Anybody get the shakes?

[Covey]

It don't matter if it's 30# or 70# I always seem to shake a little at full draw! it don't seem to hinder me, but kind of annoying! anybody else have this problem? Jason

[Ragnarok Forge]

For me I shake when I have shot a lot and I am tired.  It tells me that I am pulling with my arm and not my back muscles.  It is normally my shoulder muscles struggling that makes me shake.

[TheFatboy]

How do you warm up?

[BobCo 1965]

A lot of times strength training, especially on the bow shoulder and tricept can help.

And yes, I do suffer from the same type of fatigue.

[freefeet]

Stop drinking coffee!     :D

[Covey]

I do chin ups, push ups, and try to exercise! my bow is 54 at 28 I pull right at 29 maybe a little over but it wouldnt matter if it was 30# I still seem to shake! beats me! Jason

[Stevee]

Ok Covey, try this. As you are drawing up, you need to be taking a good deep breath only stopping when at the anchor. This does a number of things. One, it enriches the blood and therefore the muscles with oxygen, and two, it ensures you are taking the strain across your shoulders, back and chest, rather than just your arms. Give it a go, fella!! Betcha it works.

[Mike Bolin]

Jason, for ME, I shake when I am not pushing with my bow arm. Try it and see if it is the same for you.....when you start to shake, concentrate on pushing/extending your bow arm. Let us know what works for you and good luck! Mike

[Terry Green]

I never get the shakes.....cause I never stop pulling.  It may LOOK like I stop, or it may not...I don't know,.....but I am still creeping back and never at rest.

Even if you 'stop' or 'pause' at anchor, you wont shake if you will continue rearward tension.

An anchor point should never be a resting place....but instead, an evolution to execution.

[Coldspring]

I'm with Terry on this one.

[bowslinger]

I am with Mike on this one, and Terry on the pause at anchor.  If I do not have my bow arm fully extended, I shake.  When I do this, I usually hit left by several inches.
 
As soon as I extend my bow arm fully, and draw with my shoulders, I pause briefly at full anchor and no shakes.  One way I figured out I was shaking was to count one-one thousand, two-one thousand at anchor.  That slight delay in the release gave me time to realize I was shaking right before the shot.

One useful technique may be to steal a page from the PSE wheely coaches.  Try standing or sitting in front of a target at close range.  Draw with your eyes closed and "feel" your form.  Practice shooting several arrows with your eyes closed, focusing only on form (push-pull, anchor, breathing, etc.).  It can really help you with proper form by eliminating the focus on aiming,freeing your mind to focus purely on form.  Any time I feel I am really struggling with form, I use this exercise to re-enforce proper form and muscle memory of what a solid draw should feel like.  It really helps me with accuracy.  Shooting with your eyes closed can take some getting used to.  You may have some one watch you to see if you flinch or pull your head away from the bow when you shoot.  In other words, after the shot, be sure to follow through.

[TSP]

If you normally hold the bow with an open hand (straight wrist, target-shooter style) try a low-wrist/fingers wrapped/firm grip on the bow.  This method, along with push/pull, offers better control of the bow and bow hand and might help solve your shaking problem.

[Walt Francis]

I shake whenever I shoot targets, just can’t stop the tip of the arrow from moving.  When shooting at a live animals the bow and the arrow don't move, they are both dead still.  I haven’t been able to figure out why but I won't complain.  This is when shooting left-handed and using a gap aiming method.  When shooting right-handed, with a dead release and instinctive aiming, I haven’t noticed any shakes but don’t shoot as accurately.

[sdpeb1]

I've never been able to keep dead still while aiming. I used to worry about it but I just think some people are just shaky by nature or age. I shoot great and surprised that even with my shaking my groups are very good at the max distance I can shoot which is 35yrds. I think your subconscious takes over it you relax and concentrate on the spot you want the arrow to hit.- Steve

[TSP]

For some, shaking may be an indication of a mental lapse (like lack of concentration on the mark) more than a physical lapse (overbowed, bad form, etc.).  If you notice that you shake while you shoot then you might not be focusing hard enough on your spot or sight picture...because otherwise you wouldn't notice the shaking, lol.  Some close to-the-bale shooting to reinforce form and focus might help.

[sdpeb1]

You have a good point TSP. I think it would be easy to tell if the shaking is caused by the strain of being over bowed. There is a difference between the physical inability to hold very steady and being shakey, which I would attribute to overbowed or improper alignment-- Steve

[TSP]

Sdpeb1, in my case firming up my grip and re-developing how I form my sight picture (target focus) did cure my shakes awhile back...and a few other form-related maladies to boot.    

[sdpeb1]

TSP, I think the only time I've noticed shaking in my is if I have any caffiene based drink prior to shooting. I also have noticed I have a harder time holding steady if I had a stressful day, and I can overcome that if I recognize it by just taking some time prior to shooting and closing my eyes and letting the tension out and letting my muscles relax. I have worked on both ends of grip pressure and have been happy at times with both but currently I'm using a very light grip with the thought of letting the bow do it job and not trying to control it.- Steve

[bshunter]

sometimes I jerk(target panic) and when I get a shot at a big 'ol slunger...I SHAKE! Greene said it best...never stop pulling. Rod Jenkins told me the same thing, now I shoot #45 instead of #55 and it makes things alot easier for me.

[Covey]

Targets, bales, stumps, wall, etc... my son's bow is 40 @ 28" my bow is 54 @ 28" no matter still shake! maybe I need to quit drinking so much coffee! HA! Jason