Ever since my youth, I have contributed in some way to an art of shooting sports, from trap, sporting clays, archery and bench rest. I was young and ignorant to what others attempted to teach me. It was not until time kicked in and really made me understand those elementary teachings. One of those many teachings was my control over involuntary breathing.
Breathing is key to humanity. We all need to breathe under all conditions, some under fight or flight, others at rest, reading a book. It is key for our life and aerobic expectancy. We need to understand that breathing is harmonious to our livelihood and also actions that we take. American Lung Association published an article about breathing and runners. If we understand that inhalation and exhalation at key points in activity provides peak performance we can apply that to just about any shooting sports. This applies even to rifle and benchrest shooting.
After reading these above sources, there are differences in styles and their applications but it ultimately contributes to a cycle and mentality in activity of when to breathe. Each person is different in their execution.
Breathing in Archery and my own execution.
I have not came into realization that my own execution of a shot in archery would ever be affected at least until my 30’s when I began to understand by body more. I have always been a heavyset person when it comes to life. “Hey, I like food!” That realization didn’t occur to me until I spontaneously just started to hold my breath after I felt comfortable after I completed my draw cycle and proceeded to settle into my shot execution. I was involuntarily holding my breath and NOT breathing throughout my shot execution! I was erratic and not really accurate. I only realized this because I was short of breath after my 5th shot. From then on, I began to pay attention and embraced calm and forced myself to continue breathing throughout my shot. My shot placement was better but I was noticing that I would release an arrow on my inhale rather my exhale.
As I am now in my early 40’s and recently back into archery from a dreadful 10 year hiatus, I see changes in myself. As seasoned as I am my body has yet changed again. No more am I holding in my gut, but letting it all hang out. I feel more comfortable with a relaxed posture than I am a stern and up-tight form. relaxation seems to be how my body wants to perceive itself whilst performing a draw and shot cycle.
I wonder how will this all fair out in hunting?
kd2kub.org 