A recurve bow is a type of bow in which the limbs curve away from the archer at or near their tips when the bow is unstrung, producing a distinctive shape in which the outer portions of the limbs curve in the opposite direction to the central grip section. When the bow is strung, the recurved tips alter the geometry of the bow and can allow the limbs to store and return energy efficiently during the shot.
The defining characteristic is therefore the shape and behaviour of the limbs rather than the material from which the bow is made or the particular discipline in which it is used. Recurve bows can be made from traditional materials such as wood and horn or from modern laminated composites, carbon based materials, glass fibre and specialised bow materials. Modern target recurve bows generally consist of a central riser, two detachable limbs, a bowstring and various permitted accessories. The design is widely associated with Olympic style target archery, although recurve bows are also used in field archery, traditional archery, recreational shooting and numerous other disciplines.
The recurved limb geometry has important mechanical consequences. When the bow is drawn, the limbs bend and store elastic potential energy. As the string is released, that stored energy is transferred into movement of the limbs and string and ultimately into kinetic energy in the arrow, although not all stored energy reaches the arrow because energy is also retained in moving limbs, string vibration, sound and other losses.
The recurved tips can allow a relatively compact bow to provide substantial draw characteristics compared with some simple straight limb designs. Recurve geometry also changes the force curve experienced by the archer, meaning that the relationship between draw length and draw force differs from that of other bow designs. The exact performance depends on limb construction, bow length, draw weight, draw length, brace height, string design, arrow mass and other factors. Consequently, the word recurve identifies a fundamental bow configuration rather than guaranteeing a particular draw weight, speed or level of performance.
A modern target recurve bow is commonly modular. The riser forms the central structural component held by the archer, while the limbs attach to the riser and flex during drawing. The string connects the limb tips and provides the direct interface through which stored limb energy is transferred to the arrow. Target bows may also use a sight, stabilisers, clicker, pressure button and other equipment permitted by the relevant rules.
The riser can be manufactured from aluminium alloys, magnesium alloys, carbon composites or other engineered materials, while limbs commonly use laminated combinations of wood, glass fibre and carbon based materials. Traditional recurves can have substantially different construction and may be made as one piece rather than using a detachable riser and limbs. These differences illustrate that recurve is a family of bow configurations rather than a single standardised piece of equipment.
The historical development of recurved bows extends far beyond modern Olympic archery. Recurved forms appeared in several ancient and historical cultures, particularly where compact bows were advantageous for mounted archery and other situations in which a long straight bow would have been inconvenient. Composite recurved bows could combine materials with different mechanical properties to produce powerful compact weapons.
Modern sporting recurves developed along a different technological path, particularly during the twentieth century, as laminated materials, precision manufacturing and standardised competition equipment became widespread. The Olympic archery discipline uses a highly developed target recurve configuration with sophisticated risers, limbs and accessories. The historical relationship between traditional recurved bows and modern target recurves is therefore important, but the two should not be treated as identical equipment merely because their limbs share the characteristic recurved geometry.
Recurve bows are used in several distinct forms of archery, and the rules governing equipment depend on the discipline. In Olympic style target archery, competitors normally shoot recurve bows equipped with regulated accessories and shoot at standardised targets over specified distances. Barebow archery removes or restricts many of those accessories and places greater emphasis on the archer's ability to aim and control the bow without a conventional sighting system.
Traditional and instinctive forms can use simpler recurves with substantially different techniques and equipment. Field archery may also permit recurve bows under discipline specific equipment categories. Therefore, an archer asking what a recurve bow is may be referring either to the mechanical design or to a competition equipment category, and these meanings should be distinguished.
Draw weight is an important specification of a recurve bow and refers broadly to the force required to draw the bow to a defined draw length under a specified measurement convention. A bow with a higher draw weight generally requires greater physical effort, but draw weight alone does not determine accuracy or suitability. An archer's technique, strength, draw length, anchor position and shooting volume all affect how a particular bow behaves.
Excessive draw weight can impair technique and consistency, particularly when an archer becomes fatigued. Appropriate equipment selection therefore considers the archer's physical development, experience, draw length and discipline rather than simply choosing the highest available draw weight. Modern target recurves are often selected progressively as an archer develops strength and technical control.
A major advantage of the recurve design is its versatility and established competition infrastructure. The design is mechanically straightforward compared with more mechanically complex bows, yet modern recurves can offer highly adjustable equipment and precise tuning. They are extensively supported by coaching methods, competition rules and specialist manufacturing. Their limitations include the fact that the archer generally holds the full draw force without the let off associated with a compound bow, so physical control at full draw can be demanding.
Equipment tuning can also be sensitive to arrow characteristics, brace height, nocking point, limb alignment, string condition and other variables. Traditional recurves may have fewer adjustment possibilities than modern target systems. The practical experience of shooting a recurve therefore depends strongly on its construction, configuration and the discipline in which it is used.
A recurve bow should not be confused with a compound bow simply because both can be used in target archery, nor should it be confused with a longbow merely because all three are bows that propel arrows. A longbow generally has a much simpler straight or gently curved limb profile, whereas the defining feature of a recurve is the reverse curvature of its limb tips when unstrung.
A compound bow uses cams or eccentric wheels and a cable system to modify the mechanical relationship between draw length and draw force. A recurve has no equivalent cam system. Understanding these distinctions is important because equipment categories, shooting techniques, tuning procedures and competition rules can differ substantially. In contemporary archery, the recurve remains one of the principal bow designs and is especially significant because it is the bow type used in Olympic archery competition.
