Every Recurve Rule Explained | World Archery Rules

So you want to shoot Olympic recurve, what is and isn't allowed. This video has two parts, an oversimplified speedrun and a detailed breakdown of the rules and rule clarifications. I'm using the World Archery rule set, primarily from Book 11, which covers archer's equipment. This covers recurve, barebow and compound, though I will focus on recurve in this video. Note that WA rules specifically apply to World Archery events, but most affiliated target archery organisations at national and lower level will have their rules and definitions the same as World Archery. There can be exceptions, but these are the consistent rules. First, let's speedrun the oversimplified version. This is a recurve bow. You can use this. Your string can have knocking points. You can use an elevated arrow rest. You can use a plunger button. You can use a clicker. You can use a bow sight. No magnification. You can use stabiliser rods. You can use this kind of arrow. You can use finger protection, mostly finger taps. You can use spotting tools and glasses. You can use typical archery accessories. No electronic devices and no camouflage. That was the easy part. Now we're going to overcomplicate everything. I'm going to go through every rule and clarification. There are a lot of specifics that have to be mentioned in the rules and clarified through amendments. I'll also explain why these rules are in place where applicable. 11.1.1 covers the definition of a bow. Now there are a few nuances here, but the main one is as long as it has a single string, it's legal. That means you can shoot a longbow. You can shoot an Asiatic recurve bow. You can shoot a modern target bow. These bows meet the definition of a bow in this division. While it's called recurve, it's only called recurve to separate it from compound. You don't actually have to shoot recurve. And yes, that means you can shoot wooden traditional bows in this division. The only definitions here include that you can have a riser, a handle, and two limbs. It can be take down, and that's basically it. You can hold the bow with one hand, hold the string with the other, and that's a bow. First rule clarification. This kind of bow grip is allowed. There's no advantage to it, so if for some reason you have this grip, that's legal. 11.1.1.1 multicoloured bow risers and limbs are allowed. That includes trademarks and brands and logos and decals. Basically, you're allowed to put whatever you want into the decoration or paint scheme on the bow. Now this rule exists because in the past, before the use of sights, you could actually use some of the bow markings as a sight guideline. It's actually quite strict in the rules about what could be considered a sighting aid, and it's more so in barebow now, but recurve has limitations as well. So because you're allowed to use sights on a recurve, there's no advantage to putting certain decorations or decals or markings on the bow itself, so this is legal. 11.1.1.2 risers are allowed to have a brace, provided the brace does not consistently touch the athlete's hand or wrist. So whatever design the riser has, you can have things which stick out like tech bars, you can have structural elements, but they can't be used to support the hand or the wrist. In other words, you can't grip onto something extra on the bow for better support. 11.1.2, you can have a bowstring. The bowstring can have any number of strands. Strands are obviously the strand count of a bowstring. Most bowstrings are 16 strand, although you can get bowstrings between 12 and 18 or more. It's a tuning thing, a preference thing, but you're allowed to have any number of strands on your bowstring. There's no advantage to that. Now, the next rule also covers the colours and materials. You can use whatever material, whatever colour, that's fine. There's no advantage to having a multicoloured string. Additionally, you are allowed to have a centre serving, which you can use to cover your fingers and put knocking points. The rule specifies you are allowed to have extra servings to serve as an arrow knocking point, and in this case, you can have either one or two, not more. The bowstring loops are loud, of course, and you can have up to one attachment point. Now, this basically means a kisser button. For those who don't know, some archers do have a plastic knock reference, which is either placed between their lips, which is what they call a kisser, or it might be a nose reference. This can help people who don't have a good anchor point on their face, so you are allowed to have one of those on your string. You can't have a peep hole or a peep sight or anything else on the string, which can be in your eyeline that can serve as a rear sight. Rule of clarification, you can have this kind of knocking point. Now, this isn't the kisser button. It might look like one, but it's actually not. It's basically a large disc-shaped knocking point. The rules don't say how large a knocking point can be, but you can have a knocking point, so this is legal. You are allowed to have an adjustable arrow rest. You can have more than one support bar. There are many different kinds, although recurve generally uses a select few, but this kind of rest is permitted. Rule of clarification, I don't know what to do in Iceland, but they ask for this. Yes, this kind of rest is legal. There doesn't seem to be any reason why you would need to use one, but there's no advantage, so you can use this. 11.1.3.1, you are allowed to use a pressure button, other known as a plunger button. These are the springs or buffers which screw into the arrow plate above the arrow grip. It's used to provide extra tuning and buffering for the arrow, which helps it have straighter flight, less variation. These are fine, as long as they're not electronic, and they don't offer any additional aiming assistance. Additionally, there is a particular nuance here. You can't place the plunger back any more than 4cm inside the pivot point. Virtually everyone screws it into the standard pivot point hole, but you can have one up in front or one behind, but you can't have anything further back than that. 11.1.4, you can use a draw check indicator. It's either audible, tactile, and or visual, as long as it's not electronic or electric. Basically, you can use a clicker. Now, while this causes a draw check indicator, which implies it's meant for draw length, virtually everyone who uses this uses it as an audible trigger or subconscious trigger, which is the main benefit this has over barebow. Barebow is not allowed as a kind of equipment, so it's specifically defined as this. Now, there's also an interesting request for clarification here, which we'll go through right now, and it goes through exactly what kind of clicker can be used. Can it be visual? Can it be audible? Can it be both? And the ruling here is that it can be visual, it can be audible, it can be tactile, but the key is that they must happen simultaneously. You are not allowed to have more than one clicker or clicker signal. So an example is here, you are allowed to have, for example, a sight-mounted clicker. Not every clicker mounts on the briser. You can have a sight one, but you can't have both clickers. So you only have one clicker, not two. Now, this might be a problem for clicker designs, where they have a multi-stage clicker. If there are two distinct markers or signals, either visual or audible, then this would not be allowed in the rules. It can only be a single simultaneous signal. 11.1.5 covers quite a few rules which use sights. Now, you are allowed to use a bow sight. You can only have one bow sight. Now, the bow sight is not magnified. So 1.5.1 stipulates it can't have a prism, it can't have magnifying lenses, it can't have any magnification, no leveling, which means no spirit level. Tends to be more common in compound, but definitely not in recurve. Not allowed, and no electronics. You can only have one sighting point. 1.5.2 covers something more specific, and that's the length of the sighting hood. Now, most sight apertures have a fairly large rim or frame, you could say. You can have any shape you want, but it can't be longer than 2cm from the eye line. In other words, more than 2cm long. So what I have here in this scene is basically the largest you can have. Any more than that, and you're basically shooting through a scope. Even though it might not be magnified, it's basically a scope. You can't have that large of an aperture or that long of an aperture. In addition, you are allowed to have fiber optic pins. These are popular for high contrast lighting on target, but they can't be longer than 2cm. If they are, they have to bend away from the vision before 2cm. Additionally, 1.1.3 or 1.5.3, you're allowed to have adjustments, windage and elevation, of course. You can have a bow sight extension to make the sight longer up or down, and you're allowed to have a scale. So these are the markings on the bow. You can have them, but they can't be used for sighting purposes. So no bright markers or lines, which you might look at for better sighting. And by the way, for the sight extension, again, you rarely see this because there's just no need for it, but you might find that some people might use it for really long distance. More particularly for clout shooting, because you don't have a sight setting that's actually on target. So some people might have sights which go way below the arrow. That's legal. 11.1.6, you can use stabilizers, long rods, vibration dampers. You can actually use whatever you want. There's no limitation on how long they have to be or how long they can't be. The main thing is how long can you handle a very long or heavy rod. Additionally, while you can have side rods, they also can't interfere with the standard spacing guidelines. So if your rods interfere with somebody else, that's bad. But otherwise, you are allowed to have whatever rods you want. How many you want, that's entirely up to you. 6.1 does specify that you can't have anything which we use as a string guide. This is notably if you have a backwards facing rod, you can't use that as a string guide. That's what the compound has. You can't have that for a recurve bow. You can't touch anything but the bow. So in other words, it can't be a brace or any kind. You can screw it on, and that's basically it. And you can't obstruct other athletes. Hence the rule before, you can have long rods and heavy rods, and you can stick them out, but they can't hit other athletes next to you. 11.1.7, this is where you can use arrows. Now, it doesn't define an arrow. It generally assumes you know what an arrow is, and it doesn't really specify what you can or can't use as an arrow. Assumingly, it has a shaft, a point or a tip, a nock, a fletching, and if you want to, you can have cresting or wraps, which you see in these arrows here. It does have a max diamond of 9.3mm, and this is mostly because you kind of don't want arrows cutting lines all the time. With indoor shooting especially, on the smaller target base, archers will tend to try to min-max the size of the shaft to get more line cutters, but there is a maximum size. There's also a maximum length of the cresting if you're using that, but basically, you can't have overly thick arrows. Otherwise, you can use whatever material you want. You can use wood, aluminium, carbon, it's not in the rules. You can use any kind of fletching you want, so spin wings or the curvy vanes, you can have those. There's no rule against it. You can have feathers, you can have plastic, entirely up to you. The rule does specify that the arrow can't cause excessive damage to the target, and that basically means don't use broadheads. Now, this rule does stipulate what you must put on the arrow, and that is the athlete's name or the initials on the shaft, and it must be written and clearly marked. It can't be on the vane, and this is because vanes can fall off, which means that your arrows can't be identified, so you must put your name or initials on the shaft. Additionally, every arrow in your set must be identical in appearance, which means the same pattern, same colour fletching, same nocks, same cresting. You can't mix and match in competition. In practice, you might have to, but in competition, they must be the same set. Additionally, no gain, no electronics, which means no tracer nocks. 11.1.8, you can use finger protection. This includes finger tape, a shooting glove, or a finger tab, or a combination of any of those. You can have taped fingers and a finger tab and so on, provided that they provide nothing which can assist the draw and release, so no release aids. Now, I'm going to have to cover the thumb ring interpretation. This is somewhat contentious, though it's a bit of a red herring in terms of rules, but we'll go through this specific interpretation. There are actually two different classifications, one's more recent from archery Australia, one previously from Norway. It's the use of thumb rings and thumb draw. The rules specify in this classification that you are allowed to use the thumb to draw. The thumb is considered a finger, and you are allowed to use the thumb if you're shooting thumb draw. Additionally, you are allowed to use the soft protections, including leather tabs or tape, as long as they don't provide any assistance in drawing or releasing the string. However, there is a specific rule saying that thumb rings are not allowed, and these are the solid thumb rings, either plastic or metal, and particularly because many designs do have a lip which can be used to hold the string in place instead of the finger. Now, this is quite a controversial ruling, because you could argue that it's not a release aid, and we know it's not, but do consider that this is not an Asiatic traditional division. This is the modern recurve division, where Asiatic shooters in thumb draw would not normally be competing. There is a separate kind of category or competition or organization for it. I've covered this in detail in a different video. It's not meant to be controversial, but just understand this isn't the same sport or classification or discipline as what you might see thumb shooters use. So, in World Archery's rule set, you can't use thumb rings. You technically can thumb draw, but no one does so for recurve. 11.1.8.1. This covers the specifics of what is allowed on a finger tab, and as I said before, you can have things which can help you protect the fingers or rest your fingers, for example, thumb plates or pinky hooks, but you can't have anything that actually hooks on the string itself. So, you can secure the tab with straps. You can have a finger separator, but you can't have anything which serves as a solid platform on which the string can rest. This is what exactly is expected during bow inspection by the judges. They'll check your finger tab for any solid hooks or surfaces where the string can rest. In addition, the rule specifies that you can't cover the wrist, so anything which can serve as a brace or attach to the bow is not allowed in the use of a finger tab. 11.1.9. You are allowed to use scopes. This is more commonly used when you're shooting by yourself with no coach spotting for you. So, on any normal competition, you're expected to spot your own arrows. That means you are allowed to carry binoculars or spotting scopes. You are allowed to have a spotting scope mounted on a tripod. There is space on the line for it, but it must fit within your allocated space. You can't interfere with other archers. And 11.1.9.2 does specify that the scope can't be higher than the armpit of the next archer. In other words, you can't be basically above shoulder level, otherwise it interferes with the archer. Now, 11.1.9.3 covers specifically glasses. So, you are allowed to have prescription glasses or shooting spectacles or sunglasses. They are allowed. You are allowed to shoot with the specialized shooting glasses. So, we've seen some of the really expensive, fancy, high-definition lenses. They're completely fine. Of course, no electronics, no markers. Now, there is a specific interpretation here, which we'll go through right now. That is this one covering specialized shooting glasses. And this is best explained in this picture here. You can't have these. Now, specifically, it's the kind of frame you see here, where you have different compartmentalized lenses for different purposes. You can't have these. This isn't necessarily because the lenses provide any help, but it's more that the frame itself can be used as a sighting aid. And again, anything to do with alignment, visually, can be advantageous for recurve. This is allowed in compound because you're allowed to have magnified lenses and peep sights, so you can already do this. There's no advantage in compound, but in recurve, someone wearing this could arguably have an advantage by having more visual reference points for their sight. You are allowed to use the blinkers. So, that's the next rule over here, 1.9.4. If you need to cover the non-shooting eye, then you are allowed to have tape or film or a cover or an eye patch. That's allowed. And 11.1.10 covers the equipment that is allowed. This includes arm guard, chest protector, bow sling, finger sling, a quiver, which may be worn on the belt or back or hip or mounted on the ground. Oh, there's a typo there, mounted in the ground. You can have devices to raise the feet or foot or part thereof, either attached to or independent of the shoe, provided they provide obstruction to other athletes, other shooting line, and you are allowed to have wind indicators, which are non-electronic. Basically, you can have like a ribbon tied to your bow or your stand, anything else which can help you spot for the wind. That's basically it. You don't have to have any of these, but you're allowed to have them. And there's a small complication. Some people say that archers have to wear like a chest protector or an arm guard. They don't have to. You can shoot without one. Everyone shoots with one because it's better to shoot with one, but it's not actually legally required. Here's a rule clarification here. You can't have these elbow braces. You might find these sleeves, they are banned, because they can be used to restrict or lock the movement of the elbow. That is part of your form, so you can't have any aids which allow you to brace your wrist or your elbow. On an interesting note is this clarification on the use of basically sports tape. Many of you might know that many athletes in other sports will use sports tape to restrict the movement of certain body parts or joints, and the same can be done with archery. Now, in this interpretation, there's nothing illegal about taping. It recognizes the tape has been done for wrist, elbow, shoulder for years, and there's nothing illegal about it. Even though it might restrict the movement and therefore act as a brace, taping is legal. That said, the tape itself can't have any stiffness, which might be assumed to be a brace. So technically, you could wear a compression shirt or tape your joints so that they're very stiff, but you need a lot of tape for it, and no one actually does it. There's no real advantage, but technically that is allowed, though anything which actually is specifically designed to stiffen your joints is not allowed. All right, more stuff on equipment. Level 3.1, no electronic devices. There are a couple of clarifications here. Number one, the Mantis device. This is the clarification. I have the Mantis. I just don't have it on me right now. I haven't reviewed it or used it, so I might use some footage from somebody else just to kind of clarify this. The Mantis is basically a sighting tool. It's used as a diagnostic for coaching and training. We use it with an app to track the movement of the bow hand, and it's kind of useful in training. Not so much a competition. That said, it is technically an electronic device. I actually didn't review it because I didn't want to stick it on my bow because it is illegal. Now, this was clarified way after I got my device, which is why I never tested it, but basically you can't have any kind of electronic tool. If you do have it attached to your bow, you must remove it from your bow. There's also a clarification on the use of tablets or phones as spotting tools. Number one, using the tablet or phone itself as a spotting tool instead of a scope, and number two, using the device on the scope itself. Actually, this is quite a common way to project the image because instead of having to look down the scope, you can put the phone or the device on the scope and look at the screen. It's actually pretty cool. You can't do that. That's basically it. You can't put a tablet or phone on the shooting line, in front of the shooting line, on the scope. It's not allowed. It does allow magnification of the scope and therefore it provides an enhanced image. Therefore, not allowed. 11.3.2 covers no communication, no electronics. There's quite a few elements here, so I'll unpack the main purposes. The first is that you don't want archers to have an unfair advantage by having, say, a coach speak to them and only them through a headset or a phone or any device, which allows them to tell them what to do. The second problem is reduction or noise reduction. The big one here is safety. You don't want to have people listen to headphones, blocking out noise, and not hear safety commands. There are a couple of different purposes here. One is unfair advantage. The second one is safety. Now, there is a very important clarification to do with hearing aids for the hearing impaired. So, there are a couple of distinctions. Number one is that if you're wearing hearing aids, that is allowed because hearing aids elevate all noise levels, so you can still listen and hear shooting commands, emergency signals, and because you can hear everyone louder, then you're not actually hearing one particular person talking to you. However, if you're using the loop system, the hearing loops, the hearing loops project the voice specifically to your device. So, that means a coach could, in theory, speak through the loop system straight to you, and no one else can hear it. And for that reason, hearing loops are not permitted in competition. And the last rule is no camouflage of any kind. That includes all equipment. The bow, the arrow, any clothing, any accessories. If you have like a camouflage strap on your scope, not allowed. Camouflage cover on the scope, not allowed. Camouflage hat, not allowed. The main reason here, it's an image thing. As World Archery covers the sporting kind of archery, it wants to project the family-friendly, bright, colourful sport image, not the camouflage image that's more associated with hunting or military. And in some countries, camouflage clothing is restricted. So, in order to make it accessible to everybody, it has to ban camouflage. And this is quite the usual for many sports. There is a clarification, which is actually quite worth looking at. It's not this one, it's this one. So, it does cover... So, this one covers what camouflage actually means. Because there's been some controversy over, for example, if you have pink camo, is that camouflage? What if you have a bow that's called camouflage, or the design has camouflage pattern, is that camouflage? So, there's quite a few clarifications over here. So, the clarification links the Wikipedia list of military camouflage clothing, as well as hunting camouflage. So, basically, anything which looks like this, the hunting style or military style hats and shirts, those are not allowed in competition. Things like camo patterns for carbon rods, they are allowed, because these aren't really camouflage. It's just a carbon pattern or decal. They're not intended for camouflage or to show camouflage design. It's just the carbon itself looking pretty. So, these woodland patterns or desert patterns, which are more common for military clothing, not allowed. Funny enough, this one deserves its own mention. This is so great. Okay, so the actual rule here is this. Other colours or patterns, like the fishing pattern brought up by US Archery, might not be of the best taste, quote-unquote, but would not be illegal by these definitions. So, you can have the fishing shirt, you can have, like, the Christmas-style sweater, or the hat, or the bow with, like, painted multi-colour designs. These are legal. They might not be tasteful, but they are legal. And that is basically every rule that is relevant to recurve. Now, I'm a recurve shooter, so I know these rules better. I've got more footage and demonstrations and examples. I could go through compound in a different video. I'm not a compound shooter, and there's actually not that many rules about compound. Basically, a lot of things are allowed. There are very, very few things which aren't allowed, but it's very open. Barebow gets quite spicy, because barebow is a very restrictive vision of what is and is not allowed. So, there's a lot more here. I don't shoot barebow, but if people are interested in talking about barebow rules and why these things exist, there's so many exemptions and clarifications. We can do so, but maybe a different video. Anyway, I hope that was interesting and helpful. Quite a few interesting takes there, but I hope you found it interesting. Thank you all for watching, and hopefully we'll see you next time.