| The sport of tennis is quite interesting in that its | | | | limbs hurt. |
| spectators and enthusiasts so greatly outnumber | | | | Diaphragmatic breathing is a good place to start. It |
| people who can play even a basic game of tennis. | | | | might be hard to do, since human evolution has given |
| Perhaps this is because tennis requires more space | | | | us the instinct to do short, shallow breathing-to the point |
| and specialized equipment than, say, soccer. However, | | | | of hyperventilation-when we are excited or stressed. |
| it might also be because the game is just so darn hard | | | | However, our instinctual reactions are supposed to |
| on the lungs and muscles. Not only does it demand | | | | facilitate a brief fight-or-flight response, not prepare us |
| deadly precision, but you have to be able to run all | | | | for a long tennis game. In this case, our instincts are |
| over the court in order to counter well-aimed shots by | | | | counter-productive, and we must practice until our |
| your opponent. People like the Williams sisters, The top | | | | "automatic" reactions change. Diaphragmatic breathing |
| players of today did not get where they are just | | | | gives you both endurance and a stable oxygen supply. |
| because they know how to manipulate a tennis | | | | Rhythm is also important. Sadly, it is easy to lose track |
| racquet. They are also great endurance runners, | | | | of the rhythm of your breathing during the excitement |
| capable of darting all over the court for the entire | | | | of a game. Even fans in their seats will probably start |
| match. Running laps is often part of a tennis players | | | | hyperventilating during the critical moments of a big |
| training, and appropriate breath control should be, as | | | | game! A good suggestion is to tie the rhythm of your |
| well. | | | | breathing to that of the ball. Inhale as your opponent |
| Try watching a game of tennis, and this time, focus on | | | | sends the ball speeding towards you, and exhale as |
| the players' breathing. You will notice that even | | | | you send it back. This might sound like an odd idea, until |
| professional players can have wildly differing breathing | | | | you recall that the back-and-forth movement of a |
| patterns over the course of a game. To these | | | | tennis ball during a game is actually very rhythmic, and |
| hyper-trained, hard-working, naturally gifted players, | | | | is not a bad guide for the pace of your own breaths. |
| varied breathing patterns are a significant but not a | | | | Hopefully, as the practice of endurance breathing |
| huge setback. To an amateur player, however, such a | | | | spreads, more tennis enthusiasts will be able to play |
| state of affairs can do a great deal of damage. You | | | | great games of tennis for themselves. Ask your |
| will tire more easily, and your muscles will start to ache | | | | coach or trainer about breathing exercises the next |
| sooner. Since your body will be less efficient in burning | | | | time you go for a practice game, and watch your |
| its store of food, you will soon start burning lactic acid. | | | | game improve. |
| This may help you to lose weight, but it makes all your | | | | |