There are so many things you can do to improve your fitness performance. I can struggle to find time to workout, and when I do I often feel like I could do better. One of the things I sometimes feel holds me back is my breathing. Whether I’m running, swimming, or following a workout DVD, being out of breath makes me want to give up. It’s not that I will be bent over, gasping for breath and unable to move. It’s more that breathing well is part of having good form, and breathing badly can hold you back. Better breathing technique and lung capacity can improve your performance when you exercise. Have a look at my tips for changing yours.
Concentrate
If you want your breathing to improve your workout, you have to think about it. A good breathing technique won’t come naturally, so you need to concentrate on what you’re doing. This can be difficult if you’re trying to keep up a good form in other areas too. For example, perhaps you’re trying to coordinate your breathing with a swim stroke . If it’s difficult, it can be a good idea to concentrate on breathing first. Forget about the other things for a bit and just do the breathing. You can even do it before you start doing any exercise. Once you feel like you can breathe in a healthier way, you can put everything together.
Tailor Breathing to the Exercise
Not all breathing is equal. You should use different methods for various types of exercise. For example, your breathing when you swim is going to be totally different from when you run. You have to time yourself correctly when swimming so you can get a good breath as your head comes up. Weightlifting requires you to breathe in and out at the right times to concentrate your energy and power in the right places. And, of course, yoga uses a different type of breathing technique altogether.
Quit Smoking
Most fitness fanatics are well aware of the fact that smoking won’t do them any flavours. However, that doesn’t mean that they all avoid doing it. If you’re a smoker, it’s definitely going to affect your lungs and breathing. You might think it doesn’t, but you could be surprised by the difference it makes when you quit. Giving up smoking once you’re addicted isn’t easy. However there are lots of tools to help you stop. One of the most popular methods at the moment is e-cigarettes. You can use resources like EliquidUK Store to buy lots of different liquid flavours to make quitting smoking interesting.
Strength Train Your Lungs
Just like you can train your other muscles, you can do exercises to help tone the ones you use for breathing. It’s important to use your diaphragm when you breathe, and not just your chest. This is something you will have heard if you’ve ever sung in a choir or played a wind or brass instrument. In fact, your diaphragm does most of the work when you breathe, and taking fuller breaths will help to strengthen it.
You might not think you need to learn to breathe, but it can make a difference to your workouts. Think about changing your habits to see if it improves your performance.