Effectiveness of Hand Grip and Shoulder Muscle Strengthening Programmes on Shooting Performance in Air Rifle Shooters: A narrative review

Air rifle shooting is a precision sport that requires upper-limb strength, postural stability, and technical control to achieve consistent performance. Handgrip and shoulder muscle strength play an important role in maintaining firearm stability and shooting accuracy. To review the available evidence on the effectiveness of handgrip and shoulder muscle-strengthening programmes in improving shooting performance among competitive air rifle and air pistol shooters. A narrative review was conducted using ten studies published between 2015 and 2025. The selected literature included experimental, observational, cross-sectional, and systematic review studies. Evidence was synthesised to evaluate the effects of handgrip strength, shoulder muscle strength, balance, and functional strength training on shooting performance. The reviewed studies consistently reported that improvements in handgrip and shoulder muscle strength were associated with better firearm stability, aiming accuracy, trigger control, postural balance, and shooting scores. Functional strength training and enhanced upper-limb muscle activation further contributed to improved shooting consistency and performance. The available evidence suggests that handgrip and shoulder muscle-strengthening programmes are effective in improving shooting performance. Incorporating structured strength training into regular conditioning programmes may enhance upper-limb function, stability, and competitive shooting outcomes.