Common Archery Mistakes Beginners Make and How to Fix Them

Every archer starts somewhere — and usually, that somewhere involves a few common archery mistakes that can frustrate beginners and slow down progress. The good news? Nearly all of them are fixable in a single session with the right guidance. Here’s what our coaches see most often on the range floor, and exactly how to correct each one.

The Five Most Common Archery Mistakes Beginners Make

When new archers step onto the line at OnPoint Archery in Scarborough, certain patterns emerge almost immediately. These aren’t talent issues — they’re form habits that feel natural but work against accuracy. Left uncorrected, they lead to inconsistent groups and a lot of unnecessary frustration.

Gripping the bow too tightly is far and away the number one mistake. Beginners instinctively clench their bow hand around the riser, but a death grip torque the bow on release. The fix is counterintuitive: relax your bow hand and let the bow rest against the pressure point between your thumb and index finger. A finger sling or wrist sling catches the bow after the shot so you don’t have to.

Inconsistent anchor points come in second. Without a repeatable spot where your draw hand settles — corner of the mouth, under the jawbone, tip of the nose on the string — every shot is effectively a different shot. Pick one anchor point and hit it every single time. Our NCCP-certified coaches spend more time on anchor consistency than almost anything else in a beginner’s first hour.

How to Fix Your Form in One Session

At our 1-Hour Archery Intro Event ($39.99/person), we correct these mistakes in real time. Here’s the progression our coaches use to turn frustration into consistent groups:

1. Check your stance firstFeet shoulder-width apart, perpendicular to the target line. An open stance or staggered feet throws off your draw length and aim before you even nock an arrow.
2. Relax the bow handForm a loose “V” with your thumb and index finger. The bow presses into the meaty part of your palm — you’re not holding it, you’re bracing it.
3. Lock in one anchor pointIndex finger to the corner of your mouth. String touching the tip of your nose. Every. Single. Shot. No exceptions until it’s automatic.
4. Follow through — don’t drop the bow armThe shot isn’t over when the string leaves your fingers. Keep your bow arm extended and watch the arrow hit the target. Peeking early pulls shots low-left.

“Form first, accuracy second. A beginner with perfect form and a so-so group is in a much better place than someone hitting the ten-ring with bad habits they’ll spend months unlearning.”

Plucking the string — where your release hand flies away from your face instead of sliding straight back along your jaw — is another classic. It sends the arrow right for a right-handed archer. The cue we use: “paint your neck.” Your release hand should finish somewhere near your ear or the back of your neck, not hovering in mid-air beside your cheek.

The final mistake that plague beginners: rushing the shot cycle. A deliberate shot takes 5-8 seconds from draw to release. Count it in your head — draw (1-2-3), anchor and aim (4-5), expand through the clicker or hold steady (6-7), release and follow through (8). Rushing collapses that window to 2-3 seconds, and your groups show it. Slow is smooth, smooth is accurate.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the most common archery mistake beginners make?

Gripping the bow too tightly. A death-grip on the riser torque the bow during release, pulling arrows off target. The fix is relaxing the bow hand and using a finger sling so you don’t fear dropping the bow.

How long does it take to fix bad archery form habits?

A single one-hour session with an NCCP-certified coach is usually enough to identify and correct the big ones — grip, anchor, and follow-through. Ingaining the new habits so they become automatic takes 4-6 practice sessions.

Do I need my own equipment to fix my form?

Not at all. OnPoint Archery provides all equipment — recurve bows, arrows, arm guards, and finger tabs — included with every session. Our coaches can assess and correct your form whether you’re using range gear or your own bow.

Can kids develop bad archery habits too?

Yes, and they form even faster because young archers are still developing motor patterns. Our youth programs start with form fundamentals from the very first arrow to prevent bad habits before they take root. Ages 8 and up are welcome.

About the Author
Coach Taylor is a Precision Sports Instructor at OnPoint Archery in Scarborough, Toronto, with over seven years of coaching experience across recurve, compound, and air pistol disciplines. An NCCP-certified coach, Taylor specializes in form analysis and helping beginners build accurate, repeatable shot cycles from day one. “Form isn’t about perfection — it’s about consistency. If you can repeat it, we can work with it.”