Skip to main content
Help Center Community Shop

Weight training to improve marksmanship?

spurgemastur
I read something, somewhere, that suggested weight training was a good idea for people trying to improve their pistol skills (I'm sure the same would go for off-hand rifle).

I'm fairly sure that it would help me. I can tell that muscle fatigue starts to set in after about 30 minutes on the range and I'm sure it affects my grouping.

So: does anybody here do weight training specifically to improve their marksmanship? If so, do you have any pointers for what I should be doing? I was thinking of getting some one or two pound weights and just going for it. But maybe there's more to it than that. I've never done any weight training before.
0

Comments

20 comments

Date Votes
  • 11b6r
    Arm curls, squeeze a rubber ball (reps for each hand) and sit-ups for the abdominals.
    0
  • use enough gun
    Back when my son was in high school and playing football he was lifting weights 3 times a week. It hurt his shooting when he shot the same day or day after lifting. Dave
    0
  • spurgemastur
    quote:Originally posted by use enough gun
    Back when my son was in high school and playing football he was lifting weights 3 times a week. It hurt his shooting when he shot the same day or day after lifting. Dave


    That's interesting. Can you explain why?

    Edit: I just re-read my response and it sounds a little smart-assed. It isn't (at least it isn't meant to be). So again: any ideas as to why?
    0
  • cce1302
    quote:Originally posted by spurgemastur
    quote:Originally posted by use enough gun
    Back when my son was in high school and playing football he was lifting weights 3 times a week. It hurt his shooting when he shot the same day or day after lifting. Dave


    That's interesting. Can you explain why?

    Edit: I just re-read my response and it sounds a little smart-assed. It isn't (at least it isn't meant to be). So again: any ideas as to why?

    Muscle memory. Much of shooting is about muscle memory, and weight training teaches your muscles something else.
    Also training to the point of soreness would harm accuracy.
    Overall strength increases would likely help a little. Work on your core muscle groups and train your breathing.
    0
  • bhale187
    I lift weights 4 or 5 days a week, and I avoid shooting on those days. Muscle fatigue will greatly reduce your shooting 'scores'.

    However, I'm sure being in better shape will definately improve you ability to maintain your skill level for longer periods so long as you are not shooting when fatigued.
    0
  • bgjohn
    [?] Depends on how much you gun weighs?[:D]
    JM
    0
  • cowdoc
    don't know about marksmanship.....i would guess that lifting just to tone up would not hurt....it does however damn sure improve a guys performance in the sack....[}:)][:D]
    0
  • jonk
    I lift irregularly. I work out irregularly. I'll be all gung-ho for like 4 months, and just as I'm really starting to reap the benefits get lazy and quit.

    I can't say as my scores actually improve when I'm in better shape, but I certainly feel steadier.
    0
  • iceracerx
    Most Bullseye shooting involves using the body's skeletal system to lock in place. You don't need bulging muscles to shoot well. You rarely see Olympic weight lifters shooting in a Free Pistol event.

    That said, strong hands / wrists have always been a pistol shooters friend. Squeezing a rubber ball or using hand exercisers will help you grip. Avoid using your trigger finger to squeeze. This advice goes way back to the 50's with regard to target shooting. A muscle bound trigger finger is less sensitive then one that is not.

    As far as rifle shooting goes, simply getting into and holding position (sitting, kneeling, etc) will build all the muscles (and memory) needed when the event arrives. I believe that this also holds true with dry fire practice with a bullseye pistol.
    0
  • chollagardens
    [:D][:D][:D]I remember two physical fitness experts that had a physical fitness plan to improve marksmanship. Drill Sergeant Rucker and Drill Sergeant Perry are not in the business anymore but I understand that others are working the same field.[:D][:D][:D]
    0
  • nononsense
    spurgemastur,

    Weight training is taken very seriously by the folks who participate in shooting competitions. This is a link to the U.S. Army Marksmanship Training book. Please read Chapter 8:

    http://www.scribd.com/doc/2029287/us-army-marksmanship-training-pistol

    I have an article on training for rifle competition but I can't put my hands on it right now.

    Best.
    0
  • SP45
    Take a very light weight, start with 1lb. Work your way up to maybe 5lbs if you want to. Hold the weight straight out in front of you and make little circles with the weight. Go clockwise and then counter clockwise. Do as many as you can and do about 3 to 5 sets a day. This will help the little mussles in you shoulder that support your arm and make automatic corrections as you sight. Also squeeze a ball, but not a small one. One about the size of a tennis ball. Do not use the grip strength devices with the spring in them. They will cause more trouble then they will help.
    0
  • idsman75
    It makes sense. If you stop lifting weights or doing regular strength-related exercise then your neurological connections that send messages from brain to muscle diminish. You actually have more control over muscles that are worked routinely because of these neuro connections.

    When shooting for accuracy, every little muscle twitch counts. If you do it right, you should be able to exert more control over each muscle than if you did not. Hypothetically, you'd probably have fewer of those involuntary or mistaken muscle contractions while you're getting ready to pull the trigger.
    0
  • gagirl
    Weight training for endurance and weight training for hypertrophy are 2 different things. Training for hypertrophy causes doms on a regular basis however endurance training does not. The training to increase shooting skill would be an endurance type. (low weight higher rep)
    0
  • MVP
    I was at the range one day and a tall muscular old man was printing phenominal groups with his 1911.
    I went over and started talking to him and found out he was a 70 year old retired police officer from Portland Oregon.
    I asked him if he had any tips for me about firearm set up and or shooting in general.
    He just said practice every chance you get and then he grinned and pumped his bicept into a ball of steel and said the real secret is right there while pointing at his solid bicept.
    0
  • TooBig
    i don't think lifting my diet coke will solve my problem.
    0
  • use enough gun
    My son was a nose tackle in high school, 6'5" 265lbs. He was mainly working on upper body. He was bench pressing more than he weighed and it would hurt his shooting scores when shooting the same day or day after lifting.
    I'm sure some lighter weights wouldn't have had the same effect on him. We shoot 4 position smallbore indoor. If any of you guys have shot it you will know how critical a tremor or muscle fatigue can effect your shooting scores. Rather than lift weights I do 50 pushups every morning. Can't tell you if it's helped me or not but I carry a 392 average.Dave
    0
  • Cutiegirlracing
    If you going to weight train. I would do a complete general routine. Might as reap the benefits for your complete body.
    If you wanting to isolate the muscles for pistol shooting. I would get a dumb-bell and just rest it at my side then bring it up to shooting position. Do that with each arm and use different weights. Something like 20 times each arm with a 12 pound weight, then the same with a 15, then 20 then 25. Then move you weights up. Something like 20,25,30,35. Do the same thing with wrist and forearm rolls too. Using the same weights. Wrist rolls are done by putting you arms on you leg, with the back hand facing you. Then just lift the weight using you wrist only. Then roll you arm over with your palm facing you weight in hand do the same thing.

    If you decide to do a complete body. Rest is very important, eat lots of chicken. Gets lots of water on the days you workout and eat lots of bananas. Do different parts of you body on different days.


    Working out is hard. If it was easy everyone would do it. My best advice to you is don't think about it just do it. I would never get up in the morning if I thought about what I had to do that day (as far as working out)
    I hate biking when it's in the 20's or swiming when it's in the 60's and raining.
    Lifting when my body acks. Just do it don't think about, just jump up out of the bed and start you day. Tell you body the bad news after it's up, like it has to run 15 miles today.

    I hope you do start a work out program. Nothing like being in shape. The feeling is awesome.
    0
  • spurgemastur
    quote:Originally posted by nononsense
    spurgemastur,

    Weight training is taken very seriously by the folks who participate in shooting competitions. This is a link to the U.S. Army Marksmanship Training book. Please read Chapter 8:

    http://www.scribd.com/doc/2029287/us-army-marksmanship-training-pistol

    I have an article on training for rifle competition but I can't put my hands on it right now.

    Best.


    Thanks! And also thanks for the input everybody else had to offer.
    0
  • 11BravoCrunchie
    The stronger your torso arms and hands are, the more steady you can hold a firearm for longer periods of time.
    0

Please sign in to leave a comment.

Recent Activity