Are you hesitant to get down to the shooting range because you don’t have enough reasons to learn how to shoot? Or maybe you’re guilty of assuming that shooting with Mini 14 or any other rifle can only help hunt down deer. Turns out that shooting has many health benefits and is Good for Your Health.
And if you’re still in doubt, here are five reasons shooting can be surprisingly good for your health.
1. Good for Balance and Coordination
Shooting requires proper body balance and coordination.
When you control a firearm, you can’t afford to be unstable, especially during gun recoil. Shooting helps you learn how to keep your grip firm during a kickback. You also learn how to keep your body steady and balanced.
Besides, you get better at keeping your body stable with more shooting practice.
2. Adrenaline Rush
Shooting a gun is exhilarating.
Your body reacts to this excitement by releasing bursts of adrenaline. Adrenaline is great for your body as it energizes and positively impacts your mood.
Besides, the increased heart rate due to the adrenaline rush increases blood flow to your body.
Additionally, the adrenaline rush prompts your liver to break down glycogen to glucose. Increased glucose stimulates the release of the feel-good hormones serotonin and endorphin. These two hormones are responsible for making you feel happy and content.
3. Good for Your Mental Health
An often overlooked benefit of shooting is improved mental health.
Shooting a gun requires you to focus and be in control of your weapon. This means you won’t have time to think of stressful situations or wallow in self-pity.
Besides, shooting boosts your confidence and self-esteem, which can help you feel better about yourself.
Further, when practicing in a shooting range, you get to mingle and interact with other shooters, which helps improve your overall mental well-being.
Additionally, if you’re learning to shoot for hunting purposes, you will get multiple chances to enjoy the outdoors. This access to nature has a significant positive effect on your mental health. You’ll be less stressed as your interaction with nature will improve your mood.
4. Improves Your Physical Strength
Holding a gun steady, especially if it’s a heavy rifle, will require you to be physically fit.
You’ll need to raise your gun and hold it in its shooting position to hit the target. You must also distribute your weight evenly and remain in a balanced position.
In the end, shooting enhances the strength of your back, shoulders, arms, and core muscles.
5. Improves Eyesight
Shooting helps improve eyesight, especially for people with mild eye problems.
Shooting can act as the exercise your eye muscles need for improved eyesight. When you’re shooting, you have to focus on the target through the gun’s scope, which helps strengthen your eye muscles.
Further, spending your time shooting is better than exposing your eyes to harmful electronic devices such as smartphones, laptops, and television. The harmful radiation from these devices can stress your eyes more, leading to poorer eyesight.
Now you have five good reasons to learn how to shoot a gun. Don’t only focus on the harmful effects of owning a firearm. Shooting is good for both your physical and mental health.