“Steady as a rock” doesn’t always apply to everyone. While a little bit of shakiness might not be such a great deal, it is still bothersome.
The stronger the “shakes,” the higher are the chances of you missing your target – even if you previously locked on it.
Seems familiar to you?
If so, you probably want to know some tips on how to deal with this. It won’t be easy, as shakiness and tremors can have various causes – but as long as you narrow down on the cause, you should be able to make it more manageable.
In this article, you will find some tips on how to deal with tension and shakiness when shooting, whatever the cause of it.
Understanding the Shakes
The shooting shakes can have various forms. You can have steady hands when locking in on your target – and simply flinch when you pull the trigger. That is simply your body trying to anticipate what’s going to happen, preparing you for the shot. It may be because you’re nervous, so your body is trying to make you adjust.
The second type of shakiness is a bit more troublesome to deal with: shaking uncontrollably at all times. You may be shaking this way no matter if you are holding a gun or a sandwich. That’s just your body trying to give you a signal – one which you have to listen to.
What to Do About the Shakes
If you have ascertained that your shaking is not related to your inability to hold onto a target, then you might have a slight problem. Regardless of the causes, here are some ways for you to reset your ability to hold your target.
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Learn the Fundamentals
You may not want to admit this, but if you continuously miss your shots, it may not be because you have shaky hands; you may just be very bad at trigger control or gripping the gun. In this case, you will simply have to work on the fundamentals.
This will take a lot of focus and practice (with your favorite pistol, every day perhaps). If you are practicing with a gun that has a laser target, it might give you a better idea of where your target is going – and what kind of tremor you have.
Focus on your target instead of the gun. Don’t turn shooting into a competition (hitting more targets that your friends do) and train your body to hit the target as much as possible. It won’t be easy, indeed – but none of us is born a genius.
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Ignore the Shakiness
We know, easier said than done – but have you noticed that the more you focus on your shakiness and hand tension, the worse it gets? The more focused you are on your wobbling hands, the more focus you will lose on the target.
And considering that we are all human beings, we can’t really focus on more than one thing at once – at least not properly. So, to get a better, steady shot, you need to stop caring. You have to stop thinking about your hands going crazy, and you need to focus on the target zone. If you execute a good trigger press, the rest will eventually come.
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Slow Down on the Caffeine
Caffeine will keep you awake and alert, so it’s understandable why you may want to have a cup every now and again. However, caffeine is also a stimulant – which will make you shake, no matter if you have regular tremors or not.
This may be bad news for you if you are a coffee addict enthusiast, but try limiting your caffeine intake. Instead of drinking 3-4 cups per day, keep it at just one cup. Ideally, you should quit completely – but if you don’t want to live in a world without coffee, a morning cup is just enough.
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Strength Training
If you have weak arms, it’s obvious that you’ll start missing your targets. Shooting produces a lot of tension around the arms – so without the proper strength, you won’t be able to hold it steady.
Don’t just go with bench presses all the time. Train your arms, your shoulders, your hands and your core. Shooting requires that all your muscles “mingle” perfectly, reducing the tremor and providing you more balance. Regardless of the cause of the shakiness, strength training should make your core stronger – and it should make it much easier for you to hang onto your target.
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Drink a Lot of Water
This is something that many of us tend to forget, but water helps our body function properly. If you already have tremors, dehydration will only make them worse – so make sure that you always have a water bottle at hand.
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Reduce the Stress
Stress and anxiety can make anyone’s hands start shaking. While not all of us have the luxury of being completely stress-free, you can still make it more manageable.
First of all, try to get enough sleep. Most of the time, stress and sleep deprivation go hand in hand – and those two combined will lead to very shaky hands.
Secondly, you might want to try other alternative methods such as meditation. It has been proved that meditation can help reduce stress and calm your mind – no matter the cause. And all you will need is to practice it several minutes a day.
Final Thoughts
We all have good days and bad days – and we need to be at peace with that. Some days you feel steady, and other days you’re shooting at an object two feet from your target. You just need to understand that this can happen – and try to find the cause.
Take care of your body and make sure that you always practice. If you’re competent in handling a gun, eventually the tension and shakiness when shooting will go away (at least reduce to a unnoticeable amount)– which means no more missed shots.