# How do I hold my bow steady?



## jbw59

I got my Bstinger. I've been practicing a lot. I'm still having trouble keeping my pin still on the target. I think I've hit a plateau. I can't get past 269. Lack of concentration is costing me I know. Do you guys have any advise on keeping my bow a little more steady? Could it be just lack of experience and muscle tone. Only been shooting 1 1/2 years. help me coaches.


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## athomPT

Make sure bow arm is in line with you spine so you have bone on bone alignment and aren't using muscles to hold your bow steady


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## xring1

*What???*

If you got a Bstinger and cant hold still you may as well quit!! They have magical powers!!! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## field14

athomPT said:


> Make sure bow arm is in line with you spine so you have bone on bone alignment and aren't using muscles to hold your bow steady


THIS ONE IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT!!!! Good job on telling it like it is.

Today's higher letoff bows are SO EASY to let your ARMS do all the work, and especially the bow arm...and when that happens with the bow arm and shoulder not aligned correctly with skeletal support, all the counter-balancing, mass weight, and gimmicks in the world aren't going to let you hold "steady"

Shooting with an extremely bent bow elbow is a real killer too, since that really messes with skeletal alignment and CONSISTENT alignment of the bow arm with the rest of the shooting platform!

Tom D.


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## athomPT

also be aware of your breathing, I exhale a 1/2 breath while holding performing back tension


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## jbw59

athomPT said:


> Make sure bow arm is in line with you spine so you have bone on bone alignment and aren't using muscles to hold your bow steady


Are you saying that my shoulders and bow arm should be in a straight line?


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## Camo-omega

I'm glad I read this thread I never knew about the arm-spine thing it should help me as well I always thought it was all in the grip


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## mike 66

sounds like you have some form issues,,send me some pics ill help . level2 coach here


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## jbw59

mike 66 said:


> sounds like you have some form issues,,send me some pics ill help . level2 coach here


Thanks Mike. I have to get my peep sight re-tied and a new Dloop put on then I'll get my wife to take a pic and I'll post. I layed down on the floor with my bow in my hand and noticed how out of line with my spine my arm was. I'll probably need to get an arm guard too.


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## tripleb2431

for me If I pull little harder into my wall right before the shot it steadys me up


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## jbw59

Mike, If you go to my profile, I've uploaded two pics from different angles to try and show my current form. pay no attention to the pony keg abs. Hopefully these pics show the angle from my spine to my bow hand and can help you analyze my problem.
Thanks


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## Kade

If you can't hold still and you think you have peeked with that score. It's time to fix your form and find out what your drawlength actually is because I would put money on it that one or both of them are good bit off.

Or you have an extremely bad case of target panic.


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## field14

One real quick place to look for a big culprit is in the BOW ARM...if you aren't maintaining BOWARM, then even if the DL is good, you will NOT be able to hold steady. Soggy, soft, and/or overly bent bowarms cause all sorts of grief, especially at high letoff/lower holding weights, because it is so easy to get into the mode of holding everything with the muscles of the ARMS instead of skeletal support.
Been there and doing that...and it can be a tough habit to break...
field14 (Tom D.)


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## NORTHEASTHUNTER

B-stanger ! That's all i can say , and as much weight as you can hold on it . 14oz , 11.34" length is what works for me !


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## Kade

NORTHEASTHUNTER said:


> B-stanger ! That's all i can say , and as much weight as you can hold on it . 14oz , 11.34" length is what works for me !


I guess you missed the FIRST sentence in his post. He has one already. No stabilizer is magic and will make you hold great if your form or shot is way off to begin with. Your not going to be able shooting shooting in the 260s like he is and then buy a B-Stinger and shoot a 300 just because now you have the magic rod.


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## jbw59

Thanks guys. First, I know my draw length is right on the money. I think it's my bow arm. Yesterday I shot 30 arrows trying to keep my bow arm straighter and using my skeleton instead of my muscles. It seems to be better. I am also maning down and putting 50# limbs on today. That should help or prevent any problems with my shoulders. I should get it back on Saturday. I can't wait. Just in time too. Shooting my first match a week from Friday. Probably vegas 3 spot.


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## bclowman

As stated already by another poster above, the one thing that brought up my x count a good bit is when i started keeping the bow tight in the wall pretty hard until the shot broke. Using back tension of course. I can see the wobble of the sight picture tighten up alot right before the shot breaks. Another thing that will keep your scores down is targer panic. If your punching that'll definately hurt you. Also trying to make the bow hold steady will cause you to over correct and make bad shots. Just let it float and let the shot happen on its own. Rely on form instead of trying to force the bow to hold steady.


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## Nino

LOAD THE BACK! Keep it loaded. People talk about back tension all the time but if you don't understand how to achieve it properly it's not going to magicly happen. Check out the DVD Called "Shooting Form" By Dave Cousins and Liam Grimwood. The way they explained it kinda set off a light bulb for me. Lets say your release fires at 10. As you draw with your skeleton and back you load your back and pressure on your release to 12 or 11 then as you settle in you relax just a hair to 9.8 or 9.9 you line up on the target and continue to increase the pressure with your (release side) shoulder blade or romboid. I may not have explained it word for word but thats the idea. I have struggeled for years and since I have started doing this and getting my balance where it needs to be, with front and side rod weight and position correct. My sight picture is incredible. Like night and day compared to what it used to be. Oh and your pin will never be dead nuts still for more than a few seconds. Don't worry about that. You have to let it float and trust it.


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## jbw59

Thanks again. I knew my coaching staff wouldn't let me down. I'm still not sure about the back loading but I have kind of equated it to a golf stance which is something I know. Rather than having an open stance, I have found, for me, that I need to square my shoulders so that the left shoulder is pointing more to the target. That gets me more skeletal support. Nino you completely lost me on the 12-11 thing. It's not you. I just don't understand the back tension concept yet. This is all very valuable info and I can tell from just the practice shots I've taken that it has improved my shooting. Where else get you get free coaching like this?


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## Spoon13

Just slapping a set of B-Stingers on a bow won't make it hold steady. You have to play with the setting quite a bit before you find the bows "sweet spot" for you. You need to add weights and shoot. Take them off and shoot again. Change the angle on the back bar and shoot. Move it some more and shoot. Add some weight and shoot. Take a little weight off and shoot some more. 

I've been making adjustments to my stabs for the better part of a month. Adding a little here, change the angle there until I think I may have found the sweet spot. But I won't know for sure until I have the chance to shoot it for a while and then make a few more adjustments and shoot some more.

Just turning the wrench won't get you there.


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## field14

Just remember that it does not HAVE to be "B-stingers"....mass/weight balancing can be accomplished thru the use of any variety of good stabs that are out there.
SOME swear by Doinkers; some swear by MAC, some by B-Stinger, some by Posten, and the list goes on and on.

Personally, I've never been a fan of side-weighting or back weighting, preferring to keeping the mass closer to the bow and not sticking out sideways.....but hey,...whatever trips your trigger. I learned to shoot too long ago when we didn't back weight or side weight, so FOR ME...those side and back weights always seem to make me feel like something is out of whack and in my way.
Best holding bow I've had prior to the Merlins (Supernova, Max3000, XT, XV, and now Excalibur), was an old ProVantage Carbon Plus...and ALL my added mass weight was right at the riser; tried back weighting and never found a "sweeter spot" that just mass in close to the bow and a bit of tip weight, but not much.
That is what is also working on the Excalibur...but that is ME...and hey, if a person wants side/back weighting and it works, then by all means go for it! Just pointing out that there can be other means besides side and back weights and super heavy mass weighting. 
I think the tendency is for people to add too much mass weight too fast...and they may well coast on by a "sweet spot" that is "lighter" and positioned differently. Just cuz someone on "top" is shooting 10.5 pounds mass weight...doesn't mean YOUR shoulders and arms will just up and work right with 10.5 pounds mass weight. Those guys shoot a LOT and experiment a LOT...they don't make the decision on one or two days of shooting...or one or two ends, know what I mean?
Just be sensible about it, and whatever you do, in order to avoid extremely sore shoulders (especially the bow shoulder), don't add a bunch of mass weight all at once cuz someone else is doing it. BE SAFE...be deliberate, and BE CAREFUL; Those shoulders can get injured permanently big time if you aren't.
field14 (Tom D.)


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## AdvanTimberLou

Field14, great points! Can learn a lot from this thread. Just started shooting spots myself and a mere 20 yards can humble you real quick!


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## Wicked Tin

I have a B-stinger also and I have to say it helped alot but I didn't start shooting great as soon as I put it on. I am looking at putting some side or back weight on just not sure how I want to go about it because I don't have alot of money to be buying stuff to just try. Is there a good system that will not break the bank and will be easy to add/subtract weight, change angles, etc. try to get that sweet spot for not much money?


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## jbw59

I'm not sure about side or back weights. I just maned down and put 50# limbs on my bow down from 55#'s. All I had time to do today was take it to the range and sight it in. WOW what a difference. I can't believe the diff. in smoooooth on the draw. That plus using the correct form has really got me stoked. I can't wait until I can shoot a match before next Friday's match. Wicked Tin, the best advise I've gotten from these forums is use the proper form, don't look up and don't be overbowed. Good luck finding the sweet spot.


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## mdbowhunter

field14 said:


> One real quick place to look for a big culprit is in the BOW ARM...if you aren't maintaining BOWARM, then even if the DL is good, you will NOT be able to hold steady. Soggy, soft, and/or overly bent bowarms cause all sorts of grief, especially at high letoff/lower holding weights, because it is so easy to get into the mode of holding everything with the muscles of the ARMS instead of skeletal support.
> Been there and doing that...and it can be a tough habit to break...
> field14 (Tom D.)


Hey Tom, remember when a bent bowarm was prefered? Amazing how things go full circle. 

When I look back at all the old books I have which display good shooting form...they all show the classic 'T' body shape...with back and bowarm straight. If you watch any videos of Pros shooting...you will see the same form..

Jerry


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## mdbowhunter

jbw59 said:


> I'm not sure about side or back weights. I just maned down and put 50# limbs on my bow down from 55#'s. All I had time to do today was take it to the range and sight it in. WOW what a difference. I can't believe the diff. in smoooooth on the draw. That plus using the correct form has really got me stoked. I can't wait until I can shoot a match before next Friday's match. Wicked Tin, the best advise I've gotten from these forums is use the proper form, don't look up and don't be overbowed. Good luck finding the sweet spot.


It sounds like you have found your comfort zone. That is good. You can experiment with what peak weight...mass weight...stabilizer...cam type...let-off...sight...works for you. There are tons of combinations out there, and you have to find what works for YOU. But, when it comes to shooting form there is a right...and wrong.

By the way, love your avatar. I was born and raised in central Ohio. Go Buckeyes!!!


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## field14

You will all enjoy this photo: Jack Lancaster>>>>>

Would YOU think that this "Form" would be acceptable today???? Realize that the bow's ATA was in excess of 50" and the letoff was probably around 35% and HEAVY aluminum arrows were being used, without any problems getting 125 yards on the site bar and still have plenty of clearance between the arrow and the scope! Bow MIGHT have shot 190 fps....which was "stretching it." And we think that some of today's top shooters lean back? hahaha. Note Jack's "California HIGH WRIST" grip on the bow....but then that Jennings compound he was shooting had a NATURAL fit to the hand in that "high wrist" mode. Most bows of the time were similar in grip design to this as opposed to what we see in today's compound bow grip designs. Oh, for the feel and fit of the old Astro Regency bows of the 1980's......SWEEEEETTTTT! They were SLOW as all get out, but accurate as all get out too.

Yep, and the riser design of the "WEBBED look"??? Something pretty similar these days out there....only "they" have holes in them instead of being just "thinner metal without holes. Nothing new...just "polished up, cleaned up" and sold for a thousand dollars MORE in cost.

The one on the left was one of Milan Ellott's students. He was shooting a Black Widown RECURVE bow, circa around 1972 or 73. Milan was one of the top coaches of the day and ran the Archery College out of, I think, Atlanta Georgia. I had a friend that shot this "style" with the ancor down on his collarbone....His 20 foot site setting for the "bunny" target was.....74 yards! Of course the HOLDING WEIGHTS were up into the high 30# range and maybe more for those "Stronger guys" or those with draw lengths over 28". The bows back then were "weighed" and marked with said weight/poundage based upon 28" AMO drawlength...and the recurves STACKED big time...2# or more per inch of draw beyond the 28" AMO.

field14 (Tom D.)


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## WrongdayJ

I agree with the previous posters, that good form is critical. The only thing I would add is to improve your strength and stamina through physical training. Either by drawing your bow and letting down as a form of excercise, or actually doing some resistance training with weights or cable machines. Anything you can do to improve your conditioning and strength will help your abililty to hold. 

Also- refrain from alcohol, caffine, and high amounts of sugar prior to shooting. 

These things aren't cure-alls, but they will help.


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## APachon71RN

vimeo has "shooting Form" to rent for 30-days for $5.99

I am going to sit back and watch it a few hundred times in the next 30-days. 

~A


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## Pete53

what has been posted on this thread will help many of us,i would like to bring up one small item from bernie pellerite book on idiot proof archery, you may also need more arm strength to hold your bow up while shooting your bow,what bernie told me was take a one gallon empty milk jug and put about 1/4 full of water and hold it out with your bow arm for around 30 seconds 10 times a day,then as you get stronger add more water tell after a couple of months the milk jug is full and just keep using it to keep arm strength for archery.good luck and great to see all the good advice griven too,Pete53


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## bfisher

My question to the OP is, "How do you know your bow's draw length is spot on?" I hope you aren't relying solely on an arbitrary measurement. Any of the measurements can get you close, but very rarely are "spot on". Along with getting your form right tweaking the draw length up or down a little can let you find a sweet spot where the bow does aim more naturally and more solidly. It's taken some of us years to find out where that point is and it can vary a little from bow to bow so we are constantly tweaking to find that point.

Getting the draw length adjusted down to about within 1/8" of your optimum (not correct measurement) is what leads to good skeletal alignment and thus the best form for your physic. The two work hand in hand.


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## hrtlnd164

You guys do realize this thread is from 2011? Think the OP has moved on..


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## bfisher

Thanks for the heads up


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## zmanastronomy

Side or back weights are designed to help level out your natural cant. I set mine so when I draw with my eyes closed and get anchored, when I open my eyes the bubble on my scope is centered. I also like a little weight forward on my balance. 
Adding and subtracting weights until your pin float slows down is crucial. It's something that has to be tried until you find the right set up. 
I see so many shooters at our range that just try and emulate what their favorite pro's set up is. They never experiment to find out the weight and balance that helps them hold steadier for longer periods of time. 
No one will be able to tell you what you will need, you have to work by trial and error. Good luck.


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## Lazarus

zmanastronomy said:


> No one will be able to tell you what you will need, you have to work by trial and error. Good luck.


The most important word in the above sentence is "work." No tricks or gimmicks are going to give you a good hold. You have to work at it, it's a lot more physical (conditioning) than most people will admit. This is not to say that your draw length and stabilizers aren't important, they are, very much so. But the bulk of a good hold is up to you.


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## Huston0927

Great read. I am new to archery( about 2 years) and I have been having issues with my form. This has seemed to help. Thank you


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## IGluIt4U

Glad you found it helpful! There is much good info to be found here if you take the time to look for it :thumb:


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## Repete34

I really learned a lot from John Dudley check out his school of nock on YouTube or search nick on archery. He has made me a better archer


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## ThwackerPSU

Would have to agree with the keeping the pressure on. Especially with these new crazy let offs we get lazy and relax and everything gets wobbly I had the same problem thought it was a case of target panic but was just not enough tension in my follow thru process.


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## Hoytloyal33

i had the same problem last year. i hit a plateau and it was very frustrating. This year i have raised my average about 8 points. I cant hold still but i have learned to shoot my movement. Everyone has movement you just have to shoot a lot to learn it. i put a lot of practice in this year so that was the big change.


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## Kevin Lee

Practice is everything, the more you practice the stronger you get, and the more solid you'll be. Or you can waist more money on something that makes you feel better.


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## TLSpeed

Good info and lots of good reminders here, thanks!


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