IPSC athletes point out that physical fitness can make a difference in the World Shoot
Guga and his professional coach, Romildo Rabello
It is well known that Practical Shooting is a sport that requires a physical burst of energy, speed, elasticity, strength and other elements that depend on the athlete’s physical fitness. But on the shooting range, you can encounter competitors with different degrees of fitness.
In his last website article, Guga Ribas discussed the physical part as “a key item for the good performance of any athlete”. To maintain his fitness, Guga is accompanied by professional coach Romildo Rabello in his work outs three times a week. On the other days, he does lighter exercises and has a balanced diet.
As an expert in this area, Romildo is able to perceive the difference between two athletes with high technical skills but with different degrees of physical fitness:
- Physical fitness focuses on recovery. The tendency is that an unfit competitor, even when highly skilled, has a very poor result at the end of a match. When there is a championship lasting for more than one day, it is natural that on the second day of competitions he’s not 100% and this makes a difference – he says.
Drawbacks for physical workout
Caroline Faci divides her time between her studies and Practical Shooting
The large majority of IPSC athletes have another occupation during the week and this is why it is hard to spend time on physical fitness and technique.
The 20-year old athlete Caroline Faci divides her time between her studies and Practical Shooting. To keep physically fit, she divides her week up into three days for running and two for swimming. As a result she says that “it helps make me stronger, improves breathing and facilitates movement”. When she has more time to spare she adds bodybuilding to her activities.
Thirty-one year old Jaime Saldanha Jr. recalls that, when younger, he had more time to train, pay attention to his diet and practice other sports. Nowadays he tries to reconcile surfing and the triathlon with his work. By being active in those sports, Jaime says that he keeps physically fit to compete in Practical Shooting.
On the other hand, Cesar Castro, in the Standard division, has found it hard to keep fit for Practical Shooting competitions. Cesinha finds that he normally doesn’t have enough time for both professional and personal occupations, but has also injured both his arms and undergone surgery on his right leg.
- My best results were when I was physically fit. A good physical condition gives you peace of mind to endure the matches. Now I’m slowly resuming physical activities with swimming and low-intensity muscle hypertrophy workouts four times a week – says Cesar Castro.
Different degrees of fitness
Horácio Cariello, member of the Brazilian Open squad in the World Shoo
Forty-eight year old Horacio Cariello, who is a member of the Brazilian Open squad in the World Shoot, admits that he no longer worries about the physical and practical fitness for the category. “Physical activity only once or twice a month” (laughter).
As a result, the performance of Horacio, who was already world champion in the Steel Challenge, is no longer the same in Practical Shooting matches. The athlete, however, stresses the importance of being physically fit.
- When I was Steel Challenge world champion, I was physically fit. If I were to continue training and be very fit, I would seldom be runner up in a match, but today this makes no difference for me – says Horacio.
On the other hand, other IPSC athletes regard 62-year old Josias Lucena and 54-year old Lucimar Domingues as benchmarks of fitness and dedication.
Lucimar, a retired federal police officer, has always been physically fit. Since a child, he practiced karate until he began to spend more time doing Practical Shooting. And because of his professional requirements, the athlete – a member of the Brazilian Standard Senior squad in the World Shoot – has considerable strength and endurance. When he was in a car crash in 2004, his physician said that the fracture to his right arm – still not completely mended – would have been much worse if he hadn’t had strong muscles.
Lucimar Domingues and Josias Lucena
- Now, in addition to alternating walking and jogging, I do push-ups, abdominals and bodybuilding. I also try and compensate part of the strength I had in my right arm before the accident with my left arm. Since I’m right-handed, my hand that should be strong is much weaker. This is why I normally take greater care with my right arm when training – says Lucimar, who in 2008 was Standard Senior world champion with the Brazilian squad and vice-champion in the individual.
Josias Lucena also gives maximum value to physical activity for always having good results in shoots. The athlete, who began Practical Shooting when he was 44 years old, jokes about his own degree of fitness.
- Since I was a late starter in the sport, physical fitness was fundamental. Even more so because not all the old guys look after themselves and so I can outmatch them – he says jokingly – Everything works out well when you’re really fit: moving, accuracy and self-confidence. If you’re unfit, your mind tells you what to do but your body doesn’t obey – concludes Josias.
Fitness for the World Shoot
César Castro e Guga Ribas
On the eve of the World Shoot, the athletes chime in unison that physical fitness is essential for a good result in Greece.
“In a world shoot, stress kills you. Fitness helps diminish this stress. Being physically and mentally fit makes all the difference”, says Josias Lucena.
“This part of the training is very important for a long championship like the World Shoot. It lasts six days. If the athlete isn’t physically strong, by the third day he’ll be pretty exhausted”, says Lucimar Domingues.
Romildo Rabello, physical fitness trainer for athlete Guga Ribas, agrees with the athletes, with the confidence of someone who knows what he’s talking about. The coach recalls that the Shoot in Greece is not only six days long but can also be very demanding for the athletes in the typical high temperatures of that region.
- The shooters must take special care with hydration. They can have a replacer as prescribed by the nutritionist. You must know how much you will be stretched during the day, arriving at the time of the match well hydrated and maintaining this hydration. Lack of hydration could cause a decrease in your good physical condition. Since it’s a long competition you must take care not only with hydration but also your diet – explains Romildo.