5 Effective Exercises to Increase Your Draw Weight
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Building strength for archery isn’t just about pulling a heavier bow—it’s about developing stability, endurance, and injury resistance. In this post, we’ll cover five effective exercises to increase your draw weight, improve core engagement, and enhance overall performance. These exercises, developed with the help of my wife, Heather Kaminski, a physical trainer and massage therapist, target key muscle groups to optimize your archery form and prevent injuries.
Why Strength Training Matters for Archery
When drawing a bow, several muscle groups engage, including the triceps, shoulders, serratus anterior, and core. Maintaining proper alignment and stability is critical to executing a strong and repeatable shot. Strength training helps:
- Improve draw control and endurance
- Strengthen shoulders and back to prevent injuries
- Enhance core stability for better shot execution
- Reduce fatigue and recovery time from travel or competition
Before jumping into these exercises, always start with a proper warm-up to awaken your central nervous system and prepare your body for work.
Exercise 1: Squats
Why Squats?
Squats strengthen your legs, hips, and core, which are essential for maintaining balance and stability while shooting. Strong legs help anchor your stance, and an engaged core ensures proper posture during the shot cycle.
How to Perform:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, mimicking your shooting stance.
- Keep your chest up and lower yourself by pushing your hips back (as if sitting in a chair).
- Stop when your thighs are parallel to the ground.
- Press through your heels to stand back up, engaging your glutes and core at the top.
👉 Reps & Sets: 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps (increase weight if reps feel easy).
Pro Tip:
- Tear the paper towel apart—visualize pulling apart the floor with your feet to engage lateral leg muscles for extra stability.
- Avoid letting your knees go past your toes to prevent injury.
Exercise 2: Shoulder Triples
Why Shoulder Triples?
This compound exercise strengthens the deltoids, rhomboids, and traps, helping maintain shoulder stability during the draw cycle.
How to Perform:
- Hold light dumbbells with a neutral grip (thumbs facing forward).
- Raise the dumbbells overhead, keeping them slightly in front of your ears.
- Lower back to 90 degrees and press back up (10 reps).
- Drop arms to your sides and perform lateral raises, focusing on squeezing your shoulder blades together (10 reps).
👉 Reps & Sets: 3-4 sets of 10 reps per movement.
Pro Tip:
- Keep shoulders locked down—avoid shrugging to prevent unnecessary tension.
- Start light! Even 5 lbs can be challenging with proper form.
Exercise 3: Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
Why Dumbbell Rows?
This movement targets the upper back and shoulder girdle, which are crucial for a stable draw. It also strengthens the triceps and lats, reducing fatigue during extended shooting sessions.
How to Perform:
- Place one knee and hand on a bench for support.
- With the opposite hand, grab a dumbbell and row it up towards your side, keeping your elbow tucked.
- Slowly lower back down and repeat.
👉 Reps & Sets: 3-4 sets of 10 reps per arm.
Pro Tip:
- Control the movement—no jerking or swinging the dumbbell.
- Keep your back flat to prevent strain.
Exercise 4: Inverted Rows
Why Inverted Rows?
This exercise strengthens the back, core, and biceps while mimicking the pulling motion of drawing a bow. It also reinforces scapular retraction, which is vital for maintaining back tension in archery.
How to Perform:
- Position a sturdy bar at waist height.
- Lie underneath the bar and grip it shoulder-width apart.
- Engage your core and glutes to maintain a plank position.
- Pull your chest towards the bar, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Lower back down with control.
👉 Reps & Sets: Perform until near failure (when you have about two reps left in the tank).
Alternative Option: Tabata Burnout
- Hold at the top position for 20 seconds.
- Rest 10 seconds.
- Repeat for 5 minutes.
Exercise 5: Russian Twists
Why Russian Twists?
Twisting is a key component of proper archery technique. This exercise strengthens the obliques and core, improving shot stability and reducing lower back strain.
How to Perform:
- Sit on the ground with your knees bent.
- Hold a weight (medicine ball or plate).
- Lean back slightly and twist your torso, tapping the weight on each side.
- Keep your core tight—avoid letting your belly push out.
👉 Reps & Sets:
- Beginner: Feet on the ground, no weight.
- Intermediate: Feet elevated, no weight.
- Advanced: Feet elevated, using a weighted plate (15 reps per side).
Pro Tip:
- Go slow—this isn’t about speed, but about controlled engagement.
- Avoid looking down to maintain a neutral spine.
Final Thoughts
These five exercises are game-changers for increasing draw weight, improving stability, and reducing the risk of injury. Consistency is key—implementing these exercises 2-3 times per week will lead to noticeable improvements in your strength and shooting form.
If you’re serious about improving your archery strength, check out our book Training for Archery, which covers customized workout plans specifically designed for archers. You can find it on JakeKaminski.com or Amazon.
Want More Training Tips?
We’d love to hear from you! Comment below with what specific strength or endurance training you’re looking for. We’re here to help you shoot stronger, more stable, and with greater confidence.
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💪🏹 Keep training, stay strong, and shoot straight!
