Have any of you ever tried holding your breath just before your back swing and all the way through the finish? I've never done this.....that I'm aware of. Do you guys think it would have any effect on your shooting abilities?
Holding Your Breath While Shooting
- Thread starter Allen Brown
- Start date
I can tell you that for many precision sports, such as the shooting sports (rifles, etc), you want to perform the firing action after an exhale. If you inhale and hold it, it is a state of tension in your body and you will not be as accurate. And obviously during the inhale or exhale itself there is unnecessary body movement that will affect things. The most relaxed state is after an exhale, and you can "hold your breathe" on an exhale before firing but not too long otherwise there becomes tension as your muscles start to get tension as they want to inhale again real bad.
I have no clue at what point in the breathing process I take my pool shots (I would guess after an exhale but don't know for sure), and I have no idea if it is even consistent. I also don't have much idea how much where you are in the breathing process when you hit the cue ball would affect your pool shots (pretty sure you don't want to be holding your breathe though as that state of tension is almost never good) but I can tell you if you are thinking about it it isn't going to be a good thing for your shot accuracy at all.
That reminds me of a funny but surprisingly effective shark. Before you opponent takes his shot, innocently ask him if he hits the cue ball right after he inhales or right after he exhales. Unless it is a pretty easy shot he will miss at least as often as not because he was trying to figure out the answer and not giving his full focus to the shot. Try it sometime, but only in a friendly game of course.
I have no clue at what point in the breathing process I take my pool shots (I would guess after an exhale but don't know for sure), and I have no idea if it is even consistent. I also don't have much idea how much where you are in the breathing process when you hit the cue ball would affect your pool shots (pretty sure you don't want to be holding your breathe though as that state of tension is almost never good) but I can tell you if you are thinking about it it isn't going to be a good thing for your shot accuracy at all.
That reminds me of a funny but surprisingly effective shark. Before you opponent takes his shot, innocently ask him if he hits the cue ball right after he inhales or right after he exhales. Unless it is a pretty easy shot he will miss at least as often as not because he was trying to figure out the answer and not giving his full focus to the shot. Try it sometime, but only in a friendly game of course.
I actually consciously force myself to breathe before taking the shot, using relaxed shallow breaths. Compared to sports like benchrest shooting, pool requires a lot of brainpower to visualize cut angles, spin, cloth friction, and rebound, and brains like oxygen. My natural tendency was to hold my breath as I got into my final stroke, but then I could 'feel' my calculation of one or more variables fading away right before the shot.
Also when you pull air too far in or too far out of your chest, your rib cage will expand/contract, and your change how your arm drops through on the stroke. Shooting pool is a whole-body motion, more than it is in benchrest shooting. Most effective I've found is to take some deep breaths as I'm lining up the shot, relax, and take shallower, slightly faster breaths trying to keep my ribcage relaxed as I go through my final stroke, usually starting in the middle of my exhale. However, I also try not to consciously think about it too much. Like golf. The human brain is an extraordinary physics calculator if you just trust its instincts, don't get in your own way.
Also when you pull air too far in or too far out of your chest, your rib cage will expand/contract, and your change how your arm drops through on the stroke. Shooting pool is a whole-body motion, more than it is in benchrest shooting. Most effective I've found is to take some deep breaths as I'm lining up the shot, relax, and take shallower, slightly faster breaths trying to keep my ribcage relaxed as I go through my final stroke, usually starting in the middle of my exhale. However, I also try not to consciously think about it too much. Like golf. The human brain is an extraordinary physics calculator if you just trust its instincts, don't get in your own way.
Part of my practice regimen is to work on my breathing. I make sure I'm shooting upon completion of exhaling. It becomes habit but still like to give it a little attention. As others have said, holding breath is bad for shooting guns or pool.
Exhale and yell like the female tennis pros. :grin:
I'm going to try this and see what kind of response I get. I'll do it the whole session that's coming up in APA Masters.
Thanks for the responses so far. I was watching some snooker shots and it looked like some of them were holding their breath on long power shots and it got me to thinking about this.
Halfway is the best. Usually, when shooting for accuracy, I take three normal breaths then exhale half way on the fourth. For me I have about three seconds then to break the trigger. If I don't then I start over. Everyone is a little different, but basically that's it.
And you're right about tension and pressure. When you hold that breath too long the heart beats faster and harder.
As for pool, I say don't worry about it. Your subconscious will take care of things. The only time I saw a guy pass out from not breathing was when a girl walked by the table with Ta-Tas 'til Tuesday and cleavage 'til Friday.
The normal inspiration is 1.5-2.0 seconds The normal expiration is also 1.5-2 seconds. At the end of expiration there is a normal respiratory pause of about 2 seconds, and it is the preferred point in the cycle to shoot the ball.
Holding breath while shooting anything is not a 'best practice'.
True, I think this line came up on the "Bewitched" television series in the 60s.
justinb386
Banned
I can tell you that for many precision sports, such as the shooting sports (rifles, etc), you want to perform the firing action after an exhale. If you inhale and hold it, it is a state of tension in your body and you will not be as accurate. And obviously during the inhale or exhale itself there is unnecessary body movement that will affect things. The most relaxed state is after an exhale, and you can "hold your breathe" on an exhale before firing but not too long otherwise there becomes tension as your muscles start to get tension as they want to inhale again real bad.
I have no clue at what point in the breathing process I take my pool shots (I would guess after an exhale but don't know for sure), and I have no idea if it is even consistent. I also don't have much idea how much where you are in the breathing process when you hit the cue ball would affect your pool shots (pretty sure you don't want to be holding your breathe though as that state of tension is almost never good) but I can tell you if you are thinking about it it isn't going to be a good thing for your shot accuracy at all.
That reminds me of a funny but surprisingly effective shark. Before you opponent takes his shot, innocently ask him if he hits the cue ball right after he inhales or right after he exhales. Unless it is a pretty easy shot he will miss at least as often as not because he was trying to figure out the answer and not giving his full focus to the shot. Try it sometime, but only in a friendly game of course.
That reminds me of one time when a friend (pool player) asked me which ball I look at right before I stroke through the cue ball. He was asking me if I look at the cue ball or the object ball right before follow through. That really had my game all messed up for a long time, because I would be thinking about which I should be doing each time I got down on the cue ball for a shot.
I do not think you should be thinking about the way you breithe, or anything else during a shot. Just play the way that comes natural to you, and everything should be fine. Having any negative thoughts, or thoughts in general is not good (I do not think). Just concentrate on the shot, and stay down on the ball, and do not think too much about anything else. By the way, I eventually figured out the it is the object that a player (most players) look at right before follow through. I have no idea about the breathing part, and I prey that it does not ever come to mind while I am shooting.
:thumbup: Cutting paper I do what I was taught in the corps. Inhale, exhale and squeeze. In real life a expert shoots between heart beats. That takes years of training and only a hand full of shooters can achieve it. Not being in law enforcement rather then using the 21 foot rule I use a 35+ foot rule for a perceived threat. Haven't put it to the test yet and pray I never have to.
Yes it's a old shark move to ask your opponent if they inhale or exhale on their forward stroke.
Pool related I was taught incorrectly your first eye is your killing eye. Now I take a second or third look on hard shots but in pool IMHO there are no easy shots. I do my thinking standing up and my shooting down at the table.
Absolutely after an exhale. This if the first thing you are taught when learning marksmanship. You will be in the best physical state for accuracy this way. You can do it any way you like, however this is the most accurate approach. Even when shooting rapid fire drills, breathe in, exhale, pause, fire repeat.
Once I pull the trigger I hold my breath with anticipation praying it goes in.
I get a little dizzy if I make 3 in a row.
I get a little dizzy if I make 3 in a row.