Abstract

Objectives: This cross-sectional study examined associations between field bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)-estimated body composition, handgrip strength, event-defined centre-of-pressure (CoP) variables, and short-range police precision-shooting accuracy. Methods: Fifty-seven Police Officer Training Course cadets completed body-composition assessment, handgrip testing, and five-shot Glock 19 pistol tasks at 5 and 7 m. CoP variables were extracted during an event-defined aiming phase and a fixed 1 s post-discharge phase. Results: Shooting accuracy was higher at 5 m than at 7 m (p < 0.001). Higher BIA-estimated fat mass percentage was associated with lower shooting accuracy at both distances (p < 0.050), whereas handgrip strength was not associated with accuracy. Compared with the aiming phase, the post-discharge phase was characterized by greater CoP velocity-related measures and lower CoP amplitude and displacement (p < 0.010); these phase comparisons should be interpreted with caution because of differences in phase duration. Associations between CoP variables and shooting accuracy were generally weak. Sex-adjusted exploratory fixed-entry regression models showed modest explanatory capacity after internal validation (5 m: adjusted R2 = 0.281, LOOCV_R2 = 0.240; 7 m: adjusted R2 = 0.193, LOOCV_R2 = 0.131). BIA-estimated fat mass percentage and AP peak velocity during aiming were retained across distances, but these model-based findings should be interpreted as exploratory candidate associations rather than stable predictors. Conclusions: These findings suggest that field BIA-estimated body composition and task-specific postural regulation may be related to police precision-shooting accuracy but should be interpreted as correlates rather than determinants of performance.

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