IGN – Winding a crossbow for a second shot was no small feat in medieval times. After firing, the user would have to bend over at the waist, placing a foot on the crossbow, and then use some sort of tool (and an immense amount of strength) to wind the bow back into firing position often while under attack.It was laborious, time-consuming and absolutely worth it when facing a heavily armored opponent.
[Source: N4G: news feed ]