Breathing is essential to life. Through proper breathing, an athlete can raise his performance. Aerobic demands are also high in our sport of tennis. Just imagine playing a long rally in heavy conditions or going over a 3- or 5- set match. In that case, having a maximum of oxygen saturation and a good carbon dioxide tolerance is crucial to be able to recover fast. When our pulse goes up we feel the need to breathe deeper in so our oxygen saturation is getting raised again. But not only the oxygen income but also carbon dioxide tolerance is of high importance to be able to perform great. Studies have shown that a maximum oxygen saturation goes together with a raised carbon dioxide partial pressure and reduced oxygen partial pressure. It means that tolerating a higher amount of carbon dioxide in the blood can achieve a higher VO2max. But this must be trained in order to achieve it. Let me show you some exercises on how you will be able to reach exactly that state of performance.
“Pulse up and pulse down” is a great way to train to bring the pulse fast down again after high performing. Watch the video above with instructions on how to do best.
The 4 to 6 to 4 breathing exercise
A good breathing exercise is 4-6-4 breathing. You can do this exercise on changeovers. Breath 4 seconds in, hold your breath for 6 seconds and breathe 4 seconds out. Like that you not only raise the oxygen saturation of the blood but through holding the breath for 6 seconds you also work the carbon dioxide tolerance of your body. Not so “advanced breathers” can start with the 4-4-4 rhythm.
The 4-4-4 rhythm exercise is great to start with.
For having a high oxygen saturation it is also important not to breathe while swallowing but to try to breathe deep “into the belly area”. Between the lungs and the stomach lies a small muscle named “diaphragm”. It supports the full opening of the thorax so the lunges can open up fully. When breathing in you should focus on breathing into the area where the diaphragm is placed.
If you want to combine breathing with a mental exercise, the “center yourself” exercise can help you to keep calm and solution orientated. When breathing in you should imagine a hairline cross with its center in the center of your body like in the pic above. Imagine that all energy goes during you breathe in, into that center and you fill yourself up with fresh energy and a positive mindset. Practice these exercises in training, in practice matches, and off-court so you can get the best results out of it under pressure in a match. The last tip for today is the so-called “hypoxia therapy”. Many physiotherapists offer this kind of therapy. In different rhythms, you get high oxygen and low oxygen through a mask to raise your carbon dioxide tolerance. Many pros take these therapies for faster recovery. Also so-called “hypoxic training masks” are used during high-intensity training to support CO2 tolerance. I wish you great results with taking these exercises into consideration.
All the best COACH DIMI