Proper stance for shooting requires that you lean slightly forward, to brace against the coming recoil.
So why do most women lean back when they present a firearm?
Leaning Back
Contrary to popular opinion, it has nothing to do with fear of the gun. Actually, it’s about biology.*
There are a number of subtle but important differences between men’s and women’s spines. The lumbar curve in the lower back spans three vertebrae in women and only two in men. This gives a women’s spine a more pronounced curve and a sharper angle. Because of this curve, women’s lower vertebrae are wedge-shaped.
The sharp angle and wedge shaping is more vulnerable to slipping sideways. To protect against a slipped disc, the spinal joints of women are approximately 14% larger and positioned centrally rather than bracing on the sides.
These spinal differences make it much easier for a woman to bend backwards.
The effect is used to counterbalance a woman during the late stages of pregnancy when there is tremendous weight on her front, and for the first year or so when she is consistently carrying a small weight—all without developing back problems or strain.
What About Guns?
What, you may ask, does any of this have to do with shooting? It’s all about how women balance and counterbalance against weight. When a man holds or carries something in front of him, he leans forward and uses brute strength to keep it up. When a woman holds or carries something in front of her, she leans backward to evenly distribute the weight of the load.
So when a woman is expected to hold something at length in front of her—such as presenting a firearm—she will instinctively lean backwards to maintain a centralized axis of gravity. The longer or heavier the firearm, the more dramatic the lean is likely to be.
What’s the Fix?
Most of proper firearm handling requires overcoming your instincts. Proper grip of a gun means not using your thumb. Proper trigger press often requires you to bend your knuckle at an unusual angle.
So for women, proper stance might mean learning to bend forward at the waist. Ensure before you start shooting that shoulders are in front of your hips and be amazed at how much it helps with the recoil.
Remember to lean in. That’s really all that matters.
- Female lower back has evolved to accommodate strain of pregnancy.
- Spines, Made Extra Curvy for Women
- Sex differences in the lumbar vertebral column of human males and females
*These statements are based on assessments and medical studies of cisgender subjects. Transgender and queer-gendered individuals may or may not conform to these generalities.