How To Breathe During Exercise

Breathing is an involuntary and an effortless movement in your body. It happens without your knowledge. Oxygen to the body is life and survival. Right breathing aids in fresh air circulation to the heart and lungs. It also relieves you from stress and calms your mind to relaxation.

Generally, when people perform heavy exercise such as weight lifting they tend to hold their breath. This is called Valsalva maneuver, a very dangerous practice. Forcible breathing against the closed windpipe results in increased blood pressure. Do not let your breath control you; rather you take control of your breath. When you work out intensely, you may end up stopping your exercise to catch up with your breath. To avoid these strenuous breathless conditions concentrate on your breathing pattern. Following the right breathing techniques at the time of exercise is very important.

In a workout, there are two types of movements. One when you use force and the other when you relax. The general thumb rule of breathing during exercise is to exhale during the effort phase of an exercise and inhale during the lighter phase of an exercise. Hard exertions are those that are generally performed against gravity. In a push up for example, you inhale when you move down and exhale as you move away from the floor. Watch out on the rate of speed at which you perform a movement. You may hyperventilate and experience a shallow breathing when movements get quicker. In case of cardiovascular exercises like running, climbing stairs and hiking, your breath is never in tune with your movements. Never try to force your breathing to achieve this. Instead, find a breathing pattern that keeps you comfortable. Diaphragmatic or belly breathing allows more oxygen to the body and is a good choice of breathing technique when you run, skip, jump and swim.

Remain alert on your breath and focus on your breathing control when you exercise. It is better to inhale through the nose in a controlled manner and exhale through the mouth in the same controlled manner. This ensures sufficient supply of oxygen to the muscles and maintains a high energy level. You may also prevent complications such as dizziness and increase in heart rate when you focus on your breathing. Stretch your body and breathe properly after your work out. This helps you to return to the resting mode and increases your flexibility.

Remember to follow a proper breathing technique for the different kinds of exercise you may indulge in. In case of strength exercises, exhale when you exert and inhale when you ease out.
Follow a regular and normal breathing pattern or extend the length of your breathe in and breathe out technique in case of a cardiovascular exercise. Breathe deeply for stretching exercises. Hold your position with your breathing strength.

Learning the correct technique of breathing depending upon the nature of the exercise may take time. However this is a great investment that would help you experience an enjoyable exercise routine each day.

By: Kya

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