Sliv2 Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 Hey all, So one of the lovely things I inherited from genetics is "the shakes". I cannot hold my hand/fingers perfectly steady, there is always a slight vibration to them. While it really does not affect most of my shooting, I notice it when doing things like "Hey, try to shoot the staple on the target" where the slightest movement is costly. Have any of you dealt with this? What did you do to improve it, if anything? I was thinking perhaps strengthening my shoulders through my hands would be a good place to start. But, I really have no idea. Thanks, Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik S. Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 (edited) I wouldn't say I have "the shakes", but I do get shakey sometimes. I have noticed that I am the shakiest when I have caffeine or nicotine in my system or if I am hungry. I just try to avoid those things prior to (or during) a match. Do any of those things sound familiar to you? Edited March 23, 2011 by Erik S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sliv2 Posted March 23, 2011 Author Share Posted March 23, 2011 I wouldn't say I have "the shakes", but I do get shakey sometimes. I have noticed that I am the shakiest when I have caffeine or nicotine in my system or if I am hungry. I just try to avoid those things prior to (or during) a match. Do any of those things sound familiar to you? This is pretty much exactly what it is like. I rarely drink caffeinated beverage, and I don't smoke. Caffeine amplifies the shaking, making it extremely obvious. What you experience from a little too much caffeine is what my body is doing 24/7, more or less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle O Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 It's called "essential tremor" there is a drug called propranolol that has an indication to treat it. The drug is old, and cheap as well. Might check with your doctor about it. Could help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Thompson Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 I have the shakes too but it's side effect of the medication I'm on. It dosen't affect my fine motor skills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric4069 Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 (edited) I understand that in the Olympics propranalol is a banned med for shooters as it blocks the adrenaline response (stage fright) and helps "the shakes" as above. Does USPSA have a list of banned medications? Eric Edited March 23, 2011 by eric4069 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sliv2 Posted March 23, 2011 Author Share Posted March 23, 2011 It's called "essential tremor" there is a drug called propranolol that has an indication to treat it. The drug is old, and cheap as well. Might check with your doctor about it. Could help. Thanks, I'll have to ask about it. I've never even bothered discussing it with my doctor, never really had a reason to until now. DOH! Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle O Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 I understand that in the Olympics propranalol is a banned med for shooters as it blocks the adrenaline response (stage fright) and helps "the shakes" as above. Does USPSA have a list of banned medications? Eric It's also useful to slow heart rate, I think that was the original reason for the Olympic ban, it was the cross country skiers that also shoot targets (don't know that sports name). Once they stop skiing, while on that drug, their heart rate slowed very quickly, and they could make those shots easier. Drug trivia, I am a pharmacist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grant Karnes Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 A few days ago when my daughter was performing a cello solo at a contest I was reminded of a remedy I had heard about once before. Her music coach told her to eat a banana about a half hour before her performance. It is supposed to reduce the shakes. Whether it is the potassium, the beta blockers, sugars, or what, I don't know. I took a banana to my match the next day and about 20 minutes after I ate it I shot my two best stages and felt very calm and steady for each one at the start. You might try it. I will be taking a banana to every match from now on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadowrider Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 (edited) I also fear I've inherited "the shakes" from my dad. Not Parkinson's or anything but he had some tremors that were definitely noticeable for a number of years before he passed. The doc told him the best thing to do for them was to have a good stiff drink. I notice them when I pick small things up like gun parts and stuff like that. I can hold my hands still, but I usually have to concentrate just a little bit sometimes, so it might just be the mass quantities of caffeine and some nicotine. Grant I'm gonna try that banana thing. Edited April 13, 2011 by Shadowrider Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E K Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 A few days ago when my daughter was performing a cello solo at a contest I was reminded of a remedy I had heard about once before. Her music coach told her to eat a banana about a half hour before her performance. It is supposed to reduce the shakes. Whether it is the potassium, the beta blockers, sugars, or what, I don't know. I took a banana to my match the next day and about 20 minutes after I ate it I shot my two best stages and felt very calm and steady for each one at the start. You might try it. I will be taking a banana to every match from now on! Do you think that would've helped with my Texas Star fiasco?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gonogo Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 I would try to treat it as an advantage if you're competing with pistol. Your statement about shooting the staple was my clue. In pistol competition you're not shooting the staples, so you can be very good. When "the staple thing" comes up, you'll have to try to shoot the staple while the pistol is moving. Maybe you'll miss badly, but it'll be fun to try ( small orbit, call the shot,but don't time the shot) anything to make the shake irrelevant. The shake would signify energy. A special advantage. Heck I'm so new and unpracticed, that a shake would be awful. But I can see if I was good, it would count for nothing. That drug might work, but I wonder if you would lose some advantage that you could get or imagine from the shake is all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siphon Odesse Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 (edited) I shake and always have, but if I'm in training and do my bit, I can shoot pretty nice groups. A slight tremor isn't going to be a problem. (Believe me; I am the worrying kind, and I still don't let it bother me.) Coffee and smoke will mess things up, so stay clear. Dry practice and focus on the fundamentals of sight pic and trigger control and you'll be fine. Oh, and physical training will always be A Good Thing . Siphon Edited August 16, 2011 by Siphon Odesse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dwain C. Baer Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 Hey all, So one of the lovely things I inherited from genetics is "the shakes". I cannot hold my hand/fingers perfectly steady, there is always a slight vibration to them. While it really does not affect most of my shooting, I notice it when doing things like "Hey, try to shoot the staple on the target" where the slightest movement is costly. Have any of you dealt with this? What did you do to improve it, if anything? I was thinking perhaps strengthening my shoulders through my hands would be a good place to start. But, I really have no idea. I never had an issue with the shakes, but periodically did have some unwanted movement . However, weight training contributed to keeping my arms and hands steady for both pistol and rifle shooting As already mentioned by other forum members, smoking and coffee can increase the shakes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evild Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 (edited) Propanalol/Inderal is in a category of drugs called Beta Blockers, they are used to lower your blood pressure, heart rate, migrains, fine motor tremors and a few other things. They block specif beta receptors that decrease the effects of norepinephrine and epinephrine, dilate blood vessels and reduce the work load on your cardiac muscle. Talk to your doctor about them, they work very well. Some asthmatics have a problem with inderal and can't take it, but don't have a problem with metoprolol, atenelol, carvidelol or labetolol becasue they don't not block all of the receptors that inderal blocks Edited October 23, 2011 by evild Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roaddog77 Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Man I have had the shakes in my hands since I was a kid. I so wish I could get rid of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MQW Posted December 4, 2011 Share Posted December 4, 2011 The sport you refer to is "Biathalon", involves cross country skiing combined with very accurate short, medium and semi-long distance shooting. I understand that in the Olympics propranalol is a banned med for shooters as it blocks the adrenaline response (stage fright) and helps "the shakes" as above. Does USPSA have a list of banned medications? Eric It's also useful to slow heart rate, I think that was the original reason for the Olympic ban, it was the cross country skiers that also shoot targets (don't know that sports name). Once they stop skiing, while on that drug, their heart rate slowed very quickly, and they could make those shots easier. Drug trivia, I am a pharmacist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twoyellowlabs Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 I have the same thing. My doc said it was called bifamiliar trimmers. Happens when my hands are in weird positions. Diet coke amplifies it big time. Also seems pretty bad right after I shoot a stage so adrenalin doesn't help it either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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