New York Times

The surprising power of one breath - This article explores how conscious breathing techniques are used in elite baseball to improve focus, composure, and performance under pressure. The feature centers around Bobby Witt Jr., one of Major League Baseball's rising stars, who performs the same breathing routine before every pitch: stepping out of the batter's box, focusing on his bat, and taking a deep breath to reset mentally.

The piece further highlights how breathing strategies are increasingly integrated into high-performance sport across disciplines, including baseball, basketball, golf, and American football. Scientific insights from Sylvain Laborde and the German Sport University Cologne explain how breathing influences the autonomic nervous system, heart rate variability (HRV), attention, and emotional regulation. The article particularly discusses how stronger inhalation patterns may help athletes increase alertness and concentration in competitive situations.