Be it inspiration from the legendary tales of history’s bowmen, or curiosity piqued by modern Hollywood blockbusters, there’s been a sudden surge in interest in archery. In Bali, a group of archers invite you to take up the bow and give the sport a shot.
Bali Heroes Archery, a group of former athletes, banded together in 2016 to impart their knowledge as Indonesia’s archery elite down to the hands of aspiring archers and island visitors alike. Not only did they see the sport soar in interest, it garnered a newfound fanbase among youth and even international travellers.
Their home base in Denpasar is a semi-indoor walking course that hosts public classes from Tuesday to Friday, whilst their high-demand classes on the weekends are hosted outdoors in Renon, popular among youngsters. Private hires are also available. You can settle for a venue of your own choosing — it can be held in their walking course or even within your hotel’s private space.
The community welcomes all ages with the sole condition that one can hold an upright posture whilst withstanding the weight of a bow and arrow; and the rest is followed by hand-eye coordination and tricep work to be developed over time. Individuals in wheelchairs are welcome to take part too, as long as they meet the above criteria.
Whether you’re in it to win it or shooting for fun, join a class and you will learn under the guidance of an ex pro-athlete.
Use the first few minutes to warm up before moving on to the rules of play. Essentially all instruments should be personal to you, your height, posture, arm length. You want to first and foremost, befriend comfort. Adjust accordingly; be selective and specific.
For those learning the sport, you’ll get the chance to try four different bows. Those shooting at learner-level are given the straightforward and simple barebow to start. The next hour is likely spent to fine-tune three golden steps: standing position, holding the bow, aiming and shooting in an ideal fashion.
Firstly, to handle a bow requires drawing the string back with exertion. You may find yourself struggling to perform but you’re not alone, most of us exercise our biceps and neglect our triceps in our day-to-day. This is the perfect time to stretch all muscles. Shift your power to the shoulder and surrounding muscles, leave your wrists be, and you’ll do just fine.
Your first mission is to aim and shoot within the target board. In the moment of lining up and releasing a shot when absolute focus is locked, comes after the satisfying thud of the arrow landing on target — a shot of relief. Keep repeating the steps and with consistency you’ll, improve over time. With a bit of practice, it will feel like child’s play!
When you’re ready to graduate from the barebow, give the more technical compound bow a go. This is a long-bow type, designed to shoot more accurate results but involves more physical effort. After landing the first few targets, next thing you know, you’re hooked. Part of the appeal of archery is the compelling rhythm. The lining, pointing, targeting, pulling, landing. And the best part, you get to do it all again in the course of seconds.
If you’re looking for a lively outdoor group activity, Bali Heroes Archery invites you to fight in their ‘battle’ for a game of aiming and shooting, with a mission. Taking hold of the opponent’s flag without getting shot is one. You can also host your own private battles with friends. Each team needs a minimum of five people or up to ten people per team.
Bali Heroes Archery
Jalan Tendean Korem 162, Dauh Puri Denpasar
+62 856 3711 374
baliheroes.com
