# Holding Steady......what's the answer



## hoytmonger (Sep 16, 2008)

I don't think anybody, including the top tournament pro's can hold rock steady. There will always be some movement of your sight pin or scope when aiming at full draw. The trick is to aim in the center of the center of your target or at a single tuft of hair in the vital area of the animal you want to shoot, don't concentrate on the sight pin. Your subconscious mind will automatically put it in the center at the moment of release if you're aiming hard enough. Thats why you need to develop a subconscious shot sequence so your conscious mind can aim.
Other people can probably explain it better than I can. Check out the General Archery Information forum and maybe something there would be of better help.


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## OCD (Jan 19, 2008)

I recently started doing some aiming drills, focusing on form without shooting.
Come to full draw, and hold on spot ( 20 to 30 yrd target ) , try to stay on the X as long as possible, until you really start falling apart. Let down, rest a few seconds, and do it again, and again... Make a work-out, out of it. I'm already seeing a big difference, and wearing yourself out with the drill, magnifies any balance issues you may have with your stab / V-bar setup. It's not the most exciting the thing in the world to do, but it seems to be paying off for me.


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## FSUBIGMAC (Oct 16, 2008)

One item make me such a better shot -- B-Stinger 12 in 17oz -- get one you won't be dissapointed.


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## arrowshooters (Jun 5, 2006)

hoytmonger said:


> I don't think anybody, including the top tournament pro's can hold rock steady. There will always be some movement of your sight pin or scope when aiming at full draw. The trick is to aim in the center of the center of your target or at a single tuft of hair in the vital area of the animal you want to shoot, don't concentrate on the sight pin. Your subconscious mind will automatically put it in the center at the moment of release if you're aiming hard enough. Thats why you need to develop a subconscious shot sequence so your conscious mind can aim.
> Other people can probably explain it better than I can. Check out the General Archery Information forum and maybe something there would be of better help.


My Son, who recently joined the Navy, started shooting again so that we could spend that much more time together before he goes in. He too is having a heck of a time keeping the pin on the target and he just cannot take it out of focus. When we go out this weekend we are going to take the pins out of sight so that he has to only focus on the target. This will help train his eye to keep to keep the pin in the back of his mind and not the front.


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## SonnyThomas (Sep 10, 2006)

dwagoner said:


> i think a good stabilizer setup for you and your bow is a huge factor, yes you have to have skills and such but stabilizing the bow helps alot. I dont do drills but i dont get any kind of target panic at all, i just try to shoot as much as possible and keep the upper body in shape, do some weight lifting to keep in touch


I agree. One thing, draw weight is very much a factor. Know your limitations. One shot for hunting and 5 shots for 5 spots is far different.


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## theWilly (Sep 27, 2008)

*Holding steady*

A friend of mine got me started using a good B-complex vitamin before tournaments and boy what a difference. It helps to calm your nerves and helps you relax. Draw length is probably one of the most important things - if you're over extended you can't possibly relax. The bow arm should not be forcefully locked straight, it should be at least slightly bent. Also, try shooting lower draw weights with 65% letoff instead of higher draw weight with 75 or 80% letoff. Drawing the bow is much smoother this way and less tiresome - you'll have more energy to hold when you get to full draw. 65% letoff helps to steady the bow versus higher letoff (unless you're drawing too many pounds) because high letoff allows you to wander all over the place. Lower draw weight + lower letoff = steady and accurate shooting. Hope this helps!


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## Kstigall (Feb 24, 2004)

Some basics, sense I have no idea of what your skill/knowledge level is:
- Relax. Unnecessarily tense muscles don't help steadiness.
- Use a light enough draw weight so that you can have a lot of "good" practice shots. If you can shoot 30 good shots instead of a dozen you're much better off. If you can shoot 100 good shots then that's even better.

- If you can very carefully study some pics of different top archers.


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## Dave2 (Jan 24, 2003)

very good replies, thanks alot, need to do alot of stuff I see to be able to hold better, I am going to try some stabilization and DL adjustment to start with....thanks again guys, Dave


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## legacy_hunter02 (Aug 5, 2004)

i found for me that i can hold a heavy bow (over all weight not draw weight) much better than i can the light bows...had a High Country Carbon Forerunner pro one time that weighed 2.7 lbs or something like that and i couldnt shoot it good at all.....next bow i got was a much heavier bow...almost double the weight just for the bare bow and i could shoot a 3" group at 50 yards with it...that was the last time i owned a light bow.....but it also helps to have the bow balanced well as well....i bought one of the Octane quivers this year for my Bowtech and i love it i can move the quiver around and get it balanced very well for me


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## Stump Jumper (Oct 16, 2002)

The one single thing that helped me was when I reached my correct draw length. I like most started out way to long (29") because that was what looked about good to the guy selling the bow. When I found where I should be I ended up at 26 1/4" so I guess the pro-shop was close. After about 3 different bows going down an inch in draw each time, I got where I needed to be and the pin stopped it's dance. I think if you are to long your pin movement will be more of a up and down fight. To short and I tend to fight the pin more left and right. Hope this helps.


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## Bowdon (Aug 17, 2004)

For me the heaver bow will help me hold steady on the target. If the bow is to light it will be all over the place. Also look at the target are were I want to hit and the pin is secondary. Indoors I look at the x if I have a scope. My hunting bow I just look were I'm going to hit are the middle of some thing. If I would to happen to miss. I will have no ideal were the arrow hit because I' m so focused on the target and if I don't see the arrow hit the spot. Heres the way I set my sight up I walk up to the target at 20 yards look at the center and draw my bow back point and the pin should be right on the middle. If it' high I raise my peep and pin. if low I lower things till I get it to be on dead on when I draw the bow back and point. It work even at 30 and so on it will alway be right there your hand and eyes coordination will make the adjustment. That way we have my eye and hand coordination to start with. We all have hand eye coordination we have been pointing at thing all are life. I call this tunning the bow to were I'm looking.The real good instinctive shooter have been do this for a 100 years. By changing how long the arrow is, are moving the rest and nock up are down. If you don't look directly at the pin you wont see as much movement.


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## fletched (May 10, 2006)

Memory.


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## drtnshtr (Jan 20, 2003)

arrowshooters said:


> My Son, who recently joined the Navy, started shooting again so that we could spend that much more time together before he goes in. He too is having a heck of a time keeping the pin on the target and he just cannot take it out of focus. When we go out this weekend we are going to take the pins out of sight so that he has to only focus on the target. This will help train his eye to keep to keep the pin in the back of his mind and not the front.


Looking at the pin instead of the target is what the military trains him to do..Thats probably going to be a hard habit to break...However I bet there are alot of Pros ( I know a few) out there that actually DO look at their sight pin first and target second. I know for me I look at my pin and usually can tell there is something wrong if its not steady for a few seconds. I think steadiness not only comes from the correct stabilization of the bow but also has alot to do with the right combination of Draw length/anchor point/loop length and peep height. For me experimenting with these normally help. If you read what most Pros say its also hitting the correct combination of holding weight and mass weight of the bow. The pros normally have an unlimited amount of stabilization and bows to play with also unlike the normal JOE. I hit the "magic" spot once and kept it for a few years but then lost it and have been searching for a while to get it back.


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## VeroShooter (Jul 14, 2005)

If I had to pick a single thing it would have nothing to do with accessories at all. It would definitely be the correct DL. It took several years of listening to "experts" before I realized on my own that I was not a 28.5" DL but a 27.5". And for those who say an inch doesn't make a difference I can prove otherwise.


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## timpat92855 (Aug 18, 2008)

Also started playing around with my bow today and i have the problem at 40yrds back, from 2-35yrds I can hold it steady but from there out I cant get steady worth a crap. Im thinking of getting a good stabilizer and trying it again.


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## wis_archer (Jul 27, 2007)

Correct draw length, correct holding weight to bow mass ratio/weight.


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## ia bhtr (May 22, 2002)

OK , so what do you guys think if the sight wants to keep dropping out of the bottom of the spot ?? will adjusting tiller have any effect/help here , or does a guy need more back weight / less front weight , I know this will probably be what most say , but seems to me if the set up wants to aim low , take a little weight off of the bottom limb , with the upper limb a little stronger , wouldnt this help to pull the sight back into the spot , help make the bow easier to aim ???? inquiring minds want to know ..........


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## timpat92855 (Aug 18, 2008)

I noticed that if my sight wants to hang at the bottom of the target, I need to take less weight off the front. I also noticed that shooting with my quiver on the bow helps my left and right. I think the added weight to the riser keeps me balanced. As for up and down, I try to let the bow ease down to the target and shoot when the pin gets to where I want it and follow the shot threw from there. I pull the bow up to a target, rather let it fall into it.


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## wis_archer (Jul 27, 2007)

Draw length can be too long, but if the draw length is right...

You may have too much weight on the end of your stabilizer, if it wants to tip down/you feel like the bow is pulling down.

With an ideal mass weight to holding weight ratio, the pin wont "flutter" all over the place from having to little mass on the bow, and wont slowly shift all over the place in large sweeping motions as if too much weight is on your bow.

This is a good article if your using a stab, should explain how it should be set up pretty well. BTW I am not endorsing any of his products, I don't even own any...but I do believe the article is well written.

http://www.jimposten.com/stabilization101.html

Of course, you can always just find something heavy and tie it too the bow riser/stab and play with the bow's mass weight to see if the bow mass is good.


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## PB26 (Dec 31, 2006)

Proper DL and correct holding weight are the most important for me. After lots of experimentation with both I've found my sweet spot and my X-count is going way up. No stab combo can correct the problems that come with an incorrect DL or holding weight, IMO.


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## squish2519 (Dec 14, 2006)

Let me start off by saying that I'm no pro, but here are some things that I have learned and found useful.

I'm assuming you already have done your homework and have correct dl and good form. 

Here are a couple of things that you can try. 

1- create yourself a shot routine regiment.
2- When aiming, aim at the X and concentrate on the X, then move your pin or dot to the X (your concentration focal point).
3- Upon release of your arrow, your shot routine is not over. Concentrate on the X through the shot, until you see the arrow strike the target.

Sometimes when I draw, my pin just doesnt seem to drop into the X as I would like it. At this point I let down and start my shot routine over. I've learned that if I fight it, I tire quickly and seldom hit the X.

I hope this helps. Lots of good advice in the previous posts as well.

Squish


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## Dave2 (Jan 24, 2003)

squish2519 said:


> Let me start off by saying that I'm no pro, but here are some things that I have learned and found useful.
> 
> I'm assuming you already have done your homework and have correct dl and good form.
> 
> ...


I have put a lilttle more weight out front, it seems I can hold a little steadier with that but as usual I get stuck at 6 0'clock on the spot and actually sight in for that....is that a bad situation....that is a whole other issue I know, anyone want to chime in on that ..appreciate it, thanks, Dave


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## grey squirrel (Apr 5, 2005)

*Many variables*

Form, 'bone to bone'
Correct draw length and weight(not too much)
And a good stabilizer like the B-stinger.
Your still not going to ever hold perfectly still, just concentrate on the target and try to let the release be a surprise.


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## mecca (Nov 20, 2007)

ia bhtr said:


> OK , so what do you guys think if the sight wants to keep dropping out of the bottom of the spot ?? will adjusting tiller have any effect/help here , or does a guy need more back weight / less front weight , I know this will probably be what most say , but seems to me if the set up wants to aim low , take a little weight off of the bottom limb , with the upper limb a little stronger , wouldnt this help to pull the sight back into the spot , help make the bow easier to aim ???? inquiring minds want to know ..........


I would think that taking weight off a limb would take a bow out of tune especially 2 cam bows as the cams are working together.


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## fastarrows (Feb 10, 2003)

*holding steady*

hoytmonger : I don't think anybody, including the top tournament pro's can hold rock steady

well thats wrong/it will take time but this is a good way to start.
1 your release needs to be set so you can put your finger or thumb on it + it will not go off.
2 get your draw set right.
3 buy lots of NFAA bunny targets + paste them up what every will fit on your target butt.
4 stand at 5 yards + shoot them till you never make a ho ***** 
5 then you can move back to 10 yards then 15 then 20
6 when you can stand a 20 + put shot after shot in the bunny target + no ho *****s you mite be ready to come get you some.

PS: this will take longer than most are willing to put into it.


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## ia bhtr (May 22, 2002)

mecca said:


> I would think that taking weight off a limb would take a bow out of tune especially 2 cam bows as the cams are working together.


all you have to do is retime the bow after changing tiller on one of the limbs , so that is not a problem ......... I did find out what my problem was this past weekend tho , I was a little to lazy with my front arm , got more aggresive with the shot and had no problem holding on the spot after that


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## bass-n-bucks95 (Dec 5, 2008)

I usally take a few deep breathes before I shoot. It helps alot, I like using stabalizers to.


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## Dave2 (Jan 24, 2003)

finding out more and more that tension in the release hand and forearm causes alot of the holding problems


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## goodgrief (Feb 15, 2007)

Hello !!!
I think the one thing that helped me the most is to pull into the wall before you bring your sight to aim.... I used to aim ... then start to pull into the wall... then re aim because I fell off the the target pulling into the wall...

I was taking too much time aiming and reaiming !!!!

If you are already pulling to the wall... all that is left to do is execute the shot after you aim.

If you fall off target, then put down and reset.


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## Spotshooter2 (Oct 23, 2003)

There is an article in US Archer this month by George Ryals. In it he said 15 years ago that he asked Frank Pearson more or less the same question and Franks response was "Aim soft". It would take a long time to retype it on here but if you can get a copy of it , it is well worth the read. :thumbs_up


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