Rick88 Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 When I first started shooting my hands were solid as a rock, now that age is catching up I'm noticing a bit of shake is this common for senior shooters? Can anything be done about it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 Moved in here for better exposure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerome Posted August 24, 2012 Share Posted August 24, 2012 When I first started shooting my hands were solid as a rock, now that age is catching up I'm noticing a bit of shake is this common for senior shooters? Can anything be done about it? What amazes me is that it doesn't effect performance. I've had a couple of ROs asked me about my coffee drinking (when I've had none) on a wrists above shoulders start. There was a saying in golf that went something like "Lots of championships have been won by those with shaking hands and knocking knees.". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dapribek Posted August 24, 2012 Share Posted August 24, 2012 My buddy's in his mid 70's and noticed the same thing. Turns out he has Parkinsons and now takes meds that have decreased his shakiness. I'm just mentioning this in case you might want to be checked out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sin-ster Posted August 24, 2012 Share Posted August 24, 2012 I am shakey by nature with even a little adrenaline flowing, and at 28, get the "too much coffee" line on wrists above shoulder starts as well. When I grip the gun and bring the sights to my eyes, though... It tends to go away. In fact, those in my family who also inherited these tremors report that they actually go away some with age-- so I feel your plight. The only advice I can give is to not deviate from your daily routine on match day. If you have 2 cups of coffee as the norm, have two; eat your usual breakfast; take your usual shower even. And above all else, when you get into the box, try to relax, have confidence, and BREATHE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick88 Posted August 24, 2012 Author Share Posted August 24, 2012 Its more of a coffee type thing just without the coffee :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSeevers Posted August 24, 2012 Share Posted August 24, 2012 if its not medical I would just work out a little. I use weights like 10-20 and mimic the draw motion to build up stamina and strength. I have used grip exercisers and a weight, rope, stick combo to build grip too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom D. Posted August 25, 2012 Share Posted August 25, 2012 The mentioned wrist roller is one of the best forearm exercises, IMO. That and various stretching exercises have helped my shakes. I'm 68, by the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dillon b Posted August 25, 2012 Share Posted August 25, 2012 I also dont shake because of age (im 20). But i do shake terribly every match for the first stage or so. If i have the option i will try to shoot closer target stages first, or in an array shoot the closest first. My sights shake badly for the first 2-3 seconds in a stage. I just try to calm myself as much as possible. It doesnt cure it, but it does help slightly. But mostly i just try my best to shoot though it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a matt Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 It will pass with time. its nerves and all that go with. i used to shake also when i first started. the more i shot the better it got. soon you will notice that you dont shake anymore. hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksshooter223 Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 The thing is everyone deals with a little bit of shaky hands. Don't concentrate on keeping the front sight perfectly still it will move in a natural figure 8, concentrate on maintaining a good trigger pull. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renzo808 Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 I get shaky hands when I don't eat breakfast. Make sure you get some grub in you before you shoot a match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griz Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 I get shaky hands when I don't eat breakfast. Make sure you get some grub in you before you shoot a match. Me too, but I also feel shaky if I eat too much breakfast. It's a very delicate balancing act for me. It goes away after a couple of hours, but really screws with me for big matches since those start in the morning, and I will have match nerves on top of the blood sugar (I guess) related shakes... If I shoot in the afternoon I am usually steady as a rock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SansPants Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 I'm in the same boat. Mine is due to an essential tremor. I have found that it is much worse when my blood sugar is low. Obsessing about it only makes it worse, I simply try to ignore it as best I can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobo06 Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 Do you take anything for the essential tremmors? The doctors have decided thats what I have. Seems to be worse with my strong hand (left hand). The doctor prescribed a med to take an hour before I shoot. Seems to help a little. Sucks to get old bobo06 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SansPants Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 Do you take anything for the essential tremmors? The doctors have decided thats what I have. Seems to be worse with my strong hand (left hand). The doctor prescribed a med to take an hour before I shoot. Seems to help a little. Sucks to get old bobo06 I do not. My doctor recommended a beer or two. Not exactly helpful if I am going to be shooting, going for a job interview, or working on something delicate at work... Improving my grip/forearm strength and limiting the amount of sugar and caffeine have made the greatest impact. Sucks because it is getting slowly worse and I am only 33. I am sure there will come a point where I need to look to a prescription to manage it, but I am hoping that is far off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sin-ster Posted September 7, 2012 Share Posted September 7, 2012 Do you take anything for the essential tremmors? The doctors have decided thats what I have. Seems to be worse with my strong hand (left hand). The doctor prescribed a med to take an hour before I shoot. Seems to help a little. Sucks to get old bobo06 I do not. My doctor recommended a beer or two. Not exactly helpful if I am going to be shooting, going for a job interview, or working on something delicate at work... Improving my grip/forearm strength and limiting the amount of sugar and caffeine have made the greatest impact. Sucks because it is getting slowly worse and I am only 33. I am sure there will come a point where I need to look to a prescription to manage it, but I am hoping that is far off. Do you find that it's the worst when you're doing VERY precise things-- using tweezers, trying to gently and precisely cut something with a VERY sharp knife, etc? I ask because that's when mine really comes out, barring a rush of adrenaline or nerves... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redial Posted September 7, 2012 Share Posted September 7, 2012 My shaking is confined to my weak hand. When using both or strong-hand-only, I'm still. Weak-only, I shake. Pretty sure I can train this out of me with practice. I'm 51 and an NRA Bullseye shooter. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SansPants Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Do you take anything for the essential tremmors? The doctors have decided thats what I have. Seems to be worse with my strong hand (left hand). The doctor prescribed a med to take an hour before I shoot. Seems to help a little. Sucks to get old bobo06 I do not. My doctor recommended a beer or two. Not exactly helpful if I am going to be shooting, going for a job interview, or working on something delicate at work... Improving my grip/forearm strength and limiting the amount of sugar and caffeine have made the greatest impact. Sucks because it is getting slowly worse and I am only 33. I am sure there will come a point where I need to look to a prescription to manage it, but I am hoping that is far off. Do you find that it's the worst when you're doing VERY precise things-- using tweezers, trying to gently and precisely cut something with a VERY sharp knife, etc? I ask because that's when mine really comes out, barring a rush of adrenaline or nerves... That is exactly when it is the worst for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sin-ster Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 Yep-- we're in the same boat, then. Blood sugar, tension levels, caffeine intake (or lack thereof)-- there's a bunch of small factors that effect my tremors. As I said in an earlier post, several members of my family have them and report that they've actually gotten better with age... Not sure if that's scientifically valid, but I'm hoping it's true! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ardo Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 I have essential tremors as well. Left hand is worse than right, so shooting WHO stages is a challenge. I'm 55 BTW. I have read about the drug called Propranolol, and asked my family doctor for a script. She gave me a 20mg dose - I found that all I needed was 1/4 of that, one hour or so before competition. Higher dose would slow me down too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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