Matteo Campagna
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Even a little alcohol makes the outstretched arm less steady

1 study · 9 archers measured

ForContextAgainst200520102015202020252005, for, n = 92005, context, n = 9
Each circle is a study: its position gives the year, its row whether it is for, against or context, its size how many participants it measured. Light circles are studies on other populations or without archers.

There is no measurement on archers actually shooting. The claim reaches archery through a 2005 review chapter that reports, second hand, a laboratory test on nine men: at blood alcohol levels of 0.02% and 0.05%, compared with a sober condition and a placebo, the steadiness of the outstretched arm and reaction time get worse, while isometric strength and endurance stay where they were. In the same tests, electromyography at the moment of string release shows more muscle relaxation with alcohol, with marked differences from one person to the next. The pattern fits what matters to an archer, since fine control gives way and strength does not, but it remains reported data, on nine people the chapter does not describe as archers and who were not shooting arrows. Neither a safe dose nor an effect on scores can be drawn from it.

Also phrased as: "alcohol and archery"; "a drink before competing"; "alcohol and arm tremor"; "drinking the night before a competition"; "alcohol and aiming"

In practice

Archers pass on the advice not to drink before a competition, because even one glass is supposed to take the steadiness out of the bow arm; the opposite belief also circulates, that a drop calms the tremor, and it is the one the 2005 chapter examines.

Evidence

  • 2005
    For General population Published later

    A review chapter on the psychology of archery reporting, second hand, a 1985 laboratory test on 9 men not described as archers: at blood alcohol levels of 0.02% and 0.05%, compared with sober and placebo conditions, outstretched-arm steadiness and reaction time get worse, while isometric strength and endurance do not change. These are laboratory tests, not archery.

    Psychological Aspects of Archery · Kathleen M. Haywood

  • 2005
    Context General population Published later

    The same chapter reports that, across the four conditions of the test (sober, placebo, 0.02% and 0.05%), electromyography at string release shows more muscle relaxation with alcohol in the blood, and that the differences between individuals are marked. The task resembles shooting, but the participants were not actually shooting.

    Psychological Aspects of Archery · Kathleen M. Haywood

Status history

  1. 2005 Transferred The question enters archery through a review chapter that reports a laboratory test on nine men: small amounts of alcohol, up to 0.05% in the blood, worsen the steadiness of the outstretched arm and reaction time without affecting strength or endurance, and at string release electromyography shows more muscle relaxation, with marked differences from one person to the next. No measurement on archers shooting, and the data are second hand: transferred.

Related

Related articles

Research lines

Cite
APA

Campagna, M. (2026). Even a little alcohol makes the outstretched arm less steady (Version 2). In Evidence Registry. Retrieved 16 October 2026, from https://matteocampagna.com/en/registry/health/alcohol-arm-steadiness

BibTeX
@misc{campagna2026_alcolstabilitabraccio,
  author = {Campagna, Matteo},
  title = {Even a little alcohol makes the outstretched arm less steady},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Evidence Registry, matteocampagna.com},
  url = {https://matteocampagna.com/en/registry/health/alcohol-arm-steadiness},
  note = {Version 2; accessed 2026-10-16}
}

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