Stretching....

Dave McC · September 20, 2001, 06:50 AM

Someone asked this via E mail, so here's the deal....

The big irony of most men's lives is they get their ducks in a row about the time their bodies start falling apart. No exception here, I now have time for more shooting than ever before, but my once strong and healthy body has more problems than a young boy in prison.

Chief among these is a back that seen much better days. Two herniated discs(T-4 and 5),a pinched nerve in my neck, and a number of ripped muscles mean my Orthepedist gets to see me more often that either of us care for. I'm a poster kid for steroids and anti inflammatories. And, I turn 55 next month. It won't get better.I thank Heaven every day that it's not worse...

Pain's a great learning tool. Before shooting, I usually take a pair each of Tylenol and aspirin, and take pains to get my back all stretched. This shortens recovery time after shooting, when I have aches in my back and a headache.

So here's the exercises....

Make sure your shotgun's empty. Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart,grasping the shotgun at the PG with both hands. Extend your arms forward as far as you can. Raise your shotgun until it's as high as possible, and bring it back over your head as far as possible, w/o bending your arms.

Bring the piece down to the starting position, extended in front of you. Turn and swing the still vertical shotgun as far to one side as you can rotate without moving your feet, then the other. Repeat until you can feel your muscles loosening.

Using the shotgun "Preloads" the muscles and helps condition your body to the weight. It's almost like isometrics,using resistance to tone and get things ready for exercising.

The Martial Arts folks among us may see parallels to Tai Chi, etc. Yup, I steal only from the best.

On days we're not shooting, a few reps of this followed by some mounts will help keep things in working order and maybe even build a little stamina for when we find ourselves in a 100 round shootoff, a really hot dove corner, etc.

Hope this helps....

S.F.S · September 23, 2001, 04:21 PM

Its funny you should mention this Dave. I do a similar routine before shooting shotgun or pistol. I do the strech as you mentioned but without the gun, I also stretch my legs out and also bend a couple times to loosen up. I try to take 3 Advil before shooting (If I remember)
Mean while remember Im only 31 (At least Friday I will be) But I broke my back almost 3 yrs ago. I got rearended 15 months ago which also caused some problems. And also 2 pinched nerves in the cervical area don't help matters. But I Thank The Lord I am able to walk, and able to work, and enjoy shooting as I very much do, a friend turned me on to the sport about 2 yrs ago, shotguns only started a months back.
Scott

Dave McC · September 24, 2001, 06:01 AM

SFS, it's a good routine for most shooting sports. I started doing it for archery, I was pulling a 61 lb longbow for a while. The carryover was obvious.

I use the shotgun as a weight, and the handling during the exercises speeds things up.

S.F.S · September 24, 2001, 07:44 AM

Dave
This is a little off the subject but hopefully you can help me.
I just purchased safe that I will be picking up in about 2 weeks. It is a Sentry 14 Gun safe fully carpeted but it is not fireproof. Is it reccomended to put Desiccant in the safe to absorb moisture? If so how often should I replace it or reactivate it? I have some I bought at a gun shop, its in a sealed brown bag and that is sealed in a clear plastic bag untill ready to use. I bought it like that, it has some Mil. Spec. # on it.
I know I can get some from Brownells that changes colors to let you know when to reactivate it. But for now I will use this up.
What is your opinion on this?

Scott

K80Geoff · September 24, 2001, 08:07 AM

Forget the dessicant, get a goldenrod. They cost about $40 but are worth every penny. Have one in my safe and I live on verry damp Long Island. Yhe safe is in a damp basement. The goldenrod keeps everything in the safe from having moisture problems. Absolutely no rust even on guns that had rust before.

Geoff Ross

Dave McC · September 24, 2001, 08:15 AM

With Geoff on this one. Silica gel, powdered milk, and other dissicants work best on stuff that's sealed up well past airtight. The electric dehumidifiers work well in the safes, though I know folks that use a small light bulb, like in refrigerators and replace it regularly.

Also, before I'd stick a gun of any sort used in wet weather in a safe, I'd clean and dry it, and let it set out for a day of dry weather or two. Then, it'd go into storage relatively dry and rust resistant.

S.F.S · September 24, 2001, 08:15 AM

Geoff,
Pardon my stupid questions.
What is a Goldenrod? Where do I get it and what do you do with it? Stand it up in the safe next to the guns?
Scott

K80Geoff · September 24, 2001, 01:51 PM

Check at the local gun store, most stores worth their salt either stock them or can get them. The are an electric heater in the form of a rod, put it in the bottom of your safe, plug it in and you have no worries

Midway, Brownells and most dealers in gun stuff have them.

Geoff Ross

S.F.S · September 25, 2001, 06:47 AM

Dave,
It seems to me that a light bulb would have the results that a Goldenrod would have in keeping the area warm. How exactly do the people you know do it? And where should it be placed in the safe?
What do they use? A contractors type lamp that has a aluminum shield and clamp on it?

It also seems that it would serve as a backlight also which is cool..

Dave McC · September 25, 2001, 06:51 AM

One mounted a refrigerator bulb in a home made fixture. Another just used a trouble light and cord.Both are on the floor or near it of the safes.I believe they both have to check/replace bulbs frequently.

September 20, 2001, 06:50 AM	#1
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	Stretching.... Someone asked this via E mail, so here's the deal.... The big irony of most men's lives is they get their ducks in a row about the time their bodies start falling apart. No exception here, I now have time for more shooting than ever before, but my once strong and healthy body has more problems than a young boy in prison. Chief among these is a back that seen much better days. Two herniated discs(T-4 and 5),a pinched nerve in my neck, and a number of ripped muscles mean my Orthepedist gets to see me more often that either of us care for. I'm a poster kid for steroids and anti inflammatories. And, I turn 55 next month. It won't get better.I thank Heaven every day that it's not worse... Pain's a great learning tool. Before shooting, I usually take a pair each of Tylenol and aspirin, and take pains to get my back all stretched. This shortens recovery time after shooting, when I have aches in my back and a headache. So here's the exercises.... Make sure your shotgun's empty. Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart,grasping the shotgun at the PG with both hands. Extend your arms forward as far as you can. Raise your shotgun until it's as high as possible, and bring it back over your head as far as possible, w/o bending your arms. Bring the piece down to the starting position, extended in front of you. Turn and swing the still vertical shotgun as far to one side as you can rotate without moving your feet, then the other. Repeat until you can feel your muscles loosening. Using the shotgun "Preloads" the muscles and helps condition your body to the weight. It's almost like isometrics,using resistance to tone and get things ready for exercising. The Martial Arts folks among us may see parallels to Tai Chi, etc. Yup, I steal only from the best. On days we're not shooting, a few reps of this followed by some mounts will help keep things in working order and maybe even build a little stamina for when we find ourselves in a 100 round shootoff, a really hot dove corner, etc. Hope this helps....

September 24, 2001, 08:07 AM	#5
K80Geoff Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 1998 Location: NE Pennsylvania Posts: 3,639	Forget the dessicant, get a goldenrod. They cost about $40 but are worth every penny. Have one in my safe and I live on verry damp Long Island. Yhe safe is in a damp basement. The goldenrod keeps everything in the safe from having moisture problems. Absolutely no rust even on guns that had rust before. Geoff Ross __________________ I am no longer a member of this forum. Bye!

September 24, 2001, 01:51 PM	#8
K80Geoff Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 1998 Location: NE Pennsylvania Posts: 3,639	Goldenrod Check at the local gun store, most stores worth their salt either stock them or can get them. The are an electric heater in the form of a rod, put it in the bottom of your safe, plug it in and you have no worries Midway, Brownells and most dealers in gun stuff have them. Geoff Ross __________________ I am no longer a member of this forum. Bye!

September 23, 2001, 04:21 PM	#2
S.F.S Senior Member Join Date: April 24, 2001 Location: Delaware, USA Posts: 469	Its funny you should mention this Dave. I do a similar routine before shooting shotgun or pistol. I do the strech as you mentioned but without the gun, I also stretch my legs out and also bend a couple times to loosen up. I try to take 3 Advil before shooting (If I remember) Mean while remember Im only 31 (At least Friday I will be) But I broke my back almost 3 yrs ago. I got rearended 15 months ago which also caused some problems. And also 2 pinched nerves in the cervical area don't help matters. But I Thank The Lord I am able to walk, and able to work, and enjoy shooting as I very much do, a friend turned me on to the sport about 2 yrs ago, shotguns only started a months back. Scott

September 24, 2001, 06:01 AM	#3
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	SFS, it's a good routine for most shooting sports. I started doing it for archery, I was pulling a 61 lb longbow for a while. The carryover was obvious. I use the shotgun as a weight, and the handling during the exercises speeds things up.

September 24, 2001, 07:44 AM	#4
S.F.S Senior Member Join Date: April 24, 2001 Location: Delaware, USA Posts: 469	Dave This is a little off the subject but hopefully you can help me. I just purchased safe that I will be picking up in about 2 weeks. It is a Sentry 14 Gun safe fully carpeted but it is not fireproof. Is it reccomended to put Desiccant in the safe to absorb moisture? If so how often should I replace it or reactivate it? I have some I bought at a gun shop, its in a sealed brown bag and that is sealed in a clear plastic bag untill ready to use. I bought it like that, it has some Mil. Spec. # on it. I know I can get some from Brownells that changes colors to let you know when to reactivate it. But for now I will use this up. What is your opinion on this? Scott

September 24, 2001, 08:15 AM	#6
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	With Geoff on this one. Silica gel, powdered milk, and other dissicants work best on stuff that's sealed up well past airtight. The electric dehumidifiers work well in the safes, though I know folks that use a small light bulb, like in refrigerators and replace it regularly. Also, before I'd stick a gun of any sort used in wet weather in a safe, I'd clean and dry it, and let it set out for a day of dry weather or two. Then, it'd go into storage relatively dry and rust resistant.

September 25, 2001, 06:47 AM	#9
S.F.S Senior Member Join Date: April 24, 2001 Location: Delaware, USA Posts: 469	Dave, It seems to me that a light bulb would have the results that a Goldenrod would have in keeping the area warm. How exactly do the people you know do it? And where should it be placed in the safe? What do they use? A contractors type lamp that has a aluminum shield and clamp on it? It also seems that it would serve as a backlight also which is cool..

September 25, 2001, 06:51 AM	#10
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	One mounted a refrigerator bulb in a home made fixture. Another just used a trouble light and cord.Both are on the floor or near it of the safes.I believe they both have to check/replace bulbs frequently.