How To Breathe Properly During Exercise

I was asked this question by my client today. “When should I inhale and exhale and does it even matter?” I told him that was a great question. Breathing properly during exercise is often overlooked or not quite understood.

The general rule of thumb is that we inhale at the beginning of the movement or at relaxation and exhale upon exertion. It seems simple enough but surprisingly, people tend to hold their breath or breathe in reverse during exercise.

Breathing properly is just as important as the exercise itself. This applies to other forms of exercise as well such as aerobic activities like swimming and running and non-aerobic exercises such as yoga, Pilates, weight-lifting and breathing exercises.

First, when we hold our breath it is known as a Valsalva Maneuver. This happens when we brace our spine for lifting but it is one way that the body increases intra-abdominal pressure by not allowing air to escape from the lungs. The VM can increase blood pressure, can cause dizziness, fainting and decreased blood flow to the heart. It is important to brace the spine but we need to learn how to breathe while doing so. It takes practice.

Why is proper breathing so important?

When you breathe properly you are allowing the working muscles to receive the oxygen that is needed to keep contracting. When you inhale, air travels through your nose and mouth. It continues to the pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi and smaller tubes called bronchioles. From there it travels to the alveoli (small sacs in the lungs).

Each one is surrounded by tiny capillaries where red blood cells emit carbon dioxide and pick up oxygen through a process called “gas exchange.” Breathing correctly helps maintain the most effective concentration of oxygen and carbon dioxide from the blood. The need to remove carbon dioxide, not oxygen consumption is a major driving force behind almost all respiration.

The harder we work the more oxygen is needed and produces more carbon dioxide. As a result, circulation speeds up to deliver oxygen to the muscles so that they can keep moving.

How does one breathe during exercise?

Proper diaphragmatic breathing is essential. Stress, poor posture and other factors can lead to shallow breathing which can result in discomfort in the chest and back muscles and even weaken the muscles in the lower back and pelvic floor. One way to ensure that we’re breathing properly is to place the hands on the lower ribs. You will feel them inflate and deflate like a balloon as you breathe. This allows the lungs to expand.

Here are some helpful tips to ensure that you’re breathing right during exercise:

If you’re prone to holding your breath, count each rep out loud.
Try not to bend over if you can’t catch your breath. Stand tall and clasp your hands behind your head.
Use the talk test to determine if the exercise is intense enough. If you can talk or hold a conversation, increase the intensity.
When cooling down or stretching breath slow. It helps with recovery.

Jaena Mebane, a graduate of Fordham University-B.A., Fitness Professional, Bodybuilder and creator of GLUTEUS FABULOUS. My motto is “Inspiring Others to Live a Healthy Lifestyle, Mind, Body and Soul.” You can find me on Instagram @gluteus_fabulous