01/20/2026
https://www.facebook.com/share/1MfmY5irEF/
The Biomechanics of Elbow Position in Pistol Shooting
Full Extension Is a Mechanical Stop, Not a Functional One
When shooters fully lock their elbows, what they’re really doing is letting the olecranon process of the ulna physically jam against the olecranon fossa of the humerus. That’s a hard, bone-on-bone stop. It creates a false sense of stability, but it also transfers recoil directly through the joints with minimal muscular absorption.
Over time, especially with high round counts or stout calibers, this can contribute to joint irritation, tendon strain, and even long-term damage in the elbow capsule, triceps tendon, or brachioradialis.
Softening the Elbows Recruits the Right Muscles
A slight bend in the elbows (10-15°) allows your body to switch from passive bone stacking to active muscular engagement. You bring your biceps brachii, brachialis, and anterior deltoid into the fightc, not to mention improved co-contraction of forearm stabilizers like the pronator teres and extensor carpi radialis longus.
This shift spreads recoil across a dynamic network of soft tissues instead of slamming it into your joints. That not only makes shooting more comfortable, it improves recoil recovery time, letting you track the dot or front sight more cleanly across multiple shots.
Better Proprioception = Better Corrections
Muscle tension gives your nervous system something to work with. When the arms are slightly flexed, you activate muscle spindle fibers, the little sensors in your muscles that tell your brain where your limbs are in space. This enhances proprioception, which is critical for tracking, micro-corrections, and staying visually anchored during recoil.
In contrast, locked joints reduce the input your brain receives. You might feel “rigid,” but you’ve also dulled your body’s ability to feel and respond.
Body Mechanics and Energy Flow
Straightening your elbows often leads to other postural compromises. Shooters tend to lean backward, break posture at the hips, or drive their head forward to “meet the sights,” disrupting the entire kinetic chain. It throws your weight distribution off and reduces your ability to move or adjust quickly.
Bending the elbows naturally encourages a more upright posture with anterior pelvic engagement, glute activation, and a forward-biased center of gravity. That matters a lot more when the shooting gets dynamic or fast.
Put a slight bend in your elbows. Keep your posture upright. Let your muscles do what they’re built for: absorbing force, guiding motion, and making you harder to knock off your rhythm.
