Do you think shooting bow is a good healthy activity? We used to do it in physical education class. It probably works a wide array of upper body muscles, perhaps even improving some parts of the mid or lower body. I suppose it can build some strength while also serving some slight aerobic activity. I shoot only 53 lbs, partly so as to not overstrain myself. Walking to & from the target is good excercise too. Plus it is good practice for bow hunting. I shoot about 3 arrows and then rest my arms while walking to & from the bunker. It might be a good excercise on proper breathing techniques too. I'm thinking I should probably get more active in archery.

Get into shooting 3d archery. Good exercise and enjoyable

Nobody else shooting bow? Or maybe you do it soley for practice or enjoyment, but not exercise

I think a lot of people have switched to cross bows.

I can tell you this, you use a lot of muscles that most people don’t when shooting a bow. I was 17 and had to qualify to hunt on a military base. I was shooting a 60-65# bow at the time and passed the test except the instructor said my bow needed to be at least 45# to be legal. I explained this bow was set to 60 or 65, I don’t actually remember, and he said there’s no way because I was pulling it back too easy. I handed him my bow and said if you dry fire it, then you buy it. He couldn’t get it even half way back...and he was a Marine, lol.
I workout religiously and still do exercises to strengthen my shoulders and back muscles for ease of pulling and holding for extended periods.
So yeah, for those muscle groups I’d say that’s good exercise.

Thanks. Good info. Makes sense. I shoot 53# but would like to be able to increase it. You bring up a good point that being able to hold it back is important for deer hunting.

I got an old bow, lowered to like 40#, & brought it in the basement. I think I might start pulling it back for training (not even shooting it). Over time I will probably then be able to build up key muscles, and 1 benefit is that it'll improve my ability to bowhunt. Plus I'll be able to improve muscles that otherwise probably don't get much use.

Good post, thanks.