Bow training

[Bullgrit]

I've read in many places, including here often, that training a man to use a longbow took many years. I've seen the saying bandied about, "To train a man to use the longbow, you start with his grandfather."

My question on this is, Why?

Why does the longbow require so much training? I know there's a need for good strength to use such a bow to full potential, but is that the biggest part of longbow training, strength exercises?

What is it about the longbow that required so many years of training that made training peasants to use highly complicated firearms (of the day) seem so much easier?

Bullgrit
Total Bullgrit

 

[mmadsen]

I know there's a need for good strength to use such a bow to full potential, but is that the biggest part of longbow training, strength exercises?

I do believe that strength -- along with muscular endurance -- was a large part of it, and gaining strength is not nearly as easy on a low-energy, low-protein diet.

What is it about the longbow that required so many years of training that made training peasants to use highly complicated firearms (of the day) seem so much easier?

It may be complicated to load an early matchlock -- there are many steps -- but it's not difficult -- because the steps are easy.

 

[pawsplay]

I've read in many places, including here often, that training a man to use a longbow took many years. I've seen the saying bandied about, "To train a man to use the longbow, you start with his grandfather."

My question on this is, Why?

Why does the longbow require so much training? I know there's a need for good strength to use such a bow to full potential, but is that the biggest part of longbow training, strength exercises?

What is it about the longbow that required so many years of training that made training peasants to use highly complicated firearms (of the day) seem so much easier?

A good arm, good eye, and a lot of practice gauging very long, not everyday distances. Whereas a gun or crossbow fires nearly level within its effective range.

Honestly, it doesn't take years if you train at it. It's just that peasants don't have a lot of leisure time. The famed English yeomen were part-time militia and they could do it. But the law provided for ample training for them.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

There is also the unspoken assumption that a good bowman will be self-sufficient at manufacture and upkeep of his weapon.

Give such a man a small toolkit and a forest, he'll emerge with a bow and some arrows. Even composite bows are makable with all-natural materials by a single skilled man without access to most of the tools of civilization. And, as mentioned before, there is the requirement of good upper-body strength for someone to draw a bow with armor-penetrating potential force.

And the stamina to hold a drawn arrow? Eeeeeuch!

In contrast, crossbows and muskets depend on a society with specialized craftsmen who shape the metal parts (and ammo) required for their manufacture. They require no real strength to use, since they use mechanical and chemical advantages to propel their loads.

 

[Thunderfoot]

Another thing not mentioned is technique...

Most modern archers nock an arrow, draw the bow, aim and fire.

A medieval longbowman had a special stance that increased the flight of a n arrow, while significantly decreasing its accuracy. The bowman would actually lean forward and 'throw' his wrist on the release. Sounds easy, but try it some time on a modern bow, your aim to strike ratio goes bonkers even though your penetration (you'll notice those arrows embedding much further in your targets) and range increase. Getting this technique down and halfway usable requires practice and lots of it.

As stated Yeomen had the time and the training, the Welsh militia did not, so it took a while to get to that 'legendary' status, but the results, once witnessed, were truly amazing. Ask the French at Agincourt....

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Then there is the question of mounted archery.

While a crossbowman can indeed fire from horseback just like an archer, it would be virtually impossible for him to reload.

 

[Eosin the Red]

First, IANARH

Second, maybe a Real Historian will come along and give the exact scoop.

Two factors played into the training according to my reading. The first is having to work your way up to a 160+ lb draw. That took some time. The other reason was that the shape and size of the longbow prevented "aiming" in the classical sense. One could not look down the sights, instead an archer developed a feel for his aim over long years of experience.

I am not claiming truth to the second but I have read something to that tune before.

 

[jdrakeh]

One could not look down the sights, instead an archer developed a feel for his aim over long years of experience.

There is a lot of truth to this. I received three years of rudimentary training with a long bow in my youth, and could still only hit a target at 50 feet with roughly 30% accuracy. Wind speed, distance to target, and arc of arrow flight must all be taken into consideration and I've come to believe that a lifetime of practice is required for most people to become familiar with such factors and apply them with any degree of proficiency.

For the record, I also received several years of firearms instruction from a former Marine Corp firearms Expert and two competition skeet shooters. I can, as a result, shoot trap and skeet with 90% or greater accuracy and a .22 caliber single-action revolver with accuracy enough to knock cans out of the air. So it's not a matter of hand to eye coordination. Learning to 'aim' a long bow simply requires a lot of practice.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I can, as a result, shoot trap and skeet with 90% or greater accuracy and a .22 caliber single-action revolver with accuracy enough to knock cans out of the air.

Note to self: Don't tick jdrakeh off.

 

[Particle_Man]

Note to self: Don't tick jdrakeh off.

Well, not if you are a trap, skeet or can, anyhow.