During exercise, your body uses more oxygen. To compensate, your breathing rate increases. The key to breathing properly during exercise is to maintain a breathing rate that allows you to get enough oxygen to continue working out. If you notice that you have a bad habit of breathing incorrectly during strenuous workouts, focus on developing proper breathing techniques to correct your behavior.
Strength Training
When you lift heavy weights, the temptation is to hold your breath during the most strenuous part of the exercise. This deprives you of oxygen, however, and decreases your ability to perform. In extreme cases, holding your breath can increase your blood pressure to dangerous levels. The best way to breathe while strength training is to exhale slowly while you are pushing weights and then inhale during the return motion.
Yoga
A key element of yoga is proper breathing. Typically, a yoga workout starts off with relaxation exercises that use breathing techniques to calm the body and empty the mind. Use your abdominal muscles to breathe in deeply. Lengthen your exhalation as much as possible. During difficult yoga exercises, you might find yourself holding your breath while you concentrate on maintaining balance, but it's better to breathe normally to keep your body relaxed and calm. The goal is to maintain a relaxed mind and breathing pattern even during difficult poses.
Aerobic Exercise
If you don't work out often, vigorous aerobic exercise will make you feel out of breath. But if you work out regularly, your cardiovascular system will improve, making it easier for you to exercise for long periods of time without losing your breath. Start your workout regimen with a low-intensity exercise, such as walking. If you are able to breathe OK, increase your activity level with each new workout session. For example, start jogging at light speeds and increase the intensity of the exercise by pushing yourself a little harder each time. Focus on developing a stable breathing pattern to keep a steady supply of oxygen circulating through your system.
Considerations
People with respiration problems often have trouble working out because physical activity causes the symptoms of their condition to worsen. For example, some people experience exercise-induced asthma. Typical symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest pain or tightness, and prolonged shortness of breath. These symptoms usually start five to 10 minutes into a workout. If you experience severe breathing problems during a workout, don't just assume you're out of shape. Contact your doctor immediately to find out if there is an underlying problem with your respiratory system.
