Heartbeat, Pulse and Wobble

[Bart B.]

Jared Miles says:

"I have a problem with pulse, i have the sling high on my shoulder as much as possible but the pulse is still there. i aslo have a vast heart rate and cant slow it down, i can feel it punding while iam laying down aswell. it just keeps on going and going as fast as it can, i have tried working out to slow it down because i thought i could have been out of shape, but that hasnt worked."

. . .so I thought I'd start this topic.

Years ago when I started shooting highpower rifle matches, one of the top USA international smallbore shooters was watching me shoot a 600-yard prone match one afternoon. He didn't use a scope to see my target but instead watched my rifle wiggle around with my pulse beat bumping it around. He gave me the following bit of advice. It worked.

One needs to do two things about their heartbeat. One is to minimise it and the other is to keep whatever there is from bouncing your rifle around. To learn some fundamentals, put a 20X scope on your rifle, sling up in your best prone position, then focus it on a 50-foot target (so you can do this in your back yard). Note the size of the pattern the reticule makes as it bumps with heartbeat and your wobble area around the target. Do each of the following things in the order listed.

1. Move your sling up and down your arm about an inch at a time until you find the place it lets your wobble (or holding) area be the smallest. Then take a rest for about 10 minutes.

2. Go back into position, then move your elbows around until you find the place where they make your wobble area the smallest. Take another rest.

3. Next is the torso posiition. Move your body at slightly different angles to the target searching for what gives you the smallest holding area on the target. Don't forget to take a rest.

4. Now it's leg time. Move both legs at different angles to your body and each other to find the place where your sights move the least around the target. Take your next rest.

5. Hyperventilating or deep breathing; see how small your wobble area is after each of 3, 4, 5, and 6 deep breaths. I can hold better (smaller area) after 6 deep breaths than three. I take three while reloading then three more after going back into position.

Did you remember exactly how each part of your body went into position? Find out if you remembered by going back into your prone position and checking it. You may have to do this process several times to get used to doing it. Your sling may need to be adjusted a bit for some of the arm/elbow position changes.

And you may want to put something between your sling arm and the sling to spread your pulse beat over a larger area to minimise its effects. I use a kid's shin guard (soccer style) on my sling arm at the sling contact part. It lets my stay in position longer and more steady.

Your shooting coat's fit can also make a difference. If it don't fit well you won't shoot well.

Hope this helps.

[EricG]

I wouldn't call myself an expert in prone, but I still feel I need to disagree with step 4 on the list. Your left leg needs to be in a straight line with your torso. Having weird angles at the hips between torso and legs will have negative effects to the position beyond just pulse.

Also, don't forget that diet and fitness have alot to do with pulse. I myself see a huge difference just by how much sleep I got, what I ate, time of day, and how stressed out I am.

This is a great subject. Let's keep it going!

Eric