Tried Something New at the Range Today (training)

Brent · Apr 16, 2016

So this morning I ate peanut butter on a tortilla and through the day was drinking my standard extra black human fuel. So by 1 o'clock my hands, and legs for that matter, were shaking pretty well. We're not talking dangerous levels here don't get ahead of yourself, now. But shaking to the point that it was very noticeable in my stance and grip.
This all stems from an event about 6 months ago when I thought someone was breaking into the house and when I went to meet the perceived threat, I had a distinct adrenaline tremble.
Fast forward back to today. Shot very well I thought for given my level of shakiness. All torso shots were to the left lung and heart area with a few strays into the sternum and two into the left hand shoulder (out of 90 rounds fired from a Glock 19). For my revolver practice, all were headshots into the top half of the head except for three flyers in the black of the target from botched double action pulls. This was done at 12 yards with measured 1 second shots.

What can be taken away from this? I really don't know haha. But I feel comfortable knowing that when I am shaking like a leaf I can still aim the gun. However there was no stress involved with this test or a feeling of danger. So take it as you will. Might be something to try sometime.

-- Brent

RoadDawg · Apr 16, 2016

What take-aways?

1) Less caffeine... And talk to your doctor about that experience and how to minimize the effects.

2) Good shooting...

Brent · Apr 16, 2016

RoadDawg said:
What take-aways?

1) Less caffeine...

haha in any other sense I'd agree. I rarely drink that much but I got the desired shake I was looking for.

Biggfoot44 · Apr 16, 2016

Huh, peanut butter on a tortills, sounds interesting. Was that the hard corn chips ( think Doritos) , or the large soft ones like used for burritos, etc ?

Biggfoot44 · Apr 16, 2016

But Seriously

Indeed, you make an important observation.

While training, shooting for fun, etc , we strive for steadiness of stance and grip. To do our best, and have our shooting aided by all possable factors. It is a common instructor one liner to refer to stance as the *Foundation to Good Shooting* .

BUT , when in an expedient situation, the hierchy is aproached differently. :

Smooth Trigger control ! Kinda sorta aimed , even if upside down, twisted, and hands shaking,will at least give center of mass at "defensive distances" , and I'm meaning that in the 5-10yd context, not the arms reach context.

It would seem OP has a handle on his trigger control, tip of the hat.

95% of advanced shooting is basics done well. Out of the top 5 basic shooting skills, trigger control is 1 thru 4 . ( 5 is aim/ visual indexing. If you don't already have good trigger control, it is mostly moot.)

outrider58 · Apr 16, 2016

Skip the 'jo' and do cardio. It will add another dimension to your ability to shoot under duress. Caffeine will only give you the shakes, while cardio will add that dimension of muscular fight or flight feeling, that muscular shutdown that fear can evoke. Just my 2cents worth. That adrenaline 'tremor' in hunting is called ''buck fever'' and it is for real. Only, I get it more from does than I do from bucks.

Brent · Apr 16, 2016

Biggfoot44 said:
Huh, peanut butter on a tortills, sounds interesting. Was that the hard corn chips ( think Doritos) , or the large soft ones like used for burritos, etc ?

Big ole burrito tortillas! Pb on half and folded with water is the breakfast of champions!

Trigger control I guess came from a ton of dry fire this past winter because I didn't go to the range a ton unfortunately. I did do a lot of squeezing of the ole golckenhammer while indoors. I've actually been a lousy, rushed pistol shot (compared to my rifle work) in the past which I am pretty happy with today's results. Might be I'm starting to learn something!

Cardio sounds good actually. Pushups and jumping Jack's next time I'm there and no coffee! I forgot about that!

outrider58 said:
Skip the 'jo' and do cardio. It will add another dimension to your ability to shoot under duress. Caffeine will only give you the shakes, while cardio will add that dimension of muscular fight or flight feeling, that muscular shutdown that fear can evoke. Just my 2cents worth. That adrenaline 'tremor' in hunting is called ''buck fever'' and it is for real. Only, I get it more from does than I do from bucks.

Biggfoot44 said:
Indeed, you make an important observation.

While training, shooting for fun, etc , we strive for steadiness of stance and grip. To do our best, and have our shooting aided by all possable factors. It is a common instructor one liner to refer to stance as the *Foundation to Good Shooting* .

BUT , when in an expedient situation, the hierchy is aproached differently. :

Smooth Trigger control ! Kinda sorta aimed , even if upside down, twisted, and hands shaking,will at least give center of mass at "defensive distances" , and I'm meaning that in the 5-10yd context, not the arms reach context.

It would seem OP has a handle on his trigger control, tip of the hat.

95% of advanced shooting is basics done well. Out of the top 5 basic shooting skills, trigger control is 1 thru 4 . ( 5 is aim/ visual indexing. If you don't already have good trigger control, it is mostly moot.)

Sent from my VS986 using Tapatalk

Magnumite · Apr 16, 2016

I go with trigger control and sight alignment as the two biggies. A good foundation needs to be worked on so it is automatic...as is all the other attributes. If the foundation is compromised, as circumstances may cause, the trigger and sighting will still assure a sound hit...as was indicated earlier.

As for the java shakes...that would not work in a bullseye or silhouette shooting setting. For all precision shooting competitions, I minimize my caffeine intake and often t-total it as least three days before a match. Sounds like it woke up your body since your shooting was close and fast. Additionally, it may have focused you more.

Ditto the cardio and fitness...

Gizmo98 · Apr 17, 2016

outrider58 said:
Skip the 'jo' and do cardio. It will add another dimension to your ability to shoot under duress. Caffeine will only give you the shakes, while cardio will add that dimension of muscular fight or flight feeling, that muscular shutdown that fear can evoke. Just my 2cents worth. That adrenaline 'tremor' in hunting is called ''buck fever'' and it is for real. Only, I get it more from does than I do from bucks.

2nd the cardio recommendation. It will give you a much better simulation of combat stress than drugs.

Brent · Apr 17, 2016

Good advice on the cardio addition. I don't know how many times I have read that and how many times it slips my brain. This was my first kind of alternative training session. I will definitely add that in next time for sure. I like the sound of it a lot

Blaster229 · Apr 17, 2016

The take-away? You hit the target.

jimbobborg · Apr 18, 2016

My takeaway is he doesn't have enough finger on the trigger.

Blaster229 · Apr 18, 2016

jimbobborg said:
My takeaway is he doesn't have enough finger on the trigger.

Well, I think the point is that he had the shakes resembling an adrenalin dump. No one will have enough of anything under that circumstance.

Gizmo98 · Apr 19, 2016

brentona said:
Good advice on the cardio addition. I don't know how many times I have read that and how many times it slips my brain. This was my first kind of alternative training session. I will definitely add that in next time for sure. I like the sound of it a lot

You want to get really crazy, check out some of Instructor Zero's videos. :party29:

Have someone push you around while you shoot, scream at you, shoot over your shoulder, or hang a target on a long pole that someone can hold in front of you to simulate a moving target. He also soaks his hands in ice water to simulate shooting in the cold and does sprints with a gas mask to really limit his O2 and get the heart rate up. Basically, think of the worst case scenarios that you might face and try to safely simulate those. Any practice and training is great, but my suspicion is that most people don't get beyond static shooting at static targets.

Brent · Apr 19, 2016

Gizmo98 said:
You want to get really crazy, check out some of Instructor Zero's videos. Have someone push you around while you shoot, scream at you, shoot over your shoulder, or hang a target on a long pole that someone can hold in front of you to simulate a moving target. He also soaks his hands in ice water to simulate shooting in the cold and does sprints with a gas mask to really limit his O2 and get the heart rate up. Basically, think of the worst case scenarios that you might face and try to safely simulate those. Any practice and training is great, but my suspicion is that most people don't get beyond static shooting at static targets.

I have seen all Of those. Talk about impressive shooting

Sent from my VS986 using Tapatalk

Pinecone · Apr 25, 2016

The adrenaline dump is something a lot of people do not take into account.

In the thread about acceptable accuracy at the range, if you can just hit the torso will all shots without the dump, you may likely miss completely when it happens.

travistheone · Apr 25, 2016

sounds like you need to consult a nutritionist or at least do some googling about what a healthy diet looks like.

second, it never hurts to train anything in awkward circumstance.

on the subject of PT-

molonlabe · Apr 25, 2016

If you think the adrenaline dump was abnormal HR >170 and bp over 190 or 200 get a checkup. You may have blockage. It can cause a nasty feedback loop.

molonlabe · Apr 25, 2016

Blaster229 said:
.

Well no but I was a paramedic and the precise thing happened to me. In 2006 in an encounter I expierience an abnormal reaction to an adrenalin dump. Experienced it again while deer hunting which I have done countless times before. My HR was sky high and I could not get out of the tree for 15 minutes. I had a 90 % blockage in my left circumflex. If it was an abnormal response the OP will know. A simpler stress echo can rule this out. Keep your lectures to yourself.im more concerned with his health than you are.

Cai · Apr 26, 2016

The caffeine shake doesn't happen to me. Granted I drink enough Mountain Dew a day to go through withdrawal symptoms when I don't get any. I do like the idea of stressing yourself while shooting to get that adrenaline going, you have a good idea there.

Tried Something New at the Range Today (training)

The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Northeast

Member Benefits:

#2ALivesMatter

Nos nostraque Deo

#2ALivesMatter

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

Eats Bacon Raw

#2ALivesMatter

Ultimate Member

Free At Last!!

#2ALivesMatter

God loves you, I don't.

Oddball caliber fan

God loves you, I don't.

Free At Last!!

#2ALivesMatter

Ultimate Member

Usual Suspect

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

Active Member

Users who are viewing this thread

Log in

Forum statistics