Training needed for warbows?

[Strelets]

Hello all,
this is a request for help with a paper that I am writing for publication in a historical journal. I am trying to estimate the frequency and duration of training that would be needed to master bows of, say, 100 or 140 lb draw-weight. How long was it before you could achieve these weights?  At what age did you start?

Speaking for myself, I never got much further than 80 lb, but then I started at age 57 which may be way too late.


Regards,

Dave J.

[Del the cat]

When I got to 60 I thought if I don't pull 100# now I never will, so I trained up.
I was previously of reasonable natural fitness and could pull 70# @ 28" ok but not all day.
My day job was sedentary.
I started doing 10 push ups (slow and controlled) night and morning and also worked out an exercise leaning back into an open doorway with elbows extended using my chest and shoulders to lever myself back and forth ( I could do this at work now and then  ... on the little and often principle of training). It only took me a few weeks (maybe 6?) to get up to the 100# at 32". The 32" was maybe a bit of a stretch (I think 30-31 is prob my natural warbow draw), but it meant I broke the 100# and 300yards
I think having a target archery background rather than a field/hunting background is a disadvantage as the classic target archer T draw is useless for heavy weights.
Having suitable manageable long draw bows helps get the technique (I made an 80# at 32" for practice)
You need some guidance from someone who actually shoots heavy bows... not someone who thinks they know about it... and at all costs avoid target archery "coaches" .
Del
PS listen to all advice but only take on that which makes sense and works for you.

[peacefullymadewarbows]

Well, I can give you my warbow history to increase sample size. I am no master archer nor the strongest but my background is long draw warbows.

-I started when was 15 and could do 90# @31" comfortably but never really progressed from there.
-I kind of fell off from shooting by 16 and didn't return to it till I was 22. Although, I had kept good overall physical shape in between this gap.
-I was able to pick back up at 90#.
-It has been one year and a couple months of regular shooting since then. I am now 23. I can currently shoot 105# comfortably but not all day. I can shoot 95# and less all day. And I can manage 1 or 2 full draw shots off of 120#.

I have trained for this and also trained in a sense to keep muscle symmetry to prevent the spine twist noted in some of the archer skeletons. Nothing too intense. I try to fit 3 days a week of 3 sets of pull ups and three sets of push ups. 8-20 reps each. They started as body weight but now I add weight while doing them. Take it slow listen and to your body I have had to back off once from little sores here and there. But, if you back off when they are only little sores and not true injuries you'll be back on the horse much sooner. The old English archers sadly probably did not have as much knowledge of keeping muscle symmetry and having shot since they were children, grew into their abnormal skeletons. Hope this helps.

[Strelets]

Thank you Gentlemen, this is all useful information.