How Justin Fields’ Yoga Breathing Technique Helped Him Perform at His Best against the Vikings?
American quarterback Justin Fields probably played what was, till date, his best half in NFL football on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings. The Chicago Bears' comeback, though, fell short, resulting in a 29-22 loss.
After the loss, the 23-year-old quarterback said that it was the first time in his short NFL career that he felt most at ease on the field. Fields said that he was able to play at his own pace and not let the Vikings defense speed him up.
Justin Fields subsequently said that playing quarterback demands a rhythm. The player cannot drop back superfast or throw it really fast. Staying relaxed and calm during the game is key.
"We throw certain routes all day, so pretty much just treat everything like routes on air," the young player said.
He added that it's good to try and stay as calm and in the rhythm as possible. Fields has been working on learning to play at his own speed and rhythm. He attributes his success on Sunday to a new way of breathing he started using recently.
So what is this new breathing technique he was talking about? Read on to find out more.
Justin Fields' Yoga Breathing Technique
Justin Fields attributed his recent success on the field against the Minnesota Vikings to a new breathing technique. The young player said that he has been working on his breathing during games "like in slow like four seconds and out slow".
Fields says that the breathing technique automatically keeps him more calm and collected during games. The player also doesn't like doing pregame speeches, as he feels that "I’m so much calmer than everybody else". When the defensive guys are all juiced up ready to go, Justin Fields just tries to stay chill.
Justin Fields pays a lot of attention to his breathing, and the Bears set up yoga classes a few days before each game. The quarterback, who is only in his second year, found that the breathing exercise helped him stay calm, so he decided to use it on Sunday against the Vikings.
The young quarterback for the Bears played a great 30 minutes of football in the second half against the Vikings. Fields made 12 of 13 throws, which gave him 135 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for 36 yards, while a 53-yard touchdown run was taken away because of an illegal block.
Fields' accuracy and quick decisions in Minnesota were evidence of the small steps forward the Bears have been talking about.
Justin Fields has always seemed relaxed and in control. His face almost never changes, no matter the game situation. Fields says, though, that it wasn't always like this and has taken time.
He says that his calmness has come with time and mistakes. Only last year, the player felt that he had to speed himself up or be crazy pumped up like everybody else. However, now the player reckons that while playing quarterback, staying calm and relaxed pays off more in terms of a better performance.
Takeaway
Fields has tried to bring that calmness, steady hand, and maybe even the new breathing exercise into every game during his second year with the Bears. That includes how he feels about being slowly turned into the NFL quarterback his talent suggests he can be.
We all want to see the results of our work right away. Fields knows that at his level, that's not how it works, and rushing the process seldom helps. He understands that "progress takes patience".
Patience and deep breathing helped Fields almost clinch the game in the second half. However, the same characteristics also help him understand that the performance on Sunday was nothing but a small step in the right direction.