Why the heck am I trembling? Really scared!

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19-3Ben

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This first happened to me when I shot my Kahr back in February. I was fine for the first 5-6 rounds, and then my hands started to shake uncontrollably. My sights were all over the place. I went from a 1.5" group at 20 feet, to looking like shotgun pattern.

Fast forward to yesterday. I went shooting with my new Glock. I hadn't shot since March (yeah I know, HUGE bummer. Life really got in the way. When I shot the Kahr back in Feb it had been about 4-5 months since shooting before that as well.). First 4-5 shots were absolutely fine. Then again I began to shake like a leaf.

Things I tried that did not remedy the situation:
1) Loosen my grip on the gun.
2) Push/pull more with my shooting hand and support hand.
3) Push/pull less with my shooting hand and support hand.
4) Change from Weaver to Isosceles stance.
5) Take a 2-3 minute break and stretch.

Here's the thing. I'm 26 years old and in very good shape. This is definitely not a strength issue. Before March i had never ever gotten the shakes when shooting. I don't shake any other time. It doesn't happen when shooting rifles/shotguns. Only pistol. My hands are steady as a rock right now. They were a little trembly for about 15 mins after I left the range, but then steadied out.

Seriously, I'm kinda scared. Doesn't sound like early onset Parkinson's or MS to me because I don't shake any other time. But I am concerned.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Perhaps I'm just getting too excited over finally getting to go shooting?
 
Just relax. Breathe. I suggest shooting a .22 pistol until you can relax. I think you're simply trying too hard. Try holding your hands up like you were shooting a gun with no gun and see if the trembling still develops. It could be a simple blood flow problem or it could even be neurological. I think it's just tension in your upper body and you're just excited like a hunter with buck fever. Also try some dry firing and concentrate solely on watching the front sight.
 
I do try to relax. Nothing. I think I should go back to shooting .22 for a bit just to work my way back into shooting regularly. It's just weird because it never happened to me before and I've been shooting for 6 years now.

I've dry fired my guns tons of times, holding them up in that position. Nothing. No trembling.
No I don't have an audience. Just me and the RO who was organizing a stack of targets at the back of the range. But I have shot in front of audiences before (including a little bit of light duty competition where there was a lot more pressure than me being alone at the range) and it never happened.

I think I'll go try holding up a gun in that position for a few minutes and see if after a few minutes problems develop.

Thanks for the help so far guys. It's much appreciated.
Thanks so
 
I would say just work on your breathing and just relax... clear your mind. I got a cousin that does the same thing sometimes. I just tell him to simply "relax and take a breather." He normally gets right back into the swing afterwards.
 
Do you drink a lot of caffeine? maybe you take a medication you didn't used to? some allergy, asthma or other meds can cause trembling that can pop up in certain situations but not be noticeable in other daily activities. (I don't expect you to answer the meds question just giving you something to think about)
 
Adrenaline. You're getting a big jolt of it.

Breathe deeply, shake out your arms, try walking it off. When I first started shooting I used to have to do jumping jacks between magazines to calm down! Most importantly, shoot a couple hundred rounds a week to acclimate yourself to to the sound, the recoil, the excitement and the fear.
 
No meds. No caffeine.

I don't think it's a flinching problem. I have a history of being kind of a recoil junkie. I always loved shooting heavy .357mag loads from snubbies. If and when I did flinch, it was more like me closing my eyes and bracing myself too much (with the resulting low shot because of pushing forward in anticipation of recoil). I never had an uncontrollable and constant shake.

I just went upstairs and held out my loaded M&P9 full size for 5 minutes without a break. No tremble. Sights stayed aligned and exactly where I wanted them.

I think you guys have confirmed what I was afraid of. I'm actually getting the jitters because I've been away from the range too long. That being said, I sure hope that's it because it's better than having a neurological disorder!

I'm I do plan to go to the range and shoot my new S&W 22A-1. Perhaps I'll spend a good 2 hrs there after work tomorrow just getting myself back into it. I think it'll be really good for me.
Thank you so much for the advice. I'll report back when I come home from the range.

Adrenaline. You're getting a big jolt of it.
Click to expand...
- I really do think that's it. It's what I figured last night. I hadn't thought of doing some jumping jacks or something to work it off.
 
The relaxing techniques mentioned above along with a moment of relaxing and clearing your mind will keep back the adrenalin, which is most likely making you shake. I've been shooting for 40 years and occasionally I'll get a little shakey, especially with a new gun or after a month off from shooting.
 
Adrenaline. You're getting a big jolt of it.
Click to expand...

More than likely, that is what is happening. You're excited, you haven't been shooting in awhile, you love it and your body responds. When you start trembling, shake it off. Jump up and down, slap yourself. Anything to help your body burn it off.

blood sugar, if you have low blood sugar, that can start micro tremors.
Click to expand...
That very well could be an issue. Although if it were, it seems to me you would notice during other physical activities. Schedule a physical at your doctor and get a blood workup. You're at the age where you should do that once or twice a year, anyway...particularly if you have kids you want to stick around for. You may think 26 is young, but a good friend a couple of years older than you just lost a kidney to cancer. If he hadn't been going to the doctor religiously for blood work and checkups, it may have gone unchecked and cost him more body parts.
 
I've had the same thing happen after a long break from shooting sessions. I was either gripping it too tight, or just too excited (or possibly both at the same time). Going more regularly causes it to go away.
 
It's not the jitters; it's excitement. Shooting just does that to you. Some get a rush from jumping out of planes or whitewater rafting. You (and I ) get a rush from holding that much power in our hands and trying to direct where that projectile goes.
The advice given is good. If you feel it's a medical problem, by all means, consult your physician. Then you can go back to the range and conquer the problem.
 
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Adrenaline rush. I've had it happen a couple times. The worst time was my first time shooting at an indoor range. I wasn't prepared for the noise, even with plugs and muffs, and I started to shake a bit.

Solution as others have stated: Shoot more often.
 
Come on, if you're "really scared," or even "kind of scared," go see a Doctor. The legal advice on THR is pretty sketchy and now you are going to ask shooters for medical advice? In all likely hood it is absolutely nothing past some live fire jitters, but if it bothers you enough to ask shouldn't you ask someone that can give you the correct answer?

I would diagnose a case of nerves aggravated by a touch of excitement, but if you take my medical advice it might just be a shrink you need. Seriously though, I doubt it is more than that, but if you are really concerned, go see a Doctor... or go shooting, it couldn't hurt.
 
Agree with the posters overall - the one thing that you might want to check with a doctor is for what's called a "non-essential tremor" -a non-neurological condition. it something that my father has had for years. It's a minor tremble, but not related to anything like ALS or Parkinson's. It's unlikely that you have it, but check nontheless.
 
Yep, what everyone's saying. Adrenaline, nerves, and possibly low blood sugar (especially because being excited makes you burn through your blood sugar reserves much faster). Eat a light meal before going to the range, and do it more often. If anyone looks at you funny, just say you must have had way too many coffees.
 
Is there a doctor in the house? One clue here..."recoil junky". Could be pinching a nerve or a damaged nerve, tendons or damaged bone structure from continuous heavy recoil.
 
I agree with yeti
but here is my $.02:

1.caffeine
2.anxiety, nervousness, whatever you call it (my problem, I use Lexapro and Klonipin :D just make sure you know how your body responds to the stuff before going around guns!!!)
3.dehydration
4.low blood sugar
5.run-of-the-mill excitement
6.some other neurological disorder (unlikely, imo)

Eat a small meal and drink a glass of water before you go shoot.
Try to pin down how you are feeling; are you excited and enjoying yourself or do you feel like you are in danger or being watched?
 
You might try and recreate it in another activity. You could start by playing around with a rubber-band gun or water-gun. Get one and shoot it for a good while and see if the shakes start up. But if dry-firing doesn't bring it on, I don't know if these exercises will either.
 
I had a friend who had a very similar problem, but only with certain guns. Well I observed him, and it turned out he had the only had the problem with certain calibers, specifically the .40

We put him "back" onto a 9mm and he was fine. It turns out that the "snappiness" of the .40's recoil was causing his issue but he was okay with the 9mm since it's more of a "pushing" type of recoil.

He was as frustrated as you sound until we figured out what the issue was.

The adrenaline idea could be right on: you may be experiencing what's called "anticipatory stress" which will definitely dump adrenaline into your system.

Try a lighter caliber and see if it happens. If it doesn't, we may be onto something, meaning you're okay with the feel of recoil X, but not recoil Y; the anticipation of recoil Y results in the adrenaline dump and guess what, you start shaking.

You'll get it figured out and figuring it out will be half the fun since it requires putting rounds down range. Oh, have someone watch you shoot who knows what to look for. That will be of great benefit.

Good luck!
DFW1911
 
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