Breathing is important in all martial arts, but it takes on an urgency in a competitive style like kickboxing. If you lose your breath in a karate class, you can sit down and wait to recover. If you lose it in a kickboxing match, that's one more advantage for your opponent. Proper breathing depends on what's going on during the match at any given time.
Breathing Basics
When you breathe in kickboxing -- and most other martial arts -- you want to use your diaphragm. Breathe into your belly to fill as much of your torso as possible with air, then breathe out in a sharp exhalation. This doesn't actually put air in your stomach, but the visualization helps you relax your diaphragm for maximum airflow. Always inhale through your nose and out through your mouth -- the only exception being if an injury has blocked your nose with blood or wadding.
Natural-Pace Breathing
Whenever possible while kickboxing, you should breathe at a natural pace. Breathe in as deeply as your body can while remaining comfortable, and exhale as completely as possible. This maximizes the oxygen your body takes in with each breath, while helping you remain calm and focused for the strategy and tactics of your match. As the match goes on, don't try to artificially slow your breathing. Just keep it natural and rhythmic.
Breathing for Impact
When you strike, a sharp exhalation can increase your focus, tighten your muscles and deliver the blow with more force. When you get hit, the same sharp inhalation can flex your muscles into a layer of armor, and prevent you from getting the wind knocked out of you by a shot to the abdomen. When you practice kickboxing, practice exhaling in short, sharp hisses every time you hit and every time you get hit. This will build the reflex for when you're in the ring.
Recovering Your Breath
If you kickbox, eventually you'll get winded. It may happen because you started to hyperventilate. It might happen because you got punched or kicked in the diaphragm. It's not even uncommon to forget to breathe in the tension and excitement, and find yourself out of breath early in the match. To recover your breath, inhale as deeply as possible, then let it out in a series of short, sharp exhalations -- the same kind you use to breathe for impact. You'll likely have to repeat this breathing cycle several times, but it's a reliable way to re-establish conscious control over your diaphragm -- the muscle that controls your breathing.
References
- "Descendants of the Masters"; Paul Vunak; 2011
- "The Tao of Jeet Kun Do"; Bruce Lee; 1978
