upper body triangle - "necktension"

[impact]

Hey folks!
 

How do you build your upper body triangle, so that you have the minimum amount of tension?

I feel like I get too tense in my neck/shoulder area.

I try to keep my head in a neutral position, and bring the sights up to eye level, instead of tucking in behind the gun. And I also try to keep my shoulders down, instead of rolling them forward or someting thelike. Still, I tend to feel tension in my neck and shoulder area after trainig sessions, which also sometimes adds up to light pain or hardening (I hope thats the correct term).

 

I'm shooting a glock in production, so I like to get a really good grip (without deforming the frame...).

It feels like biceps of both hands are not tense, but there's still something in the shoulder/neck area to feel. Although from watching footage of me shooting, it doesn't look too tense...

 

 

How can I build my upper body triangle /shooting platform as tension free and natural as possible?

And what are possible drills or exercises that help me to do so?

 

 

thanks in advance!

Edited September 15, 2017 by impact

[MemphisMechanic]

Don't consciously press your shoulders down, which it sounds like you're doing. But also don't actively roll them upward. Bring the gun up to your eyes and let the shoulders set in behind that where they naturally would.

 

Forcing your shoulders down ("keeping them down in the socket" or similar phrasing you used) is automatically going to stretch your traps out - you'll feel it in the sides and back of your neck.

[impact]

Thanks for the input!

I tried to leave them at the same level, they were when the hands were hanging relaxed during the start position. Maybe after extending them that inlcuded a little bit of pushing down when I felt they moved somewhat up or forward. I thinkt that came from the idea to prevent that overagrassive (how is it called?) "Costa arm extension" and from the idea to move as few parts of your body as possible during the draw.

So what you're saying is, just extend the arms/present the gun and leave the shoulders wherever they end up or feel the most natural/relaxed, without consciously pushing them in any direction? Kinda forget it and let the body sort that out for you, right?

[lgh]

23 hours ago, MemphisMechanic said:

is automatically going to stretch your traps out

Why would stretching out the traps cause problems? It is chronic contraction that is the usual culprit.

[MemphisMechanic]

2 hours ago, impact said:

Thanks for the input!

 

Kinda forget it and let the body sort that out for you, right?

 

With the preface that I’m just your average A class scrub and hardly an expert, I take that route. Yes.

 

Everything I consciously drive is from the elbows position down to to grip, and otherwise I’m only really focusing on leg stuff: staying low and using the thighs to swivel the hips on transitions. I’ve never really focused on shoulders or core or neck.

 

I might be missing out. But I’ve never felt any soreness or tension in my neck - not even shooting 3,000 rounds in a 4 day class with Ben Stoeger.

[impact]

I see. Well, It came more from static precision training and dryfire. Currently I put high emphasis on the precision fundamentals (trigger control, calling shots, follow through, grip, relaxing body and mind...), so maybe standing still for too long causes problems. Maybe I should relax more inbetween strings...

As soon as I get moving I don't really have any problems.

[jwhittin]

I'm relearning my grip and just took a 3 day class from Ron Avery.  I learned it just as Memphis described, from the elbows to the hands. Everything else should be relaxed. 

[MemphisMechanic]

Being tense is slow. Being calm is when you’re fast. When is the last time you saw a professional athlete in any discipline who looked tense and rushed?

[blueorison]

On 9/20/2017 at 6:32 AM, impact said:

Thanks for the input!

I tried to leave them at the same level, they were when the hands were hanging relaxed during the start position. Maybe after extending them that inlcuded a little bit of pushing down when I felt they moved somewhat up or forward. I thinkt that came from the idea to prevent that overagrassive (how is it called?) "Costa arm extension" and from the idea to move as few parts of your body as possible during the draw.

So what you're saying is, just extend the arms/present the gun and leave the shoulders wherever they end up or feel the most natural/relaxed, without consciously pushing them in any direction? Kinda forget it and let the body sort that out for you, right?

 

Find balance.  Don't overstress your muscles like a tactical guy.

[kujo929]

 
Find balance.  Don't overstress your muscles like a tactical guy.

I would definitely recommend heeding this advice. After a decade or so of being a tactical guy it’s very hard to lose that tension when you need to pick up the speed.


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[Tweedy]

Some additional thoughts on this: shoulder and neck tension imply levator scapulae/descending travezius use, muscles that lift your scapulas straight up and down. Basically, they make you shrug. You really don’t need to use them at all in the shooting sports, but they figure a lot in “tactical” stances.

 

Chances are, if you’re finding yourself in that super aggressive “tucked behind the gun stance,” you’re doing it right out of the gate with the draw. Provided that your holster is at the right height, you should be able to grab the gun and level it to your eyes leaving your shoulders relatively static, just using arm flexion/extension. Steve Anderson talks about positioning your upper body like a boxer on the draw — upright, shoulders back but relaxed — and I think that’s really helpful. This should make the draw faster, and allow for better control over establishing good grip.

 

That shoulder/neck tension can also screw with your index. Most people have a little bit of “drop” in one shoulder versus the other. If one shoulder comes up higher than the other under tension, it’ll throw the front site off in the same direction as the higher shoulder.