The lungs are the largest organs in the human respiratory tract and are located in the thoracic cavity. An average pair of lungs have a capacity of four to six liters.The larger the volume of an individual's lungs, the more oxygen he can absorb into his bloodstream, resulting in more energy. Physical fitness, age and body size all affect lung volume. To strengthen your lungs, you have to improve two points: your lung volume and the strength of your respiratory muscles.
Aerobic Exercise
Aerobic exercise raises your body's oxygen demands, thus placing strain on your lungs, forcing them to expand. Running, swimming, jumping, skating and biking are all aerobic exercise. Due to their body's higher oxygen demands, most athletes tend to have larger lungs than the general population.
Balloons
Blowing up balloons is an activity that is used to strengthen lungs. Your body's respiratory muscles strain to force air out of your lungs to blow up the balloons This activity strengthens your respiratory muscles. Singing and playing woodwind or brass musical instruments have similar effects on your lung strength.
Smoking
Smoking and an inactive lifestyle have an extremely detrimental effect on your lung power. An inactive lifestyle does not put any type of strain on your lungs, which can eventually cause atrophy. Smoking is very harmful to lung tissue, as it lowers the organ's ability to absorb oxygen.
References
- "Exercise and Health" Prof. T. A. Asmangulyan 1997
- "Preventive and Social Medicine" K. Park : 1995
- "Physiology" 5th Edtion By Berne,Levy, Koeppen and Stanton
- # # Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice Susan Standring, 2008
