Want to get even more out of your workouts? Make sure you’re breathing right! Have you ever thought about oxygen as fuel for your muscles? Well, it is and a lack of oxygen during a workout can have a major impact on how difficult a workout feels and how far you push yourself.
You are unique and so is your body! Before starting any new health routine, always be sure to talk with your doctor to make sure it is right for your needs.
Over time, these factors can either work for you or against you in reaching your fitness goals. Breathing correctly can help you lift heavier, run further, and recover faster from intense training. So how exactly should you breathe during your next gym session?
Want to get even more out of your workouts? Make sure you’re breathing right! Have you ever thought about oxygen as fuel for your muscles? Well, it is and a lack of oxygen during a workout can have a major impact on how difficult a workout feels and how far you push yourself.
Proper Breathing = Diaphragmatic Breathing
Your diaphragm is the muscle located between your chest (thoracic cavity) and abdominal cavity that acts as the support for all of your breathing, whether you are exercising or at rest. However, most of us don’t fully engage this muscle, instead taking mostly shallow breaths that leave parts of our bodies (upper back and shoulders, pelvic floor, lower back) doing more work than they should. Additionally, this shallow breathing doesn’t deliver enough oxygen to our bodies, causing our heart rates and blood pressure to increase. This can cause us to feel more anxious, stressed and even short of breath.
The good news is that the fix is simple: begin practicing diaphragmatic breathing! Over time, this style of breathing will become easier and more natural, and you will begin to reap the benefits not only in your workouts but in your daily life.
How to Do Diaphragmatic Breathing
To practice breathing with your diaphragm, slowly breathe in through the nose or mouth (preferably the nose), filling up your abdomen (versus your chest) with air, and then slowly exhale as the stomach collapses.
One trick to ensure you are performing the breath properly is to place one hand on your chest and one hand on your stomach. As you breathe in, feel your stomach moving outward while your chest remains mostly still.
After you have practiced this style of breathing at rest, the next challenge is to incorporate this breathing into your exercise routine.
Diaphragmatic Breathing During Exercise
Breathing with your diaphragm will likely feel strange when you first begin to incorporate it into your workouts. However, over time, it will become a habit and soon you will notice the benefits. If you enjoy cardio workouts, this type of breathwork will not only deliver much-needed oxygenated blood to your muscles to keep you going, it will also help you find your rhythm and settle into a pace. People often share that finding a rhythm for their cardio workouts enables them to go further distances and enjoy their workout even more.
For your weight-lifting workouts, proper breathing will not only help your muscles work harder and recover faster, but it will also help you reach a new level of focus and mental strength to take on bigger challenges than you thought possible.
For your mindfulness exercises like yoga or tai chi, proper breathwork will help you reach a state of focus and flow that will allow you to find more stillness within and experience relaxation and clarity through movement.
Let Us Help You Embrace the Journey
At Baer-Fit, our certified trainers work closely with you to understand your unique fitness goals and design customized workout and meal plans to get you there. Not only do we provide you with the roadmap to get you where you want to go, but we are with you each step of the way, holding you accountable and celebrating all the milestones.
To learn more, visit our Contact page and send us a message! We can’t wait to learn more about you.