Whats a good exercise for weak upper arm (difficulty holding AR when changing mag)

[Ledanek]

I'm 40-achoo! years old with just stretching exercises for my sciatica as a routine.
After taking a Tactical Rifle class, I realized it's difficult for me to keep my AR up while doing Tactical Reloads.
I tried tucking the stock in my armpits, but, that's not good enough.

Please recommend a good exercise (besides doing some chicken-wings with the AR) that's not too strenuous for this aging member :p

thanks

[Leaveammoforme]

I am by no means an expert or even a novice when it comes to this, so take this loosely.

What about holding your rifle by your side with arm straight by the pistol grip only. Then lift stock up to your your arm pit, then raise rifle into a firing position and hold. Then repeat in reverse back down to your side. Seems to me that would target the exact muscles that need addressed.

[WillBrink]

I'm 40-achoo! years old with just stretching exercises for my sciatica as a routine.
After taking a Tactical Rifle class, I realized it's difficult for me to keep my AR up while doing Tactical Reloads.
I tried tucking the stock in my armpits, but, that's not good enough.

Please recommend a good exercise (besides doing some chicken-wings with the AR) that's not too strenuous for this aging member :p

thanks

You need to do the same stuff everyone needs to keep for upper body strength to help keep basic strength: Standing presses, push ups, chin ups, etc. If you're having trouble holding an AR during mag changes as a 40 year old male (unless there's some serious medical condition you're not mentioning) you're going to be at serious risk of sarcopenia (age related loss of muscle) and other ills best avoided if you're that weak now.

[tylerw02]

You need to seek fitness instruction from a qualified trainer.


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[Ledanek]

You need to do the same stuff everyone needs to keep for upper body strength to help keep basic strength: Standing presses, push ups, chin ups, etc. If you're having trouble holding an AR during mag changes as a 40 year old male (unless there's some serious medical condition you're not mentioning) you're going to be at serious risk of sarcopenia (age related loss of muscle) and other ills best avoided if you're that weak now.


thanks for everyone's suggestions.

@WillBrink, I've been lurking your post for sometimes now. You have excellent suggestions. Specially, when it comes to low back problems, which, I'm afraid I have that too.
I perform A LOT of pushing and pulling heavy patients on a daily basis. Transferring patient from bed/cart to CAT scan table. I transfer most of the energy using my legs to push. When I pull, I use transfer board or using plastic sheets to simulate a "slip-n-slide" and using my weight to pull patient...using my body as a counter-weight. At home I do a lot of stretching and those ab exercises with those huge bouncy balls...I've removed the office chair to and use the bouncy ball as a chair, to continue engaging my core muscles. Pretty fun, and it keeps me alert and awake vs office chair, which encourages your to slouch and ruin your posture.

I order those hooks for pull up on door frames. I'll be incorporating those also.
I'm doing the MARSOC 10-week prep workout app (http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/article/20140721/NEWS04/307210018/App-lets-Marines-share-their-workout-progress-friends) to further strengthen whatever muscles that needs workout. Started this week.
I'm using the rifle also like a kettle-bell instead of buying one. At 40-achoo, it's weird to get back into the workout. I'm usually cold to touch, but wife, noticed that I'm warm lately with the new routine.
It's a slow process for me. Baby steps as they say.

Thanks for the suggestions again.

[Savior 6]

I'm 40-achoo! years old with just stretching exercises for my sciatica as a routine.
After taking a Tactical Rifle class, I realized it's difficult for me to keep my AR up while doing Tactical Reloads.
I tried tucking the stock in my armpits, but, that's not good enough.

Please recommend a good exercise (besides doing some chicken-wings with the AR) that's not too strenuous for this aging member :p

thanks

Do high repetition (15-25) with low weight exercises for your biceps and shoulders every-other day if your schedule permits it. Those muscle groups seems to bear the brunt of body position/support, the first fundamental of BRM.

Good
Hammer Curls: 3-5 sets of 15-25 reps with one minute rest inbetween sets.
Better
Dumbell Curls into Overhead Press: 3-5 sets of 15-25 reps with one minute rest inbetween sets.

[Hizzie]

Pick up Starting Strength 3rd edition by Mark Rippetoe. It is the best How-To for doing the basic barbell lifts I have ever seen. Your overall performance will greatly improve by strengthening your entire body.

[Mustang31]

You would be amazed how much strength you gain by doing 100 push-ups a day. I would start there.

[WillBrink]

You would be amazed how much strength you gain by doing 100 push-ups a day. I would start there.

Push ups are great, but If you're not doing an equal amount of pulling exercise in the same plane of movement as the push ups, an excellent way to create imbalances and future injuries. A good program is a balanced program.

[Trajan]

My AR feels 1/3rd lighter now that my arm curls are up from 25 to 50 (3x8). Good form of course.

[bobfried]

Look up Stronglift 5x5.

Easy strength workout, builds strength very quickly. Spot workout targeting specific muscles are not overall conducive to rifle handling. You want to be strong overall and a good balanced strength training regiment will help with that. Static line shooting is one thing, but moving around, doing drills, you will need all your muscle groups.

[Ledanek]

Started my exercising routines (hope I don't get lazy)...started with some stretching for my sciatica...then some planks with the bouncy ball to strengthen core.
My tennis elbow still hurts, so I'm just using some rubber bands that equals between 5-10 lbs (depending on where the band starts the resistance---per rehab staff)
Also, doing kettlebell (started with just an 8 lbs with 20 reps various exercises---not going for bulky muscles.

Got a nice 1 hr plus workout this morning. Hope to stay religious to this.

[LoveAR]

Jumping jacks, push-ups, sit ups, pull ups, bear crawl, crab crawl, leg lifts, superman, jumping, running.

All that will serve you well. Hoo yah!

[brickboy240]

Bench press, standing rows, bent rows, squats, dips, dumb bell military press, overhead press...those are probably a good place to start.

-brickboy240

[TommyG]

I'm 40-achoo! years old with just stretching exercises for my sciatica as a routine.
After taking a Tactical Rifle class, I realized it's difficult for me to keep my AR up while doing Tactical Reloads.
I tried tucking the stock in my armpits, but, that's not good enough.

Please recommend a good exercise (besides doing some chicken-wings with the AR) that's not too strenuous for this aging member :p

thanks

Not fitness related but what grip are you using? I have a horrible time with this with an A2 grip. It seems to be the way that it fits in my hand. Have the strength but that grip seems to hit in a spot that fatigues my hand and forearm much faster than others.

No substitute for being in the best shape you can but something to consider also. Might make it easier for you.

[Ledanek]

Not fitness related but what grip are you using? I have a horrible time with this with an A2 grip. It seems to be the way that it fits in my hand. Have the strength but that grip seems to hit in a spot that fatigues my hand and forearm much faster than others.

No substitute for being in the best shape you can but something to consider also. Might make it easier for you.

off-topic...is this same TommyG in DiRT or RBR racing forum?

I'm using a BCM 16 Lightweight Mid-Length Rifle MID-750-LWC (http://www.gandrtactical.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=MID-750-LWC), I got from Grant. It's definitely my arms got weak during class. Even though I tend to do dry-firing in the basement 2x a week, must be something in the adrenaline and the fatigue of actually doing live drills that got to me.

I must have been the way I'm holding the AR unsupported, up in the air, vs sticking the stock in my armpit or tucked in like the way I would do my dry-fire drills.

My wife is shaking her head every time I come up from the basement sweaty, trying to keep up with the young folks. Nonetheless, she likes that I'm trying still to stay healthy. She promise to join me, next time. She prefers the walking and her elliptical exercise machine...tried it, bad on my hips and back.

[TommyG]

off-topic...is this same TommyG in DiRT or RBR racing forum?

I'm using a BCM 16 Lightweight Mid-Length Rifle MID-750-LWC (http://www.gandrtactical.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=MID-750-LWC), I got from Grant. It's definitely my arms got weak during class. Even though I tend to do dry-firing in the basement 2x a week, must be something in the adrenaline and the fatigue of actually doing live drills that got to me.

I must have been the way I'm holding the AR unsupported, up in the air, vs sticking the stock in my armpit or tucked in like the way I would do my dry-fire drills.

My wife is shaking her head every time I come up from the basement sweaty, trying to keep up with the young folks. Nonetheless, she likes that I'm trying still to stay healthy. She promise to join me, next time. She prefers the walking and her elliptical exercise machine...tried it, bad on my hips and back.

Not the same guy. Common username I am finding out. Early 40's here too. I definitely notice a difference in every aspect of my shooting when I let fitness slide. Hope you find a routine that helps you run the rifle better.