Breathing is an essential function of our body, but it often goes unnoticed. However, when it comes to athletic performance, proper breathing techniques can make a huge difference.
In this article, we'll discuss how better breathing can help you boost your endurance and athletic performance.
What type of athletics need to care about breathing?
Athletes in endurance-based sports, such as long-distance running, cycling, swimming, and triathlon, need to pay special attention to their breathing.
This is because endurance-based sports require a sustained effort over a longer period of time, which can lead to fatigue and breathlessness if proper breathing techniques are not used.
The importance of breathing for athletics
Breathing plays a critical role in supplying oxygen to our muscles and removing waste products like carbon dioxide.
During exercise, our body needs more oxygen to generate energy, and our breathing rate increases to meet this demand.
By improving our breathing technique, we can increase the amount of oxygen available to our muscles, delay the onset of fatigue, and improve our overall athletic performance.
Breathing basics
Before we discuss the training techniques and tips, let's review some breathing basics.
The most important thing to remember is to breathe deeply and slowly. When we breathe deeply, we use our diaphragm muscle to draw air into our lungs, which maximizes the amount of oxygen that enters our body.
Breathing slowly allows us to maintain a steady supply of oxygen to our muscles without overworking ourselves.
How to train and tips
Now that we've covered the basics, let's discuss some training techniques and tips to help you improve your breathing and boost your athletic performance:
1) Diaphragmatic breathing exercises: Practice breathing from your diaphragm by lying down on your back and placing your hand on your stomach. Breathe in deeply, feeling your stomach rise as you inhale, and then exhale slowly, feeling your stomach fall. Repeat this exercise several times a day to strengthen your diaphragm muscle and improve your breathing technique.
2) Interval training: Incorporate interval training into your workouts to increase your lung capacity and improve your breathing efficiency. This involves alternating between high-intensity bursts of exercise and periods of rest or low-intensity exercise. As your lung capacity improves, you'll be able to sustain higher intensity exercise for longer periods of time.
3) Focus on your breath during exercise: Pay attention to your breathing during exercise and try to maintain a steady rhythm. You can also use breathing techniques like counting your breaths or breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth to help you stay focused and relaxed.
4) Practice relaxation techniques: Anxiety and stress can lead to shallow breathing, which can limit the amount of oxygen that enters your body. Practice relaxation techniques like meditation, deep breathing exercises, and yoga to help you stay calm and focused during exercise.
Check the Lepulse OPUMP - Your Personal Smart Breathing Trainer
Conclusion
Improving your breathing technique is an effective way to boost your endurance and athletic performance.
By practicing diaphragmatic breathing, incorporating interval training into your workouts, focusing on your breath during exercise, and practicing relaxation techniques, you can increase your lung capacity, delay the onset of fatigue, and achieve your athletic goals.
