Abstract: Objective: To investigate the sway patterns and transmission characteristics in different skill level archers before release. Methods: Twenty male archers were divided into an elite group (n=9) and a sub-elite group (n=11) according to the skill level of the athletes. Kinematic and kinetic data were synchronously collected during 10-ring shots. A neural network Granger causality model was used to analyze the sway transmission between the bow arm and the center of pressure (COP). Results: Compared with the sub-elite group, elite archers showed significantly smaller sway at the shoulder joint in the medio-lateral vertical directions, and at the wrist joint in the medio-lateral direction, as well as smaller COP sway indicators (P＜0.05). In sub-elite archers, anterior-posterior (AP) sway was transmitted from the wrist to the shoulder, and from the shoulder to the COP, while medio-lateral (ML) sway was transmitted from the wrist and elbow to the shoulder. In elites, ML sway was transmitted from the COP to the bow arm joints. Conclusions: Elite archers showed less sway in both the bow arm and body, with sway transmission occurring from the body to the bow arm. But in sub-elite archers, the sway transmission was occurred from distal to proximal joints.