Do you breathe in or out when you shoot?

T

the Goof Ball

Goof Ball Committee
I remember reading a while ago about a famous golfer who was asked that question if he breathed in or out when he was making a shot. He then said that he played much worse after that question because he couldn't concentrate about the shot, all he was thinking about was his breathing.

I guess this could be true for billiards. It's kinda of an odd question, I'm pretty sure I breathe in when I shoot...

Wondering if this is the same with everybody else...
 
I couldn't tell you if I do or not. I know that sounds crazy, but really don't know. Now you are gonna have me thinking about that too. You are sharking me and are no where near me!:D
 
the Goof Ball said:
I remember reading a while ago about a famous golfer who was asked that question if he breathed in or out when he was making a shot. He then said that he played much worse after that question because he couldn't concentrate about the shot, all he was thinking about was his breathing.

I guess this could be true for billiards. It's kinda of an odd question, I'm pretty sure I breathe in when I shoot...

Wondering if this is the same with everybody else...
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This is one of the oldest sharks out there...101 in the book.

Best,
Mike
 
If you play seriously to improve your game your body will figure out what to do. It knows when to blink, breathe and several other things if left to its own to improve your playing. If you have some problem with these things then perhaps a training program is needed. So long as these types of things are not broken, don't fix them because involuntary control is "better."

The more important thing is to emphasize, to your self, that you are serious about consistently playing well. Your subconscious will help in many ways when you are serious and accept the idea that it is trying to help you play better.
 
Mikjary said:
This is one of the oldest sharks out there...101 in the book.

Best,
Mike
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Yep; used it against pool players in my youth and against some bowlers. Was funny with bowlers watching them take a stutter step thinking what I just said.
 
the Goof Ball said:
Thread title: "Do you breathe in or out when you shoot?"
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Neither. I gasp at where the shot is going :eek: and then curse at everything in sight. :banghead:

:D

J/K,
-Sean

P.S.: in all seriousness, I think JoeW nailed it. Your subconscious is the most powerful tool you own in coordinating all the facilities that go into any physical activity. It'll figure it out, and then make it "rote," if you let it. If you have to think about it (and force yourself to think about it), you're end-running that most powerful tool of yours.
 
I had to run downstairs and take a few shots after reading this thread :grin:

Turns out I do hold my breath for a second when I pull the trigger sniper style.

In theory that should be best right?
 
The gun shooting and bow shooting analogy was dead on. To ensure that there is as few variables, (read: moving parts), it's best to execute the stroke at the natural pause in breath after your exhale.

Breathing is one of the basic fundamentals of good marksmanship. Soldiers are trained to fire the round at that natural pause in breath. (of course when in a firefight, much of this goes out the window in favor of just getting lead downrange) If you begin to implement this in your shooting routine, it will not take long until you are doing it naturally and without thought.

You aren't really holding your breath, (doing so causes muscles to begin contracting and you become tense), but it's a very small natural pause in between your exhale and your next inhale.

Can't hurt to try it, and if it works, great! If not, then JoeW had some good advice too. Let your body tell you when it's right to "pull the trigger".
 
i always shoot at the end of exhaling like stated above, also i believe it's good to stop every now and then and take a few good deep breaths and exhale slowly
 
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I breathe out about half way, then halt breathing before execution. Just second nature, so I really don't think about it.
 
JoeW said:
If you play seriously to improve your game your body will figure out what to do. It knows when to blink, breathe and several other things if left to its own to improve your playing. If you have some problem with these things then perhaps a training program is needed. So long as these types of things are not broken, don't fix them because involuntary control is "better."

The more important thing is to emphasize, to your self, that you are serious about consistently playing well. Your subconscious will help in many ways when you are serious and accept the idea that it is trying to help you play better.
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i think you are right with your body will know when its time to breath,when i was younger sometimes i would get nervous and pay to much attenion to my breathing,then i thought, well when iam sleeping ,my body know s when to breath so that kind of ended that for me.
 
the Goof Ball said:
I remember reading a while ago about a famous golfer who was asked that question if he breathed in or out when he was making a shot. He then said that he played much worse after that question because he couldn't concentrate about the shot, all he was thinking about was his breathing.

I guess this could be true for billiards. It's kinda of an odd question, I'm pretty sure I breathe in when I shoot...

Wondering if this is the same with everybody else...
Click to expand...

Dangit! I guess I'll have to cross this move off my list. Hope nobody asks about blinking your eyes between strokes or how many swipes of chalk you take or did you know the red dot on the CB is the top of the ball...dangit! I'm gonna stop talking before I give away all my secrets! :(

Best,
Mike
 
hangemhigh said:
the Goof Ball said:
I guess this could be true for billiards. It's kinda of an odd question, I'm pretty sure I breathe in when I shoot...QUOTE]

I exhale when I shoot, got it from shooting my guns and Bow. Do it when I start my Golf swing too.
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You really do exhale when shooting guns? you must be a bad shooter then :D hehe.

Well I am trained for shooting, ive been in the army for 12 years, went to so many military schools that trains shooting, M-16, and Beretta 9-mil. and I can tell you this, first thing they are going to teach you for shooting is that when you want to shoot, you really do have to Mute Breathing while you aim/shoot.
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I personally shoot at the natural pause as I was trained by the US Army. My wife is an avid hunter and she said that she does the same thing, shoot at the end of the exhale. This applies to both pool and shooting weapons for both of us.
 
In answer to your query I observed what I do when I am playing well and found that I tend to simply stop breathing when I pull the trigger. It just seems natural.

I also noticed that I tend to stare at the shot during the final strokes. I suspect the latter is a result of my learning that I used to be a blinker and found I was closing my eyes when I pulled the trigger. Now I want to see the cue ball roll and there is some regular final process during the last two strokes in which my body tends to freeze (while I am stroking) my breathing stops and I am staring.

There does not seem to be any realtionship between inspiration and expiration. It is more like a natural pause in bodily activity. It is difficult to explain except that it all feels "natural" and ends when the cue stick ceases its forward movement and is held still at the end of the stroke.

Seems that my body knows that those last two strokes (they may at times be the only two strokes) are used to set up this special shot making posture.

BTW, like some of the others I too learned to just stop breathing when shooting a rifle but that was back in 1961 when we used the M1 rifle -- yeah I am that old.
 
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