should also note it is also possible to do archery on private property. Such locations are typically private archery ranges located at universities, indoor archery ranges, archery tag locations, etc.


#2. Yes and No. It depends.

Depending on the city you live in it is usually legal to do archery in your backyard, garage, basement, or other indoor facilities. What really matters here is two factors:

1. Whether your city has banned any kind of outdoor shooting, release or throwing of items considered to be weapons. Some cities have outright banned the "release" or firing of such weapons. eg. Toronto has banned it in public parks, but there is no general ban.
2. Whether you have taken steps to ensure the safety of your neighbours, passersby, etc. If the archer is recklessly shooting in a place with no safety precautions, then that is illegal regardless because it is Reckless Endangerment with a Firearm.

Imagine for example if someone was doing archery in their front yard and people walking by on the sidewalk are in danger of being injured (and possibly killed). Well then that constitutes Reckless Endangerment with a Firearm, which carries a penalty of a $4,000 fine and possible prison time.

So the backyard, garage, basement, etc is definitely safer, but in the case of a backyard the archer should also be taking steps to ensure that it is even more safe. eg. High fences would be ideal, shooting on a downward angle at a target placed on the ground, and exercising clear safety rules.

The safest alternative obviously is to only be shooting indoors in a garage, basement or similar location. eg. I know of several people who have convinced their employers to let them shoot in their warehouse during their lunch break, using stacks of old cardboard boxes in the warehouse as targets - cardboard doomed to recycled anyway.

That doesn't mean however that it isn't possible or legal to shoot in a backyard however. The person doing so simply needs to take various safety measures so that if they are ever asked by police about their backyard archery practice that they can prove that they are doing it in a safe manner that is not endangering anyone.

So for example a neighbour could phone the police and complain, and when police investigate and interview you then you would be able to show that you are using high fences, arrow netting, shooting on a downward angle towards a target on the ground and similar precautions. The police would then determine that there is no point in arresting you as you've proven that you've taken the necessary safety precautions and that you are not shooting recklessly over any fences and into the properties of your neighbours.

#3. In Toronto, Yes.

In Toronto we are fortunate to have the Toronto Archery Range, a free public archery range that is open 24/7 all year long. It is, to my knowledge, the only free public archery range in North America. (Burnaby has a similar public archery range, but it isn't free to use.)

You can learn more about the Toronto Archery Range by visiting:
http://www.archerytoronto.ca/Toronto-Archery-Range.html

Are there any other "designated areas" in Toronto where you can do archery outdoors? No, but there are a few indoor archery ranges that are privately run by universities and archery tag locations.

Very few cities have their own outdoor archery range. eg. Montreal has one, which I believe is privately owned. (If you know whether this is true or false please correct me in the comments.)

If you know of other cities or towns that have their own public archery range please post it in the comments.

#4. Outside the city limits.

If you leave the city limits of Toronto there are a variety of places where a person can do archery. Private archery ranges are at the top of the list, but a person could potentially also rent a small chunk of land from a farmer and build a small private archery range for use by themselves and their friends.

If you have family who owns farmland or a cabin up north or similar property you could ask your family if its okay to visit and shoot on their property. eg. I keep a recurve bow and assorted equipment at my parents' farm just for this express purpose, this way I don't have to bring archery equipment with me when I visit, it is already there.

#5. Yes, it definitely is possible.

Although it is difficult to obtain, some locations will sometimes allow archers to shoot on their premises. Especially if it is for a publicity stunt.

The photos below are of Canadian archery champions Wayne Pullen, Ron Lippert and Sheila Brown shooting inside the Eaton Centre in downtown Toronto prior to the 860 foot long shopping mall being opened. The photos were taken by Globe and Mail photographer Tibor Kelly in May 1976. (It is from the cover of the May 17th 1976 issue.)

In order to be able to shoot in the Eaton Centre the three champions had to don hard hats in case anything fell on them. We assume the construction crew was on lunch break at the time they took the photos, and the three champion archers and the Globe and Mail photographer certainly had the permission of the Eaton Corporation. These aren't the kinds of photographs you could get without obtaining permission first.

The photographs are from newspaper clippings saved by Sheila Brown. We can all thank her for having the foresight to save a copy of this historical moment in Toronto archery history.

Gap Shooting, An Intermediate Archery Skill

Q

"New to traditional archery. Am I the only one to use the part circled to aim? Is it a bad habit I should break?

Justin M."




A


Hello Justin!

It is called Gap Shooting.

Rare for a beginner. It is more of an intermediate skill that archers learn after they have been shooting for a longer time period.

Gap Shooting is useful for shooting at moving targets; Aiming off the arrowhead is slower to adjust your aim compared to Gap Shooting which lets you keep your eye on the target.

Gap Shooting is not so good for shooting long distances as it means you are aiming above the target and often cannot see it any more because the bow is physically in the way.

If you learn both styles of aiming (traditional aiming off the arrowhead and gap shooting) it makes you a more versatile archer.

Some archers even put marks and/or dots on the side of the riser next to where they are aiming so they can improve their accuracy. This is known as a "Gap Shooting Cheat Sheet". It isn't really cheating, it just makes it easier to remember exactly where you are aiming.

In the example to the right is a "Gap Shooting Cheat Sheet" which uses an alternating dot pattern, making it easier to remember which set of dots you are using for aiming purposes.

The archer then aims to the side of the marks or dots, using the gap between the target and the side of the bow as a measuring device. An archer using a right handed bow with too much gap would see their arrow go to the right. Too small of a gap and their arrow goes left. (For archers using a left handed bow the reverse would be true.)

Happy Shooting!

Sincerely,
Charles Moffat
CardioTrek.ca

Recommended Exercises for Archery

Q

Thank you for getting back to me. You have given me a lot to consider and just as soon as I finish organizing my schedule for the next while, I will be in touch to arrange to book [archery] lessons.

Meanwhile, I’d like to improve my strength and endurance, and would welcome any exercise suggestions and recommendations you offer.


Joy F.

A

Hey Joy!

Okay, here is a list of posts to read.

I strongly recommend the Warm Up Exercises / Stretches. You may want to ignore the weightlifting exercises and focus on the stretches. Don't do anything that is too challenging (eg. headstand pushups is not for everyone).

Yoga is also very good.

Warm Up Exercises and Stretches
http://www.cardiotrek.ca/2013/04/archery-warmup-exercises-stretches.html

More Advanced Stuff / Weightlifting
http://www.cardiotrek.ca/2013/04/how-to-train-for-archery-at-home.html

Weightlifting Tips for Archers
http://www.cardiotrek.ca/2013/05/10-weightlifting-tips-for-archers.html

More Weightlifting Tips for Archers
http://www.cardiotrek.ca/2015/06/10-weightlifting-tips-for-archers-part.html

If you have additional questions feel free to ask.

Have a great weekend!

Sincerely,
Charles Moffat
CardioTrek.ca

Awa Kenzo

Loud Pro Sports Games can cause Hearing Loss

Spectators at pro sports games (eg. pro football, baseball, basketball, etc) need to protect their ears while enjoying the action, say Canadian experts.

According to Statistics Canada, over one million adults across the country report having a hearing-related disability. In the USA, it is estimated one in five teens have suffered permanent hearing damage / hearing loss.

"Each time your ears have been ringing, that is evidence of hearing loss. There's no recovery mechanism in place for the death of those inner ear cells," said Dr. Tim Rindlisbacher in 2014, director of sports health at Cleveland Clinic in Toronto, where he also works with the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts and Mississauga SteeIheads of the Ontario Hockey League.

What he means is that once damaged, the damage is permanent. Your inner ear doesn't heal itself. The damaged parts are effectively dead and useless.

Rindlisbacher believes that season tickets holders over a long period of time could be at considerable risk of noise-induced hearing loss from the various noisemakers, blaring music and loud cheering. Made worse if a person listens to loud music regularly or are exposed to noise at work. "Hearing protection would be a really smart idea," Rindlisbacher said.

Sound intensity is measured in decibels (dB), where a 10 decibel increase in sound is equivalent to a 10-fold increase in energy experienced by the ear. So 90 dB is actually 10,000 times more energy than 50 dB.

Simple foam ear buds are fairly effective, Rindlisbacher said. Costlier noise-cancelling ear buds can completely eliminate some noise.

The Seattle Seahawks, who defeated the Denver Broncos in Sunday's Super Bowl, hold the record for noisiest stadium in the NFL. An official from Guinness World Records recorded the crowd noise at a Seahawks game in the fall at 137.6 decibels.

Decibel levels

• Conversational speech: 60-70 dB.
• Hair dryer, vacuums, lawnmowers: 80-90 dB.
• Girls screaming at a rock concert: Can be over 100 dB.

Anything above 100 dB is very loud and sustained noise over 85 dB should be avoided.

Rindlisbacher is not alone in warning people that loud sports cause hearing damage.

Prof. Bill Hodgetts of the department of speech pathology and audiology at the University of Alberta in Edmonton published a study in 2006 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, titled "Can Hockey Playoffs Harm Your Hearing?" in an effort to raise awareness about noise when people are enjoying themselves at a game.

The noise of an entire NHL playoff game is the equivalent to sitting next to a chainsaw for three hours, says Hodgetts. When the home team scored, the noise was temporarily like a plane taking off.

Hodgetts recommends ear plugs for fans.

Wearing ear plugs to loud events could prevent hearing loss and the need to wear hearing aids later in life.

Anyone in the Vaughan or Woodbridge area of Ontario is recommended to get a free hearing test at Omni Hearing in Vaughan.

The American and UK Tennis Industry

There is a lot of money in the tennis industry. A crazy amount when you look at the numbers.

The American tennis industry alone has 18 million players and the industry worldwide has over 100 million players. Americans currently buy approx. 3.4 million new tennis racquets and 127 million tennis balls per year. In the USA the tennis industry is worth over $6 billion dollars*.

* Not counting the gambling that also goes on court-side, and also not counting the sponsorship deals that tennis players make on the side worth millions. eg. Roger Federer made $65 million USD just from sponsorships in 2013.

Tennis is also very popular in the UK, where the tennis industry is worth $2.6 billion. The global value of the tennis industry is in the 10s of billions. So if you counted the sponsorships, the 3rd party gambling, etc then it is worth even more.

Gambling in the tennis industry is so prevalent and common that some gamblers have even found a way to game the system by exploiting a loophole known as "Courtsiding". Courtsiding involves spectators watching a live game and then gambling on the results of individual serves by betting on the person who won the serve seconds before the umpire inputs the results of the serve into the system. Essentially the Courtsider already knows who won the individual serve, so they aren't really gambling like a normal person would as they already know who won the serve when they place the bet at the last second. What they are counting on is the umpire being slow to input the results of the serve into the computer, meanwhile the Courtsider (and often an accomplice) places the bet and seconds later the computers on the online gambling websites are updated with the results, but it is too late. The Courtsider has already won on the virtue of being a second or two faster than the umpire.

Courtsiding has also become so common many tennis events now ban cellphones and the use of bluetooth devices, so some savvy Courtsiders are now hiding their bluetooth devices under their long hair or hats. In Europe there are so many Courtsiders it is even skewing the odds, which means it isn't even profitable in most European countries.

Now you might think, wait, why don't they just have a delay or something to prevent people from doing this? Except nobody knows when the tennis players will win the serve so you can't predict when that will happen. So they can't make a delay as it is too unpredictable.



Many of these online gambling sites (aka bookie websites), especially those in the UK, like Toals and others allow people to bet on almost anything. Sports, politics, many different topics. You can probably even bet on whether the UK will have a no deal Brexit. At present that looks like a guarantee.

Personally I think the only thing I would ever gamble on is horse races, and only for fun. Less than $20 for a single day at the track. Why?

Because I used to work at a racetrack when I was younger. I like horses. Someday I would like to have my own horse farm and do horseback archery.

I also know that in Ontario the horse racing industry is propped up by gambling. Without gambling the industry wouldn't even exist.

So if I lost $20 at the race track that is basically a donation to support Ontario's horse racing industry. Go there, watch the horses, eat some food, donate your $20, and then go home. Enjoy the entertainment of watching the horses thunder past.

That said I am taking my son and wife to the Hanover Racetrack (a small racetrack in Grey County, Ontario) this weekend, where we will get to see the "horsies" go thundering by.

Earlier in the day we will be visiting family and petting kittens.

And then the day after we are going to a petting zoo.

An animal filled Labour Day Long Weekend. Visit family. See kittens, horses and the petting zoo. Wanna bet we will have fun doing all that? You betcha!

Youth Recurve Bow / Youth Archery Equipment

The following is a follow up email I sent to a client after teaching his daughter this past weekend. After the lesson he had a series of questions about purchasing equipment that I answered, during which I mentioned my Archery Equipment Checklist.

 

Hey I!

Good meeting you both on Saturday!

If you are considering buying equipment here is that equipment checklist that I mentioned after the lesson:

http://www.cardiotrek.ca/2017/04/archery-equipment-checklist.html

The biggest change is that you will be looking for a youth recurve bow instead of an adult recurve bow given in the example. When your daughter is 12 roughly she should be tall enough for an adult bow, in which case you could sell the youth bow and buy a new one. (The good news is used archery equipment, if you take good care of it, usually has a fairly good resale value of about 80% of what you paid for it.)

So for example you could get something similar to a Samick youth bow in 14 lbs. (She was shooting 12 lbs on Saturday, but an extra 2 lbs will be okay.)

Youth Samick Recurve Bow - Priced at $159.85 CDN on Amazon.ca

If you have any follow up questions feel free to ask. Have a great day!

Sincerely,
Charles Moffat
CardioTrek.ca

2-in-1 Archery Hand Guard / Arm Guard, Product Review

I purchased the armguard / handguard shown in the above two photos for use with longbows and horsebows a few months ago and I have been wearing it during that time period whenever I am shooting any of my longbows, flatbows or horsebows that don't have an arrow rest.

The handguard protects your hand from the fletching ripping into your skin as the arrow goes past your hand at a hefty speed. The flatbow I have been testing it on is 36 lbs, while the horsebow I have been using lately is 50 lbs.

The armguard is also excellent (and easy to put on and adjust with the drawstrings), although it only covers the forearm. Some archers who habitually hit their elbows or even their biceps may want a larger armguard that offers protecting for their elbow or bicep. I fortunately don't have that problem.

Fashion wise it looks very good and the colour I got even matched my thumb release glove I got years ago, thus whenever I am shooting with a thumb release on my horsebow they at least match.

Price wise it was only $19.99 CDN on Amazon.ca. Visit the following product listing:

• www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07P9GDS5M/

Now there are probably fancier handguards out there, just like there are cheaper handguards out there, but a two-in-one solution for $19.99 CDN that is both a handguard and armguard, and it works very well and easy to adjust... well that is a very good deal.


Notes

This product review was not sponsored. I simply wanted a new armguard / handguard that I can use with my various longbows and horsebows, both for my personal use and for my archery students to use.

Now that I have confirmed that this one works well I may in the future buy a left-handed version for any left eye dominance students who want to learn longbow or horsebow.

Are you looking to learn how to shoot horsebow or longbow? Sign up for 3 or more archery lessons in Toronto and make a request to learn a specific style (or multiple styles).

The Old Archers Thumb Trick

Pretend for a moment you are used to standing up and aiming at something and then one day you decide to try shooting while sitting down or kneeling or even sitting cross-legged. Suddenly the angle of the ground to the target has shifted and it confuses you as to where to aim.

You could shoot... but if you've never shot from a kneeling or sitting position before then you could miss easily. It really does take practice and experience to learn how to shoot from sitting / kneeling positions with a greater degree of accuracy.

Fortunately there is an old archers trick for how to adjust your aim and make sure you are still aiming at the correct spot.

#1. While standing use your thumb to measure the distance between the center of your target and where you would normally aim off the tip of your arrow. Use the wrinkles and marks on the sides of your thumb to measure the distance. (This is where having a wrinkly old thumb is arguably better.)

#2. Sit down or kneel and then use your thumb again, remembering the same spot on the side of your thumb to measure the distance between the target and your aiming point.

#3. Now that you have a better idea of where to aim you can use that point of reference to do your first shot with little worry of missing.

Note - If you don't use the traditional method of aiming off the arrowhead and instead use the Gap Shooting method of aiming then you don't really have to worry about this problem. Using Gap Shooting you can just aim using that method and your shot will still be accurate.\

If you don't know how to Gap Shoot or want to improve your aiming techniques you can always sign up for archery lessons in Toronto.

In other news a friend wore the shirt below to the archery range and I decided to get a photo of it. Happy Shooting!

Whitetail Deer at the Toronto Archery Range

The video below is from last Thursday (August 22nd), wherein I got within 8 yards of a whitetail doe at the Toronto Archery Range located at E. T. Seton Park, and also pretty close to the fawn too.




The following video is a compilation of 6 smaller (and older) videos of whitetail deer at the archery range. They visit the range quite often and have no predators in the region (unless you count cars, trucks, etc).

Now you might think, gee, isn't that dangerous? Not really. We leave the deer alone, except for taking photos and video, and they leave us alone. The deer at the range are a bit curious about what we silly humans are doing, but otherwise leave us alone.

Playing Sports while wearing Hearing Aids

Do you need advice about hearing aids while playing sports or exercising?

Are you wearing your hearing aids while exercising or competing in sports and are worried about damaging the batteries or the hearing aid itself?

Many people would agree that maintaining a healthier lifestyle is important in ensuring a better quality of life. Having a health-first attitude often includes some type of physical exercise. eg. Archery! However within archery, which is a very social activity, there are certain factors like being able to hear when people shout "Clear!" and "Live!" which are useful for your safety. So there is certainly a safety benefit. Even golfers typically shout "Fore!" when hitting a long drive and to warn people to watch out for incoming golf balls.

Safety aside, having an active lifestyle can also mean engaging in organized team sports, while others may prefer activities at a singular or small-group level such as hiking, dog walking, competitive dog walking, jogging, bike riding, or even bird watching (a lot of walking and hiking involved in bird watching).

And with respect to bird watching, which isn't really sporty but does require exercise, you probably also want to be able to hear the birds you are looking for.

Yet for individuals who wear hearing aids, there may be some hesitation to take part in fitness programs and/or various sports due to concerns about potential damage to these rather important and often expensive devices. Let’s face it; they need their hearing aids for many other facets of their lives, and they likely want to safeguard their financial investment as well. (Although if you live in Ontario/Canada, most of the cost is covered by OHIP.)

Regardless of the sports activity, or the age of the person for that matter, they should be able to enjoy themselves without having to worry about their hearing aids. And now, for the most part, they can; provided that they take a few precautionary steps with their hearing aids before, during, and after their exercise routines or games.

Hearing impairment does not have to be a hurdle to pursuing an active lifestyle. (I really wanted to put a hurdles gif on the right side here, but was unable to find one that I liked.) By maintaining and managing their hearing aids effectively, people with hearing loss can take part in and enjoy any number of sports and/or other types of physical activities.

To assist in learning more about these types of situations, the hearing loss specialists at Omni Hearing in Woodbridge offer the following advice and tips for hearing aid wearers who want to exercise or take part in sports:

Caring for Hearing Aids When Exercising and Playing Sports

1. After a day of exercising/sports, place hearing aids in a dehumidifier box overnight to get rid of extra moisture.
2. Upon removal from the dehumidifier, brush hearing aids to clean excess wax/dirt you may have accumulated.
3. Wear a regular headband or hat to prevent excess sweat from saturating the hearing aids with moisture.
4. For behind-the-ear hearing aids, cover them with a sweat-resistant pouch or sleeve.
5. At times during an activity, use a portable puffer to blow air through molding/tubing.
6. Wear properly-sized headgear (helmets, toques, caps) to accommodate your hearing aids.
7. For contact sports, use a specially-designed clip that secures hearing aids to clothing to prevent it from getting knocked off and damaged.
8. If you are exercising regularly apply an antimicrobial agent every few days to ward off bacteria, microbes, and prevent infection. Last thing you need is an inner ear infection.
9. Keep extra tubing on hand at all times in the event of damage or dirt/sweat blockage.
10. Identify a local hearing centre in case of emergency when traveling / exercising overseas.
11. Select the proper type of hearing aids and ensure the right fit for the activities/sports.
12. If possible, get water-resistant hearing aids. There are various kinds of water proof hearing aids that are ideal for swimming, snorkeling and similar activities.
13. There are also accessories you can get to help make your regular hearing aids more water resistant / protected.
14. Ask a Professional about Managing Hearing Aids in Relation to Playing Sports (see below).

Ask a Professional about Managing Hearing Aids in Relation to Playing Sports

Individuals with hearing loss who may have questions or concerns about wearing hearing aids while participating in various exercise regimens, physical activities, and/or contact sports would find it beneficial to consult with a hearing specialist from the Omni Hearing, one of the leading clinics in the GTA and ready to help people to achieve their goals (sports and otherwise).

In the same way that having the proper clothing/equipment and stretching the muscles before a recreational or sporting activity can enhance the experience, a visit to a hearing centre such as Omni Hearing in Woodbridge can help to better prepare those who need or want to wear their hearing aids under these types of circumstances. During this visit and consultation, hearing aid users can discuss and/or address matters related to:

• Having extra batteries on hand, should you need them.
• Other contents of the sports bag / accessories.
• The condition of their hearing aids.
• The correct fit of their hearing aids.
• Accessories specifically for use in sports.
• Water proof or water resistant hearing aids.
• Back-up plans for any unforeseen situations.

For additional information on the hearing services offered by the hearing aids specialists from Omni Hearing in Woodbridge by calling 905-605-4593 or visiting their store at 8611 Weston Rd Unit 17, Woodbridge.

The 2019 Seton Archery Tournament

The 2019 Seton Archery Tournament is tomorrow.

When - Saturday, July 6th 2019.

Where - Located at the Toronto Archery Range, located within E. T. Seton Park.

Maps and Parking Info is available at:

http://www.archerytoronto.ca/Toronto-Archery-Range.html

Who - Local archers from the GTA will be competing. International archers welcome.

What Styles - Traditional Barebow, Olympic Archery, Compound Archery categories.

What to Bring - Your bows, arrows, archery equipment, and food/drinks to share. There will be a potluck picnic and BBQ.

Want More Info?

Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1114323525427983/ to learn more about the 2019 Seton Archery Tournament.

 This is the 3rd tournament of its kind thus far. The first two were in 2016 and 2018. In 2016 I took 2nd place in the compound division. In 2018 I was a judge. I have given thought to participating in a different category this year (so that I can eventually win in all 3 categories), but I might just spectate instead as I have been planning on bringing my 2 year old son with me tomorrow and he can be handful.

My wife however is thinking of participating in the barebow category. So we shall see what happens. She could compete and I could watch the toddler.

Later today I am going to an event that will last until later in the evening and I expect to be quite exhausted tomorrow, so most likely I will just be a spectator.

Below is the medals and trophies from the 2018 competition. [Photo by Ackson Lee.]

Whistling Arrowheads

For fun I got out my whistling arrowheads today and did a few long distance shots with my vintage 1972 Black Hawk Avenger (40 lbs) recurve bow. One of my favourite bows.

Whistling arrowheads don't really have a practical purpose in modern times, beyond having fun with them. Historically they were used as signal arrows or warning arrows.

Mongolians and Tibetans also reputedly used "howling arrowheads" in combat, which sounded like a ghost from a distance, and in warfare would demoralize the enemy as it would "sound like death coming towards you". The howling arrowheads used a different design which created a different pitch when the arrow flew through the air.

Below: My Black Hawk Avenger with two arrows tipped with whistling arrowheads.

Below: Four photos of the same thing, from slightly different angles while I play with the focus lens.

And lastly, because it was there, I take a couple shots at the deer painted on the target to get it in the heart zone (I used field points for these shots instead of whistlers).

Boxing Training Methods

Boxing training is one of the toughest out there

[Image Credit https://twitter.com/bangtanbxtch]

To keep fit and maintain our health and well-being, training and exercising on a regular basis is essential. It’s that simple, really. A healthy body usually results in a healthy mind, as they say.

With a vast array of training techniques out there, with all different kinds of athletes training in different ways depending on what suits them and their body best, we’ve decided to focus on boxing and the typical excises and fitness routines that a boxer might undertake.

Whether you’re looking to become the next Rocky Balboa - a phenomenon that has spawned numerous movies and even online games - or simply keen to keep fit and maintain a healthy lifestyle, boxing training is arguably the hardest training to do and the most effective way to achieve any fitness goals you might have.

Actor Sylvester Stallone had to train like a boxer and a bodybuilder for the role, which he certainly aced, didn’t he?

Below are a few typical training exercises that a boxer might undertake ahead of a big fight or even just enjoy during a light exercise routine.

The Dragon Flag

We’re starting a bit extreme here, admittedly. First coming into prominence following the Rocky films, ‘The Dragon Flag’ exercise is a highly effective ab exercise which forces the muscles of the stomach to eccentrically contract. They are in tension, but lengthening. This is very similar to the downward phase of a bicep curl.

How to Dragon Flag:

1. Lay on floor whilst holding onto something stable with your hands by your head
2. With only your head and shoulders in contact with the floor, raise your entire body from the floor
3. Keeping as straight as possible, lower yourself to the ground
4. Pause for one second when at the bottom of the exercise
5. Then return back in an upright position
6. All the time ensuring only your head and shoulders are in contact with the floor

[Image Credit https://twitter.com/ProBodyweight]

Strength Training Myth

A theory even Rocky’s trainer in the movie had, that to win fights and be at peak performance, strength training and therefore building muscle tone is vitally important. According to the Strength and Conditioning Journal, despite this theory coming from a classic movie, it’s actually correct.

They say: "Many boxing traditionalists and trainers mistakenly believe that strength training will have a detrimental effect on boxers, making them slow or muscle bound. The boxer can greatly benefit from the proven effects of a proper strength-training program.”

Jump Rope Sans Rope

Jump rope is a boxing exercise most of you are probably familiar with. Either you’ve attempted it yourself as a standard jump rope warm-up or you’ve seen a boxer do it, perhaps. Believe it or not, though, you don’t actually need a rope to carry out this exercise. Simply take a minute to jump in place, moving your arms in small circular motion as though you are actually holding a jump rope. It’s an excellent way to get the heart pumping at the beginning of your workout session and will certainly wake your whole body up before you get into full flow.

Shadow Boxing

Boxing fans will certainly be aware of this one. It really is the pièce de résistance. You don’t necessarily need pads to gain the full effect of this exercise. By simply punching the air, keeping your fists up to your face, keeping your knees soft and your weight forward on your toes, shadow boxing for a few minutes can certainly tire the body out.

Underwater Archery

TORONTO ARCHERY LESSONS

As unusual exercises and bizarre sports go, Underwater Archery should certainly rank up there.

It is certainly feasibly to do, but the range a person can achieve accuracy, the speed of the arrow, and even visibility is significantly reduced.

The problem is that the density of the water (as opposed to air) slows the arrows down significantly, so the distance a person can shoot is immediately hampered during the release, and the arrow slows quickly.

The usable range would be similar or less than a speargun or harpoon gun, which have an operational range of about 10 meters.

So do people compete at Underwater Archery?

Nope, not yet.

Could someone organize an Underwater Archery tournament? Probably someone could do it as a joke. It would be more amusing than anything else.

It doesn't make sense for fishing either. Bowfishing is easier to do from the surface when you are shooting at fish that are in relatively shallow water, that way the arrows are not slowed down too much upon impact.

As demonstrated below Underwater Archery is mostly for the purposes of photography.

The Assassin's Trail - Archery Fantasy Book

Hello Archery Fans!

Some of my archery students know that I also write fiction and non-fiction. eg. I sometimes publish articles in Archery Focus Magazine.

Regarding my fiction work back in April I published a paperback of one of my older books, The Assassin's Trail.

The Assassin's Trail paperback is available on Amazon.ca for $10.43.

Or if you prefer the ebook version, you can get The Assassin's Trail ebook for $2.99.

Plot Snippet:

Five years after undergoing the Test of Manhood, young Wrathgar is tasked with bringing back the head of the murderer Muddenklaw who sought vengeance against his own people and murdered innocents. But Muddenklaw has escaped from the Snowfell Mountains and fled south past the dreaded Ogre Swamp to the more civilized lands to the south, becoming a murderer-for-hire. Will Wrathgar be able to find the murderer, and bring about justice for those who were killed? Or will Muddenklaw escape into a world of assassins who hide in the shadows waiting to strike? Who will win in the showdown between the barbarian ranger and the assassin?

So is there archery in the book? Of course there is. Lots of it, plus also tracking, woodsman skills, flintknapping, murder, mayhem, magic and more! I am currently editing Book Two of the series, wherein Wrathgar and a team of other characters are faced with even deadlier dangers fighting the priests and followers of a dark god of murder. I am hoping to have Book Two available before Christmas 2019.

Happy Reading and Happy Shooting!

Sincerely,
Charles Moffat
CardioTrek.ca

Archery Biathlon Scoring

Q

How does scoring work in an archery biathlon?

A

In the regular biathlon (skiing with rifles) the Biathletes ski as fast as they can, then they must quickly calm down to shoot a target the size of a loonie 50 meters (55 yards) away from a prone position and shoot a second target the size of a Tim Horton's coffee cup lid from a standing position. Each time they miss they have to ski a penalty loop that is 150 meters long, which costs them a lot of valuable time.

Thus it is definitely a race. The first one across the finishing line wins.

So technically there is no scoring. You either get across the finishing line first or your don't.

There are also a number of challenges the biathletes face: How much wax they have on their skis, whether the snow is soft or hard or muddy, wind, rain, snow, fog. It is a true challenge and every competition will be uniquely different due to the snow and weather conditions.

The Archery Biathlon is very similar. They still have the challenge of skiing in adverse conditions and then calming down to shoot, but shooting a bow is much more challenging as they have to be very calm to get more accuracy.

So what are the differences?

#1. Archers don't shoot from a prone position, although they could in theory shoot from a kneeling position.
#2. They shoot three arrows instead of two bullets.
#3. They must hit a 20 cm wide target that is 20 meters away. It doesn't matter where they hit on the target (center or edge), so long as it is a confirmed hit.

So for every arrow that misses they still have to do the penalty loop, which is normally* 150 meters.

* The exact rules of archery biathlons can sometimes vary upon who is hosting them. The hosts make the rules.

Note - During the summer archers could still do something similar if they wanted to. "Run Archery" is a similar sport, but archers could also in theory use roller-blades or other methods of transportation to create their own sport. eg. Equestrian archers could use the above rules to compete on horseback.

Fun Fact

The Norse god Ullr is quite literally the god of the archery biathlon.

Trust the Norse to actually have a god for this sport, which back then was also a matter of hunting, survival and warfare.

Fast Flight Bowstrings vs Vintage Bows

Q

"I have a question if you have a second.

That [vintage Black Hawk Scorpion] bow I sent pics of. My buddy Forrest made me a string for free but its ff [fast flight]. Will that hurt it?

- Parker S."

The bow in question, a Black Hawk Scorpion:

A

Hey Parker!

Risky. I wouldn't use fast flight on any of my vintage bows.

It was good you asked before trying it. Would be a real shame to see a Black Hawk ruined.

So weird thing... you know how bowstrings are usually 14 or 16 strands, right? So if people really want their bow to shoot faster they can also just make a bowstring that is 10 or 12 strands instead. The weight reduction on the bow string is what makes fast flight string faster, but other strings can do the same thing, you just have to use less of it. It does lower the life expectancy of the bowstring because it is then less durable, but if speed is what the person wants then it doesn't matter.

 

The downside of fast flight string is that it tends to damage bows by cutting into the wood / fibreglass. A friend of mine once experimented with making a bowstring made out of fishing line, which turned out to be a very idea. Even worse than FF judging by the amount of damage it did.

Parker: Ok thank you. I think he just wasn't thinking about it when he made it. What should I use? B50?

Yep.

Also if you ever get into making your own bowstrings, expect the first 5 to be horrible but usable. By the time you make #10 you will be probably be happy with their quality. It is a fast learning curve.

Parker: Ok thank you very much.

Funny Archery Shirt

Okay so maybe it isn't "Haha Funny!", but I still enjoyed it. Archery humour sometimes has a pretty low bar for what we consider to be funny.

And if you don't get the joke, it is because archery is really difficult.

On a scale of difficulty I had a science teacher who explained how different kinds of science is considered more difficult.

1 - Chemistry. Pretty easy.
2 - Physics and Engineering. Twice as hard.
3 - Rocket Science and Orbital Mechanics. Four times harder, because you have to balance the weight of the rocket with the weight of the fuel, the thrust the fuel actually produces, the orbital velocity, the reentry velocity and angle... it gets super complicated in a hurry.
4 - Quantum Physics. Imagine trying to hit an electron traveling at the speed of light with a photon that is also traveling at the speed of light, while on a planet that is rotating at 460 meters per second and orbiting the sun at 30 km per second... and trying to determine where an electron will be at any given moment... theoretically. Yeah, have fun with that.
5 - Archery. Basically impossible to get perfect 100% of the time. There are too many unknown factors that you cannot account for all of them.

Yep, archery is hard.

This is why it is so challenging, but also so very fulfilling. You are constantly chasing perfection, but the realization that you will never achieve perfection. Sure, you get a bullseye once in awhile, more often if you take archery lessons and practice often, but the enjoyment of hitting the target is spliced with the enjoyment in the knowledge that you are getting better. Becoming a better archer, and hopefully closer to that perfection you seek.

Ideally you might even become a better person too, which is a nice bonus. Humbled by the beauty of the universe.

The Traditional Bowyers Bible - Volume I

On a side topic related to archery, for those people who are thinking of making their own bow or their own arrows, I recommend reading the following book:

The Traditional Bowyers Bible - Volume I

The good news is that book isn't that hard to find. You can get it at Basically Bows (Gary's shop at 940 Queen Street East), or you can purchase it on Amazon.

Or you download an epub version of it online for free.

If you are really serious about making your own bows and arrows I can also recommend a local bowyer who teaches bowmaking. I took a course with him years ago before I got married and it was invaluable.

Or alternatively, if books are more your thing, there are also Volumes II, III and IV of the Traditional Bowyer's Bible to check out.

I purchased all 4 books years ago from Gary's shop and they have been a valuable resource both for own bowmaking and also as a source of research for my fiction writing (which features archery frequently).

Win Two Archery Lessons from Cardio Trek

Hey Toronto!

So one of my archery students has run into a scheduling snafu. His boss has decided to give him a lot of overtime, even on weekends, and this has cut into his ability to practice archery / take archery lessons in Toronto.

Rather than have his archery lessons go to waste however he has asked me to donate them to a worthy student who needs help. So he purchased 10 archery lessons, got to use 8 of them, and had 2 lessons remaining.

So that is two archery lessons up for grabs. The value of the lessons is $120 CDN, and not redeemable for cash.

But how do I decide who is worthy? How do I tell who REALLY wants the two archery lessons?

What if I had some sort of contest, or a draw, or maybe a combination of the two?

I am thinking a combination of both a contest/draw. So how would that work?

Well, I am going to make it a social media contest, and the number of entries determines how many times a person's name is put into the draw.

How to Win Two Archery Lessons from Cardio Trek

1. If you want to enter your name in the draw the first thing you have to do is post an archery themed image on a social media account (Twitter, Instagram, your blog/website, etc) and include a link to www.cardiotrek.ca/p/archery-lessons.html

2. The site must be publicly accessible by non-members so that I can view it and confirm the archery image and link exists without needing to join/login. eg. If you post the link on a private Facebook account or a private group I cannot see then it doesn't count.

3. Then you need to email me via cardiotrek@gmail.com and include the link(s) in your email to where you posted on social media platforms to be included in the draw.

If you have any questions about this contest or cannot wait to book your archery lessons, simply email me. You can always just book your archery lessons and then maybe win extra archery lessons. That works too, right?

The contest is also open to former students who want more archery lessons, so that is certainly an option too.

4. For each time you posted on a different social media account your name will be included multiple times in the draw, using the following system:

1. Posted once on social media = 1 copy of your name in the draw.
2. Post twice = 3 copies in the draw.
3. Post thrice = 5 copies in the draw.
4. Post four times = 7 copies in the draw.
5. Post 5 times = 9 copies in the draw.
6. Post 6 times = 11 copies in the draw.
7. Etc. The formula is X + (X-1) = D. Or X2 - 1 = D. Whichever. This system rewards the people who put the most effort in to the process, while still giving the person who did one Twitter post a chance.

So for example if you post on 10 different accounts your name is included in the draw 19 times. Remember - Posting on the same social media account multiple times gets you nothing extra. It only counts if you do it on multiple different social media platforms.

5. The winner will be randomly chosen from a hat (my brown Ducks Unlimited Hat) on May 28th (after the May 2-4 Long Weekend) by my toddler son Richard. I will record the draw on my cellphone, mostly because Richard is a toddler and very cute. So it is rather mandatory that when he is doing something adorable that he is being recorded. :)

6. Everyone who enters the contest automatically gets 10% off the purchase of one archery lesson. So even if you don't win you can still sign up for archery lessons and get a discount. Note - This is not cumulative with my Seniors Discount or my Veterans Discount. You can only get 1 discount at a time.

7. If you win the contest you can also choose to give your archery lessons away to a friend using one of my Gift Vouchers.

Doing my Income Taxes / Veterans Discount

So I am doing my income taxes today and looking at my records for 2018.

And sometimes I come across some weird numbers, which I realize are either due to the Seniors Discount or I was offering some kind of sale at the time.

I also realized that, overall, offering a Seniors Discount doesn't really cost me much, but it sure is a highlight when it comes to teaching archery. Teaching archery to seniors is very enjoyable and it gives me a whole fresh perspective on the sport when conversing with such enthusiastic students who are really there because they love the sport so much.

I have been offering a 10% seniors discount for years now and I plan to continue to offer the discount.

I have also considered offering a Veterans discount, for anyone who has served in the Canadian military - with proof of your military service, such as a Veterans card. It wouldn't take much convincing to get me to offer that, so I really should make it official. Lets do that right now. From now on Canadian Veterans (with proof of service such as a Canadian Armed Forces veterans card) get a 10% discount.

Who gives their kid the first name Jones? That is clearly a last name.

Note - The 10% discount is only applied once. If you are both a senior and a veteran you only get the one discount.

And for fun, check out the photo below of someone in 1965 using dynamite on the end of an arrow to destroy ice jams on a river. Because hey, why not. Sure hope the archer didn't hurt himself.

Spring 2019 Toronto Archery Lessons Availability

Attention Archery Students!

Due to time constraints I will only be teaching Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays during the Spring 2019 archery season.

So if you are looking for weekday archery lessons in Toronto, Thursdays is basically the only day available at present, and whomever books lessons first gets the best time slots.

Otherwise Saturday and Sunday time slots are still available, with the most availability being on Sundays.

In the meantime, check out the Turkish hornbows that a friend brought to the archery range recently. 44 lbs and 78 lbs respectfully.

Archery at the Canada Winter Games is an Indoor Sport

So here is the official description on the Canada Games website:

"Archery began on the program of the Canada Summer Games during the 1977 Canada Games in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Its last appearance as an outdoor sport was at the 1997 Canada Summer Games in Brandon, Manitoba. The 2003 Canada Winter Games was archery’s introduction as an indoor sport on the Canada Winter Games program."

If the concept of archery being an indoor sport with winter competitions seems weird to you, I agree. It is weird. I mean, if it is a winter sport, then why have it indoors? To me a winter sport should definitely be outdoors (with the exception of figure skating / etc).

Also to me archery is, and always will be, an outdoor sport, and furthermore an all-season sport.

Yes, archery can be done indoors, but then you are missing a large aspect of the sport. Learning how to adapt to the weather conditions, like how to adjust your aim based on the wind.

Moving it indoors during the winter is somewhat logical, as it is warmer certainly, but you could just as easily make the same argument for all summer sports. Move them indoors where it is air conditioned. It is the same logic.

Take the CFL for example, the Canadian Football League. Maybe that should be moved indoors completely so there is zero snow on the football field and during the summer everyone is air conditioned. It is the same logic.

But again people would be missing the point. Snow and heat is part of the game in Canada. The CFL wouldn't be the CFL if it was always the same indoor temperature.

Same with archery.

High school students typically practice archery indoors because of practical safety reasons. That is the sole reason. The sport is considered to be too risky to be doing outdoors in a soccer field that most likely borders on a residential neighbourhood and/or local streets where cars could be driving by.

But for a large organization like the Canada Games to move archery indoors it shows the continued trend towards abandoning many of the traditional aspects of archery.

They only have two styles of archery at the Canada Games: Compound and Olympic Recurve. No barebow competition, no traditional recurves, no longbows, no horsebows.

Instead everything is compounds and Olympic recurves. Gadgets galore doing the job that traditional archers do by learning positive habits that improve their accuracy.

Now that doesn't mean I despise compounds and Olympic recurves, I happen to own 4 of them.

But it does bother me that the sport has become all about gadgets and elitism. There should be, at very least, a barebow category at the Canada Games. People across Canada, the USA and the rest of the world do compete at various types of barebow competitions. So it isn't like there aren't people competing at barebow. It is simply that organizations like the Canada Games, the Olympic Games, the Pan Am Games haven't bothered to include barebow category.

Why?

Elitism and Exclusion-ism. It isn't just a matter of being elitist, it is about excluding people.

It wasn't always this way. Archery was part of the sports rosters of various competitions decades ago, and the sport was dropped due to waning popularity and later brought back when the sport became more popular.

When archery returned to the Olympics after decades of absence the sport was so drastically altered. The bows were suddenly full of gadgets that act as crutches for archers, some of whom probably never learned how to shoot without the crutches. It is so full of gadgets it is actually a turn off for many spectators like myself.

Do you know what traditional archers call the cams on compound bows?

"Training Wheels."

So there is also some bad blood between "traditional archers" and the Olympic / compound archers.

There is also several competition problems... the current method of competitions at the Olympics is to have duels wherein two archers compete against each other and the winner proceeds up the rankings. They do this because the older method of competing was considered to be too boring for spectators. Honestly, it is still boring to watch. But there is a second problem in that this method can sometimes mean that a good archer could have 1 or 2 bad rounds and then is knocked out of the rankings by a lesser archer who had 1 or 2 lucky rounds. So while skill still matters, luck throws a wrench into the rankings.

The old system of shooting and the archer with the highest overall points wins gold may also be boring, but there was less chance that luck would play a larger role in deciding who wins.

Some competitions still use the old system. The archers might shoot a score out of 300. 30 arrows x 10 points for the maximum possible score. In the event of a tie for the top score, the archer with the most bullseyes wins the tie.

The more grueling competitions go for even bigger number. 400, 500, 600 or more. The higher the number is the more accurate the result is said to be, because it eliminates the factor of luck more and more.

Having competed outdoors I know that wind is a big factor in that luck and that it plays two key roles:

1. It effects the arrow. Which means the archer's skill at adjusting their aim for the wind is being tested.

2. The wind pushes the archer physically, making it more difficult to relax and stand still while performing the shot.

But lets pretend you have a competition and the weather that day is very windy. The archers that adjust for the wind correctly, and resist the effects of the wind pushing them, are going to score higher.

That isn't luck any more, that is skill and experience. The archer who likely wins the competition will be the one who is the most skilled at adjusting their aim for the changing wind conditions, often the archer who has practiced the most, had the most experience dealing with the wind, and is otherwise very skilled at archery.

That to me is the evidence of the archer who has truly practiced and excelled, because they shoot well even under the harshest conditions. It is one thing to shoot well indoors, in air conditioning, but to shoot well when it is too hot, too cold, raining, windy - that means the archer has practiced in those conditions and knows how to react.

So how would I fix these competitions?

#1. Make the competitions outdoors, the way archery is meant to be. Find a safe place where it can be done properly.

#2. Use a mixture of the duels system and the overall top score system. Shoot the duels, so the audience is excited to watch, but the archer with the top overall score should still win gold. The duels should just be for show. Every archer does 5 duels, with each duel consisting of 5 rounds of 3 arrows. Thus each duel produces a score out of 150. Do five of these duels and they get a score out of 750. The archer with the highest score wins gold. Who the archers face in their duels is based on their overall score, but again it is just for show, and they never duel the same archer twice.

#3. Add more categories. Get rid of the Elitism and Exclusion-ism.

• Longbow
• Traditional Recurve
• Archery Biathlon *Winter Only*
• Equestrian Archery

And I would bet money that when people go to the Olympic Games and see things like Archery Biathlon and Equestrian Archery and there would be no shortage of spectators for those sports. They would be a joy to watch.

Update - I have a newer post about how scoring in an Archery Biathlon works.