Stabilizers,

balance,
andbows
ohmy!
ByGeorgeRyalsIV 2010

tabilizers,overthelastdecadeorso,havebecomeallaboutvibrationdamping.
Salesofstabilizersandtheperceivedqualityofastabilizeraremeasuredbyhow
deaditmakesthebowfeel.Vibrationdampingisntthemostimportantthing
stabilizersarefor.Whilevibrationreductionisnice,itdoesntdoanythingforoverall
accuracy.Forinstance,inhighspeedvideo,itiseasytoseethatthearrowistenyardsin
frontofthebowbythetimethepunchoftheshotisfelt.
Stabilityimprovesaccuracyistwoways.Thereisamechanicalimprovementanda
mentalimprovement.Themechanicalimprovementisjustsimpleaimingstability.The
tighteryourholdis,thetighteryourgroupsaregoingtobe.Thatpartisprettyeasytoput
yourfingeron.Thementalimprovementislessstraightforwardanditaffectsdifferent
shootersindifferentways.
Stability,shotexecution,andformareintrinsicallyconnectedtoeachother.Ifthereisa
probleminoneareaitcreatesproblemsintheotherareas.Itsacyclethatfeedsitself.You

cangiveitpositiveinputandseeacascadingeffectthroughallthreepartsofthecycle.It
workssomethinglikethis.Astabilizeraddsstabilitytothebow,yourdotmovesmore
slowly,andcoverslessareaonthetarget.Addedstabilityallowsyoutorelaxalittle
mentally,andreducesthestruggletokeepthedotcentered.Yourformandframesoftensa
little.Youfinditeasiertoholdthebowwitharelaxedpressure.Hardnessthroughyour
frameworkandmusclescancreaterigiditythatcausesalowfrequencyvibrationinthebow
thatneverreallysettles.Softeningthebowmovementwithstabilizersandgainingbetter
balance,helpsthebowfeellighterandstayontargetwithlesseffort.Theoverallmental
ease,formrelaxation,andthestabilityitcreatesallowsyourshotexecutiontospeedup.
Soft,relaxedhandsthatareelongatedunderthepressureofyourformgiveamore
consistentandtimelyactivationoftherelease.Yourstabilizersareaseeminglysimplepart
ofyoursetup;whowouldhavethoughtthatyoucouldfixsomanythingswithagood
stabilizerrig?
Thoughitdoesntneedtobesaid,negativeinputinanyareaofthecycleofstability,shot
execution,andformcanhavethesamecascadingeffect,butitsthekindyoudontwant.
WithoutgoingintotoomuchdetailEverhadaworstdayever?Thatswhatthatnegative
inputanditseffectsfeelslike.
Form,andshotexecutiondoplayanequalrole,butletsconcentrateonstability;
specifically,yourstabilizerconfiguration.Iseeshootersallthetimesetuptheirnewbows
withjustanyoldstabilizerrod.Manyarbitrarilyputweightagainsttheriser,manyuseside
rodsorVBarkits,becauseeveryoneelseusesthem.OftenIseepeopleusingthestabilizer
rodwithnoweightontheend.Youcantswingacatbythetailwithouthittingastabilizer
companythesedays.Everyonehasarodoutnowthatpromisestobethecurefor
everythingunderthesun.Theyallhavetheirsalespitchesandtheyallhaveaprettygood

lookingproducttoo.Infactsomeofthestabilizersetupswalkingaroundouttherearequite
beautiful,Ineffectiveinmyopinion,butbeautifulnonetheless.Thereisalotofvoodooflying
aroundconcerningstabilizers,andthebulkofthepeopleouttheredontreallyunderstand
howitworksorhowtousethelawsofstabilizationtocreatethemosteffectivesetup.
Essentiallythepurposeofthestabilizerandaddingweighttoabowistoraiseits
momentofinertia.MomentOfInertia(MOI)isthemeasureofanobjectsresistanceto
rotation.AhighMOIisveryresistanttotorque.AlowMOIisnotresistantatallandisvery
unforgiving.Theloweryourmomentofinertia,themoreperfectyouhavetobe.Youraim
hastobeperfect,yourexecutionhastobeperfect,andyourformandmuscleconsistency
hastobeexactfromshottoshot.
Good,wellmade,stabilizersetupsmosteffectivelyraiseyourMOI.Yourstabilizerneeds
tobeaslightasairanditneedstoseparatethemostofitsmassasfarawayfromthebowas
possible.Thestabilizeralsohastoberigidwithalmostnoflex.Limberrodsallowthebow
tomovethroughtheflexiblerangeoftherodbeforethemassofyourstabilizerweightscan
havetheirgreatesteffectonrotation.Therearemanyrodsouttherethatareprettystiff.
Thebestwaytocheckyourrigistojustgrabtherodineachhandandgiveitabend.Ifyou
feelflexatall,itslikelythatyourrodisallowingminormodificationstoyouraimafterthe
releaseopens.Thoseshotsthatyoufeelarelessthanperfectendupjustoutsidetheline.
TheforgivenessthatanultrastiffrodcanaffordcankeepthosejustouthitsJustin.
Oftentheweightsonastabilizerareseparatedfromtherodwithrubberorsomeother
vibrationdampingmaterial.Thismakesthebowfeelgreat.Howeveriftherubberistoosoft
itcanallowmovementofthesystembeforethearrowcanleave,youarereducingthe
effectivenessoftheweight.Thinkaboutthisforasecond.Iftheweightiswhatkeepsthe

bowstillasitsitsonarigidrod,whywouldyouseparatethatweightfromtherodwitha
flexiblemount?
ManyStabilizersareheavyoverallthroughtheirentirelength.Somehavevibration
dampingpistons;oilfilledbladders,sandkits,andthelikeintherearoftherodclosetothe
bow.Thoughthesevibrationdampingmodulesdomakethebowfeelgreatbyreducing
muchoftheringingvibrationoutofthebow,theydolittleornothingtoincreasethe
forgivenessfactorofthebow.Todaysbowsareprettyheavybeforeyouaddanythingto
thematall,sowhenyouaddmoreweightwiththeideaofmakingthebowmoreforgiving
andstable,youhavetobesuretheweightislocatedintheproperspottogiveyouthemost
forgiveness.Justmassweightalonedoesntcreateaccuracy.Massandbalancetogetherwill
bemosteffectiveinreducingtremorandkeepingthebowstillwhileitcyclesandlaunches
thearrow.
Whenyouarefindingthebalancethatworksforyouthereareseveralcluesyoucan
watchfor.Keepingaclosehandleonthefeelofthebowisabigpartofyourinitialsetup.
Youcanalsowatchtheshape,size,andspeedofyoursightonthetargetforvaluableclues
thatpointyoutoyournextsteptowardperfectstabilization.Thefirststeptogetstartedis
totakealookatyourcurrentsetup.Ifyouhaveanyweightrightagainstthebow,figureout
howmuchitweighsandgetridofit.Weightrightupagainstthebowresiststransitional
forceonthebow.

Transitionalresistancekeeps
thebowonthetrackyour
formputsiton.Thatdoesnot
meanthattrackwillbe
straightwiththeXring
Transitionalresistancekeepsthe
bowtravelingstraighttowardsthe
directionyoutorqueditto.This
doesntmeanitsstraighttothe
target.Itonlymeansthatitmaintains
whateverlineyouputiton.
Transitionalresistancedoesntaddforgivenessoraccuracyunlessyourformisperfect.The
overallmassweightthatitaddstoyourbowmaycontributetooverallstability,butifit
wereontheendsoftherodsitwouldaddforgiveness,accuracy,andstabilityatthesame
time.Theweightlocatedoutontheendsoftherodsresistrotationalforces.Theresistance
torotationalforcewillkeepyourbowstilllongerinthepresenceoftorqueorsomeother
shootingerror.Thisiswheretherubbermeetstheroadwhenyouaretryingtouse
stabilizationtoaddaccuracy.

Rotationalresistanceisimpartedbytheweightthatispositionedouton
theendsoftherods.Thisgivesthebowforgivenessandaccuracy
Weregoingtomovethatweightthatyouremovedfromrightagainstthebowouttothe
endsoftherodinalaterstep.Fornow,letssayyouhaveatotalof14ouncesonyourbow
notincludingtherodsthemselves.Ifyourrodhasaheavyrearmodule,youwillwantto
thinkaboutgettingridofthemodule.Thatweightrightagainstthebowisntdoinganything
butmakingyourbowheavy.Youcanmovethatweightfromagainstthebowouttotheends
oftherodswhereithasthemosteffectiveness.
FirstofallIwantyoutoshootyourbowwithoutanystabilizationatallsoyoucangeta
feelforhowitmoves.Withoutstabilizationyoucanseetheeffectsofdrawlengthissues,
tensioninyourframe,ormisalignmentsinyourform.Howeverthatisawholeotherarticle
worthofinformation.Onceyouhaveshotyourbowwithoutrodsyoucanwatchtheaffects
whenyouaddtherodandweight.Afteraddingtherodsandnoweightyoushouldbarely
noticeanychangeatall,thoughyouwillseeaveryslightbalancechange.Whileyouare

shootingtherodswithnoweightatallinstallednoticeyoursightmovementanddirection.
Youmayalsobeabletoseethesidetosidewaggleintherodatfulldrawaswell.

Waggleisthesharpsidetoside
patterninyourstabilizertip
andsightmovement.Relaxing
thegripasmuchaspossibleor
addingalittletipweightwill
clearthisup.

Youcanreducethewaggletosomedegreebyrelaxingyourbowhandmore.Hereiswhere
youwilladdyourfirstbitofweight.Youwillbepayingcloseattentiontotheweightyouadd
andhowmuchittamesthewaggleinthetipofyourlongrod.
YourlongrodistheleverageinthesystemItwilldothebulkofthecorrection.Yourside
rodsarethebalancetooffsettheleverageofthefrontrod.Imaginewatchingatightrope
walkerwithaveryshortstick.Theywillhavetousemoremuscletostaybalanceandwill
noticeablymorewobblyastheywalktheline.Thelongerthepolethetightropewalkerhas,
theeasieritisforthemtorelaxandbalancethemselves.Nowletssayhehasa20poleand
heisholdingbyoneend.Itwouldmakeitnearlyimpossibletowalkthelinebecauseheis
strugglingwiththeweightandleverageofthepole.Whenheholdsthepoleinthecenterhe
canallowittobalanceitselfanduseverylittleforceandmuscle.

Thesiderodcanhelp
verticaltiltand
offsettheleverageof
thefrontrod.Great
balancewillmakea
heavyrigfeellighter.
Manypeoplethinkthe
siderodistheretooffset
theweightofthesight.
Thoughhangingthe
weightofftooneside
helpsreducethenaturalcantoftheshooter.Thatcantisntreallycausedbytheweightof
thesight.Thesightissoclosetothecenterlineofthebow,itwouldhavetobeveryheavyto
reallyhaveasignificanteffectonyourbowbalance.Thecantoroffsetisreallycausedby
yourbowarm.Thetwinbonesinyourforearmareinaslightlycoiledorinatwistedstateto
holdthebowupright.Asyourelaxthroughtheshotthesebonesbegintouncoiltoparallel.
Youwillwanttoaddweighttoyourrearrodorrodstooffsettheleverageofyourlongrod.
Youcansplitthisweightbetweentworodsorputitallononerod.Whateverfeelsbestto
youwillworkjustfine.
TheformulaforfindingtherearrodweightisLengthxweight,orlengthofyourlongrod
multipliedbytheweightonitstip.Youwillthendividethatnumberbythelengthofyour
rearrod.ForexampleIhavea33BStingerXLPremiereonmyHoytContender,andIhave

a12inchsiderod.Ihave5ozontheendof
mylongrod,so33x5oz=165oz.Iwill
divide165bymysiderodlength(12)andI
arriveat13.5oz.Ijustroundupto14oz
becausetheBStingerweightscomeinone
ounceincrements.Youmaybethinking,
WOW,14ozisalotofweight.Ifthatweight
istoomuchforyoutoholdup,youcanuse
longerrodsandreducetheweight.IfI
wantedthesameleverageagainsttorquebut
withlighterweightIcanusethesame
formula.CurrentlyIhave165ounces.IfI
changemy33stabilizertoa40,Icanreducetheweightbyanounceandstillhavethe
sameleverage.IfIswitchtoa15siderodIcanreducetheweightby3oz.Agoodruleof
thumbtorememberistwicethedistance,halftheweight
Byoffsettingtheleverageofyourlongrod,youcancreateabasicbalancelikethetight
ropewalker.Though14ozsoundslikealotofweight,youwillbeamazedathowlightthat
feelswhenitisinbalance.Theextramasswillreducetheeffectofmuscletremorwhileyou
aimandpreloadedtorqueasthearrowislaunched.Irecommendshootingasmuchweight
asyoucanworkuptoaslongasitisinbalance.
Payingattentiontoyoursightpatternasyouaimgiveswillletyouknowwhentomake
changes.TherulesIamabouttolayoutforyouarebasicrulesofthumb.Asyoulearnmore
andareobservanttochangesinyourholdpatternyoumaymodifytheserulesbasedon
yourownshootingstyle.

HoldingWeightVersesoverallMassweightTherehastobeequilibriumorbalance
betweenyourholdingweightatfulldrawandtheoverallmassweightofyourcompleterig.
Ifyouroverallmassweightofthebowistoolightyourholdpatternwillbechoppyand
unpredictable.Lightmuscletremorandslightbobbleswillnotbedampedatallresultingin
ahardsharpsightpattern.Ifyouseeafastmovingcircularmotionthattendstoovertravel
whatyouaretryingtoaimat,orittakesalongtimetogetthebowsettledintoatight
patternyourbowweightistooheavyor
yourholdingweightistoolight.

Ifyouseeasharpsightpattern
thatneversettles,youcan
decreaseyourpeakweightor
increaseyouroverallmass
weight.

Alooserandomfloatthatnever
settlesortendstoovertravel
whatyouaretryingtoaimat,
yourbowistooheavy.Reduce
overallbowweightorraisepeak
weight.

Directionalfloatonceyougetyourbalancefeelinggoodandyougetyouroverall
massweightfeelinggreat,youcanbegintofinetunethefloat.Insomecasestheleverageof
therodcanchangetheholdpatternasyouapplypressurethroughtheshot.Thedotinyour
scopemayriseofbounceupasyouaim,oritmaysinkorbouncedowninalightbobbling
motion.Thereisaneasyfixforthis.Theruleofthumbisifitpopsup,movetheweight
forward.Ifitdropsdownmovetheweightback.Idoneedtoqualifyonethingfirst.WhenI
saydropdown,Idontmeanfreezinglow.Ifyouarefreezing,thatisawholeotherproblem
thatdoesntinvolveyourstabilizers.Ifyourleverageisalittletoomuchoryoushootwitha
highwriststyle,youwillseeyoursightpicturesinkorbouncedownthenbackuptothe
middle.Ifyouusealotofheelinyourgriporyoudonthaveenoughtipweight,youwillsee
liftoranupwardtickasyoupullthroughtheshot.Keepingacloseeyeonthefinenuances
ofyourholdpatterncanhelpyougoalongwaywhileyouaredialinginyourstabilizer
setup.Grantedotherthingslikedrawlength,formtension,andamisssetpeepheightcan
causesomeoftheissuesIhavegonethroughhere,buttheylookalittledifferent.Keepyour
eyeoutforthenextissueofArcheryMagazineandIwillgooversomeotherstabilitytricks
thatwillmakeyourbowmuchsmootherandaimbetterthanyoueverthoughtpossible.