Physical Fitness Accident forces switch from right to left.

Bear Pit Exercise Routine

minn_wild1

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Minuteman
Feb 15, 2017
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NE MN
I had a pretty bad crash last weekend and shattered my collar bone, broke a few ribs, bruised my lungs and had a concussion that knocked me out for 25 minutes. I want to get ready for deer hunting but cant shoot or practice my normal right handed way. Should I try to work on left handed shooting or wait and see if I get healed enough by November. I can't see a downside to practicing lefty, but I am low on ammo and don't know if I will be able to resupply. The way I see it, I am limited to left handed dry firing. Can't do much positional stuff either. Anyone had a similar situation have some advice? Any advice for healing quicker for the collar bone? Exercises or stretching that will help speed up recovery? I have very little experience shooting lefty other than a few match stages... didn't do well.... Doc took me out of work for 5 weeks, so I have time on my hands.
 

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I'm right handed but master eye is left so I have always shot lefty. If you are not shooting offhand (heh) should not be a problem?
Edit to add with right hand rifles
 
Correction, it is called:

"Shooting Wrong-Handed"

And yes, due to issues with my Right eye, I can't use it anymore for shooting. After 40ish years of comfortable and proper shooting, I've had to start over doing it WRONG,,,, backwards..... inside-out..... and I'm sure a demon is being summoned, somewhere.

It truly IS so hard to 're-learn' all that you've accomplished, and then "do the opposite".

There oughta be a law......
 
I had a pretty bad crash last weekend and shattered my collar bone, broke a few ribs, bruised my lungs and had a concussion that knocked me out for 25 minutes. I want to get ready for deer hunting but cant shoot or practice my normal right handed way. Should I try to work on left handed shooting or wait and see if I get healed enough by November. I can't see a downside to practicing lefty, but I am low on ammo and don't know if I will be able to resupply. The way I see it, I am limited to left handed dry firing. Can't do much positional stuff either. Anyone had a similar situation have some advice? Any advice for healing quicker for the collar bone? Exercises or stretching that will help speed up recovery? I have very little experience shooting lefty other than a few match stages... didn't do well.... Doc took me out of work for 5 weeks, so I have time on my hands.
I'd say your best bet is to let the collar bone heal and don't do anything that could set you back another 5 weeks. I imagine the doc put you in a sling? As annoying as they are, I'd say wear it as suggested by the people that put the hardware in you.

Unfortunately years of motocross have taught me the answer to your very question. Plus I had a buddy re-fracture his hand shooting 4 weeks after he broke it in a car crash. His hand swelled up like a rubber glove full of water.

Sorry to hear about your crash, and I hope you heal quickly!

Cheers 🍻
 
I'd say your best bet is to let the collar bone heal and don't do anything that could set you back another 5 weeks. I imagine the doc put you in a sling? As annoying as they are, I'd say wear it as suggested by the people that put the hardware in you.

Unfortunately years of motocross have taught me the answer to your very question. Plus I had a buddy re-fracture his hand shooting 4 weeks after he broke it in a car crash. His hand swelled up like a rubber glove full of water.

Sorry to hear about your crash, and I hope you heal quickly!

Cheers 🍻
It happened on a big double. Guy rolled it and turned left into me. My front tire hit his helmet and the next thing I remember is getting a shot of fentanyl. Thankfully I had just put on my Atlas neck brace. I think it saved my neck. Wearing the sling religiously.
 
Last edited:
Correction, it is called:

"Shooting Wrong-Handed"

And yes, due to issues with my Right eye, I can't use it anymore for shooting. After 40ish years of comfortable and proper shooting, I've had to start over doing it WRONG,,,, backwards..... inside-out..... and I'm sure a demon is being summoned, somewhere.

It truly IS so hard to 're-learn' all that you've accomplished, and then "do the opposite".

There oughta be a law......
Me too...I'm not actually left handed, but I have to shoot lefty now days. Had to re- learn... it is what it is. I'm pretty dang good with it now though.
 
I had a pretty bad crash last weekend and shattered my collar bone, broke a few ribs, bruised my lungs and had a concussion that knocked me out for 25 minutes. I want to get ready for deer hunting but cant shoot or practice my normal right handed way. Should I try to work on left handed shooting or wait and see if I get healed enough by November. I can't see a downside to practicing lefty, but I am low on ammo and don't know if I will be able to resupply. The way I see it, I am limited to left handed dry firing. Can't do much positional stuff either. Anyone had a similar situation have some advice? Any advice for healing quicker for the collar bone? Exercises or stretching that will help speed up recovery? I have very little experience shooting lefty other than a few match stages... didn't do well.... Doc took me out of work for 5 weeks, so I have time on my hands.
Wear that sling and don't be stupid. Eat very healthy but get plenty or protein and calcium. Take a multivitamin and behave yourself. These are the bests things you can do to heal quickly.
 
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Shooting wrong sided isn’t the hard part for me. It’s finding the target in the scope with my non dominant eye. Once I find it and get lined up, the rest goes ok. I would practice with dry fire, and lots of practice picking things out with the scope on the off side. Now, I’m not a doctor, and don’t play one on tv, but I don’t see how it’s going to be good for your healing to be shouldering a rifle, even if it’s on the other side. All of that stuff is connected, and you need it to heal up PROPERLY! I had a friend at work break his collarbone, and it didn’t heal right, so they had to re break it and reset it. Sucked to be him and I know you don,t want that. Also, what are you shooting? If you are half healed and touch off a 300 Win mag, I will nominate you for a Darwin award.
 
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Lets' start with this. Define "hunt." If 'hunting' entails any more than getting dropped off a few feet from a box blind and then waiting for the feeder to go off, skip this season as you're not going to be in any shape to enjoy it. And, if this IS the definition of "hunting," skip it because you aren't going to be in any condition to enjoy it...
 
I had both collar bones broken at the same time. They weren’t set correctly. Years later (decades), I have had the ac joint removed from both shoulders, so my collarbones fee float. You don’t want this. Going prone with a rifle pushes the floating end of the collarbone into very bad places with the recoil. Take the time to heal. Unless you like blinding pain.
 
After about 14 days work on getting behind it on a tripod or bench to dry fire lefty. Could balance on a bag on a barricade too
no ammo till doc says ok.

With that nice Plate and screws over your clavicle, you wont jack it up unless you do something really stupid.

Make sure you keep doing the breathing exercises. With more than 2 ribs, atelectasis then pneumonia is a bigger worry To me than messing up and ORIF’d clavicle.

I work on a lot of motocross racers as we are the trauma center for a huge track.
those neck braces are a smart idea. Good on ya.
heal up, shoot a deer.
Then get fit snd go ride again!!

screw sitting around. That kills people!
 
6.5 creed with a brake. Very little recoil. I was envisioning ground hunting with a tripod. I understand the healing process and plan to do no harm.
Not sure about the laws in your area, but how about hunting with a cross bow? Its still not a replacement for healing, but it could be a good excuse to buy a new toy and save you from the traditional recoil a rifle produces🤷‍♂️
 
And yeah. Been there. Not fun. I was 14.
mtn bike for me, crashed on a big air.

after about 4 weeks and I couldnt participate in karate class yet, I just worked on kicks on a 200 lb water bag for 4 weeks.

Had a front kick and heel stomp from hell after that.
 
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After about 14 days work on getting behind it on a tripod or bench to dry fire lefty. Could balance on a bag on a barricade too
no ammo till doc says ok.

With that nice Plate and screws over your clavicle, you wont jack it up unless you do something really stupid.

Make sure you keep doing the breathing exercises. With more than 2 ribs, atelectasis then pneumonia is a bigger worry To me than messing up and ORIF’d clavicle.

I work on a lot of motocross racers as we are the trauma center for a huge track.
those neck braces are a smart idea. Good on ya.
heal up, shoot a deer.
Then get fit snd go ride again!!

screw sitting around. That kills people!
I'm guessing thunder valley mx sends a lot of riders your direction? It can be a rugged bitch out there some days.
 
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After about 14 days work on getting behind it on a tripod or bench to dry fire lefty. Could balance on a bag on a barricade too
no ammo till doc says ok.

With that nice Plate and screws over your clavicle, you wont jack it up unless you do something really stupid.

Make sure you keep doing the breathing exercises. With more than 2 ribs, atelectasis then pneumonia is a bigger worry To me than messing up and ORIF’d clavicle.

I work on a lot of motocross racers as we are the trauma center for a huge track.
those neck braces are a smart idea. Good on ya.
heal up, shoot a deer.
Then get fit snd go ride again!!

screw sitting around. That kills people!
i'm using a Airlife breathing thingy to keep my lungs in shape and stave off pneumonia.. My boss asked if my dumb ass was still going to ride after this. my reply...yes. I will play it all by ear and listen to my docs.
 
I'm guessing thunder valley mx sends a lot of riders your direction? It can be a rugged bitch out there some days.
Yep.
seen some crazy stuff from there.

Love the motocross racers and riders though.
show up like the OP, or worse, in a truck and teeth gritted.
clearly he needed a lift due to the long loss of consciousness.
also see a lot from the mtns. Ride out. Drive an hour or more to the hospital.

Not like the dudes who fall at goat yoga between sips of soy latte and ride in an ambulance for a sprained thumb.
 
We're lucky to have a chiropractor who also worked a bunch in sports medicine in our little remote community. I had a pretty gnarly sprain in my foot and ankle right before my elk hunt a few years ago. I went in 3 times a week for a "therapy" that included heat and cold packs alternating along with some red light treatments. I couldn't say I healed any faster or not, but it did help the pain. I think it was 4 weeks or so that I did these treatments, I got a bad ass pair of boots and was able to put on all the miles I needed to get it done.
 
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Yep.
seen some crazy stuff from there.

Love the motocross racers and riders though.
show up like the OP, or worse, in a truck and teeth gritted.
clearly he needed a lift due to the long loss of consciousness.
also see a lot from the mtns. Ride out. Drive an hour or more to the hospital.

Not like the dudes who fall at goat yoga between sips of soy latte and ride in an ambulance for a sprained thumb.
How did you know I drink soy latte?

I think the primary sentiment is " fuck paying for the ambulance ride" 9 times outta 10 its pack it up and go to the closest er. If I can roll up my own yoga mat, I can definitely drive my Subaru to the hospital.
 
These godam bikes... I had a good one about 5yrs ago, got laid up about the same. Broke ribs, collapsed lung, some pretty awesome bruising on my hip, still have a section on my hip that I could light on fire and not feel it. Worse part about it was we were 150-200 miles from any sort of help, and ran out of daylight. 2 of the 3 of us ran out of gas trying to get back to the truck, finally found everyone and got bikes loaded and headed for town. Truck ran out of gas, holy fuck! Dumped a 5gal can of premixed gas, fuggit. Got home, the wife was pretty proud, went to our ER, they couldn't get anyone in to do an mri, so I got a plane ride to Vegas. It rained 4" that day down there, so there were dozens of car wrecks which overloaded the ER, I spent 2 days on a gurney in the hallway. Those ER peeps have a fucked up sense of humor, I kindof enjoyed that part. It was like extreme people watching/reality show, thank God for the drugs. I don't know how I got back on that bike to get home, but the alternative was definitely going through my mind. Never before, or since then, have I experienced that sensation that really wants ya to just lay down and die. It pissed me off and scared me enough to press on I guess.
 
How did you know I drink soy latte?

I think the primary sentiment is " fuck paying for the ambulance ride" 9 times outta 10 its pack it up and go to the closest er. If I can roll up my own yoga mat, I can definitely drive my Subaru to the hospital.
Maybe we change yer name to Salad Tosser? 🤣
I seen you are in CO, so I knew you were a friggin weirdo.

I hear one Hide guy from CO even wears pink shoes!!!
 
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just learn to shoot lefty...whats the big deal

at a minimum it will make you focus on your mechanics that much harder

if you cant shoot worth a shit lefty and your heal in time it doesn't matter anyway

if you wait for the perfect heal and its the day before season opens...you get in a accident on the way to work or trip at your house and crack it again you wasted all this time.

never wait, never sit still...thats how to succeed