The Importance of Breathing Properly

It's a well-known (and obvious) fact that breathing is essential to life. We begin life with our first breath and end with our last. It's an automatic brain function that we rarely think about, but should definitely pay more attention to -- especially when it comes to exercise.


Let's talk about Proper vs. Improper Breathing

During cardiovascular training, it's important to focus on taking deep breaths and establish a comfortable breathing pattern. Try to avoid shallow breathing, and be aware of every breath you inhale and exhale. For example, use a 3:2 ratio of breath in to breath out rate when running. This basically means you would inhale for 3 steps and exhale for the two steps following (obviously repeating the process over and over). No one said it's easy, and it takes some time to master, so have patience with yourself.

Proper breathing during strength and resistance training is similar, but with a few different things to remember. Do not inhale on the "grunt" phase of the exercise, you want to be exhaling as you are putting the most stress on your body. It's also super important to remember to practice continuous breathing during the exercise and not to hold your breath. Holding your breath, pushing or pulling while lifting can cause injuries such as hernias or aggravate high blood pressure conditions to a dangerously high level.

During flexibility training, inhale when creating "space" in the body and exhale to lengthen and stretch the muscles around those joints. For example: Take 3-4 deep breaths while holding each stretch. Remember to breathe from your abdomen and avoid shallow chest breaths.

During relaxation training, try to shift your focus to making the length and depth of your inhaled breath equal to the length and depth of your exhaled breath. Use your diaphragm to fill your lungs completely -- focusing on your belly, then ribs, and then onto chest before slowly exhaling completely back out. When practicing this type of conscious breathing, make sure to sit upright, stand or lay flat on the floor with your spine in neutral position. These types of poses will allow you to make the most of these types of deep breaths.


Now - Let's take a look at some different types of breathing techniques you can use via HealthandYoga.com

First, lie down on your back, relaxed, with hands and legs outstretched and eyes looking up at the roof. Gently close your eyes and relax.

Step 1: Abdominal breathing

Observe your natural breath. You will notice that as you inhale the abdomen rises and then falls with exhalation. Watch this for a few moments to check this flow. Now begin to deepen, lengthen and extend that movement. That is, while inhaling, let the abdomen rise to its limit and at exhalation let it fall completely. Keep the chest still during this entire process – only move the abdomen. Continue this for 20 breaths and then rest.

Step 2: Thoracic (chest) breathing

Again observe your normal breath, this time focusing your attention on the chest. You will notice the chest moving slightly up at inhalation and down with exhalation. Again observe this pattern for a few moments. Now again, begin to deepen, lengthen and extend that movement. This time, on inhalation expand and lift the rib cage, filling the lungs completely. Then on exhalation, let the lungs collapse fully, sinking to the limits. In this step, keep the abdomen still, moving only the chest. Do this for 20 breath cycles and then stop

Step 3: Full Yogic breathing

This combines the above 2 steps in the following way:
First inhale by filling the abdomen and then CONTINUE inhaling as you expand and fill the chest. Then exhale first from the chest as it empties and falls and then CONTINUE exhaling from the abdomen as it draws inwards completely. This is one round of the full yogic breath. Repeat this for 20 rounds.

Remember the pattern… Inhaling – abdomen then chest; Exhaling – chest then abdomen.

Thanks to HealthandYoga.com for a wonderful little lesson on the importance and how-to's of Yogic Breathing!



Go ahead, breathe deep!

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Sources:
http://www.examiner.com
http://www.healthcentral.com/
http://www.healthandyoga.com/HTML/news/yogicbreath.html">HealthandYoga.com