As I understand it, alcohol impairs your ability to perform at virtually all sports, but with a few exceptions- sports that require a high degree of precision, such as archery, darts, and shooting. Supposedly, this is because the alcohol reduces tension and relaxes you so that your hands are steadier when you are aiming. More can be found here-
The question remains, exactly how much should you drink to improve your performance? What blood alcohol content would be necessary to put you at your optimum performance level??
Interesting article, but one I’m sure a large number of 'dope shooters would disagree with. IIRC, alcohol raises your blood pressure and pulse rate, which is contra-indicated for elite level shooting. When tested, Olympic level shooters, et al are being tested for narcotics which artificially lower BP and pulse rates.
Alcohol certainly does improve fine physiological tremors in those people who have them, but I’m not sure elite athletes suffer unduly from this problem. Presumably, the correct answer to your question is “when permitted to drink alcohol at the event, drink as little as possible to produce the effect”. Possibly as little as half a pint of lager.
Doubtful you’ll get any skilled shooter to perform such a dangerous and irresponsible experiment so as with the eternal “how many the licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop®,” the world may never know.
FWIW I’ve heard of shooters abusing blood pressure medication for the same reasons BF mentioned.
A friend of mine is an avid pistol shooter and is actually pretty good (he was asked to try out for the american team-IIRC). He told me that if he’s particularly nervous he’ll have one shot during/before a match, but only one shot.
I don’t know what causes them, but try this experiment at home:
Make a fist. Make it as tight as possible. Eventually your hand will start to shake violently. The same thing happens on a (much) smaller scale when some people hold a handgun (or anything else, for that matter). Even the slightest tremor can throw your shot off enough that you lose the match.
In precision rifle shooting the pulse from a person with normal blood pressure is enough to throw the sights off target. We’re talking small fractions of an inch at the target. My only direct experience was ARA .22 benchrest. In that discipline an error of 0.15" off the center of the target fifty yards away is enough to drop from 100 points to 50. Other benchrest disciplines are even more precise. I had to spend several minutes relaxing before shooting a string and concentrate on touching the gun as little as possible. With a 36x magnification scope heartbeats transmitted through my shoulder would look like an earthquake when I was looking at the crosshairs on the target. The best shootes learn to shoot between heartbeats.
Just MHO but that isn’t a very relevant test as no one shoots that way, at least they shouldn’t. The “death grip” is often something a new shooter has to unlearn in order to hit a target.
And here I was hoping this would be about shooting pool. My perception of my pool-shooting skills increases markedly with alcohol consumption, but in my more sober moments I do admit that an impartial observer may disagree with my own assessments
I suppose the same might be said about darts, but any improvement over the first half-pint is rapidly wiped out as the drinking progresses…
I had handling firearms after drinking impressed on me as at least as stupid a thing to do as driving drunk, and given the above comments about the disconnect I know happens between my perception of my abilities and the real world if I drink, I draw the line at nothing for both…
That said, for other performances (dancing, public speaking, etc.), I have been known to down a half-shot of whiskey to calm the performance jitters. Anything more than that would be counterproductive, IMHO.
I have a fine photo of myself holding an AR-15, which had one of those can holders often seen in cars hung over the handle. It carried a barley pop, of course. We get kinda wacky on our annual ATF guy’s weekends.
What? No BDW-6 tactical beer hat with silly straw?
For some humor actually related to the OP check out http://www.whitebreadblues.com/ and watch cartoon #1Varmint Country. TheLadyLion wanted to know what it was like when I went target practicing with my friends and I sent her that link. Sounded needed and broadband preferred. "D
There’s a phenomenon called “purpose tremor.” To see an example, simply thread a needle. Most people, though they had no shaking beforehand, will notice a little wiggle as the thread nears the eye of the needle.
Most people are less accurate when drunk. I know two guys who run counter to that rule, though. Sober, they’re pretty good pool players. Get 'em looped, though, and they’re amazing. One of them can be roused from a pass-out and play tournament grade pool. The other has an unfortunate tendency to show off his bank shots when he gets really sloshed. My own pool playing goes downhill as my alcohol content rises. It was on one such occasion that I obtained the moniker “Mr. Completely.”
I can’t believe what I’m reading…actually CONDONING alcohol and firearms?
Drunk pool players aren’t nearly as dangerous as a drunk with a gun.
Despite fighting ignorance, there are many more factors to consider than accuracy - like the safety of your fellow competetors.
Many threads have been tactfully closed for much less than this. Mods should take a close look at this one and consider their liability.
I don’t see anyone condoning shooting while drunk. There’s a HUGE difference between having some alcohol in your system and being totally sloshed. The amounts of alcohol described in this thread would put most people under the legal limit for driving in most states, thus I don’t really think anyone’s advocating shooting while “drunk”. Of course, its up to the mods in the end.
I second Myrr21’s comment about doing better at Counter-Strike while under the influence (I wasn’t feeling any effects, so I wouldn’t say I was “drunk”). I think it has to do with being calmed enough not to react to seeing a foe with a spray of bullets, but instead to carefully take aim and burst in the proper direction.
“The common condition of benign essential tremor, often inherited as an autosomal domiannt trait, causes tremor at 5-8 Hz that is usually worse in the upper limbs. Pathologically, there is patchy neuronal loss in the cerebellum and cerebellar connections. Tremor is seen when the hands adopt a posture, such as holding a glass or a spoon. Oscillations are not usually present at rest nor do they worsen with movement. Essential tremor may be seen at any age but occurs most frequently int he elderly. Anxiety can exacerbate the tremor, sometimes dramatically. Small doses of alcohol and beta-adrenergic blockers often reduce the tremor. Though usually postural, in some cases the tremor may occur at rest (where it may be confused with Parkinson’s disease) or be cerebellar (with past pointing).”
Kumar & Clark, Clinical Medicine (2nd ed, pp.920-1)
Essential tremors are often treated with propranolol, which is a beta blocker also widely used to treat high blood pressure. My physician has told me that he has patients who are competition shooters as well as some who are members of the Houston Symphony who take it to maintain fine control over their hands and fingers.
I take propranolol for ET, and it works, and I have noticed that alcohol will suppress the tremors.
