Breathe Better, Play Better

. . .from time to time we all need to remember the simple things in order to achieve the difficult things in life. . .like making an efficient golf swing. . .and one of those simple things that gets overlooked to often is proper breathing.

. . .the overly loud sounds of Woman’s Tennis. . .believe it or not there is a rational purpose for those “grunts” and “groans”; that sudden expulsion of air actually forces the body to be totally relaxed. . .and we all know that in order to hit a quality golf shot we need to be relaxed. Beginning with the grip and finishing with the swing we need to allow or body to move freely.

. . .I'm not suggesting that we need to sound like Maria Sharapova in order to hit a great golf shot, but I do know that proper breathing improves the rhythm and effectiveness of the golf swing. Besides if we turn a tranquil golf course into something that sounds like Wimbledon's Center Court on the final day of the Open the USGA will come up with a rule to prohibit us from breathing.

. . .go ahead and Google “proper breathing while” and look at the list of activities that Google tosses at you. . .almost any activity you can think of is there, but just for giggles go ahead and complete the phrase “proper breathing while ___________” and search for specific sports or activities. Everywhere you look someone is suggesting that, “you can do it better if you breathe properly”.

. . .so now that you are convinced that you need to breathe better to play better. . .what is better? You just gotta find your own starting point and make sure that you focus on a routine that suits you leading up to the beginning of your back swing. Maybe one or two deep breaths during your pre-shot routine, think of yourself as Pavorotti preparing for the first notes of Nesun Dorma, you breathe deeply enough that your stomach expands and you can feel your body relax. 

 

. . .most Americans have forgotten how to breathe. . .a way to relearn this is to lie on your back on the floor and place one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach. Now breathe deeply and notice which hand feels the most pressure. . .make sure you can feel the most pressure in the stomach area. . .need help? Watch any infant they know the proper breathing technique. . .it's natural. . .not breathing properly seems to be something that we learn how to do.

. . .OK, so now that you know how to breathe, and gone through your pre-shot routine, and addressed the ball take one long deep breath as you make your back swing and begin to exhale as you start your through swing. Your lungs should be completely emptied as you strike the ball.

. . .Tom Watson once suggested that when you are putting you should take a page from the Skeet Shooters Guide and breathe deeply and exhale half way before striking the ball.

. . .no idea why your golf coach doesn't remind you of this important aspect of playing a better game of golf, it could only make his job easier, but most don't.