05 June 2014

Archery101 at Kodanda Archery Range




My dad has been pushing me to try out archery since I was in elementary school. But honestly, I didn't find it interesting then so I tried gymnastics instead. Then came, Katniss Everdeen of the Hunger Games, Princess Merida of Brave, and the list goes on. Archery suddenly became a more popular sport among the youth and I was finally convinced to try it out. Luckily, I was invited by Kodanda Archery Range for an hour of fun!



Kodanda Archery Range is a seven-lane, fully air-conditioned indoor archery range located on the upper basement of Makati Cinema Square along Chino Roces Avenue (formerly Pasong Tamo) in Makati City. The name Kodanda is Sanskrit for “he who has a bow.” 


Before starting out, our coaches at Kodanda made sure that we are fully geared for the sport. All they asked for us to wear are rubber shoes as they provided the rest of the gear. I hope the Palladium I was wearing counts as one. The other gears that were needed to be put on are the following:
  • Armguard - protection for the arm against the string’s backlash. 
  • Fingertab - protection for the fingers’ repeated pulling of string. 
  • Chestguard - worn over the torso especially for girls to prevent the string from snaring clothes
  • Quiver - arrow holder
  • Recurve Bow – normal bow used in our range (the same one used in the  Olympics)


Now, do I look like Katniss Everdeen? :)
with blogger friends, Monica, Mhisha, and Monica

Before letting us try shooting arrows on our own, our coaches taught us the basics in Archery. We were rest assured that we were handled by the best because Kodanda's coaches are members of the Philippine National Team. Honestly, I found the sport quite intimidating because of all of the gear that were placed on me. I was even scared to shoot my first arrow when I was already there. But when I finally got the hang of it, I cannot stop aiming for the bulls eye! 

My coach teaching me on how to properly place the arrow on the bow...
...And how to aim properly.
Finally, doing it on my own!

At Kodanda, they practice a systematic method of shooting arrows and getting them from the board. At first, they'll start with whistle as a command for the players to start shooting. After everyone's done, they'll cue again the players with a whistle for them to rest their bows and get their arrows from the board. After all the players are done, the shooting commences again with a whistle.

Resting our bows
Removing the arrows from the board... (Hope I'm doing it right. :p)
The closest I got to the target!!!

The bow's not that heavy, so I think the real challenge is with the pulling of the bowstring and maintaining your focus. Once you've pulled the string, you have three seconds to hit your target. Otherwise, it would hit another direction. As a beginner, I have noticed that the secret in hitting the center is to never hesitate. Once you became hesitant in shooting, the arrow's direction also goes elsewhere. I guess with the proper stance and with frequent practice, I could eventually master this sport. Anyway, here's a video of me trying to work this sport out. :)


Although there is not a lot of walking or running involved, archery is still a physically demanding and rewarding sport. Drawing the bowstring places stress on one’s arms, chest, shoulders, and back, developing upper body and arm strength with repetition. Constant practice also helps improve posture, balance, and hand-eye coordination. The exercise of targeting helps develop focus, patience and allows the individual to center and calm him/herself, which can, in the long run, have a positive impact on one’s mental health and well-being.  


If you are interested trying out archery, Kodanda offers it for only P550.00 per person, per hour inclusive of the use of the archery range, rental of international-standard equipment and protective gear, coaching on archery basics from expert instructors.  For those who have their own gear, P200 is the rental per person. 

Kodanda also offers group packages for groups with 15 guests. These packages includes rental of international-standard equipment and protective gear, and coaching on archery basics from expert instructors. As of the moment, they offer the most affordable rates in Makati and they are open to public without charging any membership fees. You may visit them from 10:30am to 07:30pm from Mondays to Sundays.

 Aside from use of their range, Kodanda now offers archery equipment. 

For reservations and further inquiries, you may contact numbers (02)621.9109 and (0932)843.6614, look for May.  You may also reach them at their email address: kodandaarchery@gmail.com. Like their Facebook page: Kodanda Archery Range.

Thank you Kodanda for this amazing experience and for helping me cross out another item in my bucket list! :D

XO, Mish


4 comments:

Show this blog some love ♥

Get in touch with me via:
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/lbdandonesies
TWITTER: @mishrendon
INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/mishrendon