Indoor Archery Round Timer

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02:00
Work: 2:00 Rest: 1:00 × 20 rounds

The standard indoor round is shot at 18 metres, in ends of three arrows with a fixed time per end, repeated across the round[1]. Between ends archers score and collect arrows, which is the natural rest — so the round has a rhythm of concentrated effort and enforced pause, twenty times over.

Two minutes for three arrows is generous compared with match play, and that generosity is the trap. Indoors there is no wind to wait for and no light to read, so the time cannot be spent on anything except the shot — and an archer who uses all of it is usually deliberating rather than executing. Consistent, slightly-under-time ends score better than variable ones that fill the clock.

Indoors removes every excuse

Outdoor archery gives you conditions to read and, honestly, conditions to blame. At 18 metres in a hall there is neither. A dropped point is form, and the round is unusually good at exposing inconsistency for exactly that reason.

That makes indoor rounds the better diagnostic even for archers whose season is outdoors. If a shot process falls apart over twenty ends indoors, it will not survive a windy field.

The between-ends pause is part of the round

Walking to the target, scoring and collecting arrows takes a predictable amount of time, and it is the only rest the round provides. Rushing it to get back on the line does not help — the next end's clock has not started.

Using that walk deliberately, to reset rather than to review the last end in detail, is a habit worth building. Twenty ends is long enough that carrying each one into the next accumulates.

Round formats vary

End counts, arrow counts, target face and time allowances differ between World Archery indoor rounds, national federation rounds and club formats.

Set the timer to the round you are actually shooting. This page's defaults describe a common configuration rather than a universal one.

A common configuration; end counts and allowances vary by federation and round[1]. Set the timer to your own round.

Indoor round structure
Element Typical Note
Distance 18 m Standard indoor
Arrows per end 3 Some rounds use 6
Time per end 2 min 40 s per arrow
Ends 20 Two halves of 10 in many formats
Between ends ~1 min Score and collect; the only rest
Total arrows 60 Round score out of 600
  • Two minutes is generous — consistent under-time ends usually score better than ends that fill the clock.
  • There is no wind or light to read indoors, so time cannot be usefully spent on anything but the shot.

Source: World Archery Rulebook — indoor rounds and shooting time limits

Sources

  1. World Archery Rulebook — indoor rounds and shooting time limits , World Archery Federation (Confirm against the current edition; national rounds differ) — accessed 2026-07-28

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❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How long is an end in indoor archery?
Commonly two minutes for three arrows at 18 metres, about 40 seconds an arrow. End counts and allowances vary between World Archery, national federation and club rounds, so set the timer to the round you are shooting.
Should I use the full two minutes?
Usually not. Indoors there is no wind or light to read, so extra time goes into deliberation rather than information. Consistent ends that finish slightly under time generally score better than variable ones that fill the clock.
Why are indoor rounds a good diagnostic?
Because they remove every external variable. At 18 metres in a hall a dropped point is form, not conditions. A shot process that falls apart over twenty indoor ends will not hold up on a windy field.
How much rest is there between ends?
About a minute in practice — walking to the target, scoring and collecting arrows. It is the only rest the round provides, and rushing it gains nothing since the next end's clock has not started.
What should I do during the walk to the target?
Reset rather than review in detail. Twenty ends is long enough that carrying each end's frustration into the next accumulates, and the walk is the natural place to put it down.
How many arrows is a full indoor round?
Sixty in the common 20-end, three-arrow configuration, scoring out of 600. Some rounds use six-arrow ends over ten ends instead, which is the same arrow count in a different rhythm.
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