Have you ever said that? It’s an old exclamation, often made when something or someone startles you or catches you off-guard. But there is a deeper truth in the statement of As I Live And Breathe. Breathing is an essential part of your life and your living. From the moment you take your first breath following birth and you scream as that cold air strikes your lungs, it is the vital part of your overall survival.
Human Life Needs To Breathe
We have to be able to breathe in order to live. We require an oxygen rich atmosphere. We inhale oxygen and we exhale carbon dioxide. While that is a simplification of the process, it’s more or less what happens. Air provides us with the necessary materials to keep our bodies intact and flowing. The interesting thing is, that breath is so very important, but we don’t always remember that when we are exercising.
Too often, we rely on shallow breathinbg and we forget that in order to really utilize our lung capacity, we need to breathe deeply and to exhale deeply. Now, most people who sit and try to practice deep breathing the first time invariably fall asleep because it’s extremely relaxing and it can really release a lot of tension in your body.
The Art of Breathing
When exercising, most people have a tendency to suck in their breath and hold it – espeically if they are lifting a very difficult weight. If they are running or walking at a fast clip, their tendency is to breathe fast and shallow. These are bad habits, because they don’t enforce good posture and they can actually build up the tension and make the exercise harder on you – both in performance and recovery.
You should practice controlling your breathing. When lifting weights, for example, you should inhale on the lift and exhale when releasing. If you take a yoga or pilates class, the instructor will advise you to deepen your breathing and control it. Take a deep breath, right now. Inhale and let the air fill your lungs. You sat up straighter, didn’t you? You felt your spine elongate and it’s almost empowering the way a deep breath can make you feel.
As you go for your walks, your runs, your riding on the bicycles and more – practice your breathing. Practice taking deeper breaths and control it – avoid the shallow breathing. When you run flat out, your breathing may become faster and more shallow, but try to keep your breaths as deep as possible and see how it affects your exercise experience.
Have you ever noticed how much better you feel when you breathe deeply?
Related Articles: