Weight training for accuracy

I don't specifically do it to help my shooting, but in the last 5 years I stopped being a couch potato and got into shape. I've noticed it helps quite a bit, especially with action shooting. Not being winded after sprinting through a stage makes a big difference.

There’s no question that being in shape helps you to be a better shooter. At age 66, I hit the gym three times a week, concentrating on compound exercises – bench and shoulder press machines, pulldowns, low rows and cable twists, all with fairly heavy weights. I maintain strict form with rapid movements. I push hard. If I need the strength I’ve built up, I’ll need it in a hurry. I have no interest in isolation exercises, since there are very few times in life when you need just one muscle group.

One of my main goals is to stay in good enough shape to do my age in strict military PT pushups in one minute every year on my birthday. When I turned 66 last February, I did 68 pushups in one minute and 83 in 90 seconds.

When I walk up to the line in competition, I’m not draggin’. I’m ready

The better physical condition you are in the better you will perfom any physcal task. Most forget how important leg and core body strength are. Your legs are your foundation. The stronger they are, the more stable the rest of your body will be. Your abdomen muscles are just as important for the same reasons. Arm, back, and chest strength never hurts, but is the least important. Don't forget aerobic actvities such as brisk walking, running or bike riding which increase lung capacity. This allows better control over any gun if you are breathing easier.

When we are young most of that stuff comes pretty naturally. What does not we often get just from our jobs, upkeep around the house or raising our kids. As we get older we have to make much more of an effort to maintain what we have. After about the mid-40's we are going to lose strength and endurance any way you look at it. Working out helps delay the effects.

I have been in and out of the gym routine several times over my life and have mixed feelings about whether it helps with shoooting or not. Here are my thoughts and observations:

In Shape with strong grip, forearms and upper arms. Sounds like a reasonable argument for being able to hold the weapon steady and counteract recoil. However, during the times that I have concentrated on muscle building with emphasis on heavy lifts I find I fatigue more easily and even quiver when doing things like holding a nominal weight straight out in front of me.

Out Of Shape, my endurance for doing things like holding a nominal weight in a steady position is greater than the same type of stress when I am in shape.

In Shape as it refers to cardio/aerobic performance. During these phases I have a slower heart rate and steadier breathing pattern which one would think would aid in holding a steady sight picture. However, I have seen some overweight types huffing and puffing and shooting solid groups.

There are other implications of being "in shape" that don't specifically apply to the original post of accuracy but have an impact on overall shooting and concealed carry/self defense but I'll hold off on those until I see which way the Mods let the thread develop. For that same reason I'll also hold off answering the question about reps verses weight. Maybe later.

Go with reps.

Posted by jmr40:
After about the mid-40's we are going to lose strength and endurance any way you look at it.

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If we sit back and "let nature take its course", that's true. But we don’t have to do that. If we exercise and eat right and don’t let ourselves get fat and make sure our hormone (testosterone) levels stay high enough, we can stay strong and healthy at least into our 80s.

Accidents and major disease may cripple or kill us, but if we can avoid that, losing strength and endurance is our own damn fault.

At 51....

.......I've found that staying in shape helps with any physical task. I do believe that steadying a firearm and controlling recoil are easier. Since I'm a construction worker who spends more time off than working in this economy, staying in shape is very important. Spent time on a job recently where I've noticed many of my peers got in terrible physical condition due to a lot of downtime. Lack of strength, aches and pains, lack of stamina...etc. You can't spend a lot of time off and do nothing, then throw yourself back into hard physical labor and not expect some adverse effects. I like a lot of reps of a low weight and do a lot of walking. It keeps me reasonably toned. Still have a little belly but what the heck, going into middle age, I deserve that. Besides my wife is a great cook and when I have a couple beers, I don't care for some cheap watered down light beer. It has to be a nice full bodied ( thus-full caloried!)brew with flavor. Preferably lagers or black & tans and stouts.

Darn. Now I'm thirsty. Crap, way too early. Guess I'll go work out.

It is funny... Long ago, when I first started reading about shooting (that would have been in the late 50s) I found a bunch of old manuals in the library.
Back then, they were advising that competitive shooters actually adopt a sedentary lifestyle and not do any excercise at all....

The idea was that "your heart would beat harder" and thus disrupt your aim...

Now of course we know that high-end target shooters train aerobically so as to have a low resting heartrate that they can "time" their shots to.

At 58 I'm trying to keep up an active life style which is aimed at reducing the "erosion of the body". I suspect it doesn't really matter if you lift weights or do other upper body work or exercise. It's all about keeping in shape and having a reasonable muscle tone.

I dont know of anything in life you can do better out of shape. At 27 I just got back into weight training after about 3 years of nothing. Now after about 6 weeks I have to be careful not to slam rifles into the top of the safe when I pull them out.

That Japle guy is ticking me off with his push-ups. I thought I was doing well with mine. I am 11 yrs younger and feel like kicking his you know what and umm.....well, I would ....you know.....well hes kinda far away.....or... ..... yup oh never mind. Sorry Sir.

The old farts on the bullseye line at the highest levels seem to do fine, not matter age or condition.

Posted by icanthitabarn:
That Japle guy is ticking me off with his push-ups. I thought I was doing well with mine.

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Hey, as long as you can do a bunch of pushups, you’re better than almost all the guys you’ll see at the mall.

As a matter of fact, sir, I can do a bunch. The problem is, I learned, a few years ago, that pull-ups is the exercise that humbles. Getting back to the question, I think that now that I am on a push/pull up routine, I am shooting better. However, due to never using proper targets back in the old days, and the span of time, I am uncertain, but seem to recall that I was much steadier, at that time.

I have just come across this exercise, suggested for 'seniors', to build muscle strength in the arms and shoulders. It seems so easy, so I thought I'd pass it on to some of my friends and family. The article suggested doing it three days a week.

Begin by standing on a comfortable surface where you have plenty of room at each side. With a 5lb potato sack in each hand, extend your arms straight out from your sides and hold them there as long as you can. Try to reach a full minute, then relax.

Each day, you'll find that you can hold this position for just a bit longer. After a couple of weeks, move up to 10lb potato sacks.

Then 50lb potato sacks and then eventually try to get to where you can lift a 100lb potato sack in each hand and hold your arms straight for more than a full minute.

(As I write this I have to admit that I'm at this level)

After you feel confident at that level, put a potato in each of the sacks.

You have to/want to be mule strong but I'd finish up with way light weights and high reps a couple three weeks before a big match.

dampoo said:

I have just come across this exercise, suggested for 'seniors', to build muscle strength in the arms and shoulders. It seems so easy, so I thought I'd pass it on to some of my friends and family. The article suggested doing it three days a week.

Begin by standing on a comfortable surface where you have plenty of room at each side. With a 5lb potato sack in each hand, extend your arms straight out from your sides and hold them there as long as you can. Try to reach a full minute, then relax.

Each day, you'll find that you can hold this position for just a bit longer. After a couple of weeks, move up to 10lb potato sacks.

Then 50lb potato sacks and then eventually try to get to where you can lift a 100lb potato sack in each hand and hold your arms straight for more than a full minute.

(As I write this I have to admit that I'm at this level)

After you feel confident at that level, put a potato in each of the sacks.

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Heavens to Betsy you made me laugh. How dare you!

Years ago, I used to relax while holding a 10? lb.dumbbell straight out to the side, for long periods. So after an unknown period of weeks and while holding this for around 20 min. or so, maybe more, something happened like throwing a switch. I couldn't feel the weight at all and it was like it was just my untired arm bizarre, but I am sticking with the story.

Weight lifting is one of my other obsessions in life besides shooting. I honestly believe it helps me shoot better. I feel it helps with having a good grip and being able to hold firearms up more easily and for longer periods of time. I also think it helps keep my mind clear and my confidence up which for me translates into being able to focus on the shot better.