Barbara Wintroub
Did you know there’s a correct way to breathe? Breathing comes from expansion and contraction of the rib cage not raising the shoulders. If your posture is not good, say, when your shoulders are rolled forward and your arms hang from your chest, not your back, your back muscles no longer work. When your back muscles don’t work they atrophy or weaken and turn off.
How do you play good Pickleball and not get a shoulder injury if your back muscles don’t work? How do you play hard if you cannot breathe deeply?
Look in the mirror and breathe a few times. If you see your shoulders going up and down then you are a neck breather.
Let’s figure out a way to get your ribs and back muscles working again with these exercises:
- First, place two fingers on your nostril, take your free hand place it behind your head then side bend to the nostril side. Inhale deeply sending air to the open side. Feel the ribs open and close then change sides.
- Next exercise, place your arms around your rib cage and bend forward over your arms. Round your back then breathe deeply to feel the ribs in back open and close.
- Finally, take your Pickleball paddle in both hands and place it behind your head. Pull your shoulders back trying to squeeze your wings together. Squeeze your wings then release them 10 times. On the tenth repetition, hold your shoulders back, squeeze your wings, and try to breathe without using your neck.
These exercises might take time to produce results. Keep at it every day. Not only will your Pickleball improve, your shoulders and neck will thank you and you’ll protect yourself from the possibility of lung infections.