shaking hands while shooting?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - shaking hands while shooting?

Posted: 8/12/2005 4:34:16 PM EDT

The last couple times I went out shooting (handguns only), after 200 rounds or so I'd have a really hard time keeping the sites on the center of the target becase my hands start shaking quite a bit. I use the weaver stance so I figure I am just tiring out my muscles. So how can I strength train my wrists or whatever so that I have more shooting endurance?

Posted: 8/12/2005 4:35:39 PM EDT

[#1]

a shot of whisky seems to fix that for me

Posted: 8/12/2005 4:37:47 PM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:
The last couple times I went out shooting (handguns only), after 200 rounds or so I'd have a really hard time keeping the sites on the center of the target becase my hands start shaking quite a bit. I use the weaver stance so I figure I am just tiring out my muscles. So how can I strength train my wrists or whatever so that I have more shooting endurance?

Go back to your teenage years...............

Posted: 8/12/2005 4:38:23 PM EDT

[#3]

I find 200 to be my limit without an hour or lunch break as well. I don't think it is just you.

G

Posted: 8/12/2005 4:39:33 PM EDT

[#4]

Could be several reasons for the shaking?

1) Too tight in your grip and/or stance.

2) Holding your sight picture too long.

3) Slight imperfections relating to your body alignment in your grip and/or stance.

I would first attempt to shorten my time frame I was holding the sight picture, see if that helps? Then I would have some other shooters watch you, see what they can spot, if anything?

My .o2

Posted: 8/12/2005 4:41:10 PM EDT

[#5]

I shot with the Weaver Stance for years. For some reason I started getting shaky after just a few shots so I went to the arms out streched elbows locked stance.

Posted: 8/12/2005 4:42:46 PM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
Quoted:
The last couple times I went out shooting (handguns only), after 200 rounds or so I'd have a really hard time keeping the sites on the center of the target becase my hands start shaking quite a bit. I use the weaver stance so I figure I am just tiring out my muscles. So how can I strength train my wrists or whatever so that I have more shooting endurance?

Go back to your teenage years...............

Posted: 8/12/2005 4:47:36 PM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
Could be several reasons for the shaking?

1) Too tight in your grip and/or stance. <----- That's my guess.

2) Holding your sight picture too long.

3) Slight imperfections relating to your body alignment in your grip and/or stance.

I would first attempt to shorten my time frame I was holding the sight picture, see if that helps? Then I would have some other shooters watch you, see what they can spot, if anything?

My .o2

Posted: 8/12/2005 4:52:31 PM EDT

[#8]

Yeah, I had the same problem until I loosened up a little. I'd get real bad shimmies, too.

Posted: 8/12/2005 4:54:17 PM EDT

[#9]

Readjust your stance. And you can do more curls if you think it may be an endurance issue.

Posted: 8/12/2005 4:55:29 PM EDT

[#10]

Muscle. Fatigue. Exercise. Caffiene intake. Parkinsons.

Posted: 8/12/2005 4:57:07 PM EDT

[#11]

Take beta blockers.

Posted: 8/12/2005 4:59:54 PM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
Muscle. Fatigue. Exercise. Caffiene intake. Parkinsons.

I use a modified weaver. Loose grip, but not loose enough not to be able to control the firearm. Basically, I take a rifle stance, but bring my support hand under my firing hand, pinkie underneath and the rest of the fingers wrapped around the firing hand. Works great for me. Don't get too loose or you will have a lot of FTE's.....

Posted: 8/12/2005 5:02:48 PM EDT

[#13]

I thought this thread was about shaking someone elses hand while shooting, like a greeting.

Posted: 8/12/2005 5:08:09 PM EDT

[#14]

exercise with a pliable rubber, sand filled Stress Ball. Alternate hands or you'll start hearing alot of self gratification jokes at the office.

Posted: 8/12/2005 5:15:48 PM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
And you can do more curls if you think it may be an endurance issue.

I think forearm extensions might be a more effective exercise for this particular muscle group.

Posted: 8/12/2005 6:20:13 PM EDT

[#16]

Bob Cole is scratching the surface of it here.

I used to have the exact same problem plus I would actually get a backache from the tension.

I finally figured it out and this is probably going to sound really stupid but it worked for me.

What I was doing was operating a machine that delivered bullets into a target.

I was holding it in a white knuckled death grip and putting WAY too much emphasis on getting the sights lined up perfectly and concentrating on getting this rock steady stance so I could deal with the recoil and get back on target fast.

It was wiping me out mentally and physically after just a couple boxes of .45ACP.

What finally turned it around for me was this,

I quit operating a machine and became the machine itself!

I met up with this karate kid who broke bricks and stuff and he told me that he mentally put his fist on the other side of the brick and just did it. everything was just one big flow with him.

Then I saw an interview with some race car driver who basically said the same thing.

He said his whole game was played way out there in front of the car

So I tried it myself.

I took all the moves. Setting my feet and shoulders, sweeping the cover garment away, gripping the gun, drawing the gun, getting the front sight on the bull, hitting the safety, bringing the rear sight up forming my sight picture and pressing the trigger.

Then I took all those seperate moves and glommed them all into one smooth movement while focusing my mental game 21 feet away at the target.

As stupid as this may sound I started thinking the bullets into the bulleye and it worked!

Pretty soon I was (rather slowly) putting everything into the bull with NO fatique whatsoever!

Then I started getting faster and the groups shrank down to hand size, then fist size.

Then I realized I was going through 5 or 6 boxes without getting tensed up.

Thats pretty much where I'm at right now but I'm sure I could go through a case+ without getting all tightened up.

This may not work for you but it did for me.

Sometimes I actually feel like I come off the line refreshed, looser and with more energy than I had when I started.

Like they say however "Your mileage may vary!"

Posted: 8/12/2005 6:23:25 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
I find 200 to be my limit without an hour or lunch break as well. I don't think it is just you.

G

Close... I always eat something when I shake..... Candy bar.. a bit of beef jerky, mebbe a granola bar... 15 minutes later... Rock Steady...

Your milage may vary.

Posted: 8/12/2005 6:27:14 PM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
Bob Cole is scratching the surface of it here.

I used to have the exact same problem plus I would actually get a backache from the tension.

I finally figured it out and this is probably going to sound really stupid but it worked for me.

What I was doing was operating a machine that delivered bullets into a target.

I was holding it in a white knuckled death grip and putting WAY too much emphasis on getting the sights lined up perfectly and concentrating on getting this rock steady stance so I could deal with the recoil and get back on target fast.

It was wiping me out mentally and physically after just a couple boxes of .45ACP.

What finally turned it around for me was this,

I quit operating a machine and became the machine itself!

I met up with this karate kid who broke bricks and stuff and he told me that he mentally put his fist on the other side of the brick and just did it. everything was just one big flow with him.

Then I saw an interview with some race car driver who basically said the same thing.

He said his whole game was played way out there in front of the car

So I tried it myself.

I took all the moves. Setting my feet and shoulders, sweeping the cover garment away, gripping the gun, drawing the gun, getting the front sight on the bull, hitting the safety, bringing the rear sight up forming my sight picture and pressing the trigger.

Then I took all those seperate moves and glommed them all into one smooth movement while focusing my mental game 21 feet away at the target.

As stupid as this may sound I started thinking the bullets into the bulleye and it worked!

Pretty soon I was (rather slowly) putting everything into the bull with NO fatique whatsoever!

Then I started getting faster and the groups shrank down to hand size, then fist size.

Then I realized I was going through 5 or 6 boxes without getting tensed up.

Thats pretty much where I'm at right now but I'm sure I could go through a case+ without getting all tightened up.

This may not work for you but it did for me.

Sometimes I actually feel like I come off the line refreshed, looser and with more energy than I had when I started.

Like they say however "Your mileage may vary!"

This is a common sports techique, a form of autohypnosis.

Posted: 8/12/2005 6:27:22 PM EDT

[#19]

www.metoliusclimbing.com/gripsaver.htm

I rockclimb and that is one of the things i use to help strengthen my forearms. Its like a stressball with rubber bands in between for a wider range of muscle groups. I think it might help out with what your wanting.

Posted: 8/12/2005 6:35:36 PM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
Quoted:
The last couple times I went out shooting (handguns only), after 200 rounds or so I'd have a really hard time keeping the sites on the center of the target becase my hands start shaking quite a bit. I use the weaver stance so I figure I am just tiring out my muscles. So how can I strength train my wrists or whatever so that I have more shooting endurance?

Go back to your teenage years...............

Teenage years??? I've been married 12 years and my wrists are as strong as ever, perhaps even stronger

Posted: 8/12/2005 7:01:54 PM EDT

[#21]

Fill a medium sized laundry soap container with water. One with a handle. Work on holding that weight out there at the end of the arm. Vary, use what ever grip/stance you want. Keep it steady. Smooth on the up and down.

Damn things get heavy.

Posted: 8/12/2005 9:34:42 PM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:
Bob Cole is scratching the surface of it here.

I used to have the exact same problem plus I would actually get a backache from the tension.

I finally figured it out and this is probably going to sound really stupid but it worked for me.

What I was doing was operating a machine that delivered bullets into a target.

I was holding it in a white knuckled death grip and putting WAY too much emphasis on getting the sights lined up perfectly and concentrating on getting this rock steady stance so I could deal with the recoil and get back on target fast.

It was wiping me out mentally and physically after just a couple boxes of .45ACP.

What finally turned it around for me was this,

I quit operating a machine and became the machine itself!

I met up with this karate kid who broke bricks and stuff and he told me that he mentally put his fist on the other side of the brick and just did it. everything was just one big flow with him.

Then I saw an interview with some race car driver who basically said the same thing.

He said his whole game was played way out there in front of the car

So I tried it myself.

I took all the moves. Setting my feet and shoulders, sweeping the cover garment away, gripping the gun, drawing the gun, getting the front sight on the bull, hitting the safety, bringing the rear sight up forming my sight picture and pressing the trigger.

Then I took all those seperate moves and glommed them all into one smooth movement while focusing my mental game 21 feet away at the target.

As stupid as this may sound I started thinking the bullets into the bulleye and it worked!

Pretty soon I was (rather slowly) putting everything into the bull with NO fatique whatsoever!

Then I started getting faster and the groups shrank down to hand size, then fist size.

Then I realized I was going through 5 or 6 boxes without getting tensed up.

Thats pretty much where I'm at right now but I'm sure I could go through a case+ without getting all tightened up.

This may not work for you but it did for me.

Sometimes I actually feel like I come off the line refreshed, looser and with more energy than I had when I started.

Like they say however "Your mileage may vary!"

I don't use a really tight grip and I never take more then, say half a second to align the sights so I think this might be the answer. I should shoot more like I'm doing archery and less like precision rifles.

When doing .22's at 50 ft, trying to hit a bullet-sized target with a 20+ lb gun off hand, it really takes a lot of concentration, paying perfect attention to muscles, breathing, trigger, target, etc. But with archery, I hardly even use the sights, I just "think" where I want the arrow to go and that's where it hits. Maybe next time I will take this approach.

Posted: 8/12/2005 10:52:18 PM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:
When doing .22's at 50 ft, trying to hit a bullet-sized target with a 20+ lb gun off hand, it really takes a lot of concentration, paying perfect attention to muscles, breathing, trigger, target, etc. But with archery, I hardly even use the sights, I just "think" where I want the arrow to go and that's where it hits. Maybe next time I will take this approach.

20+#s for a .22? That be a lot of gun!

*Accept the wobble, alternately you can make small circular or figure eight movements and time the trigger, if you are willing to time your trigger pull which seems counter to the surprise break concept.

*The Weaver is often taught as a high tension stance. It isn't sustainable if you use a lot of tension to 'lock' your body up. That approach seems grounded in the Bullseye school of thought. Physical conditioning will increase your endurance, also work on skeletal support as opposed to muscular tension.

*The opposite end of the spectrum is described by Brian Enos in "Practical Shooting", trying to find a tension-least stance and 'floating' the gun. Probably won't produce the same extreme bullseye results if that is what you strive for, but can still be very, very accurate and w/much reduced fatigue.

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