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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Boomerang on April 17, 2015, 12:31:00 PM

Title: The shakes
Post by: Boomerang on April 17, 2015, 12:31:00 PM
Does anybody else besides me have the bow arm shakes? It doesen't matter what poundage I shoot as soon as I come to full draw, my bow arm starts to shake. It's not a matter of strength, as I can hold full draw for quiet a while. I shoot 55# alot, but even if I go down to 35# my arm will still shake at full draw.   :confused:
Title: Re: The shakes
Post by: Trond on April 17, 2015, 01:30:00 PM
Got it too. Glad to know that I´m not alone...
Title: Re: The shakes
Post by: DanielB89 on April 17, 2015, 01:41:00 PM
YES!  Funny thing is my nephew (7 yrs old) ALWAYS nags me while i'm shooting and says "Why are you shaking? You're weak!)

I can't riddle it either.  I shoot mid 50's and when i draw back a #35 bow, i still shake.
Title: Re: The shakes
Post by: on April 17, 2015, 01:42:00 PM
Is your bow arm steady while you are drawing, but then shakes the instant that you begin holding?
Title: Re: The shakes
Post by: Orion on April 17, 2015, 02:14:00 PM
If you close your eyes before you draw and keep them closed for a few seconds, does your bow arm still shake.  Or, if you close your eyes for a few seconds at full draw, does it stop shaking?  If either of these answers is yes, the shaking could be related to TP.
Title: Re: The shakes
Post by: Archer1019 on April 17, 2015, 05:37:00 PM
Lol it happens to me too but it doesn't affect my shooting even though I think it should.
Title: Re: The shakes
Post by: el greco on April 17, 2015, 05:41:00 PM
Nope, I can't imagine how you shoot accurate if your bow arm is shaking. That must be form related or some kind of panic
Title: Re: The shakes
Post by: McDave on April 17, 2015, 06:46:00 PM
You haven't mentioned that you have any symptoms of target panic, so until you do, I'll stay away from that.  

Bow arm shake could be related to alignment, or lack thereof.  I like to shoot left handed from time to time, and my left and right sides aren't as strong when their roles are reversed. My right arm was shaking holding the bow at full draw when I was shooting left handed.  I think this is because I was standing a little open to the target, which doesn't give you good bone on bone alignment, so I was having to hold the bow too much with my muscles.  When I closed up my stance, so my shoulders were better aligned with the target, the shakes went away.

Then I noticed I was doing the same thing when I shot right handed, but I wasn't shaking because I had evidently gotten used to it.  But when I closed up my stance shooting right handed, my accuracy improved, probably because I was holding the bow steadier.
Title: Re: The shakes
Post by: kadbow on April 17, 2015, 06:47:00 PM
Yep, heavy or light bows. I don't know if I do it when shooting at animals because I just never remember any detail of the shot sequence on an animal. I just go into kill mode and the shot happens.
Title: Re: The shakes
Post by: Scott E on April 17, 2015, 07:00:00 PM
My guess is that your bow arm shoulder is high. Try keeping it low and using a bone in bone support. Feel free to PM me and I can help you with that.
Title: Re: The shakes
Post by: pdk25 on April 17, 2015, 07:40:00 PM
Do you have a slight bend in the elbow.
Title: Re: The shakes
Post by: Boomerang on April 17, 2015, 08:26:00 PM
Well I just came in from shooting. I was trying different things and different stances. It didn't seem to make much difference. I would like to settle in to my anchor for a second or two, but I shoot worse if I don't release as soon as I come to anchor. I seem to shoot fairly well, but the shaking drives me crazy. If I draw with my left hand and hold the bow with my right, I don't shake, but I just can't get used to shooting a left handed bow. I tried with my right elbow higher. I tried with it lower. I opened my stance. I closed my stance. I shot with my eyes open. I shot with my eyes closed. I shot verticle. I shot canted, but still have the shakes if I try to hold anchor at all. The only thing that seems to help any is shooting setting down for some reason. Maybe I should just give up shooting. NOT! LOL.
Title: Re: The shakes
Post by: longbow fanatic 1 on April 17, 2015, 08:42:00 PM
QuoteOriginally posted by Trond:
Got it too. Glad to know that I´m not alone...
X3
Title: Re: The shakes
Post by: on April 17, 2015, 09:11:00 PM
I had it with a 32 pound target bow, while my hunting bows at that time were from 65 to 96 pounds. I was steady when drawing and while I was locked up at full draw with that straight up target form I had that shake. I was told to keep pushing and keep pulling until the release. Fine, but what if the bow arm is already extended as far as it will go and if I kept pulling I could hook the bowstring on my ear?  The person was probably right in saying that there is a difference between a muscle in action is steady than a muscle supplying only resistance. If my arm is bent either left or right handed and I have active room to keep spreading, no shake, regardless of bow weight, but as soon as I top out like I do at times with my much lighter Grooves recurve the tremor returns.
Title: Re: The shakes
Post by: Ssamac on April 17, 2015, 10:52:00 PM
Try to hold the bow with less cant or as little as possible. I've seen that help a lot of people.
If it doesn't work, go see a Chiropractor and bring the bow with you. He/she should be able to see what's causing it. And let us know

Good luck.
Sam
Title: Re: The shakes
Post by: on April 18, 2015, 03:13:00 AM
Maybe you need a Hill longbow, but then I say that to everybody.
Title: Re: The shakes
Post by: Boomerang on April 18, 2015, 07:43:00 AM
QuoteOriginally posted by pavan:
Maybe you need a Hill longbow, but then I say that to everybody.
LOL, I've got one of those too.
Title: Re: The shakes
Post by: Boomerang on April 18, 2015, 07:43:00 AM
QuoteOriginally posted by pavan:
Maybe you need a Hill longbow, but then I say that to everybody.
LOL, I've got one of those too.
Title: Re: The shakes
Post by: on April 18, 2015, 02:21:00 PM
Really, with Hill shooting rhythm, if one can have a reliable anchor, even if it is not held or maybe just pulled through, it is considered good. I would not call that TP. Actually, TP is phycology problem and can come on for some when they are trying to do things that get them frustrated because the emphasis is misplaced.
Title: Re: The shakes
Post by: Dogboy900 on April 18, 2015, 06:46:00 PM
I get it too even with light draw weights. I think I do let my shoulder lift which stops the bone on bone support, but even when I concentrate on trying to achieve bone on bone alignment I seem to still get it. Strangely I don't remember getting this with a compound when I shot those?

I have just decided to ignore it and shoot, my accuracy is pretty good I think despite the shakes.
Title: Re: The shakes
Post by: Bill Kissner on April 18, 2015, 09:59:00 PM
One of the best shooters I have ever known shot a 36 pound Pearson Lord Mercury at our NFAA shoots. This fella was huge, well over 250 pounds and shook so bad it was unbelievable. He was the best shot in our whole league by far though.
Title: Re: The shakes
Post by: Gordon Jabben on April 18, 2015, 10:22:00 PM
Yep, I have it too.  Kind of embarrassing and seems to be worse with light bows.  I do shoot with a slightly bent bow elbow which may be part of the cause.
Title: Re: The shakes
Post by: on April 19, 2015, 01:22:00 AM
I usually get the shakes just after watching one of my arrows zip thru a critter! It's really bad when its cold outside!

Bisch
Title: Re: The shakes
Post by: pdk25 on April 19, 2015, 12:33:00 PM
LOL, Bisch.
Title: Re: The shakes
Post by: trubltrubl on April 19, 2015, 01:13:00 PM
muscle shake can be from dehydration..even slight dehydration....try drinking more water and eating well....I don't have it  99 percent of the time but the very odd day I do and found I ate poorly and especially have not drank enough water...just a thought...muscles need the right biochemestry to work smoothly..give it a try ..let me know if it works....
Title: Re: The shakes
Post by: on April 19, 2015, 04:20:00 PM
I was told that high fructose corn syrup is a powerful strength REDUCER, as in Coke and Mountain Dew, plus you can get your blood loaded up with excess triglycerides.  Then your doctor will say you need Gemfibrazal or something like that, which will eat up your muscle fiber. They made me take a blood test, I told them about the liter of RC cola, you bet I got a prescription. Took the garbage for 10 days and I could not shoot my heavy bow.  Found out the stuff tears down muscles, my heart is muscle, threw it all away. Talked to another doc about them moving up the blood test and telling them about the cola I drank, he said one word that said it all, 'idiots'. My blood work was perfect, but I shook bad when the blood drugs were in my system.