Dave McCracken
Moderator In Memoriam
We've pretty much chewed over all the tackle, now let's see what we can do to improve the gunner.
This part will deal with the physical stuff. Mindset, focus, and attitude deserve a separate thread.
And naturally, your input is appreciated.
Physical Conditioning For Shotgunners....
Most of us perform some kind of activity for health. Jogging, walking, swimming, etc, all aid muscle tone and improve performance. But the muscles we use in shotgunning are used in ways we do not use them very much in other activities.
I start a round of trap by stretching, to reduce the chance of a torn muscle, to limber up. This is good for everyone,older shotgunners especially.
And I use a shotgun to do it. Of course, make sure it's SAFE and UNLOADED first.
This is done slowly, like Tai Chi by old folks. Slow motion intensifies the effect.
Grasping that shotgun with both hands at the grip,feet about shoulder's width apart, I push it out in front of my chest as far as I can.Then it's raised up until it's directly over my head, and returned to a point where my arms are horizontal again.I then turn as far as I can to the left and right, returning to center then bringing the shotgun back to my chest, flexing my arms and straightening them out again. By this time, I'm loosened up and ready to shoot.
Off the range a few sets of this, 5-10 reps a set, are good for muscle tone.The muscles getting the most from this are the ones most in use when we shoot.
Those are NOT in the arms.
Swinging the shotgun means using muscles all the way down your body.Repeat that part of the exercise that involves turning. Note how you can feel the turn all the way down to your calf muscles, even your feet if the turn's extreme enough to raise the outside of the foot opposite to the turn.
Once the shotgun's mounted,the arms are relatively still. The movement occurs all down the torso, and a surprising amount of control comes from how tense the back muscles are. Try that stretch again, and feel where and how the muscles interact.
Archers know that back tension makes the draw consistent. After some practice, you will know the mount's right or wrong by how the back feels. Trust me on this.
While some good can be done with weights, the best weight to use to tone up shotgunning muscles is a shotgun. Of course, this is not always possible, so...
For weights, I suggest light barbells, the little ones, running up to 10 lbs. Instead of massive weight,use less weight, and add more reps. We're going for strength, not bulk. Curls and lifts are the ticket, but think of ways to help tone up the back and leg muscles with lifting.
When we can use a shotgun,practice getting a good mount. Start with stretching then say, 10 reps. Add 5 after a week, another week add 5,etc.Unless there's a major reason not to, split it up and practice from both strong and weak sides. A time may come when we need to shoot from the offside, here's a way to get ready.
Practice that mount going for smoothness rather than speed. Once smoothness comes, speed's there also. Elimination of wasted motion really speeds up the mount. Concentrate on making each mount perfect.
After you've done some mounting, do the swing as well, alternating direction, speed and height. Inside, we can use the lines where ceilings and walls meet, tracing along them and MAKING the barrel stay on track. After a few reps, move enough so the angles change and do a few more.
That should be enough for starters, please sing out if there's questions and/or suggestions...
This part will deal with the physical stuff. Mindset, focus, and attitude deserve a separate thread.
And naturally, your input is appreciated.
Physical Conditioning For Shotgunners....
Most of us perform some kind of activity for health. Jogging, walking, swimming, etc, all aid muscle tone and improve performance. But the muscles we use in shotgunning are used in ways we do not use them very much in other activities.
I start a round of trap by stretching, to reduce the chance of a torn muscle, to limber up. This is good for everyone,older shotgunners especially.
And I use a shotgun to do it. Of course, make sure it's SAFE and UNLOADED first.
This is done slowly, like Tai Chi by old folks. Slow motion intensifies the effect.
Grasping that shotgun with both hands at the grip,feet about shoulder's width apart, I push it out in front of my chest as far as I can.Then it's raised up until it's directly over my head, and returned to a point where my arms are horizontal again.I then turn as far as I can to the left and right, returning to center then bringing the shotgun back to my chest, flexing my arms and straightening them out again. By this time, I'm loosened up and ready to shoot.
Off the range a few sets of this, 5-10 reps a set, are good for muscle tone.The muscles getting the most from this are the ones most in use when we shoot.
Those are NOT in the arms.
Swinging the shotgun means using muscles all the way down your body.Repeat that part of the exercise that involves turning. Note how you can feel the turn all the way down to your calf muscles, even your feet if the turn's extreme enough to raise the outside of the foot opposite to the turn.
Once the shotgun's mounted,the arms are relatively still. The movement occurs all down the torso, and a surprising amount of control comes from how tense the back muscles are. Try that stretch again, and feel where and how the muscles interact.
Archers know that back tension makes the draw consistent. After some practice, you will know the mount's right or wrong by how the back feels. Trust me on this.
While some good can be done with weights, the best weight to use to tone up shotgunning muscles is a shotgun. Of course, this is not always possible, so...
For weights, I suggest light barbells, the little ones, running up to 10 lbs. Instead of massive weight,use less weight, and add more reps. We're going for strength, not bulk. Curls and lifts are the ticket, but think of ways to help tone up the back and leg muscles with lifting.
When we can use a shotgun,practice getting a good mount. Start with stretching then say, 10 reps. Add 5 after a week, another week add 5,etc.Unless there's a major reason not to, split it up and practice from both strong and weak sides. A time may come when we need to shoot from the offside, here's a way to get ready.
Practice that mount going for smoothness rather than speed. Once smoothness comes, speed's there also. Elimination of wasted motion really speeds up the mount. Concentrate on making each mount perfect.
After you've done some mounting, do the swing as well, alternating direction, speed and height. Inside, we can use the lines where ceilings and walls meet, tracing along them and MAKING the barrel stay on track. After a few reps, move enough so the angles change and do a few more.
That should be enough for starters, please sing out if there's questions and/or suggestions...
You will need to be able to go to kneeling or prone very quickly. Once again stretching is great. Don't forget your ankles and calves. I got a minor ankle sprain once in a match, and it screws you up the rest of the day.
