Photo essay: Recurve archery in Sharjah hits the bull’s eye

The D'Archers club provides a comprehensive insight into the early fundamentals of the sport

A compound bow such as this one has extra strings, cables and cams on the end of the limbs. All photos: Victor Besa / The National

The limbs are the upper and lower parts of the bow that bend when the string is drawn back. The limbs store the energy when the bow is held at full draw

Archery appeals to children and adults alike and people can start at any age

Recurve bow sights are adjustable, lightweight and resilient to the shocks of the shot. A range of sighting pins and apertures are available

The anchor point is a spot on the archer's face against which the drawing hand is placed to stabilise he aim before releasing the arrow

The nocking point on a bow is a piece of plastic or metal that keeps the arrow in place on the string

Former UAE national team head coach Rao Berenjian of D'Archers gives CJ Utanes her first fundamentals in archery

In Olympic archery, competitors use recurve bows that draw an average of 22kg for men and 15kg for women

D'Archers club instructor Toby Jacob checks the alignment of an arrow. He has taught more than 500 archers over a period of eight years

Niila Kauppi, 13, started archery in his garden when he was five, using a wooden stick bow made by his grandfather. Three years later he got his first real bow

Vedhas Somasi, 10, first tried archery in March 2022 when he visited Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club. He has since competed in the under-12 age bracket

Hooking the string is placing your fingers around the bowstring, and three under is the practice of placing three fingers under the nock of the arrow

A bracer is a strap or sheath of leather, stone or plastic that covers the ventral surface of an archer's bow-holding arm

Novice archers start with targets three to five metres away and gradually move farther as they progress

A finger tab is a small leather or synthetic patch to protect an archer's fingers from the bowstring

Fletching on an arrow shaft stabilises it during flight by causing it to spin as it leaves the bow

As with many new hobbies, with archery comes a glossary of terms to learn and familiarise yourself with as you progress in the sport.

From the limbs of the bow and anchor points, to cables and cams, stabilisers, shafts and sights, archery feels like it has a language of its own for budding marksmen to learn.

Click through the gallery above to see a comprehensive insight into the early fundamentals of recurve archery

D'Archers, formerly known as the Dubai Archers, have ranges at the Sharjah Wonderers Golf Club, and offer a comprehensive introduction to recurve archery.

The club has been running for more than 20 years, offering one-on-one tuition and group sessions. One of the co-founders of D'Archers, coach Rao Berenjian, has been teaching the sport for more than 20 years and is now the head coach of the UAE national team.

It's never too late, or early, to pick up the sport, with distances adjusted according to skill. In Olympic archery, competitors use recurve bows that draw an average of 22kg for men and 15kg for women, but novice archers start with a lower weight, usually about 6kg and gradually work their way up depending on their muscle memory and upper body strength or draw weight.