need help: im always out of breath even after 5 minutes

[Young Pete]

anyone care to comment.....

what can give me more energy and not have to feel so out of breath when playing/rallying?

thanks

[Chuck]

it's all about conditioning, and there isn't a magic potion or something out of a bottle that can replace cardio training and conditioning.

[sinoslav]

Sounds to me like it could be asthma.

I am asthmatic and if I don't take medication, I am out of breath within five minutes too. Despite being in overall good physical condition.

If you've never considered the possibility before, go to your doctor and tell him that you think you may have exercise-induced asthma.

[Ace]

I think I get out of breath more than I should too.
I plan on going and taking a stress test just to make sure everything is ok. I wouldn't want to have a heart attack in the middle of a match, thats a sure way to lose!

[netman]

Probably either enviromental asthma or you are way out of shape. Seeing that you live in CA, it could very well be seasonal, brought on by bad air. Happens a lot in cities with smog alerts. Could be fall allergies, lot of pollen floating around this time of year. A good allergist can help eliminate the obvious and pin down the culprit.

If its none of the above, then you need to work on your aerobic conditioning. 5 minutes to breathing problems is not a good sign. You are approaching couch potato levels, which seems hard to believe since you are on these boards.

[sinoslav]

Oh yeah, you're in the East Bay Area? Oakland has HORRIBLE asthma problems. Go get yourself checked out. I'm asthmatic, have lots of experience with this crap. Medication can really help.

Feel free to contact me at sinoslav@yahoo.com if you've got any offline questions.

[Rickson]

Maybe you should quit smoking.

[RedGinseng]

Quit smoking if you do. I used to smoke 2 packs and I still smoke one pack a day. I'm out of breath easily and my face turns red. so when I play with new guys, they always ask me if I'm ok. lol I'm not ok!

[babar]

I have a very similar problem. I am in good overall health. I can play hours of doubles at a time, but when playing singles, I get winded real easily. One long rally and I feel dead tired. This has crept up on me in the past year since I turned 30. I never used to have such issues before. I do suffer from seasonal allergies, but I feel the same playing indoors in the winter here in Northern Virginia. Is this exercise induced asthma a real thing? I have never heard of it before. My doctor has never mentioned anything about this when I have gone to see him about allergies. I am 5-8, 170 lbs and have never smoked. Any advice is appreciated.

[gmlasam]

Originally Posted by Young Pete

anyone care to comment.....

what can give me more energy and not have to feel so out of breath when playing/rallying?

thanks

Are you overweight?? I suggest you see your doctor and take a complete physical exam. A professional medical advice would be better in this case, much more so than what we can give you here. Being out of breath after just 5 minutes may not be anything, but it can also be a sign that needs immediate medical attention.

[kevhen]

Get on a running or other cardio program like an elliptical. Start easy and for a short amount of time (5 minutes) and build up for longer periods (20-30 minutes) and more intense pace over time. Don't burn yourself out but do it at least once a week minimum.

[vin]

Being nervous can make you lose your breath, but that should go away once you get settled into the match.

Also make sure that you're not holding your breath while you hit the ball.

Both of these factors sometimes make me quickly out of breath during matches.