Hmm...which way do I go?

[fireheart]

Depends on what arrows you buy. I have both wooden bodkins and field points and plastic hunters and blunts.

Oops, I should've added that the reason behind replacing the nocks was so that we could identify our own arrows when we go shooting.

[Gizmo]

Oops, I should've added that the reason behind replacing the nocks was so that we could identify our own arrows when we go shooting.

No worries. Most arrows its easy to do. You might even be able to order them with the two sets of nocks.

Bow strings do go after a while but tend to be rarely. But would be worth having a spare bow string on hand in case! We had a training at my house on a Sunday and I stringed up the bow for some practice that morning.... and the string went on my first shot. Luckily the Head of the group had some tent roping around and could replace it with that as we hadn't got our own bows yet and were all practicing on one modern recurve.

[Seshat]

Oops, I should've added that the reason behind replacing the nocks was so that we could identify our own arrows when we go shooting.

Or you could paint a band of colour around them, or something.

[fireheart]

Or you could paint a band of colour around them, or something.

I wasn't sure if that would throw them off, but that might be another option.

Nothing's happening however, until three things occur:

1) I actually fly over there.
2) I actually find out what's happening re work.
3) I get my tax refund.

My tax refund will be GLORIOUS this year, because of the big fat tax threshold imposed by the previous government. I earned LESS than that in the last financial year. So I get all my "tax" back....which is just under $3000.
1/3 of that is going towards bills, 1/3 of that is going towards a couple of little things for me and the rest is going to be put aside.

[Kit-Ginevra]

You say you want it for the social side and to improve your confidence-is it necessary to spend a lot of money on it?Are there purely social dance classes nearby that you can go to for free or cheap?I started line dancing classes to meet people and to help out my friend who was running it-it was £3/£4 a session and shoes were about £20. If you don't enjoy it or it's not for you,then you haven't put out a whole lot of money,and you still get to mix and make friends.

[Gizmo]

I wasn't sure if that would throw them off, but that might be another option.

Nope, they'll be fine with that. What you can also do is get different color fletches/flights seperately and change them out when you have the arrows.

[Sapphire Silk]

Damn. All this archery talk has got me wanting to pick it up again. I haven't done archery for 20 years or more. It was fun.

[fireheart]

Damn. All this archery talk has got me wanting to pick it up again. I haven't done archery for 20 years or more. It was fun.

Out of curiosity why did you stop?

So my partner and I will most likely be picking up archery as a "couples" hobby. We do also each have an individual hobby that'll give us some "alone time." He'll have his medieval re-enactment and I've got my crochet and knitting. I may also be picking up an Auslan class further down the track, once we've established where I can do so and my working hours. (Fortunately, Auslan classes through TAFE NSW are free!)

WE're fortunate in that we live fairly close to Sydney Olympic Archery Park and will most likely be joining the club there. The park itself (not the club) offers a beginners course and an intermediate course. We're going to complete the beginners course at LEAST and then if we think we need it, we'll also complete the intermediate course before joining a club. He wants to shoot longbow/traditional, I'm planning on shooting recurve as compound to me seems to take the effort out of archery a little bit.

[Sapphire Silk]

Out of curiosity why did you stop?

My parents would not buy me a bow when I was a kid (I did archer at school or summer camp) because there were no practices ranges in our area, and no where safe to practice in our neighborhood. So I gave it up when I was around 14.

Later, I was involved in the SCA (briefly) and was looking into archery for that but it never got off the ground for a number of reasons (not the least of which was my marriage was crumbling at the time).

Life issues led me to drop martial arts, but I got back into it (got my black belt last April ). I am still doing it (working on my 2nd dan) but could use a new activity to stay physically active. I'm feeling a bit inspired; archery would be great for my upper body strength, which is lacking a bit.

[fireheart]

My parents would not buy me a bow when I was a kid (I did archer at school or summer camp) because there were no practices ranges in our area, and no where safe to practice in our neighborhood. So I gave it up when I was around 14.

Check and see if there's a club in your area. Most clubs run beginner courses where you learn the basics and do a few trial shoots before you join. The club my partner and I are looking at does NOT run beginner courses, but the place they train at in itself provides the courses separately. (Meaning you don't have to join the club to do the course) It's at the Olympic stadium

I still need to check if the club we're going to has bows for hire or not. My partner wants to shoot longbow, but will most likely start out recurve. I'm going recurve all the way as there's actually a skill to it
The cost of a bow isn't actually as pricey as I thought it would be either. It's the accessories that are added onto it that makes it pricey! Doing a little bit of research last night, I found that a certain brand of "riser" (handle) coupled with the same brands limbs (the part the string attaches to) is around about $300-$400AUD. The limbs themselves need to be upgraded over time, but this setup is cheaper than me buying a beginners "kit" and then having to pay for everything AGAIN when I upgrade.

[Seshat]

(Note for anyone who didn't know what fireheart was talking about: Auslan is Australian Sign Language.)

[XCashier]

Bellydance is a low impact exercise, and suitable for almost anyone (check with your doctor, especially if you have injuries or disabilities).

You will use your knees a lot with belly dance, so if you have knee problems, you might want to look into something else.

[Seshat]

I have knee problems: I just make sure not to do the deep knee movements. But then, my particular knee problems allow that.

[Shangri-laschild]

My brother started doing archery and I've been doing it occasionally with him. It's a blast and it definitely wears on the arms. I have to agree with whoever said that the archery community tends to be close. They are all really awesome here.