# Breathing how do you do it? During your draw and shot cycle.



## aread (Dec 25, 2009)

Load arrow & set hand and release
Deep breath & exhale
Inhale while drawing
exhale while setting shoulders and anchors
execute shot

there is a lot more to my shot sequence, but that's the breathing part.

average score - high 290's on blue face 

Allen


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## Joe Schnur (Mar 22, 2012)

Thx keep them coming I think breathing is an under valued part of the process

I follow the same process as you I only let out part of the breath . Keeps oxygen in the lungs. I do take about 4 deep breaths . Then slow to normal for the next shot. Issue is disciplining to do that when I let down too. Usually draw back up too soon. 

Score 280's vegas 300's NFAA.


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## Sasquech (Dec 15, 2014)

Any other ideas here or is there only one breathing technique


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## mike 66 (Jan 21, 2010)

dont hold your breath.............


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## da white shoe (Mar 10, 2009)

mike 66 said:


> dont hold your breath.............


And don't let your lungs run out of air before the shot is away.
Several deep breathes to oxygenate the blood.
The more air in the lungs at the time of the shot, the more ridged and stabile your body core will be.


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## Sasquech (Dec 15, 2014)

Ok so don't hold your breath so give give the sequence slow in and out or jus slow exhale hit the end and let down?


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## da white shoe (Mar 10, 2009)

Sasquech said:


> Ok so don't hold your breath so give give the sequence slow in and out or jus slow exhale hit the end and let down?



There's more than one way to do it correctly.
Bottom line... it's more about consistency and timing than anything else.
If your shot execution varies much and the amount of time you spend at full draw is different from shot to shot, you'll be out of breath one time and holding your breath the next.

Several deep breaths, relax, draw on a big intake of air... then, slowly exhale... so slowly that you're almost holding your breath, all the while you're executing the shot.
The shot is away while you still have somewhere over half a lung-full.

A long-range rifleman wouldn't breath normally while aiming, so... it does matter.


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## aread (Dec 25, 2009)

There are a lot of variables involved in an archery shot. Many can be controlled. One of these is how much air we are holding in our lungs during the shot. I didn't believe that it would make much difference until I experimented with full, half full, and empty lungs during the shot. Try it, you will be surprised at how different your point of impacts will be. 

It only took me a few days to decide that empty lungs (not entirely, but no inhale after a deep breath is exhaled) were the most accurate, but only if I didn't have any interruptions during the shot. If the shot takes a couple of seconds longer than normal, the X starts getting blurry. Then it's either let down or rush my shot and we all know the bad things that leads to. 

The degree of lung expansion also made a difference with my shot execution. Once I decided to use empty lungs, I had to adjust my DL a couple of twists to get smooth execution. I think empty lungs requires a little more aggressive shot. If I don't get with it I run out of air and have to let down.

Good topic Joe!

Allen


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## naptalene (Oct 8, 2012)

Sorry if this is off topic.....

Is there a preference in inhaling technique?
I can puff up my chest for a deep breath or use my stomach and diaphragm to suck air in. Does it matter at all?


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## Sasquech (Dec 15, 2014)

Pets pref . I take full deep breaths between shots all the capacity I can get since I play bagpipes that is a lot of air completely expel and refill twice then fully inhale during draw slid rifting exhale during shot execution is my current method. Again just mine we are seeking a large cross section here to build a best practice.


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## pwyrick (Feb 13, 2011)

Here's my sequence: get relaxed; nice deep inhale and exhale as I draw the bow; deep inhale as I acquire the target; slow exhale as I move through final execution of the shot. If I get close to empty lungs, it's time to let down. Interesting to read about best consistency on empty lungs by aread.


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## sixstringer4528 (Feb 28, 2014)

Before draw, I take a deep breath, inhale, exhale & then draw back while inhaling. Anchor and slightly exhale. Aim and continue steadily exhaling. Release and let out remaining breath.


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