Who knows what muscles

[bal_g23]

you use when holding a rifle ready to shoot, such as demonstrated below?

Biceps? Triceps? Shoulders?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[ExactlyMyPoint]

Well, technically, you are using just about every muscle in your body. You don't just use your arm muscles, but you will also use your leg muscles, back muscles, neck muscles, etc to stabilize the body.

Any other questions I can answer?

Dr. Steve

[bal_g23]

Your completely right, but in this case im talking about what gets noticeably more tired first which for me is my left arm. What muscles should I work on strengthening in order to be able to hold a 7-9lb rifle in the ready position for longer without becoming tired?

[Cupcake]

Off the cuff I'd suggest maybe starting with front dumbbell raises, pushups or bench presses, close grip pulldowns (Maybe rotate front and reverse grip), and some core exercises wouldn't hurt a bit either.

TO answer your question though, I'd say that most likely it is your biceps and anterior deltoid (front shoulder) that you feel most immediately. But just because you feel those most, don't mean that the others won't waver enough to throw off accuracy.

[raevan]

Go buy a Barrett .50 caliber lift and sholder it for 10 reps on the right side then lift and sholder it for 10 reps on the left side. Do this every other day alternating which side you start on. Who cares the name of the muscles. These exercises will strengthen all the muscles that are used. After these dont hurt, then start holding them longer.

[dakotasdad]

Better yet, go to your local home and garden store. Buy a 50 lb. sandbag. Throw it inside two trash bags, put it in an old duffle bag and pick it up. Hug it, put it over your shoulder, do squats, shoulder presses, whatever. Grab the handles and swing the bag. Do curls with it. Hammer curls, static holds with your arms at 90 degrees. The options are limitless. You'll have a home gym for $5.00. Works for me.

[Ram Rod]

The best rifle hold is the one where you utilize your body's support structure (bones) rather than muscles. It's all in the technique and position. Good body fuel is a must, but the mind works better than any of that physical stuff. Weightlifting may help stamina.....but you'll only need stamina when you're out of your structural position. The bigger the muscle, the more fuel required to sustain. When the fuel runs lean, you'll be shaking. In my opinion, your thinking about this in the wrong way. Get an expert's opinion....stick with the basics which include a firm foundation. My opinion is based on my silhouette shooting experiences.

[Skye]

I fired rifle competition from HS through 40 yrs old and then decided to learn how to shoot pistol (bullseye).

Had a friend who was an NRA lifetime master in pistol and he agreed to teach me how to shoot a pistol.

He said, "you are not ready to start shooting until you learn how to stand still." (Bullseye shooting is done with one hand)

He stood me in a doorway and handed me a broom. Had me slide the broom up so the handle hit the top of the doorway and my hand was holding it in firing position.

"Push up real hard and hold it until your arm starts to tremble (about 40 seconds) Do that three times a day for six weeks and then come back and we will talk about shooting."

Good grief! After the first day I was really sore. Arm, shoulder, down the back and even down the back of my leg.

After six weeks I went back to talk to him and he had me stand there and point my finger at him and finally said, "OK. You are not yet standing really still but that's a big improvement."

And that's how I started out handgun shooting. I guess the moral of this story is that if you want to do something really bad, you will be willing to put in the necessary time to learn how to do it right.

...Skye...

[buckeye .45]

Well, most of the weight should be on the bones of the arms, not the muscles, get a good firm base to start with.

However, when I have to point my rifle at things for a long time from an offhand position, it is usually biceps and deltoids that feel it worst. The best solution may just be to practice holding the weapon steady.

Also a sling used correctly can help disburse the weight and add support.

[CharlieMike]

This reminds me.

I don't exercise consistently. I do it in fits for up to a couple of months then stop. But when I do exercise:

I do a type of dumbbell extension that simulates extending a firearm. Essentially, I hold a dumbbell vertically with both hands, trying to approximate a proper pistol grip and isosceles stance as well as possible. In a shooting stance, I extend the dumbbell from my sternum out without locking my elbows. I hold for a second or two then back in for a few reps.

I do the same with (and only with) each hand to simulate one handed shooting.

I don't know if it is helpful but it should exercise many of the muscles involved in shooting from my back and shoulders down to my hand. It is also neat to actually try drawing and aiming a firearm right afterwards -- a gun feels light as a feather!

The biggest downside is that soreness might make it difficult to actually draw and extend your gun in competition or in a self defense situation.

Maybe something similar can be done with a barbel and some light weights.

[mikeprekopa]

go to the store and buy a pack of ankle weights, i think they are like 10 or 15lbs a piece. strap one on each forearm, and then grab your rifle and practice holding it. once you can hold it for awhile comfortably with the weights on, take them off and feel how light the rifle is now.

[Andy W.]

Better yet, go to your local home and garden store. Buy a 50 lb. sandbag. Throw it inside two trash bags, put it in an old duffle bag and pick it up. Hug it, put it over your shoulder, do squats, shoulder presses, whatever.

Just reading that made my knees hurt!