When it comes to daily exercise, most people think that only physical activity is enough. However, some people follow the same workout routine but never get the same results. Eventually they blame it on the technique or the time they spent, and in the worst-case scenario gene and metabolism rate are also very important. However, experts say that when you exercise you need to focus on your breathing as well. This means breathing needs to be in sync with your muscles. Most people when working out do not focus on breathing and eventually they end up with painful muscle cramps
Even when you focus on the technique of your workout, you need to be very conscious about the way your muscle moves. Stats reveal that a passive lifestyle decreases the lung capacity of the individual over time. According to a recent study, people who do not work out lose around 60% of their lung capacity so when they work out they feel shortness of breath and in the worst-case scenario they hyperventilate and this can even cause serious health damage. The best way is to help your body adapt according to your daily requirement so you do not end up hurting yourself. There are some research shreds of evidence that also prove that your breathing technique facilitates your workout and your body in a way that minimizes the chance of injury. In short, you can protect your body and support your lifestyle as well.
With the help of this article, I will highlight why breathing is important while exercising and why experts tell you to breathe deeper. Apart from this, I will discuss shallow breathing and why it is not recommended. To help the beginner know how I improved my breathing I have also listed down some of my favorite breathing exercises that have helped me.
Why Breathing Is Important While Exercising?
Breathing is connected with exercises because you need to emerge to move your muscles. This energy is extracted from the fat and stored calories. To break it down the body has to go through a detailed process of inhaling the oxygen that is eventually used to break down the fats and convert them into energy. After that this energy is issued for working and exercising. However, if you do not breathe properly, you will struggle with oxygen and your body will end up using the anaerobic method for breaking down the fat for energy. This forms a byproduct that is called lactic acid. This is stored in the muscles and you will eventually feel the soreness in your muscles and it will get painful. These are also called muscle cramps. However, if you focus on breathing you can easily avoid it.
Why Is Deep Breathing Better?
The main purpose of breathing is to supply oxygen. Now that lungs inhale air they separate the oxygen and bind it with blood so they can supply it to the rest of the organs. However, if you are breathing by using just 40% of the lung capacity, you are not letting in much air. Eventually, you will see that your lungs have to work extra hard to soak in enough oxygen. Your breathing will become shallow and just to provide an ample amount of oxygen to all organs your heartbeat will rise as well. Overall, it all comes down to organ health. With more oxygen, your organs will perform better and you will eventually see the impact.
Best Exercises for Breathing
There are so many different exercises you can try but it is better to look for an interesting activity that can help you engage all your muscles at the same time. A few of my most favorite breathing exercises include
Holding Breath
Holding breath is a very fun game that you can play with a friend, your significant other, or with your kids. You need to inhale with all you might and then as your lungs fill up, just hold all the air inside. Do not let go. You will feel your lungs burning in a few minutes, your aim should be at least one minute. In the first few days, you will only be able to hold the air for 10 seconds but as you progress you will see that you can hold it for a much longer time. This technique will also be helpful for swimming because it will keep you afloat.
Also Read : What does wrist girth have to do with intermittent fasting?
Pushing the Breath
For this exercise, you need to sit straight and inhale with full force. Try to use 100% of the lung capacity by pushing the air in. now hold it there for a few seconds and then pucker your lips. You need to blow the air out like you are blowing a balloon. This is very close to deep breathing but the main difference is the way you exhale. Try to hold the air for the longest time, it will all come down to the time because this is a very good way of estimating the progress.
Tube-ball
A tube ball is a very fun activity that you can do with a friend. You have to take an empty tissue roll and then place a ball in the middle. Now you need a friend and your main goal needs to be to push the ball with full force on the other side. Since the other person will be doing the same, you will see that the ball will stay somewhere in between. This is a very fun game and you will be able to push your lungs to do better as well.
Bottom Line
To sum it all up, breathing is very important. However most people take breathing for granted because they feel breathing is all about routine and since our body is doing it involuntarily, we do not have to focus on technique. However sometimes due to medical issues, injuries, or external conditions, people develop a muscle memory that supports irregular breathing techniques. These techniques eventually impact the overall health as well. The body starts to hyperventilate, breathing becomes shallow and lungs have to work hard. However, if the focus is only on the exercises, you might end up breathing less oxygen and your lungs have to work hard just to compensate for shallow breathing. In case you want to improve your breathing, look for exercises. Some of the best exercises that will also help you improve breathing include yoga, meditation, deep breathing, muscle relaxation therapy, and more.
