"BREATHE and FOCUS"
Remember to take a deep breath or two before you start your swing routine. Bring an attitude of relaxed concentration and awareness to your process.
You see the words “BREATHE” and “FOCUS” and your eyes start rolling. “I’m breathing already, why would I spend any time thinking about that?!”
In one sense you’re right—breathing IS automatic, so you don’t HAVE to think about it, but it’s also a key fundamental for optimal performance—a secret weapon—which is why elite athletes take it so seriously.
Want to lower your scores? Learn to breathe “properly”. The cool thing is, it’s one of the only parts of your autonomic nervous system—the part that controls your stress response—that you actually CAN consciously control.
Why does this matter?
Well, golf’s kinda scary—thoughts on the course, thoughts off the course, tension, fear, anger, embarrassment…so many ways we get in our own way. You may be holding your breath while you swing and not even know it. If your body’s under stress it can change the way you breathe. And how we breathe impacts our ability to control stress.
How does proper breathing benefit your game?
Let me count the ways:
it guides you into a nice, smooth, stress-free swing
helps you keep your rhythm
reduces tension in your grip
slows down your tempo
helps you activate your core muscles
provides release in your body for a smoother take-away and transition
increases rotation and torque for a better wind up
allows you to relax when you might be feeling too stressed to hit
reduces thoughts about how you think you should swing
promotes focus and
makes you more consistent
On top of all that, science shows that breathing properly cleans out and flushes toxins and releases the right chemicals to the brain so we relax, think clearer, and feel better.
How does a golf ball like me know all this stuff?
There’s a ton of information on this subject available on the Internet, specifically about breathing and golf, that you might want to check out. There’s even a new best-selling book called “Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art” by James Nestor.
The basics are to inhale on the backswing and exhale on the downswing, but there’s more to it than that. Use the time between shots to reset your breathing and make it part of your pre-shot routine.
Keep it simple, have fun, and breathe!!
Remember to take a deep breath or two before you start your swing routine. Bring an attitude of relaxed concentration and awareness to your process.
Improve your Golf Game.
Get the Golf Tips you put on your shoes today!