India's ace Olympian Manu Bhaker arrived at the Kaun Banega Crorepati stage after her twin-medal heroics in the Paris Olympics 2024. Manu returned home from Paris with two bronze medals to her name and has since been in the media and social media spotlight. On Thursday, Manu was spotted at the sets of KBC, with fellow Olympian Aman Sehrawat, who also bagged a bronze medal in the Paris Olympics. On the hot seat, Manu had some intriguing conversations with Amitabh Bachchan, including the technique she uses while shooting at the big stage.
During the chatter on the show, Amitabh Bachchan said that he would always wonder why shooters take such big gaps between shots before being explained the logic by his son Abhishek.
"I used to wonder why shooters waited so long after taking a shot. I couldn't grasp it until Abhishek Bachchan explained that they're controlling their breathing and heart rate; that's why they take their time."
Manu also shed light on the topic, explaining why breathing techniques to calm down the heart is so important between shots.
"At the start, having a strong foundation is crucial, and that applies to everything. Many people think shooting is simple -- just pick up the pistol and aim, but it's much more complex than that. During a match, our heart rate accelerates, and we must remain composed, even if we're feeling anxious.
"Controlling that anxiousness or nervousness takes time and practice. To maintain focus, I rely heavily on yoga, Surya Namaskar, and meditation. I follow this routine with strict discipline. Additionally, I use a breathing technique with a 4:8 ratio: inhaling for four seconds and exhaling for eight seconds. Mastering this through practice helps normalise my heart rate. During matches, when nerves make our hands shake while aiming, this breathing exercise helps me stay calm and focused," she revealed.