Tennis fans were recently puzzled by viral photos of world #1 Iga Swiatek training with her mouth bizarrely taped shut.
The white tape stretched across her lips as she swung her racket left many scratching their heads.
What could be the reason behind this unusual practice by the young tennis phenom?
Who is Iga Swiatek?
For those unfamiliar, 21-year-old Iga Swiatek of Poland is the current dominant force in women’s tennis. She claimed the French Open title and rocketed to the #1 ranking in 2022 with a remarkable 37-match winning streak. Swiatek also won the US Open and is now preparing to compete in the Australian Open.
Iga Swiatek's Unusual Training Technique
During her intense offseason training, Swiatek was photographed running drills with white athletic tape sealed firmly over her mouth. Understandably, this prompted confusion and debate among tennis journalists over why she would cover her lips this way. Swiatek later addressed the perplexing practice.
The Reason Behind the Mouth Taping
As she explained, the mouth taping is meant to restrict her breathing to nose-only inhalation. This forces Swiatek to work harder aerobically during practice sessions, simulating the fatigue that sets in toward the end of grueling matches. It allows Swiatek to specifically train her stamina and breathing abilities.
The Benefits of Nasal Breathing for Athletes
Experts agree purposeful nose breathing offers benefits for athletes in sports requiring extreme endurance. Here’s a closer look at the advantages:
Improved Oxygen Intake
By inhaling fully through the nostrils, more oxygen reaches the lungs compared to mouth breathing. This enhances aerobic capacity over time.
Increased Endurance
The controlled resistance of nasal breathing strengthens respiratory muscles. This boosts lung power and delays exhaustion.
Lower Heart Rate
Nasal breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing exertion on the heart.
Faster Recovery
The increased oxygenation and efficiency of nose breathing allows muscles to bounce back quicker.
Mouth Taping Trending in Sports Performance
With these perks in mind, it’s easy to see why Swiatek has adopted mouth taping as an innovative part of her training arsenal. And she’s not alone. Other endurance athletes like runners, cyclists, and triathletes have begun trying similar mouth taping protocols to build their breathing power.
For cardio-dominant sports, experts predict clear benefits from specific training focused just on strengthening the breathing muscles. And taping the mouth removes the “easy exit” of gulping mouth-breaths when fatigued, forcing adaptation.
Swiatek Leading the Way
As the current leader in women’s tennis, all eyes are on Swiatek. Her continued dominance will certainly validate whether something as simple as mouth taping can give athletes an edge. She may be starting a trend that becomes commonplace in tennis training and other professional sports.
Swiatek clearly isn’t afraid to think outside the box if it means improving her performance. She has cemented herself as the player to beat entering the 2023 season. We'll have to wait and see if her unusual mouth taping regimen helps her stay on top.
Our Prediction
If the initial bewilderment over Swiatek’s taped mouth is any indication, this technique will certainly garner attention. And if Swiatek continues her winning ways, don’t be surprised to see more athletes covering their mouths in pursuit of a performance boost.
