Healthy grunting vs undesireable grunting.

Raul_SJ

G.O.A.T.
When guys like Nadal or whomever audibly grunt, I take it
they are basically just as relaxed as guys like Fed who do not audibly grunt; still relaxed and exhaling out the same way?

I never grunted before but am starting to grunt but not in a good way. Sort of grunting in pain/fatigue as I bend down for low balls or play long rallies .Think I am sort of holding my breath and not exhaling in a relaxed way.

Like in a constipated grunt.

This is bad, right?:(
 

Pete Player

Hall of Fame
First time ever I faced a practice partner, who had noticed becoming exhausted in rallies and had figured, he’s not breathing throughout the whole point. But holding his breath.

I had had a feeling, he might get out of breath durin longer balls, cause he got slower and slower towards the end of our underarm serve 12-tie-brakers.

Suggested, he’d start grunting next time and see if it helps.


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I think if you naturally grunt when exerting a lot of effort, it makes sense and you can barely hear it most of the time. However there are players who go over the top and make an excessively loud moaning, almost. Like for any running forehand or backhand they just half yell. THAT'S what gets annoying for me, personally. Because it's like there's plenty of tennis players who work super hard on court and can run all day long and make 0 noise. They aren't the exception to the rule lol.
 

Raul_SJ

G.O.A.T.
Suggested, he’d start grunting next time and see if it helps.

I suppose that is better but one can still grunt while mostly holding their breath, which is what I think am doing now.

Previously I am not sure what I was doing. I was not grunting but i might have been holding my breath. Now I am grunting as a result of aches and pains, which is probably better than holding my breath.

Ideally, I should be exhaling forcefully and quietly like Federer. But it is difficult to self monitor this.
 

Traffic

Hall of Fame
I grunt on my serves. It's my way to ensure I am breathing correctly. I take in a breath as I go through my service motion and then exhale as I throw the racquet. The grunt is sort of like my "ki-yap" in martial arts to release the energy. On a particularly tough ground stroke, I might do the same. Take in a breath as I set up and then exhale as I throw the racquet.
 

Kevo

Legend
I think breathing in rhythm with your stroke is helpful, but I kind of chuckle at grunters. It's quite the crutch for some players. You can tell what's going on in their head because the grunts change depending on score or how long the match has gone or whatever. Some of them make some weird noises.

Several years ago I was at the courts having a practice hit with a buddy of mine and a guy on the court behind us was grunting and it sounded like an animal. My hitting partner thought it was funny and started grunting like some kind of animal as well. I can't remember what it was, maybe a cow. Anyway I got tickled and started grunting like some other kind of animal. So then for the next 5 minutes or so we were grunting like old mcdonalds farm. Started laughing so hard we could barely keep the ball in play. I think ribbit was my favorite animal grunt.
 
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