Breathing is both voluntary and involuntary. With each inhale, you draw in oxygen and supply your body with nutrients. Each exhalation releases carbon dioxide. You might not pay much attention to it but by actively participating in your breath, you can enhance your overall performance as you exercise. Whether you're working on endurance, strength or flexibility, diaphragmatic breathing helps you build and maintain energy, calm your mind, alleviate stress, be more aware of your body and even burn fat.
Breathing Muscle
The diaphragm is a thin, dome-shaped muscle between your abdominal and chest cavities at the bottom of your lungs. As you inhale, the diaphragm lowers and expands like an umbrella opening upside-down behind the abdominal wall. This expansion also widens and lifts your ribcage. The diaphragm returns to its original spot as you exhale.
Breath Test
Diaphragmatic breathing is key to exercising efficiently. Sometimes, emotional or physical stress can cause the breath to become shallow as the muscles tense, the heart rate quickens and the diaphragm muscle weakens. One way to discover whether you're breathing with your diaphragm, according to the American Medical Student Association, is to place one hand on your chest and the other hand on your abdomen. As you inhale, notice which hand is rising more. If it's the hand on the abdomen, your diaphragm is correctly doing its job of pulling air into the lungs.
Endurance
You can alter your breath technique to match your particular workout. For endurance workouts, former Navy SEAL and fitness book author Stew Smith recommends a three-to-two inhale-to-exhale ratio to oxygenate muscles, release carbon dioxide and lower your heart rate. For instance, if you're running, take three steps on your inhalation and two steps on your exhalation. On the other hand, a longer exhalation takes you deeper into a relaxed state.
Strength
For strength-building workouts, Smith advises that you always exhale on exertion. When you're doing crunches, for example, exhale as you lift up and inhale as you lower to the floor. Exhale when you lift the weight and inhale when you lower it. This technique prevents internal injuries such as broken blood vessels, high blood pressure and hernia.
Flexibility
For more meditative, stretching practice such as yoga, diaphragmatic breathing helps you both energize and relax, as does matching breath to movement. According to John Friend, the founder of Anusara Yoga, the time to inhale is when opening or unfolding the body, lengthening and extending the spine, reaching arms outward or upward, or lifting from a forward bend. Exhale when closing, enfolding or flexing the body, bringing the arms inward or downward, bending forward and twisting.
References
- Military: Breathing During Exercise
- American Medical Student Association: Breathing Exercises
- "Anusara Yoga Teacher Training Manual"; John Friend; 1999
