BREATHE - Viking Cues Tip of the Week with Mike Roque author of Build Your Game.

BREATHE

“The best thing is to take a deep breath and exhale before you shoot.”

Allison Fisher

Pool players need to be calm, relaxed, and steady. Warriors in the ancient martial arts thought the same way and achieved it through careful use of the breath.

The ancient masters knew that bringing oxygen into the lungs delivers nutrition to the brain and creates mental alertness. It also primes the muscles for optimum physical performance.

Exhaling is also a natural tension release. It reduces anxiety, prevents rushing, and encourages a nice, smooth stroke delivery. All together, these help to maintain your shot tempo and rhythm.

It acts like a trigger, helping you switch from thinking mode to shooting mode. It keeps you present and prevents your mind from wandering off like a slow moving cloud.

World champion players all approach breathing differently. Some have a specific place in their shot routine where they breathe in and a different place where they breathe out. Others have no specific pattern.

When incorporated into your shot routine, breathing can provide another anchor for consistency. But don’t force anything that disrupts your natural flow. Keep it simple and natural.

Breathe naturally. Make it part of your routine.

Love our Tuesday Tip of the Week with Mike Roque, you can purchase your own copy of his book "Build Your Game" at the BEBOB Publishing Website at http://bebobpublishing.com/