The effect of core stabilization exercises on thr shooting performance of air pistol shooters

The importance of core muscles is known in order to achieve good results in air gun shooting. In this context, this research aimed to determine the effect of 8-week core stabilization exercises on the shooting performance of air pistol shooters. The research was designed using a real experimental research model. A purposive sampling method was used in the research and air pistol shooters were randomly divided into 4 different groups as Control, Shooting, Core exercise, and Shooting + Core exercise groups. The air pistol athletes' shooting accuracy scores, balance, plate tapping, sit and reach, hand grip strength, standing board jump, sit-ups in 30 sec., bent arm hang, 20 m. endurance shuttle run and 10 x 5 m. shuttle run performances were measured as pre- and post-tests during the 8-week experimental period. In the analysis of the obtained data, two-way analysis of variance was used in 2 X 4 repeated measurements and the differences between the groups were determined by LSD post-hoc test. According to the research findings, it was determined that the shooting + core exercise group's air pistol shooting, balance, hand grip strength, bent arm hanging, and 20 m. endurance shuttle run performances were different from the other groups. This result shows that the stabilization increased with core exercises positively affects the athletic performances of air pistol shooters. It is important for air pistol trainers and athletic performance coaches who want to achieve higher shooting accuracy average scores from their athletes to include core stabilization exercises in addition to shooting training.