Did you know that your breathing increases from an average of 15 times a
minute at rest to 40-60 times a minute during exercise?

Okay, breathing is something all of us do all day, every day – but it’s
probably only when we start exerting ourselves that we become conscious of
how much it matters. The more we exercise the more we realise that, if we
breathe more efficiently, we would feel more comfortable, be able to achieve
more and improve our performance. Interestingly, exercise increases the
efficiency of the respiratory system, but it doesn’t significantly increase
lung capacity.

However, if you practice proper breathing over time you will reduce the
amount of air you need to breathe in and out during given exercise. Other
long term gains include improving blood circulation and heart health;
lessening the quantities of carbon dioxide produced by your muscles,
shortening recovery times and (of course) maximising your workout and
fitness level!

So we could imagine that oxygen is a sort of “fuel” to make your muscles
work. The more efficiently you are breathing, the more “fuel” is reaching
your muscles and the more effective they are.

Hands up who has heard about “Diaphragmatic Breathing”? (Well, you have
now!) Most people have heard about their diaphragm and whereabouts in their
body it can be found. Basically it’s a muscle that is located between your
chest and abdominal cavity and it’s the diaphragm that’s key to enabling the
most efficient method of breathing, full stop. You should use it when simply
getting on with the everyday chore of living AND when you’re indulging in
exercise of any type.

But, believe it or not, many don’t actually use the diaphragm to breathe,
preferring to take shallow breaths that are barely able to get their lungs
working properly with sufficient air. That’s when shortness of breath and a
rise in blood pressure can start to take effect.

However, if you can master the technique of diaphragmatic breathing you can
go along way towards helping your muscles deal with the burden you are
applying because they will be receiving as much oxygen as you can supply. By
breathing in through the nose (preferably) or the mouth and “pulling” the
breath down into your abdomen and then expelling the air as slowly as
possible (usually via your mouth) you’re giving your muscles the optimal
chance of receiving all the oxygen they need to perform effectively and
efficiently. Another very important benefit from using this technique is
that it promotes core stability which we all know is key to allowing
effective exercise. (If you want to know more about diaphragmatic breathing
techniques just get in touch.)

To benefit fully from diaphragmatic breathing anyone who is exercising
should adapt their pattern of breathing to match it to the requirements of
the particular type of activity they are undertaking.

For example, if you are doing aerobic exercises e.g. walking, running,
swimming etc. then you should try to make sure you are breathing in a
consistent way i.e. uniform, unhurried breathing, because this is the best
way to get your heart working more efficiently.

However, if you’re doing exercises for strength training then you would be
best to regulate your breathing by breathing out and breathing in at
different points of the exercise. When lifting weights, for example, the
generally-accepted method is to breathe out when you lift (concentric
movement) and breathe in when you lower (eccentric movement).

And just to be completely different, when you’re working on exercises to
improve your mobility such as yoga, pilates etc. you are advised to take
your time and breathe in and out slowly with long, deep breaths.

This type of exercise lends itself to breathing through the nose instead of
via the mouth. Apart from the fact that you don’t need to get oxygen in fast
and breathing through the nose is more relaxing and slows your breathing
down to a more appropriate rate for the exercise. You’re probably looking at
a rate of one breath in and one breath out of about 4 seconds duration for
each.

So here are a few things about efficient breathing you might find useful to
remember when you’re working out.
.       Focus on deep breaths that engage your diaphragm and expand your
lungs fully.
.       Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth.
.       Sync your breathing with the rhythm of your movements.
.       If you’re lifting weights or performing strenuous activities, exhale
during the exertion phase (e.g., when lifting a weight) and inhale during
the relaxation phase.
.       Remember that different exercises and activities might require
slight variations in breathing techniques.

Research and Acknowledgements
www.self.com
www.healthline.com
www.bustle.com/wellness
www.nasm.org