Exercises

FISMA

Ah lads, was out yesterday and as a matter of routing, I shoot standing, with only the sling to help, to 100 yards.

At least a couple of times a year I am presented with a similar opportunity in the field, however, without the time to open a bipod or deploy sticks. Say 3 or 4 seconds.

Anyhow, I could not believe how tired I got after holding the rifle up, the arms were a bit shaky. Although, I was shooting the entire magazine and taking my sweet time - not what happens in the field.

I started wondering if anyone out there, more than likely the competitive shooters, know of any shooting specific exercises.

I would like to know what you have specifically done that improved your game.

What exercises are Olympians, for example, told to do? Curls? Push ups? Concentration curls? Pull-ups?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Sep 1 is not far off...

Cass

Personally i have a crap free handed shots. From years of relying more and more on bipods and rests. Anyway i would imagine a few of the ISSF, more over the 3P lads here would have some helpful pointers. I know you won't be shooting exactly as they do, but the excercising and repeating of holding, position, etc could prove useful.

Just a thoguht.

meathstevie

Rule one is that you can't hold your upper body fully rigid for a long time, especially not when holding something like a rifle on aim. Get to know your "uncontrable" body movement realy well and pick your squeeze moment accordingly so you can follow it through.

Sparks

About the only things useful for competition shooters are core strength exercises and cardiovascular work. Flexibility and balance work is far more useful for a shooter (yoga and standing on a swiss ball, that kind of thing).

If you're using muscle to hold up the rifle in a competition, you're doing it wrong unless it's a snap-shot type of affair.


edit: Actually meath, you can hold your entire body still enough that your point of aim wobbles are under a half-millimetre at ten metres. You just can't track a moving target or maintain that hold with muscles while doing it.

IRLConor

Practice, practice, practice.

The simplest, cheapest thing to do is dry-fire at home. Put a spot on the wall and practice how you'd take the shot in the field. Work at it until you find a position that works for you where you're as comfortable and as stable as you can be.

If you have a sling, have a look around the net for videos/pictures of shooters using slings and learn to use it. The more weight you can take on the sling, the more comfortable your shots will be.

If you can train yourself to get into a stable position smoothly and quickly you won't need much strength. As you refine your shooting position you should find yourself using less and less muscle to remain stable and the benefit of regular practice will strengthen the muscles you do need to use.

It wasn't me!

Work on mounting the rifle quickly and get off a shot in good time. Like you say, you're not going to stand there with the rifle in your shoulder cranking through the full magazine in slow fire mode in the field, so work on how you would take those shots. Start by loads and loads of dry firing. Snap the rifle to your shoulder while keeping your eye on the target and bring the rifle and scope to you, rather than changing the way you're standing or looking to see through it. If you've got a useful sling, practise getting into it quickly, all without looking at what you're doing or fumbling. The above will make the mount smoother and more consistent. When on target, don't hang about. Squeeze off the shot while your movement is at its lowest ebb, which is as soon as you get the rifle up and on target. Lean in, grip firmly but not so tight you shake, focus on the reticle on the target and break the shot clean. You're not going to get little one inch groups like this, but if you were putting everything into an area the size of a saucer you'd kill every deer you ever pointed it at. The other way is to take a fairly ISSF position, where the rifle nearly sits across your chest, but to be honest, unless you know how to construct it, you're going to find it fiddly and fumbly in the field. I personally wouldn't do it, and in taking a standing shot, would follow the above form.