Sniper breathing for putts? Dufners secret!

Just saw this on ESPN and it's interesting to say the least. Googled it and it just says to use the pauses between breathes to execute the shot or putt. Anybody tried this? If it helps me focus I'm all for it!

I try to breathe out at a constant rate throughout the shot . Helps stop the yip with putts and pitches

I don't know. I think if you're that concerned with your breathing, you're probably in trouble. As long as it's not erratic, there's bigger fish to fry.

I could see a focus on your breathing being an important part of your routine, taking you away from conscious technical thoughts or worrying about the importance of the shot.

It works for shooting, so why not... only one way to know for sure-- Just do it!

I don't know. I think if you're that concerned with your breathing, you're probably in trouble. As long as it's not erratic, there's bigger fish to fry.

I think it's less about your actual breathing and more about focusing on something else vs. mechanics or anything else that might creep into your head.

And if Duf was in trouble the past 2 days then I want to be in trouble every round.

I hold my breathe on all shots but it isn't something I ever tried to do. The only reason I know is because when I was going thru a period where I couldn't pull the trigger over the ball. I would be over the ball so long that I actually would run out of oxygen and then it would hit me that I was holding my breathe.

 

I think it's less about your actual breathing and more about focusing on something else vs. mechanics or anything else that might creep into your head.

 

This ^^^^

There is some merit to it. It helps to bring your heart rate down and to calm nerves. Its hard to shoot a rifle at a quarter sized target a few hundred yards away when your heart is racing and breaths are quick.

Ever want to screw with an opponent...ask them if they inhale or exhale before they hit the shot

I suspect it works better if you also have a sniper's aim.

Yeah I totally forgot about the breathing thing out on the course. I think i am already busy checking other things. And is putting really that precise? Rifle shooting is much more precise. But when i hit a shot i think hold my breath and maybe release it at impact.

Sniping did not work so well for Dufner yesterday! What was the saying again: what works today .... or something like that.

I believe it was Jack Nicklaus who said that he holds his breath during every shot. I could see it helping with your focus. Like someone else said, if you are thinking about your breathing, you arent thinking about swing thoughts.

Jack Nicklaus thought about his breathing and also 5 other swing thoughts.

Thinking about your breathing is a conscious thought. And it doesn't preclude other thoughts when you hold your breath during your 2 second swing.

When I shoot rifles or long range pistols, I exhale about half a breath and hold, then exhale after I squeeze the trigger. I do the same thing when I putt. It definitely helps me miss small at the gun range.

The breathing technique for shooting is meant to minimize excess body movement. You breathe in, exhale fully, and then fire. Since your body moves during the act of breathing, the purpose is to be at the end of your breathing cycle when you pull the trigger, when your body is most motionless.

I instinctually do this for putting too, but I never paid anything special attention to it. Breathe in, exhale fully, and then pull the putter back. I don't know if a motionless body is as necessary for shooting as it is for putting, so I'm not sure that's the primary motivation.