Core Strength

Looking forward to bring you a very special core strength article and maybe even a video too after I meet up with top physio Nick Selby and even arranging some physio sessions for those of you wish any shooting related injuries - more details to follow.

looking forward to this as from a wheelchair all the gun swing is generated from the core muscles and any advice on making them more flexible would be a great help.

Certainly looking to provide a comprehensive information guide for all shooters.

Making them more flexible will be down to stretching as apposed to strengthening. Of course,strengthening and then stretching would be optimal.

In a wheelchair or not,Russian twists is a good exercise for core strength. Bingle it. I do these with a 20kg plate held out in front of me.

Proper crunches....not a conventional 'sit-up'. That puts a lot of pressure on the lower back and is more of an isometric contraction,rather than isotonic. Isotonic showing the greatest results for development.

For full development of core strength that is really all you need. You can add in leg raises and side crunches if you wish. Forget anything standing on a ball and balancing! If you strengthen your core properly in the first place,balancing on a ball after that will be cake!

But,is all this really necessary to swing an 8lb gun a few times in succession? Nope. Just by swinging the gun,the body will adapt to that, as it's an exercise in itself,and not just solely for your core. Also back,arms,shoulders and even your legs...why take it beyond what's needed if you don't need to. The body has no interest in being stronger or musclier than it needs to be. Unless of course you want to for other reasons,but then hopefully you wouldn't just be focusing on your core.

I don't reckon you would get many Physios prescribing a Russian twist. It puts a lot of pressure through the lumbar spine (lumbar spine should only flex, extend and side flex, not rotate). It has a shearing effect on the disks which could lead to a prolapsed disk. Personally, I'd avoid any exercise that attempts to rotate the lumbar spine...

Depends if you have an existing injury. We're not talking rehab. So you wouldn't twist your body around while keeping your feet planted in the same position? How do you swing a gun? Rotation.

That type of exercise could well lead to someone needing rehab.

Rotation comes from the thoracic spine, which is where the gun swing happens. The Russian twist is an exercise that potentially can cause injury to the lumbar spine, particularly if using extra weight with it. I often wince at some of the exercises I see performed in gyms but I guess it keeps us Physios in a job.... ;-)

I think you hit the nail on the head with "potentially" If the rotation is coming from the thoracic and not the lumbar,problems would only occur if you're using a weight which is too heavy,taking you past the point of comfort (ROM) uncontrollably and shifting emphasis onto the lumbar....at which point I'm sure the abs and obliques would no longer be properly engaged anyway. I think a little common sense is what's needed here.

Russian twist is a fantastic exercise.....done correctly.

I think we will have to agree to disagree on this one. Potentially any exercise has a risk attached to it but in my opinion, the Russian twist increases that risk of injury due to the excess strain on the lower back. You mentioned not doing sit ups (which I agree with) yet the Russian twist will exert more strain through the lumbar spine than a sit up.

As you say,I think we can agree to disagree. Although I have to disagree about the pressure in the lumbar spine between the two exercises. With a Russian twist,(being done correctly) the load is a lot closer to the pivot point,than with a sit-up. A weight further from any pivot point is harder to lift and will exert more pressure upon the pivot.

To be fair, there are variations on the Russian twist but I still wouldn't do one but then I am a Physio and therefore risk averse...... if you do injure your back, give me a shout... ;-)

Haha,ironically I actually put my back out Friday!....I leaned over forwards to duck into a loft hatch in a wall and ping! Session with the osteopath Friday and one yesterday and it's easing off a lot!

Yep, it doesn't take much. I treated one guy who sneezed and prolapsed a disk....hopefully catch up at a shooting ground at some stage and we can continue this debate and you can laugh at my shooting ability or lack of..any tips much appreciated. ;-)

Im a big fan of the forwards sausage roll...

For sure man. Catch you soon.

EdSolomons said:

Im a big fan of the forwards sausage roll...

Click to expand...

Yeah...and the rear ones,so I'm told.

EdSolomons said:

Im a big fan of the forwards sausage roll...

Click to expand...

be careful with this one, could cause you to follow through....;-)

Everyone makes mistakes...

Nick Selby said :-

" Potentially any exercise has a risk attached to it "

That is good enough advice for me to not indulge in this sweaty pastime, mines a pint of Banks's Original, thank you, so kind.