Validation of a Dumbbell Body Sway Test in Olympic Air Pistol Shooting

Abstract

We present and validate a test able to provide reliable body sway measurements in air pistol shooting, without the use of a gun. 46 senior male pistol shooters who participated in Spanish air pistol championships participated in the study. Body sway data of two static bipodal balance tests have been compared: during the first test, shooting was simulated by use of a dumbbell, while during the second test the shooters own pistol was used. Both tests were performed the day previous to the competition, during the official training time and at the training stands to simulate competition conditions. The participantś performance was determined as the total score of 60 shots at competition. Apart from the commonly used variables that refer to movements of the shooters centre of pressure (COP), such as COP displacements on the X and Y axes, maximum and average COP velocities and total COP area, the present analysis also included variables that provide information regarding the axes of the COP ellipse (length and angle in respect to X). A strong statistically significant correlation between the two tests was found (with an interclass correlation varying between 0.59 and 0.92). A statistically significant inverse linear correlation was also found between performance and COP movements. The study concludes that dumbbell tests are perfectly valid for measuring body sway by simulating pistol shooting.

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“…This justifies the use of a dumbbell to simulate a pistol in female Olympic shooting, see also (Mon et al, 2014b).…”

“…We also analyzed the length of the principal and the secondary axis of the ellipse that best fitted each participant's COP data, as well as the angle between the principal axis of the ellipse and the X axis (for more details regarding these variables see (Mon et al, 2014b). …”

“…With the exception of the study of Mon et al (2014b) which validates the use of dumbbells to simulate shooting in the male air pistol category, no other studies exist that use, or validate, the use of objects other than pistols during measurements of COP movements. Since, however, the use of fire guns can be dangerous, such guns are strictly permitted only in places where their use is authorized by law.…”

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“…For the statistical analysis of the COP movement, the following variables were taken into account (see Table 2): Maximum COP displacements on the X and Y axes, total area of COP displacement, average and maximum COP velocities on the force platform plane, average and maximum COP velocities on the X and Y axes. We also analyzed the length of the principal and the secondary axis of the ellipse that best fitted each participant's COP data, as well as the angle between the principal axis of the ellipse and the X axis (for more details regarding these variables see (Mon et al, 2014b).…”

“…On the other hand most of the shooting tests found in the literature aimed to measure the COP movements are performed by use of the shooters' own pistol (Tang et al, 2008). With the exception of the study of Mon et al (2014b) which validates the use of dumbbells to simulate shooting in the male air pistol category, no other studies exist that use, or validate, the use of objects other than pistols during measurements of COP movements. Since, however, the use of fire guns can be dangerous, such guns are strictly permitted only in places where their use is authorized by law.…”