The lungs are the organs responsible for breathing, or the process of respiration, according to Peace Health. During respiration, your lungs simultaneously move oxygen from inhaled air to your blood vessels and remove carbon dioxide from your blood to be exhaled. Lung capacity refers to the maximum amount of air you are able to move in and out of your lungs and how well you supply your body with oxygen during that process.
Lung Capacity
Lung capacity is a combination of two measurements, according to Peace Health. Tidal volume, which provides sufficient oxygen for a resting person, measures how much air you can move in and out of your lungs during normal breathing. Vital capacity measures the maximum amount of air you can move in and out of your lungs during forceful breathing, such as your breathing during physical exertion. Expanding your lung capacity requires you to increase your vital capacity.
Aerobic Exercise
Aerobic exercise improves the function of your heart and lungs, according to Georgia State University. Aerobic exercise uses your large muscle groups in a rhythmic, sustained activity that forces your heart and lungs to work harder than they do when you are at rest. Aerobic exercises include cycling, fitness walking, running, aerobic dance and swimming. Water aerobics is a moderate-intensity aerobic exercise. Vigorous-intensity aerobic exercises include jogging and cycling at a speed of at least 10 miles an hour.
Breathing Exercises
Breathing exercises and activities such as yoga that use controlled breathing can increase lung capacity by training you to breathe more efficiently. The exercises train you to use less energy for breathing and to provide you body with more oxygen during each breath, according to the American Medical Students Association. Athletes and musicians use breathing exercises to improve performance through increased lung capacity. People with medical conditions such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease use breathing exercises to improve breathing and stamina by increasing lung capacity. Abdominal breathing, also called diaphragm breathing or belly breathing, is a breathing exercise that forces more air into the lungs than does chest breathing. Abdominal breathing creates more expansion in the lung's air sacs.
Tips
During aerobic exercise performed at a moderate pace you should be able to talk even though breathing is more difficult, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Warnings
If you are a beginner at aerobics, the National Institutes of Health recommends that you slowly work your way up to moderate-intensity exercise.
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