Fitness freaks are aware of the importance of different types of exercises like weightlifting, strength training etc and the kind of diet one should be following for a healthy living. However, most of them tend to miss a very crucial aspect of healthy living - correct breathing techniques. Most people are ignorant about the fact that breathing has a huge impact on how the body reacts to exercises like strength training, weightlifting, running etc. The cardiovascular capacity of the body is hugely determined by the amount of oxygen sent to the muscle cells by the lungs and heart. These muscle cells require energy for proper operation. Breathing allows more oxygen to be passed to the heart and lungs. As a result more amount of energy is produced and this in turn improves the ability of the body to perform various activities.
It is important to mention here that proper breathing techniques are important in both aerobic and anaerobic exercises. When a person is performing anaerobic exercises like strength training and weightlifting lungs are required to work harder and this is the reason why a person should never run out of breathe while exercising. Additional advantages of correct way of breathing during weightlifting include:
• Correct breathing techniques help a person to burn more amount of fat.
• It has been proved that breathing improves the ability to lift weights.
Below some tips are provided regarding how to breathe rightly during weightlifting exercises.
• Avoid lifting excessive weights.
• It is important to take few deep breaths just before one is ready for a weightlifting session. This will allow the oxygen to flow into the brain and the muscles. If necessary, breathe using a little force so that the body gets enough oxygen supply.
• There are many weight lifters who make the mistake of holding breath during exercising. This is one risky move that must be avoided. When a person is holding the breath and doing weightlifting at the same time, blood pressure rises higher and unnecessary burden is put on the heart.
• It is advised to put initial force against the weights when one is lifting it and then exhale in a slow manner. The exhalation must be maintained till the end of muscle contraction. The type of exhalation may vary depending on the weightlifting workout routine. It could be either a fast burst of air or a long exhalation.
• Remember that exhalation is important when one is doing most strenuous part of the weight lifting (known as exertion) session like curling, pulling etc and in a similar way inhalation is crucial when one is performing the simple parts of the exercise (known as recovery) like releasing. An example would make the concept clear. Imagine that a person is pushing a weight training bench press off the chest. At that point it is important that he/ she exhales during the push and starts inhaling as the weight training bench press are brought near the chest.
• It is important to inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth during weight lifting. This will help one to control the inhalation pressure. Inhaling through the nose helps in the intake of air and this in turn regulates the levels of oxygen that are present in the blood.
• It is advised that one devotes full concentration to breathing while doing strength training. Each breath should be steady and calm. It can be mentioned here that breathing too slow or too quick during weightlifting can have a negative impact on a person's health.
• Many people breathe from the chest during weightlifting. This is a wrong move. When a person breathes through the chest, only a little volume of air is pushed in, which in turn, lowers the body's energy levels. It is advised that one must breathe from the belly or diaphragm because it ensures that sufficient volumes of oxygen are pushed in.
Inhaling and exhaling during running is also crucial because it helps to enhance the body's ability to endure and perform. Additionally a correct breathing pattern will make the sports comfortable and easier. Below few tips regarding how to breathe rightly during aerobic exercises are provided.
It is advisable to breathe from the mouth rather than the nose while running. Health experts agree about the fact that mouth allows more amounts of oxygen to enter. This in turn relaxes the facial muscles and a calm composure is created.
The tip of breathing from the belly that has been highlighted earlier while discussing weightlifting exercises is also applicable in case of aerobic exercises. Also it is important to ensure that the breaths are shallow and short. In contrast to weightlifting, don't go for long breaths while running because this may prevent a person from covering long distance. However, deep breaths are necessary when someone is running up a steep hill that requires huge amounts of effort.
One of the most important aspects of breathing during running is the rhythm. Inhaling and exhaling must be done at a consistent rate. One can check the natural breathing pattern by counting the number of steps while running. There are many who breathe in for three steps and then breathe out for one step. Knowing the natural breathing pattern helps a person to breathe consistently.
This might sound a bit weird but one can use the ears for controlling breathing. Breathing heavily while running at an easy or moderate pace means that one is running too quickly for his/ her condition.
Though breathing is a natural process, breathing techniques needs to be learn, no matter whether a person is interested in doing weightlifting, strength training or aerobic exercises. And it is equally crucial to stick to the routine. Practicing healthy breathing techniques will help a person to gain more energy and fulfill the goal of healthy living.
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