Breathing exercises are meant to build efficient oxygen levels within your body and used to sustain yourself through long periods of time submerged in water. Navy divers use breathing exercises when training in free-diving missions in order to improve their performance and enhance their breathing skills. Naval breathing exercises can be risky and training with a professional is required. Before performing any of these exercises, consult with your physician.
Relaxing Breath
Inhale through your nose for three to four seconds, allowing your lungs to open fully. Breathe in all the air until your lungs are full and exhale through your mouth for six to eight seconds. "Measure your pulse and you will see a difference in your beats per minute," says Stew Smith, an ex-Navy SEAL and author of "The Complete Guide to Navy SEAL Fitness." This exercise of full inhales and exhales can help slow down your nervous system, which causes anxiety and shortness of breath. It also helps you sleep and think clearer.
Deep Breathing Technique
Take a deep breath in and fill your lungs up with air. Breathe out while simultaneously bringing your abdominals in and keeping your lips pursed. Do not blow the air out of your nose or into your cheeks. Your airflow should go in and out of your mouth and lungs. The power breathing technique coaches your core muscles, which help you to breathe and develop a deeper breath when needed. This exercise can be done throughout the day.
Runner's Breathing Training
Inhale deeply and do an intense 25 m sprint without taking another breath. Repeat this exercise two more times. Since lactic acid does not need oxygen or energy to exist, this drill is meant to enhance the lactic acid system within your body. By doing this, your body is able to function at higher levels and resist the need to take a breath, which can be imperative for underwater breathing.
Weightlifting Breathing Techniques
"Lifting form, speed and breathing techniques are all important for weight training," says Patricia A. Deuster, one of the authors of "The U.S. Navy Seal Guide to Fitness and Nutrition." During weightlifting exercises, such as the bench press, lat pulldowns, squats and bicep curls, you have to exhale during positive weight movement, which means move the weight against gravity. Doing this correct breathing technique prevents you from holding your breath during lifting exercises, which can increase damage to your cardiovascular system.
Hyperbaric Training
Hyperbaric training requires you to train at an area with an extremely high elevation, such as high mountain peaks or in a hyperbaric chamber. In these areas you will have to execute regular cardiovascular exercise, such as running or sprinting. These two particular training areas reduce the level of oxygen to your body, compared to that of the oxygen at sea levels. When you perform any type of cardiovascular exercise in these areas, you will train and adapt your body to create more red blood cells, which carry oxygen, and increase other physiological methods to effectively improve your body's use of oxygen.
References
- Military.com: The Importance of Breathing
- The U.S. Navy Seal Guide to Fitness and Nutrition; Patricia A. Duester; 2007
- Power Breathing the Russian Navy Seal Way
- View Zone: Breathe RIght and Win
