A Different Take on Archery

Discussion in 'Turf and Surf Hunting and Fishing' started by chelloveck, Jan 27, 2015.

  1. chelloveck

    chelloveck Diabolus Causidicus

    Hanzo, 3M-TA3, stg58 and 4 others like this.
  2. melbo

    melbo Hunter Gatherer Administrator Founding Member

    WOW! Must see

    lol at the 'drive by'

    Lars Andersen of Denmark has resurrected stunning archery skills dating back centuries. When shooting rapid-fire, he holds up to ten arrows in either his left or right hand.


    Hundreds of years ago, even thousands of years ago, archers fired arrows very rapidly. One would think improvements in technology, such as lightweight materials and state-of-the-art machining, would make our equipment today far superior. Today’s archers are faster than those of medieval times and before, right? Nope.

    All but one: a Danish archer (and artist) named Lars Andersen, who has perfected the art and skill of speed archery.

    “I watched a video of past winners [of a speed archery competition], and my first reaction was that it did not seem particularly fast,” shared Andersen from his home in Denmark via email. “So I made a test and the first time I tried I beat their record.” First time. Without training.

    This early success motivated Andersen to push himself further, taking fast shooting seriously. He trained and entered competitions–and won by huge margins.

    Driven by new information from a friend who researched historical “war archery,” Andersen’s focus changed. He became fascinated with ancient skill and ability.

    “I discovered historical texts that [described] Saracens who fought with the Crusaders had a series of tests which had been preserved. For example, one test required, at a 60-bow distance, to shoot three arrows so quickly that the last shall be in the air before the first has hit,” added Lars. “That is three arrows in one-and-a-half seconds. That motivated me to accomplish it.”

    Fast forward several years later with heavy training under his belt, Andersen has now achieved an impressive shooting technique. Both fast and accurate, he accomplished what many thought was simply legend or folklore.

    Don’t judge the computer-like voice-over of this five-minute video, but rather take in the phenomenal archery skills of Lars Andersen. Just over 2.1 million people have viewed this video worldwide.

    When asked if anyone is faster than he is, and whether he still competes in events, Lars confidently answered no. “Today there is no one in the world that can shoot half the speed as I do, so there is no reason to enter tournaments.”

    I envision Lars Andersen as part historian, part artist, and part archer, combining his unique traits in a nearly unbelievable way. “I aim without any kind of anchor point or fixed draw length, and I can switch the bow between both hands. Perhaps I do have an advantage because I am an artist, because I am really good at turning objects inside my head in three dimensions. It makes it easier for me to shoot a bow without having to use fixed points.”

    Wartime archers had to shoot bows from horses, while jumping or falling. The rapid-fire technique had to be flexible enough for all of those situations.

    What a shame this technique stayed lost for so long. Thankfully reclaimed, this age-old style of archery might otherwise have slipped through generational fingertips. Andersen holds multiple arrows in his hand (left or right) and has perfected shooting from many different positions without a fixed draw length using a three-finger grip.

    “When training on specific skill improvements, I practice almost every day,” shared Lars. “If I’m just maintaining skills, I shoot about four days a week.” You can imagine that when you shoot arrows as fast as Lars Andersen, you can put through a lot of arrows in a practice session. “I don’t even know how many I shoot. My friends at Lyngby Bow Guild (Denmark’s biggest bow club) tease me that I shoot 1,000 arrows. It probably isn’t that many, but I arrive with 60 arrows and I shoot them many times, so it is a lot.”

    Through paintings and books, we know all many ancient and medieval cultures used bows as effective weapons. Much knowledge of the old techniques has been lost, but a few books and tales have documented historical successes and facts. For example, legend said Chief Hiawatha shot off 10 arrows before the first hit the ground. Andersen recreated that feat in the video, too.

    What specifically does Lars attribute as the most daunting component of this technique? “Mastering extreme control over a single arrow is the key,” shared the Dane. He tried to teach a few others to do what he did and realized a mistake in teaching was starting with multiple arrows in a hand. “Should I one day teach again, I will make a program where the student may not have more than one arrow in their hand, until they have learned full control of this one arrow. And I will also try to create a system based on fixed points, instead of floating points because it was also a problem for those I taught.” Perhaps Andersen’s artistic eye just sees things differently. “I shoot instinctually and automatically release an arrow now.”

    I am glad this man was curious enough to seek out an answer and industrious enough to perfect the skill. For this little slice of history, reclaimed by this talented Dane, I say “Hear, hear!” Well done, Lars.
    Last edited: Jan 28, 2015
    chelloveck likes this.
  3. Brokor


    @Mindgrinder I wonder if this information was passed down through his DNA.
    Mindgrinder and melbo like this.
  4. scrapman21009

    scrapman21009 Chupacabra Hunter

    If I knew half of what this man has forgot I would be a better archer for it. Amazing [rockon]
  5. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    Yes, he is amazing. There are some phenomenal archers out there. One guy shoots aspirins out of the air. Others can hit tossed coins.
    Shooting from horse back can be a challenge, as the horse moves, it throws off your aim, but if you draw and loose nearly as one movement, there is little time for movement to effect your shot.
  6. Quigley_Sharps

    Quigley_Sharps The Badministrator Administrator Site Supporter+++ Founding Member

    I saw that the other day, very impressive, Id like to see the outtake video of his mistakes while learning to do it :)
    chelloveck likes this.
  7. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    chelloveck likes this.
  8. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    Asians did use back quivers similar to what we associate with Robin Hood.




    chelloveck likes this.
  9. chelloveck

    chelloveck Diabolus Causidicus

    I'm glad you all liked the video clip. Some interesting points to evaluate. It may take some time to acquire the necessary muscle-memory and hand eye coordination, but the results are very evident. I think he has something of a future as an archery stunt double! ;)

    It would seem that his aiming technique resembles the firearm 'point shooting" method used with pistols and long arms.
    Point shooting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    Brokor likes this.
  10. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    That is how I shoot a bow, the sights have been removed, and the release is almost as soon as the draw is finished.
    chelloveck likes this.
  11. stg58

    stg58 Monkey+++ Founding Member

  12. kckndrgn

    kckndrgn Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    His speed is incredible, but it looks like he gives up power for that speed. I'll stick to traditional archery, for now.

    Here's an interesting read.
    Danish "Archer" Demonstrates Gullibility of Audience - GeekDad

    I cannot confirm or refute any of the claims made by the author, maybe haters just gonna hate?
    chelloveck likes this.
  13. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    A great deal of what "geek dad" says fits with what I know (mostly) minor issues.
  14. Mindgrinder

    Mindgrinder Karma Pirate Ninja|RIP 12-25-2017

    A deer knows how to stand up when it's born.....
    Entirely within the realm of possibility that he had an ancestor who mastered this skill his entire life...and for whatever reason, that genetic memory was activated and built upon.
    Makes sense to me but I'm sure it doesn't to some.
  15. Brokor


    Of course it makes sense! Proving it, though...that's the kicker. He's definitely got talent. Sure, many of his shots were half draws and wouldn't penetrate much, but that accuracy? Man, that's legendary stuff.
    chelloveck likes this.
  16. chelloveck

    chelloveck Diabolus Causidicus

    Thanks for the linked article that fact checks the video clips claims. It would be interesting to see his out-take clips also.

    The thing with archery is, the best technique is going to depend on the context upon which the technique will be used.

    As a skirmisher and in circumstances where there are multiple opponents at relatively close range, then acrobatic move and shoot manoeuvres are a better option than what might be required for sniping high value targets at long range. The former, you want to incapacitate, distract and deter opponents from closing in with hand weapons. Killing targets at near to melee range is a bonus, but the main aim is to maintain one's freedom of action, and the ability to put distance between you and your opponents by degrading their mobility and will to fight.

    Sniping high value targets at long range requires accuracy, but also distance, so that is likely to mitigate against high volume battlefield gymnastics.

    Archery as part of a formed body of troops can have a devastating effect on opponent infantry and cavalry, requires disciplined shooting, often by volley firing. In those circumstances, high volume firing at long to medium ranges requires the archers to be relatively stationary and fire on command. A jack-in-a-box acrobatic archer is not going to fit well into that scenario.

    Where the Danish archer's firing style (as opposed to acrobatic style) would shine, would be as a light cavalry style archer, for which there are many historical examples,
    Parthian shot - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  17. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    Do you know what a "baily" ?(spellings vary) in European castle construction? It is relevant to this discussion.
  18. chelloveck

    chelloveck Diabolus Causidicus

    Yes, am familiar with the concept...a bailey is basically a courtyard, the earlier castles had a motte (mounded keep), attached to a bailey. Motte-and-bailey castle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia . Later castles had a more substantial keep within an inner bailey, with an outer bailey providing defence in depth.
  19. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    Not exactly. The baily is the room in a castle, where bows and arrows are made. It also fulfills a military purpose. It is opposite the castle gate, second floor, and has a balcony. From this balcony, archer practice shooting at bunts (man shaped targets) along the castle inner walls, and gates. This is to test their weapons and practice their skills to defend the castle. This position, puts archers in perfect kill position for anything trying to pass through the gates, yet out of reach of a mounted man with any melee weapon. This protects archers in a static defense. Archers fight at extreme range by preference, always.
    It is why the English longbow and Welsh longbow ruled the war between the English and the French who used crossbows. Crossbows of that age were of simple design and limited range, but could be used by anyone with limited training, while a longbow require years of practice, but had the greater range. Longbow men were the most deadly fighter on the field of battle, because the could rain death from above, without ever getting in range of return fire.
    "War Speed" archery contests, (where I have participated) are:
    5 targets
    2 shots each
    2 seconds each shot (max)
    Targets are:
    First target (1) @50yards
    Next targets (2)@40 yards
    Next targets (2)@30 yards
    It simulate an advancing army.
    Anything closer it's time to run.
    chelloveck likes this.
  20. BailyTheFox

    BailyTheFox Monkey+

    I saw this video recently, If I ever get into archery I would consider utilizing some of this mans techniques for sure. Absolutely phenomenal!
    chelloveck likes this.
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