High-level archers have long arms relative to their height and a narrow chest

The summary today

The profile of long arms and a narrow chest does turn up in high-level archers, but it does not separate those who shoot better. In the largest sample, 33 Indian archers of national and international level, arm span exceeds height in every one of them (an average index of 104.8) and the chest is narrow in all of them; in the same sample, however, none of the eleven proportions measured is linked to score, which follows only draw weight. Between levels the data are few and conflicting: in 1987 two world-class archers have an arm span of 180 cm against 172-177 in three less experienced archers of the same height, while in 1981 six Japanese university archers have a narrower chest, not a broader one, than their country's Olympic candidates. These are descriptions of tiny groups with no comparison against people who do not shoot: the profile exists, but nobody has shown that it helps anyone shoot better.

Also phrased as: "the ideal archer has long arms"; "arm span and archery"; "narrow chest and the string"; "build of the elite archer"; "ape index in archers"

Evidence

• 1981
  Against Archers Published later

  6 Japanese university archers aged 20 to 21 compared with the Montreal Olympic candidates measured by the same authors in 1974: no difference in height (171.7 cm) or weight (59.8 kg), a smaller chest girth in the university archers, 85.6 cm (p < 0.05). In this comparison it is the lower-level group that has the narrower chest; arm length is not measured.

  Physical Fitness and Energy Metabolism of the Archers (1) · Koji Tsuji, Hide Takeyama, Hideo Koishi, Yoshiho Katayama

• 1981
  Context Archers Published later

  Same comparison: the only significant difference is the chest; shoulder and arm strength tends to be lower in the university archers (42 kg pulling and 44 pushing), vital capacity and visual acuity do not separate the groups, and vertical jump is in fact slightly better in the university archers.

  Physical Fitness and Energy Metabolism of the Archers (1) · Koji Tsuji, Hide Takeyama, Hideo Koishi, Yoshiho Katayama

• 1987
  For Archers Published later

  5 male archers aged 18 to 28, 2 world-class, 1 intermediate and 2 beginners with three months of practice, all between 167 and 176 cm and between 54 and 70 kg: arm span 180 cm in the two world-class archers against 172-177 in the other three, maximum draw force 36.2 and 40.2 kg against 29.7, 34.1 and 31.1. Individual data without a statistical test, conference proceedings.

  Analysis of Archery Shooting Techniques by Means of Electromyography · H. Nishizono, H. Shibayama, T. Izuta, K. Saito

• 2015
  Context Archers Published later

  5 male Chinese archers of Xibo ethnicity aged 15 to 17 with national results, compared with footballers and judoka: 174.7 ± 9.1 cm, 63.9 ± 5.2 kg, 11.1 per cent body fat; more lean mass than the footballers (56.8 against 51.8 kg, p < 0.05) and less lean mass per unit of height than the judoka (32.6 against 36.0, p < 0.05). It measures neither arms nor chest. Conference proceedings in an outlet with questionable editorial standards.

  Physique Characteristics of Ethnic Archers Based on R-cluster Matrix Questionable venue · Yunfeng Wang, Yinan Ma

• 2020
  Context Archers Published later

  12 young Malaysian recurve archers split into two groups of six by score: median arm span 181.0 cm in the better group against 163.6 (p = 0.010), but also height 173.1 against 160.5 (p = 0.016). Arm span is not related to height, so the result says nothing about proportions.

  Anthropometric And Physical Fitness Components Comparison between High- And Low-Performance Archers · Jiun Sien Lau, Rosniwati Ghafar, Hairul Anuar Hashim, Erie Zuraidee Zulkifli

• 2023
  For Archers Published later

  33 Indian archers of national and international level (17 men and 16 women, recurve and compound) selected for the 2016 Asia Cup trials: the arm span index exceeds 100 in all 33 (104.8 ± 2.4), and the forearm is long and the chest narrow, by thoracic index, in all 33; average height 167.2 ± 6.9 cm. No comparison group, neither of lower level nor outside archery.

  Anthropometric Measures of Elite Indian Archer: Identification of Features for Talent Development · Jayashree Mazumder

• 2023
  Against Archers Published later

  Same sample: none of the eleven proportions correlates significantly with score (coefficients between -0.25 and 0.31), not even arm span (r = -0.10, p = 0.571); score follows only draw weight (r = 0.61). The scores mix recurve at 70 m and compound at 50 m.

  Anthropometric Measures of Elite Indian Archer: Identification of Features for Talent Development · Jayashree Mazumder

• 2023
  Context Archers Published later

  Same sample: the proportions go together, so those with proportionally broad hands also have proportionally broad feet (r = 0.47, p = 0.006), and arm span and leg length rise together (r = 0.44, p = 0.011). It describes a body type, not an advantage in shooting.

  Anthropometric Measures of Elite Indian Archer: Identification of Features for Talent Development · Jayashree Mazumder

Status history

1. 1980 Not studied No anthropometric comparison between archers of different levels had yet entered the registry: the profile of the archer with long arms and a narrow chest circulated as an observation from the field.
2. 1981 Contradicted The first comparison points the opposite way for the half that concerns the chest. Six Japanese university archers, set beside the Olympic candidates measured by the same authors in 1974, match them for height and weight (171.7 cm and 59.8 kg on average) but have a smaller chest girth, 85.6 cm: it is the lower-level group that has the narrow chest. Arms are not measured. A single study of six people, and it points against: contradicted.
3. 1987 Contested The first data on the arms arrive. Among five archers of the same height (167-176 cm) and weight (54-70 kg), the two world-class archers have an arm span of 180 cm against 172-177 in the three less experienced ones, and a maximum draw force of 36.2 and 40.2 kg against 29.7, 34.1 and 31.1. The arms point the way of the claim, the 1981 chest the opposite way: with one study on each side, contested.
4. 2020 Contested In twelve young Malaysian recurve archers the better-shooting group has a median arm span of 181.0 cm against 163.6, but it is also taller, 173.1 against 160.5 cm: the paper does not relate arm span to height, so it says nothing about proportions. The status does not change.
5. 2023 Contested The largest sample, 33 Indian archers of national and international level, confirms the description: arm span exceeds height in all 33 (index 104.8 ± 2.4), and the forearm is long and the chest narrow in all of them. But in the same sample none of the eleven proportions is linked to score (coefficients between -0.25 and 0.31; -0.10 for arm span), which follows only draw weight (r = 0.61). The profile is there, the link with level is not: contested.

Related

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