Your breathing technique during exercise can impact your performance and stamina. The speed and depth of your breaths acts as a barometer -- if you are open-mouthed and gasping for air, you are probably working too hard. Unlike any other bodily function, including your heartbeat, your breathing is the only one that both occurs without and with your command. Learn how to control this air exchange during exercise by consciously taking a breath with the mouth or the nose.
Step 1
Breathe in through the nose during outdoors exercise, especially in the cold. Your nose automatically warms up the air for your lungs -- to a toasty 95 degrees Fahrenheit. It also traps environmental pollen and bacteria before it hits your lungs.
Step 2
Start each yoga pose with one open-mouthed inhale, followed by an open-mouthed exhale on the word "ha." Continue each pose with nasal breathing and closed lips. If you feel the need to open your mouth to breathe, the pose may be too challenging for you. Keep practicing.
Step 3
Breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth during aerobic activities. This natural breathing prevents hyperventilation, as inhaling through the nose regulates the amount of air you draw into your lungs.
Step 4
Breathe out through the mouth on an exhale with any form of exertion, such as weightlifting. Inhale through the nose as you release the tension on the muscles and lower the weights.
