Breathing Technique – Be Like Tiger Woods – The Secret To A Fluid Golf Swing.

Breathing Technique Golf

Tiger Woods and other top pro golfers use a specific breathing technique to relax their bodies for a fluid golf swing, yet most golfers do not. You can easily do the same thing, so you can improve your swing. Firstly, let’s do a quick test to see where you currently stand.

Take a big, deep breath.

Pay attention to what happens to your chest and to your stomach as you do it.

If you’re like 95% of all golfers, then your chest probably expanded outward right away, while your stomach went inward toward your spine. If that’s the case, then you actually took a very shallow breath, not a deep one. As a result, you are not using the correct breathing technique. Therefore, you would be classified as a “chest breather”!

Try not to panic, because I am trained to alleviate you from this chronic condition. First of all, I am going to take you through the different styles of breathing.

Less than optimal breathing (chest breathing) can cause:

• An increased rate of breathing
• Increased tension in your neck muscles
• Headaches
• Feelings of anxiety
• Increased stress
• Increased sensation of pain
• Fatigued, stiff muscles
• Restricted and stiff joints
• Poor sleep patterns
• Bad circulation
• Incorrect posture
• Inefficient movement patterns

As a result, any of the above side effects means your golf game will suck! Furthermore, it will not be up to its full potential.

Good Breathing Technique means:

• Elicits a relaxation respons
• Provides an optimal amount of oxygen to your body
• Improves circulation
• Helps maintain a healthy musculature (including your back)

Let me be very clear about this –

The manner in which you breathe will literally determine the physiology of your body – for better or for worse.

Do you still think this breathing thing is a no-brainer?

The good news is that with a little practice and awareness, you can reprogram your breathing techniques to do the opposite of what they used to.

Optimal Breathing Exercise

Phase 1:

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.

2. Place one hand on your abdomen and one on your chest.

3. Slowly inhale through your nose. Try to imagine the air going all the way down into your lower lungs (abdominal area). It may help to imagine your abdomen as a balloon, and as you inhale, the balloon inflates. Do not try to force your abdomen outward; rather simply allow the air from your inhalation to expand it.

4. Stop the inhalation before the hand on your chest begins to move.

5. Hold your breath for 5 seconds.

6. Exhale slowly through your nose or mouth. Use your hand to feel your “abdominal balloon” slowly deflate, as your navel moves towards your spine.

Perform 10 or more repetitions. I recommend starting with this “abdomen only” phase, and sticking with it until it feels relatively natural and easy.

Phase 2:

In actuality, the Phase 1 exercise was only a 2/3rds breath. This is an improvement over the chest breathing, but still not quite optimal. Now we will integrate the upper 1/3rd of your breath capacity – the upper chest area.

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.

2. Place one hand on your abdomen and one on your chest.

3. Slowly inhale through your nose. Try to imagine the air going all the way down into your lower lungs (abdominal area). It may help to imagine your abdomen as a balloon, and as you inhale, the balloon inflates. Do not try to force your abdomen outward; rather simply allow the air from your inhalation to expand it.

4. Instead of stopping the “inflation” at the upper abdomen area, allow the breath to continue into the upper lungs and so cause the chest to rise.

5. Hold your breath for 5 seconds.

6. Exhale slowly through your nose or mouth. The order of “deflation” should be the opposite of the “inflation” pattern, consequently your chest hand should fall first, and then your abdomen hand.

Now that is a full, optimal breathing technique.

This may take a bit of practice, but it is well worth the time and effort.

In Conclusion

To conclude, I would suggest spending five minutes in the morning, and again in the evening just prior to bed, to help you in mastering this breathing technique. Once this technique feels quite natural lying on the ground, integrate it into your standing posture, for use on the course. Remember to keep using this breathing technique and most of all enjoy the benefits it brings.

Now go get em, Tiger!