Holding breath during strokes.

[MoxMonkey]

It was pointed out to me by a friend that I often hold my breath when hitting ground strokes. I am aware this is not ideal.

Is there a breathing rhythm that comes with hitting? I think one is supposed to exhale, which is the reason players grunt, they were taught to vocalize exhaling. Anyway. Just looking for some confirmation on breathing out when hitting. Thanks.

 

[naturalexponent]

Yes, exhale when hitting. Try saying "hit" while you hit, and "bounce" when the ball is bouncing, etc. (from The Inner Game of Tennis)

 

[snoflewis]

just shriek sharapova style

 

[socallefty]

Try Google.

How Proper Breathing Helps Your Tennis | Feel Tennis

You may be surprised that we have to discuss breathing in relation to tennis since we all breathe all the time; don’t we? And yet, in practice, you may be holding your breath in different stages of playing and therefore holding back your best performance as well. While this article explains how...

www.feeltennis.net

 

[MoxMonkey]

Yes, exhale when hitting. Try saying "hit" while you hit, and "bounce" when the ball is bouncing, etc. (from The Inner Game of Tennis)

Yeah that's a great book.

 

[Fintft]

Yeah that's a great book.

Start exhaling as you start your swing.

 

[Curious]

That your friend can spot that you’re holding your breath while hitting is extremely impressive to me! I can’t even spot mine let alone my hitting partner’s.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

That your friend can spot that you’re holding your breath while hitting is extremely impressive to me! I can’t even spot mine let alone my hitting partner’s.

I’ve never had a problem detecting someone who is holding their breath while striking the ball. Perhaps, as a coach with a trained eye, it would be fairly ovbvious. I noticed that Andy Roddick was doing this for a while. I believe he corrected this bad habit at some point.

 

[Curious]

I’ve never had a problem detecting someone who is holding their breath while striking the ball. Perhaps, as a coach with a trained eye, it would be fairly ovbvious. I noticed that Andy Roddick was doing this for a while. I believe he corrected this bad habit at some point.

Could that actually be a sign of exhalation?
Some blow their cheeks while doing that.

https://imgur.com/a/6JmFRjY

 

[Curious]

https://imgur.com/a/S3rv8wt

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

It was pointed out to me by a friend that I often hold my breath when hitting ground strokes. I am aware this is not ideal.

Is there a breathing rhythm that comes with hitting? I think one is supposed to exhale, which is the reason players grunt, they were taught to vocalize exhaling. Anyway. Just looking for some confirmation on breathing out when hitting. Thanks.

In martial arts, weight training and most, if not all other sports / physical activities, the inhale happens on the prep phase and the exhale happens during the exertion phase. Exhale when throwing a punch or during the max exertion phase when lifting weights.

The exhale will normally happen during the forward swing for tennis, badminton and for baseball & cricket hitting. On the tennis serve, during the upward swing (to contact).

In a rally, you might be inhaling as the ball is bouncing ir as it is crossing the service line (if you are nr the baseline).

Azarenka would usually make a two-part sound during her groundstrokes. You would often hear a soft sound (usually) as the ball was bouncing. You would then hear a very loud, forceful sound during her forward swing.

It Is not a bad idea at all to develop a much quieter version of the the Azarenka sequence. I would often teach an Ah-Ha breathing technique to students. The “Ah” would be an inhale for the prep phase (for the incoming ball) and then the “Ha” (not too loud) Who would happen on the exertion phase, the forward swing.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

Could that actually be a sign of exhalation?
Some blow their cheeks while doing that.

https://imgur.com/a/6JmFRjY

Not sure about the second image, but this one looks like it could be a controlled exhale. Hard to say but he might be doing it in the second image as well. This kind of technique is very popular with boxers, Their controlled exhale will often sound like a hissing sound as they are throwing a punch

 

[Curious]

Why do powerlifters hold their breath during the lift??

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

Why do powerlifters hold their breath during the lift??

Powerlifters might be one of the few activities in this regard. Other weightlifters don't do this. One main diff is that powerlifters, unlike tennis players, are often doing just a single rep. At times, they might perform a few reps before resting tho. Core rigidity is a primary concern for the powerlifting guys. This page gets into the reason that powerlifters will often hold their breath on the exertion phase:

Why Do Powerlifters Hold Their Breath? (5 Benefits) | PowerliftingTechnique.com

We discuss the reasons why powerlifters hold their breath and whether there's any science suggesting it can help you lift more weight.

powerliftingtechnique.com

 

[Curious]

Powerlifters might be one of the few activities in this regard. Other weightlifters don't do this. One main diff is that powerlifters, unlike tennis players, are often doing just a single rep. At times, they might perform a few reps before resting tho. Core rigidity is a primary concern for the powerlifting guys. This page gets into the reason that powerlifters will often hold their breath on the exertion phase:

Why Do Powerlifters Hold Their Breath? (5 Benefits) | PowerliftingTechnique.com

We discuss the reasons why powerlifters hold their breath and whether there's any science suggesting it can help you lift more weight.

powerliftingtechnique.com

I guess in tennis it’s more about racket head speed than creating power to move something heavy hence relaxation is important. So exhaling makes more sense.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

I guess in tennis it’s more about racket head speed than creating power to move something heavy hence relaxation is important. So exhaling makes more sense.

That's part of it. It is important to stay fairly relaxed for tennis -- high level tennis something of a relaxed intensity. Tennis also requires many reps, unlike powerlifting. And tennis also employs the aerobic system in addition to both types of anaerobic systems for stamina

A fast RHS actually requires power (speed strength) -- high recruitment of fast twitch muscles. Tennis is much more about power than brute strength. Power is about moving the muscles quickly -- not necessarily about moving heavy weights.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

https://imgur.com/a/S3rv8wt

Roger often primarily employed nasal breathing. Had forgotten about this. If you look at the @dlam thread below (Similar threads), I had a couple of posts on his nasal breathing.

 

[Curious]

Roger often primarily employed nasal breathing. Had forgotten about this. If you look at the @dlam thread below (Similar threads), I had a couple of posts on his nasal breathing.

I’ve also noticed that he blows his cheeks very obviously sometimes during practice but rarely does it in match play. Don’t know why.

 

[nyta2]

It was pointed out to me by a friend that I often hold my breath when hitting ground strokes. I am aware this is not ideal.

Is there a breathing rhythm that comes with hitting? I think one is supposed to exhale, which is the reason players grunt, they were taught to vocalize exhaling. Anyway. Just looking for some confirmation on breathing out when hitting. Thanks.

imo it's why alot of people grunt on shots...
or the spanish way, "huh,... uhhhhhh", which for me corresponds to a "load, explooooode"
definitely helps me not hold my breath... at the expense of folks on the sidelines giving me the evil eye for making so much noise...
was hitting with my hs team and was grunting, and the guys started teasing me about it (mimicking me)
(but at least they can't be holding their breath through contact!)

 

[Curious]

imo it's why alot of people grunt on shots...
or the spanish way, "huh,... uhhhhhh", which for me corresponds to a "load, explooooode"
definitely helps me not hold my breath... at the expense of folks on the sidelines giving me the evil eye for making so much noise...
was hitting with my hs team and was grunting, and the guys started teasing me about it (mimicking me)
(but at least they can't be holding their breath through contact!)

Can grunting be learned? Or is it natural for some people to grunt?

 

[nyta2]

Can grunting be learned? Or is it natural for some people to grunt?

definitely learned.
if anything it's often just embarrassing for folks to make noise like that when playing tennis.
personally wasn't a big deal because in martial arts we did it all the time (ki-iah!)
i think another detail some folks miss, is that you need to make the "grunt" as a result of your abdomen engaging... (breathing from your core/gut/diaphragm).... 100% of folks i show this to will make a "shallow" grunt, that is often high pitched, and doesn't actually help with breathing... and will feel like you're expending more energy trying to breathe out (like you might feel from blowing up a balloon), which does not help the effort being put into the swing

 

[Curious]

will feel like you're expending more energy trying to breathe out (like you might feel from blowing up a balloon), which does not help the effort being put into the swing

Yeah that’s exactly what I felt when I tried it. It was tiring! How do you do it properly? Contracting abdominal muscles?

 

[Curious]

@zill you have a short loud grunt as if you were kicked in the tummy while hitting the ball. You’ll probably say you don’t even think about it but did you learn it, deliberately develop it? How?

 

[zill]

@zill you have a short loud grunt as if you were kicked in the tummy while hitting the ball. You’ll probably say you don’t even think about it but did you learn it, deliberately develop it? How?

100% natural, free flowing etc

 

[Curious]

100% natural, free flowing etc

You never tried to do it consciously at any stage? You always had it since the beginning?

 

[socallefty]

I sometimes grunt in practice if I’m serving or hitting harder than usual. But I don’t do it in matches as I’m usually a bit more controlled in my aggression. Generally it seems like all the 5.0+ guys grunt at least a bit and they obviously hit harder on average than those at lower levels.

 

[zill]

You never tried to do it consciously at any stage? You always had it since the beginning?

Subconscious grunting correlates directly with the effort put in imo. If I am grunting without large effort than you know its deliberate and conscious.

 

[zill]

Subconscious grunting correlates directly with the effort put in imo. If I am grunting without large effort than you know its deliberate and conscious.

I was naturally midly grunting when hitting with you on Sunday showing that I was putting in solid effort.

But was grunting naturally much harder here reflecting my effort which is much more, in fact here it is close to if not 100% for me

 

[Curious]

Subconscious grunting correlates directly with the effort put in imo. If I am grunting without large effort than you know its deliberate and conscious.

Well, I and Federer play effortless tennis!

 

[zill]

Well, I and Federer play effortless tennis!

Fed only grunts on his kick serve for some reason. Maybe his service technique is not naturally suited to doing kick serves.

 

[Curious]

Fed only grunts on his kick serve for some reason. Maybe his service technique is not naturally suited to doing kick serves.

Interestingly enough I only grunt on my second serves, too. I was trying to understand why for a while. Something happens around the larynx in that position probably.

 

[zill]

Interestingly enough I only grunt on my second serves, too. I was trying to understand why for a while. Something happens around the larynx in that position probably.

It's the platform stance.

 

[Curious]

It's the platform stance.

I was thinking throwing side ways with shoulder over shoulder could be the reason.

 

[socallefty]

Well, I and Federer play effortless tennis!

You are more ‘effortless’ than Federer - he tries to bend his knees, run hard, lean forward during contact, hit near the sidelines etc.

 

[Curious]

@zill
I’ve been trying to stay side ways and do shoulder over shoulder on all my serves recently. The best thing I’ve ever done about serve motion.
A quiet grunt is always there, see? Even with these warm up serves.

 

[zill]

@zill
I’ve been trying to stay side ways and do shoulder over shoulder on all my serves recently. The best thing I’ve ever done about serve motion.
A quiet grunt is always there, see? Even with these warm up serves.

I was very impressed with your serve given how quickly you could crank it up from 0. You must have been practicing recently.

I have not practiced my serve for over a year. The motion is there but knee too injured to be bothered to serve well.

 

[user92626]

In martial arts, weight training and most, if not all other sports / physical activities, the inhale happens on the prep phase and the exhale happens during the exertion phase. Exhale when throwing a punch or during the max exertion phase when lifting weights.

The exhale will normally happen during the forward swing for tennis, badminton and for baseball & cricket hitting. On the tennis serve, during the upward swing (to contact).

In a rally, you might be inhaling as the ball is bouncing ir as it is crossing the service line (if you are nr the baseline).

Azarenka would usually make a two-part sound during her groundstrokes. You would often hear a soft sound (usually) as the ball was bouncing. You would then hear a very loud, forceful sound during her forward swing.

It Is not a bad idea at all to develop a much quieter version of the the Azarenka sequence. I would often teach an Ah-Ha breathing technique to students. The “Ah” would be an inhale for the prep phase (for the incoming ball) and then the “Ha” (not too loud) Who would happen on the exertion phase, the forward swing.

I start weight training. I think inhale/exhale is very important when you lift. Exhale should happen against pressure, I think.

 

[user92626]

I was very impressed with your serve given how quickly you could crank it up from 0. You must have been practicing recently.

I have not practiced my serve for over a year. The motion is there but knee too injured to be bothered to serve well.

Bro, I had a knee issue before covid. I had to wear a brace with hard sticks on the sides. I think they slowed down the bending.

The issue didn't get better until I lost weight plus alot of careful warmup before going hard.

 

[zill]

Bro, I had a knee issue before covid. I had to wear a brace with hard sticks on the sides. I think they slowed down the bending.

The issue didn't get better until I lost weight plus alot of careful warmup before going hard.

Yes I am right now on a strict eating plan until October aiming to lose 25kg. Very serious about this.

 

[nyta2]

@zill you have a short loud grunt as if you were kicked in the tummy while hitting the ball. You’ll probably say you don’t even think about it but did you learn it, deliberately develop it? How?

that is a really good description... especially because in martial arts class we used to do alot of "repeatedly get punched in the stomach with gradually increasing force"... and you bet your *ss that everyone was grunting as the "rounds got later in the session"
you also quickly realize that holding your breath = getting the wind knocked out of you... and shallow breathing == holding your breath...

 

[nyta2]

Subconscious grunting correlates directly with the effort put in imo. If I am grunting without large effort than you know its deliberate and conscious.

i used to think it was correlated to increased effort (ie. faster swing), but these days i'm trying to consciously engage my core when i hit on every shot (like squatting, as a means of helping xfer force between lower to upper body)

 

[nyta2]

Yes I am right now on a strict eating plan until October aiming to lose 25kg. Very serious about this.

gl, what's the plan?

 

[zill]

gl, what's the plan?

controlling my diet mainly.