How you breathe while you exercise affects the quality of your workout. How can we breathe to get the most out of our exercise?
The most well-known recommendation for breathing during exercise is exhaling at exertion. During a squat exercise, exhale as you extend up. During a dumbbell curl exercise, exhale as you pull the weight up to your chest. Inhale through the nose, diaphragmatically on the lowering motion in the squat and curl examples.
It is sometimes less obvious during cardio exercises what the breathing cadence should be. This is a good word to remember-- cadence. When running or swimming, get into a rhythm that is comfortable and systematic. Some athletes breathe at a 3:2 ratio (exhale 3 seconds/steps/strokes, inhale 2 seconds/steps/strokes). Others breathe at a 1:1 ratio. Experiment with what feels comfortable for you and keep the pace. Allowing your breathing to get out of control during any exercise is more taxing on your body and doesn’t allow you to get the full benefit out of your workout. If you notice your breathing slipping out of control, slow down a bit and get back in control. Breathe in rhythm.
Do not hold your breath. Proper breathing will allow more blood flow through the body, comfort, and endurance during the workout, and avoid injury. Do not hold your breath.