This study presents the differences in arm positions between the handling images and the actual movements of kyudo practitioners. Arm positions were established as left hand pressure and as the angle of the left elbow and hand.
Regarding handling images, interviews were conducted separately about the hand-pressure ratio, the angle of the elbow and hand, and the sequence of movements. The targeted movements included the tenouchi i of expert and intermediate practitioners. With respect to the sequence of movements, the focus was on hanareii.
The following results were obtained:
1. Hand-pressure ratio showed no differences between handling images and actual movements for both expert and intermediate practitioners.
2. For experts, when the arrow was released from the string, hand pressure increased but showed no differences between handling images and actual movements. However, it decreased and differences between them were apparent for intermediate practitioners.
3. All skill levels moved so that the timing was faster for the angle of the elbow and hand than for hand-pressure. For experts, these angles moved in the same direction, but for intermediate practitioners, the angles moved in the reverse direction.
4. Even when there were no handling images, differences sometimes arose between expert and intermediate practitioners.
These characteristics evaluate the movements of both expert and intermediate practitioners, and in the future this study will be useful for teaching and learning kyudo.
i Tenouchi: An important skill in tekichu (hitting the target)
ii Hanare: The movement of the release of the hand or the arrow from the string
