TargetTalk

Due to my job I am required to be away from home for about 10 days a month. I cannot take anything with me and am looking for any tips to help me improve.
I have a PowerBall which I am trying to use each day to help with my hold strength and am doing some balance exercises from the Mec Pistol book.
The PowerBall seems good but I am kind of making it up as I go along. I would love to get some guide ideas on this or other exercises that I can do in my hotel room.
I mainly shoot 25 precision pistol in both 9mm and .22 but have just added AP to the mix.
Many thanks
Mark

I have taken a light weight (5lb) for hold isometric weight training when traveling. Interestingly, I usually get pulled out of security line for extra screening since it must look concerning to TSA at the airport, but that provides a means to get some shoulder endurance training to improve hold while away.

I do have some resistance bands that would work also and weigh less than a dumbbell but i am trying to keep the bag as light as possible as commuting by air can be a PIA!

You don't need anything fancy. Use a six-pack in your room and repeated 16 oz. curls when out and about.

Any tips for the PowerBall....duration, position etc?

For shoulder exercises, go to housekeeping and get a couple of containers used for cleaner. Best if it is the kind that has a horizontal handle across the top. Fill with as much water as you like. Water is roughly 8.2lbs per gallon. Lift one in each hand to the sides and / or to the front as many times as you can. Lift to slightly above shoulder level or even all the way over your head if you like. Go slow. Hold at the top. Let down slowly (about 3 seconds). Do this every few minutes or so up to seven sets. If you need variation, hold them out and make circles with them for a set period of time or revolutions.

For forearm, borrow a mop handle. Attach some kind of weight to one end. It doesn't need to be much. Start with a pound or even just the stick. Sit on the edge of the bed with the end of the stick in your hand and the long end toward the ceiling. Slowly lower the stick one way to parallel to the floor and then rotate it the other. Hold when you reach the bottom on either side. Do that about twenty times. Strong forearms will help your grip.

You might also try apnea training. I am able to hold on target a bit longer after I stop breathing because I SCUBA dive and practice apnea training. You can get apps on your phone for it (free). Basically, it is teaching your body to constrict blood vessels to keep blood flow to important things. The apps will give you an amount of time breathing deep and slow vs holding your breath. It will increase the length of time for each as you go through cycles. I can hold my breath nearly five minutes. It also has a remarkable effect on your ability to focus afterwards. Long term, it can help your mind ignore the body's demand for oxygen when you've only held your breath a matter of seconds. You'll surprise yourself. It's not oxygen depravation that is the dominant factor at first. It's your mind's reaction to it.

These are just off the top of my head. Use them if they work for you. Discard them if they don't.

David

Many thanks David. I like the ideas and will give the breathing training a try also.

2 half liter water bottles. Standing, hold 1 in each hand at your sides and raise to the side until parallel to the floor (crucifix) or even slightly above parallel. 6 sets at 20, 30, 40, 30, 25, 20 repetitions with a minute or so rest between the sets. Not too fast of pace for the raises. Adjust the number of raises per set as desired.

Mental training and vizualisation. no props, just the brain and that is with you always.

I am reading as much as i can too try and improve , have the MEC shot book also to work through the mental aspect also.