Breathing patterns in biathlon shooting: Stability as the key to accuracy

Abstract

This article investigates biathlon‘s physiological demands, integrating maximal endurance with precision shooting as athletes enter the range at ~85% HRmax, necessitating rapid cardiorespiratory stabilization (Hoffman & Street, 1992). It reports empirical data on per-shot breathing patterns, emphasizing their architecture, temporal stability, and correlations with hit accuracy. Such research on biathletes‘ ventilatory control during shooting remains markedly underrepresented despite its mechanistic relevance. In precision rifle sports, shots optimally coincide with short apnoea to attenuate somatic motion and enhance sight alignment.

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