B.E.S.T. Introduction & Background

The BEST Method

Biomechanically Efficient Shooting Technique

The USA Archery Coach Development Committee (CDC) wanted to find an easy to remember name for the fundamentals of shooting a bow that had no specific “ownership” attached to it. In other words, it is not the “American System”, “Korean System”, or any other “system” originating from a particular person or place. It is, in fact, the system that history has shown to be most effective. There are many ways to shoot a bow and arrow, but there is only one best way that provides a non-limiting path to high performance. This one way is founded on principles of biomechanics that, in essence, have existed and have been employed within archery for many years. From centuries past early archers were capable of accurately shooting arrows at distances of 300 -500 meters, with bows having draw weights of 150-200 pounds. Modern archers have achieved scores that not too many years ago would have seemed unattainable. How could either of these things have happened unless these archers were proficient at using their body structure in the most efficient manner? The study of biomechanics helps us understand how this can be done.

Biomechanics is the science that examines the internal and external forces acting on the human body and the effect produced by these forces.

Goals of Using Biomechanics

Archery coaches and team leaders are always looking for the best ways to improve the performance of their athletes. For a long time, in the United States, archers trained independently. They developed a wide range of shooting techniques that led to tournament success. Many of these archers were top competitors in international championships, winning medals at the Olympic Games and World Championships.

International teams, especially in South Korea, have centralized archery training. In their efforts to improve performance, they have scientifically studied every aspect of the archery shot process with the goal of improving biomechanical efficiency. They have found that shooting consistency and higher scores result from the application of this scientific knowledge to the shooting form of their athletes. The results of these efforts have been remarkable. In the recurve division, South Korean archers dominate international competition. South Korea is making rapid advancements in compound performance as well.

Members of USA Archery’s Coach’s Development Committee and other top US archery experts have done their own study of biomechanics as it applies to archery performance. USA Archery has created a series of teaching techniques and resources to enable coaches and athletes to make the most of their training time by focusing on methods that use the body’s structure and energy efficiently to improve performance.

The results of these efforts have been named the Biomechanically Efficient Shooting Technique or BEST method. The BEST method aims to improve an archer’s performance through specific shooting forms, equipment configurations, training methods and coaching techniques.

The BEST method has been derived by careful study of the most successful archers in international competition combined with extensive scientific research into all aspects of the archery shot. Included study areas and methodologies include, Newtonian Mechanics, Motion Analysis Systems, High Speed Video, Normal Speed Video, Force Measurement Devices (Force Plates), Electromyography (EMG), Computer Video Analysis, Delayed Video Playback, Heart Rate Monitors, and Insole Systems. The result of these study efforts is a shooting form approach that maximizes the body’s strengths and minimizes the shot variables.