Be Katniss for a day at GANDIVA CAFE AND ARCHERY

If there is one thing we all can't help but do, is "MAKI-USO". So while Hunger Games is all the rage. Most people can't help but idolize Katniss and her super power (Well it is more of a skill than a power but I think it is a power!). Her power doesn't come close to Superman's or the Justice League's but it is close enough.

GANDIVA CAFE AND ARCHERY can help you be like Katniss, Robin Hood or the Green Archer.

But archery was not all the rage when men did it. You go girl! She is famous for her flaming dress and not to mention the "archery skill" she had, it was the cherry on top of the icing. Maybe if it were something else, the movie wouldn't be as cool as it was. Imagine her with a knife or a sword. BORING!!!

So, Katniss made archery look cool. She did if flawlessly and effortlessly! Well reality check people! That was a MOVIE.

Movies has its way for stretching the truth! That is why Myth busters are so famous! They make "reality" vs "movies" experiments, what could be cooler?! I want a job like that. Destroying peoples expectations and waking them up for the harsh reality in a fun way.

So like what I said, the truth was stretched. It was crazy! The bow itself was dead weight! It wasn't a hold bow, put arrow and pull, then BAM! If I was stuck in the forest with a bow and arrow, I might die after 3 days or less! I would not be able to kill anything, much less hit anything!

Well the world is far from ending, the zombies aren't walking yet, but it wouldn't kill me to try a thing or two before that actually happens and the world is gone for good.

I think it is a great activity to do with family, friends, or lovers! Yes boy and girls! You can impress the opposite sex with this seemingly simple skill. "SEEMINGLY".

Whenever I do something new, I would always wonder, "DO LEFTIE'S DO IT DIFFERENTLY? DO WE HAVE A DIFFERENT EQUIPMENT?".

BOWS

With archery, YES. I was super amazed to know that there is actually a bow for LEFT HANDED people (YEHEEEY!!) and bows for RIGHT HANDED PEOPLE.

But the handedness isn't based on your dominant hand but on your DOMINANT EYE.

How would you know which is your dominant eye? Simple :

1. With 2 open eyes, point at an object. (hold your position)
2. Try to close your left eye, and check to see if your finger is pointing straight at the object.
3. Now do this with your right eye.
4. As you can see, the eye that has the object at the end of your finger is your dominant eye.

Cool right?! I thought that since I was LEFT handed, I thought I would be using the LEFT HANDED BOW, but I was wrong. All the shots were far from the bulls eye, but it would still do. Still it is not the right way to do it.

I had to change to the RIGHT HANDED BOW since Coach Roy noticed that my dominant eye is the RIGHT one.

If there is a bow for lefties and righties. There are also bows for kids. I actually felt like, if I have used the ones for the kids, I would have done a lot better. But kuya won't let me. :(

RIGHT bow position

Much better. I must admit that archery is pretty cool! It might look easy, but you really need upper body strength to pull it off.  (Seriously my arms had a hard time, I can't hold up the bow for a long period of time. I also cannot steady my bow arm, it kept wobbling all over and thus moving around my aimed target).

Before I got there, I was thinking that the bow would be light. Wrong. The bow actually has a good weight on it. I have no idea how heavy it was, but it was a few books heavy. If you look at the bow, you would be seeing weights there. It actually isn't the bow's weight. It is actually the force you need to pull the string, a good 16 pounds is what we used!

It varies from person to person, the maximum I heard is 40+ pounds. I don't think I would be able to pull that. Hahaha!

You need to practice, just like any other sport, to be good at it. Well, not unless you are born a superstar of course! But I am just an humble ordinary mortal being. I need practice. A lot of it!

We met a friend there named Rob, I felt terrible and kept babbling that I did a crappy job. He nicely said to me that everyone starts out that way. He said that if you do it a couple of times, you would get a hang of it, and you would eventually do a better job.

Nice guy, I said nothing when we were there, but the guy seemed awefully familiar. I wasn't sure if he is like famous or something. But I have seen his face around. My bff also agrees with me. I think I have just met and talked to a famous/known person yet I have no idea who he is. Haha I am baffled til now.

PACKAGES

Anyway, for beginners like me, they have the a package laid out already : 

WALK IN PACKAGE per HOUR for P980

• 1 Hr. use of range lane
• Free use of archery equipment (bow and 6 arrows)
• 1 target face
• assistance from Pro-Staff (pro staff isn't exclusively yours, you have to share if there are other people)

But if you had crazy fun at the end of the day and you decided to make it your regular sport or hobby. They have the perfect package for you :

MEMBERSHIP PACKAGE for P2000

*if applicable (it means that it is solely based on your discretion if you want it)

**valid for 1 year from date of signing

**if you have your own equipment, you are allowed to leave it there for safe keeping

• *Range Rental/Lane : P250/hr
• *Instructor Fee P380/hr
• *Equipment Rental P300/hr
• Free 6 Target Faces

EQUIPMENTS

This is where you leave your bows and arrows for safe keeping. I admit, anything I have done so far that had anything PINK, makes me wanna commit to it. It would usually be easy, but this sport has a set back of a good P30,000 or more! So no thanks honey! So you really have to think twice if you really wanna stick to it and make sure to ask a professional before purchasing. Bows and arrows aren't easy to sell on sulit.com or something! hahaha

So here I am preparing for training. The RED one you see is the ARM GUARD. I was actually thinking that it had something to do with stability or something, but it is actually for protecting your arm just in case the bow unstrung. Yikes! But don't worry guys, it is safe :)

If you were wondering the standard bow they have there for target practice is made out of WOOD, the bow strings are made of DACRON, and the arrows are made out of ALUMINUM. Although there are other materials for professionals.

The pouch is placed on the same side of your shooting hand, it is for easy access to your arrows during shooting.

ARCHERY LANE

Now let us go to the Archery Range. As you can see there are 2 distances. The ones with target faces are used for beginners like me with a distance of 10 meters. If kids wanted to play too, it can be adjusted to 6 meters for close proximity. The furthest one is 18 meters in distance, it is the distance they use for actual tournaments.

Here is a semi photo of Rob, do you know him? I would pretty much like to know if he is who I think he is. Haha

HOW TO AIM AND SHOOT

So this is how archery is done (at least to my understanding, feel free to correct me if you see anything wrong)

1.You have to stand side ways, with parallel feet.

2.If you are using the right handed bow :

• you have your arm guard in your LEFT hand
• you use your LEFT hand to hold the bow
• and the RIGHT hand to pull the string
• you have your bow pouch on your RIGHT hip
• you have to aim the target with your RIGHT eye, with left eye closed

2.If you are using the left handed bow : 

• you have your arm guard in your RIGHT hand
• you use your RIGHT hand to hold the bow
• and the LEFT hand to pull the string
• you have your bow pouch on your LEFT hip
• you have to aim the target with your LEFT eye, with right eye closed

3.On the end of the bow, there is a dent or crease, where it will fit snugly with the bow string.

4.Your hand holding the bow must be straight and firm.

5.With 3 fingers (one finger on top, dent, 2 fingers at the bottom), you pull the string to the base of your jaw (right beside where your molars are), just below your ear.

Again,

6.You use your RIGHT EYE when using RIGHT BOW.

6.You use your LEFT EYE when using the LEFT BOW.

7.Aim for the Bulls eye and enjoy!!

Here is the epic photo of the day with my BFF.

I am still proud of myself even if I didn't get the bulls eye. Do you wanna know why??

We each had 6 arrows. When we were retrieving it after the drill, I can't seem to find 1 arrow. I was actually wondering where it went (it definitely could not have gone far, trust me), but little did I know that it manged to somehow hit the target at the back of my designated one. Sounds impossible right?! But I swear, it is not made up!

Felt awesome to be Angelina Jolie for a moment, you know when she curved the bullet to hit the target in her movie WANTED.

But mine is a TRUE STORY!

Try something new for a change, don't be scared or shy to make mistakes or make a fool out of yourself! Life should be about learning, having fun and living it to the fullest!

ARCHERY LESSONS

If you are so impressed and you want to make a Katniss out of yourself. They have a program you can enroll in : 

 Basic Archery Program | Module 1 : Php 12,000

• 15 hours accumulated use of range lane
• Free use of archery equipment during the program with assistance from our Pro-Staff
• Certificate of Completion
• Free target face for each visit

Advanced Archery Program | Module 2 : Php 12,000

• 15 hours accumulated use of range lane with assistance from our Pro-Staff
• Certificate of Completion
• Free target face for each visit

        * Equipment rental is at Php 300.00 / hr (if applicable)

If you just wanna shoot away, without any instructor or membership, they have a separate rate for it :

• Range Rental / lane: Php 350.00 / hr
• Equipment Rental: Php 350.00 / hr
• Instructor’s Fee: Php 380.00 / hr
• Target Face: Php 40.00 / pc

HOW TO FIND THEM

For more information, you can visit their website : Gandiva Archery

Like their Facebook page : Gandiva Ph

If you are wondering where this little wonderland is, here is their address : 7/F One Corporate Centre Building Doña Julia Vargas Ave. corner Meralco Avenue Ortigas Center, Pasig City, Phil.

Telephone number : Cafe     : +63 (2) 638 - 4549

                             Archery: +63 (2) 638 - 8771

Just in case you get hungry, they have a cafe shop just beside the range. They have food for the carnivores and herbivores a like. Yes this place is vegetarian friendly!

While there, you really have to try STELLINA'S LEMONADE! You can never go wrong with either one! Thirst quencher! :)