[Thick Bars for Grip Strength]

try squeezing a tennis ball 3 sets of 30. great forearms and grip workout, if too difficult at first puncture a needle through ball to aid in compression.

Oh. Like that. Good one. Or grippers. Any workout involving kettle bells improves forearm and hand grip strength like crazy.

[Keeping the thumbs off the pistol?]

Not over thinking at all! That's the beauty of this; there is a lot to think about while shooting and it's all important. Unbeknownst to those who haven't ventured into this world.

I was told to use your two middle fingers to press the gun into the palm, thus relieving pressure from other digits or the trigger finger and to always keep the thumb at the same level with the trigger finger. That tip seemed to keep me from hitting the safety while firing as well in single and double handed shooting. I kept engaging the safety as well until I beat that into my head.

I've seen those lovely little thumbrests for the scope mounts on non-airsoft guns? Hell, why not get a better grip piece thats formed with a spot for the thumb?

I'm new. just...throwing those ideas out.

[Silhouette Shooting.]

Aside from straight up practice, what are some suggestions for minimizing shaking through your stance when shooting a silhouette match?

Going through youtube I've seen some videos where some explain that the hips should be set more backward, and the back of the front arm should more or less be balance and almost inline with the front leg.

Opinions?

[EY, YO! BROOKLYN!]

Raised outside of Houston and then moved to El Paso. Much easier to do this down there huh?

[Thick Bars for Grip Strength]

Definitely a good idea.

Otherwise try hanging from a pullup bar for at least 30 seconds while making sure to have your shoulder blades retracted and down. Works the forearms like nothing else as well as the shoulder complex.

[EY, YO! BROOKLYN!]

Howdy, howdy, howdy.

A good friend just introduced me to this forum and I think I am going to be a regular here.

Since having been invited to take part in the shooting sport last year with trap shooting, I have been ever since in love with these amazingly engineered little systems of mechanisms and explosions! It really is a thrill and despite having been raised a farm girl, never really got to experience the art and sport of competition shooting until moving to NYC and bumping into perhaps the most helpful, knowledgeable, and welcoming group of individuals I have ever met. Everyone around me is always willing to motivate and educate.

The fascination also lies with the physical aspect of the assorted disciplines that until really taking part in, had no clue of! Having had an extensive fitness background, I am just floored that something that seems more mental than anything else can leave you outright physically tuckered and am on a mission to fully understand the anatomical aspects of this sport to perfect it that much more so any suggestions out there from seasoned pros are more than welcome!

By partaking in this forum and in the shooting sport, I want to become as enamored as possible in this world as it is something I truly seem to have a natural passion and tendency for! Hopefully, with a degree in industrial design, I also hope to apply that towards armory/gunsmithing. Being a young female and having recently joined the NRA and residing in perhaps the hellish, when it comes to gun laws, NYC, I also want to take part in as much of the legislation as possible to ensure that our second amendment rights are not infringed as NYC is the stronghold!

Yee-haw! Looking forward to learning as much as possible and meeting many fellow gun enthusiasts along the way!

[Hello from the burbs of NYC]

Ey Yo! From BK!

Yeah Bloomberg doesn't make anything gun easy and fun here. I am sure you have all heard of that recent bs change that no longer allows the transport of handguns outside of the 5 boroughs which drastically reduces competition shooters options.

There are a few petitions going around. This must be stopped. It's a domino effect and we all have to really band together now.

[How y'all Doing]

Neat! So you're one of the guys at the range that blows out my ears with your loads. That's ok. Love you anyway. Where/how did you learn to be an armorer?

[Grip - pushing both hands into the grip]

Oh an another thing. Someone told me that the fingers of your dominant hand (trigger hand) should be what pulls the grip into your palm and the other hand is more relaxed and is just to stabilize as opposed to squeezing the hell out of it. : shrug : rookies mistake.

If only we could all be so lucky to be in a supportive teaching environment!

[Grip - pushing both hands into the grip]

I have read that pushing and pulling your hands is no good for action pistol shooting...what about using your pecs and front deltoids to force the palms together (getting the sensation that you're at the top of a dumbbell fly exercise?)

I think I've read someone recommend this before but do not remember who it was (or whether it was some internet goofball.)

I'm very slow compared to other shooters and it's because 9/10 times, when I first point my gun at a target, the front sight is not in the rear notch and I've got to make adjustments with my wrists. The 1 time that the front sight is in the rear notch I'm surprised and don't let the shot go right away (so used to it not being there.) It *seems* like a slight pressing of my hands together on the gun, using the muscles of my chest, automatically lines the front sight up in the rear notch. However, I've only fooled with this doing dry-fire...and on a different day maybe this slight upper body squeeze won't have the same affect (i.e., could have been something I was doing without realizing it that was causing the front sight to line up and not the slight inward squeeze.)

I may be new to this but spent some time practicing the other day and almost always had the same result until I started to engage the serratus anterior for stability, inner/upper pectorals and let my upper back round a little bit by relaxing the posterior deltoids. Almost instantly my shots got better. The serratus anterior naturally help to pull the scapula/shoulder blades tighter to the rib cage and gives more stability and seemingly, less recoil and a more stable pull-through of the trigger without having to engage and tire out other muscles. Trainer's take on it.

I am still amazed at how much of the body comes into play with shooting in general. Hence me being hooked!

Anyone know of any publications focusing on anatomy in relation to shooting?

Thanks and hope my 2 cents helps!