If you are just starting to pick up archery, make sure that you avoid the four common beginner mistakes that seem to plague most new athletes who take up the sport.

Mistake #1: Failing To Follow Through

One of the biggest mistakes that new archery students make is failing to follow through when they take a shot with their bow and arrow. Just like with sports like basketball and soccer, the follow through is necessary to ensure that the arrow hits its intended target.

It is vital that you keep your form even after you release the arrow. Once you release the arrow, do not bring your arm and the bow down right away. When you do this, you could affect the trajectory of the arrow.

Mistake #2: Not Using Your Back Muscles

Another mistake that many people make is failing to use their back muscles effectively. You should keep your arms loose, but your back should not be loose. When you are getting ready to draw your bow, you need to stand up straight and tall; this will allow you to utilize your back muscles when you draw the bow back. By using your back muscles and keeping your shooting arm stable, your shot will have more strength behind it.

Mistake #3: Gripping The Bow Too Tightly

You don't want to grip your bow too tightly. If your grip is too tight, you are more likely to move your bow when you aim and release an arrow, which will throw off the trajectory of the arrow and cause you to fail to hit your target. To increase the accuracy of your shot, you want to maintain a relaxed and soft grip. This will help you more consistently hit your target as your bow will be steadier.

Mistake #4: Failing To Maintain A Proper Stance

Finally, the biggest and most common mistake that new archers make is failing to maintain a proper stance while focusing on all the other things that they need to do in order to hit the target. It is essential that you master and are able to maintain a proper stance if you want to succeed with archery.

The first stance that most archers learn to master is the T-shaped stance. You want to keep your body so that it is perpendicular to your target. You are going to want to make sure that your feet are about shoulder-length apart and your weight is balanced on each of your legs. Try to avoid putting more weight on your front leg. For this stance, your arms should be held up so that a "T" shape is created. You want your face to be turned so that you are looking the target square in the eye and are focusing in on it. Finally, when you pull the arrow, the hand that is drawing the bow back should come all the way back to your face.

By learning to avoid these four beginner mistakes, you will be able to master the art of archery at a quicker pace than other beginners.