your breathing control routine

[twofifty]

fpgt72's thread on tips to calm match nerves got me thinking about the fact that I've not developped a consistent winning breathing strategy. Most of my matches involve position shooting: prone, seated on ground, standing.

1. It would be interesting to hear what your own breathing control routine or strategy is, for supported and unsupported shooting.

2. Is your routine different when you depend entirely on your body for rifle support?

3. Does your routine change if you're using a sling during position shooting?


Here are some quotes from the calming down thread:
quoting MrBorland:
"Deep centering breath before shooting to reduce heart rate. A full 6-second inhale, hold 2 seconds, 7-second exhale."

quoting M-Cameron:
"before i line up my sights, ill take a big breath in through my nose and hold it for 3-4 seconds, and then let it out through my mouth.........and repeat that usually 3 or so times before i take a shot....i find it helps to fully oxygenate the body(especially helpful for the eyes), and releases tension"


Anyone else care to share what works for them?

 

[taliv]

i don't do anything like that.

i just try to focus and be still. usually my pause for breath will be at most a second or two

 

[chrome_austex]

I'll use breathing techniques to
1) relax my body and slow my heart rate for bipod, sling, or bag supported shots
2) adjust my NPOA elevation by small changes in how much air I hold into my lungs.
3) to mentally prepare for an action stage.
4) pausing the breath during the execution of a shot.

FWIW there are a number of breathing techniques in the martial arts which may be of benefit to shooters. Primarily they're used for quickly calming one's body and heartrate after activity, or to oxygenate the blood prior to activity.

Breathing techniques used to lower your heartrate and relax quickly will take a lot of practice before you may see large returns.

 

[BullfrogKen]

I don't do anything like that either.

When shooting a precision or service rifle match I take one or two deep breaths and exhale a little more than halfway, to the point where the air pressure in my lungs is neutral. I'm not expending any energy to hold air in or keep air out.

 

[P-32]

For offhand I breath a couple of deep breaths, mount the rifle, close my eyes, take another deep breath and open my eyes. If I set my NPA up correctly, I’ll be on target. I hold my breath and if I have not got the shot off in 8 seconds, I pull the rifle off my shoulder (muzzle control) relax a few seconds and start all over. Or, I’ll hold position and look away for a few seconds while I take a couple of deep breaths.

Sitting and prone rapid: I take a breath between each shot. This gives me better timing and I am not holding my breath for a minute like the new guys. For Prone, I use the amount I exhale for muzzle elevation.

 

[LJ-MosinFreak-Buck]

This is how I do it. Regardless if I'm hunting, in a friendly competition with buddies for who's buying dinner, or just for plinking:

In, out, in, out, hold, hold, squeeze, bang, In. Works for me.

 

[SharkHat]

I don't do anything like that either.

When shooting a precision or service rifle match I take one or two deep breaths and exhale a little more than halfway, to the point where the air pressure in my lungs is neutral. I'm not expending any energy to hold air in or keep air out.

+1

I was taught that it's more stable to hold your breath at the mid-exhale point than at either full exhale or inhale. It seems to have always worked for me.

 

[Jon Coppenbarger]

I will take a relaxed exhale that would be the same each shot. it makes it very repeatible.

The only time I sometimes do any breathing control is during the rapids. Do not need it as much now that NRA starts the rapids in position but at a cmp match which you still start the rapids from standing I do.

When the commands start to come I will take many deep breaths while watching for the targets to move. It is a common problem for folks not to take a good breath in those 10 seconds while getting in position which puts you behind a proper breathing candence.