Breathing vs Grunting in Tennis

There are a number of factors that help performance through optimal breathing. This document is set to provide

an understanding about the continuum from holding your breath to extreme grunting and provide a guide to our

‘Top Tips to Optimal Breathing’.

* The goal is not to beat your opponent with an unfair or unethical tactic, the goal is to provide mechanisms to

help a player manage their emotions *

1. Why Breathing/Grunting Helps Performance

o Psychological and physiological release of tension

Efferent Nerve Control—stimulation of muscles from the brain.

Differential Relaxation—expending energy to accomplish task to increase flow in form.

o Synchronizes breathing precisely with hitting ball

Increases focus and Intensity

Increases force production

2. Why Grunting/Holding your Breath Hinders Performance

Grunting - Unsportsmanlike

o Distraction to opponent

o Inability to hear impact of racket on strings. By products of this include:

Opponent decision error increase

Opponent slower response time

Holding your Breath

o Increases tension and can negatively impact the mechanics of your stroke.

3. What is the Goal? Managing Arousal, Energy & Emotions

Any given point on the activation/arousal continuum constitutes an

expression of the release of potential energy, stored in the muscles and

nervous system. Over exertion of arousal results in fatigue and inability

of oxygen to be carried to activated muscles and results in tension.

Under exertion of arousal results in sluggish play and lack of necessary

oxygen carried to activated muscles and therefore poor performance.

4. Top Tips:

Breathing continuum (page 2)

o Appendix:

Using Routines cycle (page 4)

Breathing Exercise: In Blue - Out Red (page6)

PMR (page 7)

Visualization – using imagery of calming scenes &/or mental rehearsal of

performance with emphasis on breathing and being in a relaxed by focused state.

On Court Triggers and Reminders – brief cues that clear mind and help breathing.

EmWave – Learning breathing and mindfulness with biofeedback.

BREATHING CONTINUUM

DURING POINTS - BREATHING RHYTHM

BREATHING IN – BALL COMING TO YOU BREATHING OUT – BALL COMING OFF YOUR STRINGS PHYSICAL – Breathe in PHYSICAL – Breathe out MENTAL – Focus on ball coming MENTAL – Focus on ball going

BETWEEN POINTS - BREATHING

BETWEEN POINTS CHANGE OVERS

BREATHING IN : PHYSICAL – Stomach expands as you breathe in and fill with air. MENTAL – Clear mind, focusing on inhaling (a) fresh air, or (b) can visualize the color ‘blue’, or (c) count to 4 in. BREATHING OUT: PHYSICAL – Stomach muscles tighten as you consciously force air out. MENTAL – Clear mind, focusing on (a) exhaling breath, or (b) can visualize the color ‘red’, or(c) count to 4 out.

EXTREME

GRUNT HOLDING

BREATH

OPTIMAL

BREATHING

NEGATIVE IMPACT

ON OPPONENT

NEGATIVE IMPACT

ON YOURSELF

APPENDIX

“ROUTINE CYCLE”

Between Points

Point: 1-2 minutes/10

6-12 minutes/hour

Release:*Turn Back

*Breathe

*Towel

*Squeeze Release

*Change racket to other hand

*Stop neg thoughts

*Time Limit

Learn:*Be your own coach

*Learn from good points & mistakes

*Why?

Plan:*Next point

*Their weaknesses

*What do I need to do

right now?

*Consistent, Aggressive

Refocus:

*Breathing

*Focal Point (Target Focus)

*Prepping/refocus

*Actions

Trigger:Pre/Serve

Pre/Return

“ROUTINE CYCLE”

Between Matches

PRE-MATCH: PREPARATION ROUTINE

DURING MATCH: BETWEEN POINT ROUTINE

POST MATCH: REVIEW ROUTINE

Energy•Rest, Hydration, Food

Focus

•Positive Self-Talk, Match Plan/Strategy, Focus Cues, Remove Distractions, Confident Statements, Focus on the Process

Readiness

•Equipment, Warm-Up (off &on court), Stretch, Music, Time Management, Breathing/Relaxation, Visualization, Motivational Quotes/Videos/Movies

Point: 1-2 minutes/10

6-12 minutes/hour

Release

LearnPlan

Refocus

Trigger

Well? Better? Learned?

Relaxation Exercises

Breathing – In ‘blue’, out ‘red’

1. Make sure you will not be interrupted for the next 15 minutes or so, shut off your phone, lock the door, and put a sign on the door so you will not be bothered.

2. Find a comfortable position either lying or sitting, if you lie down, make sure that your arms and legs are at your side but not touching your body. If you are sitting, sit up and place your hands on your thighs. STAY AWAKE.

3. Look straight ahead and begin breathing in through the nose (light blue) and out through the mouth (red). You can also think of the air as ice cold when you breathe in and red hot as you breathe out.

4. Continue to breathe for a minute or so, remember to focus on your breathing after a minute take another deep breath and hold it, then release it slowly.

5. Slow your breathing down over the next minute by inhaling deeper and releasing the breath over a longer period of time.

6. Now breathe in for a count 5, hold your breath for a count of 5 and then exhale for a count of 5, do this 3 times.

7. Keep breathing, in through your nose and out through the mouth. Now breathe for 2 more minutes.

The key to breathing is that the more you practice it the better you will become at focusing your nerves.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Close the door, shut off your phone, put a sign that says do not disturb on your door.

Lie in a comfortable position with your legs straight and slightly apart. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Breathe for 1 min or so. STAY AWAKE.

Start the progressive relaxation with your head and work down. Wrinkle the skin on your forehead hold for 5-10 seconds, then release. Breathe for 30 seconds; squint your eyes by closing them tightly while you tighten your jaw by clenching or biting with your teeth hold for 5-10 seconds and release.

Now move to your head. Press your head into the floor and hold for 5-10 seconds. Notice the tension in your neck and release. Breathe for 30 seconds. Roll your neck from right side to left side, notice the tension as you switch sides release and breathe 30 seconds to 1 min. Lift your head and put your chin in your chest, pay attention to the tension hold for 5-10 seconds and then release. Shrug your shoulders by bringing them up towards your ears. Hold 5-10 seconds and then release.

Now move to your arms. Start by making a fist on your dominant side hold 5-10 seconds then release. Notice the relaxed feeling in your forearm, repeat this action. Now do the same on the non-dominant side. Tense, release, and breathe. Now do the same with both fists at the same time.

Now move to your stomach. Tighten your stomach and hold and then relax. Do it again. Arch your back, hold and release. Repeat.

Tense and release the thigh by pressing your heel on your dominant side into the ground hold and release. Tense your calves by pushing your toes away from your body and toward the floor. Release. Now work with your shin by pulling your toes toward your body. Release and breathe for a min or so. Now, do this again with your non-dominant side.

Breathe calmly for 1-2mins. Then gradually begin to activate your muscles and come out of your relaxed state.