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There are two main styles of bow used today, the recurve bow and the compound bow.

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Recurve Bow

Modern recurve bows are sophisticated devices. Typically made in three sections with a handle made from cast or machined aluminum, fitted with flexible limbs on each end made from laminates of carbon, fiberglass, and wood. Recurve equipment is the classic archery style and the only equipment use at the Olympic Games. In the recurve style, few technical devices are permitted to enhance accuracy, assuring that the archer's strength and skill become the main factors that determine performance.

Compound Bow

Compound bows are much more technically sophisticated than the recurve, the bow employing wheels or 'cams' at the tip of the limbs. Acting on a lever principle, these wheels allow an archer to draw and hold a bow with relative ease. The compound style also permits the use of aids to assist with accuracy such as hand-held 'triggers' for releasing the bowstring, and peep and magnifying sights.

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Related Pages

• Choosing the Right Archery Bow
• Selecting Good Archery Arrows
• Other Archery Equipment