The 3 Worst Breath Coaching Cues (And What to Say Instead)
Zack Kramer
Breath Coach
Most breathing cues are doing more harm than good. As coaches, the language we use can either unlock our athletes' potential or create compensatory patterns that limit performance for years to come.
After working with hundreds of athletes, I've identified three coaching cues that consistently create problems. Here's why these common phrases backfire – and what to say instead.
If you're not using the right language, you're not getting the right breath.
Cue #1: "Take a Deep Breath"
❌ The Problem
This cue usually triggers shoulder elevation and chest breathing. Athletes interpret "deep" as "big" and start overbreathing, which actually decreases oxygen delivery to tissues and creates tension throughout the body.
✅ Say This Instead
"Breathe low and slow" or "Let your ribs expand wide"
This directs attention to the lower ribcage and encourages horizontal expansion rather than vertical lifting. It promotes efficient diaphragmatic breathing without the panic response that "deep breath" often triggers.
Cue #2: "Engage Your Core"
❌ The Problem
Athletes typically respond by sucking in their belly and creating excessive tension. This locks up the diaphragm and prevents natural breathing mechanics. You can't have optimal core function without optimal breathing function.
✅ Say This Instead
"Fill your core"
This teaches athletes to use their breath to create intra-abdominal pressure naturally. The core engagement happens automatically when proper breathing mechanics are in place.
Cue #3: "Breathe Into Your Belly"
❌ The Problem
While better than chest breathing, this cue ignores the ribcage entirely. It creates anterior (forward) dominant breathing patterns and misses the full 360° expansion your ribcage is capable of.
✅ Say This Instead
"Expand your ribcage in all directions" or "Breathe wide, not just forward"
This promotes true 360° breathing where the ribs expand laterally and posteriorly, not just anteriorly. This creates better spinal stability and more efficient breathing mechanics.
The Bottom Line
Better breath starts with better coaching. The words we choose as coaches have the power to either unlock optimal movement patterns or create compensations that hold athletes back.
Next time you're coaching breathing, remember: be specific, be anatomically accurate, and always consider what the athlete's nervous system is actually hearing when you give a cue.
“The quality of your cues determines the quality of your athletes' movement. Choose your words wisely.”
Want to Level Up Your Coaching?
These three cues are just the beginning. There's a whole science to coaching breathing effectively – from assessment to progression to sport-specific applications.