When starting a new fitness program for fat loss, muscle gain or endurance, proper breathing sounds like the least of your problems, right? What you might not realize is that proper breathing techniques aids your body with more efficient functions.
Here’s how!
Energy Supply
With proper breathing you will fuel a more efficient way to use and create energy from oxygen and will better regulate lactic acid build up.
Lactic acid is what causes the burning sensation in your muscles when you are working out. More oxygen reduces the burn...
Mental health
With better air supply your brain won’t be constrained by the rest of the body's need for oxygen and will be fully satisfied, ready to solve complex problems of everyday life.
Circulation
With proper breathing the blood supply will be full of oxygen to move throughout the body.
Heart rate
With proper breathing your heart will not have to pump as fast to circulate needed oxygen through the body. So, with proper breathing you can more quickly slow your heart rate down to a steady pace.
You may be wondering what the technique is…
Resistance training breathing:
Resistance training breathing involves inhaling when loading for an exercise (when the muscle is expanding) and exhaling when exerting energy (when the muscle is contracting).
Examples:
Push-ups
- Breathe in when lowering to the ground
- Breathe out when pushing away from the ground
Pull-ups
- Breathe in when lowered
- Breathe out when pulling up
Impact cardio (running, jumping jacks, jumping rope)
- Breathe in and hold for 2 ground contacts
- Breathe out and hold for 2 ground contacts
Another tip you have may have heard of is, in through the nose and out through the mouth. If you’ve ever wondered why this is important it’s because the nasal passageway has small hairs that act as a humidifier. With the air more humid, and closer to body temperature, your body will use that oxygen for energy to supply bodily functions instead of investing energy heating the air.
Said another way, breathing in through your mouth during exercise is like paying a $100 fee to withdraw $100 from your account. A losing proposition.
Conclusion
With proper breathing you will aid your body with better circulation and energy levels. With proper blood flow to all organs your brain will be working at optimum levels to help you focus on your goals in the gym as well as for the rest of the day. When breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth you will be using energy to workout, burn fat and synthesize protein instead of using energy to bring the air to core levels.
Remember, no matter what you are working out, it is crucially important to ensure proper breathing.
And that, is Fitness By Design.