Written by: Jordan Weber, O2 Fitness Wilmington
When working out, we breathe more because our body is utilizing the oxygen that we breathe from movement. Slower movements requires slower breathing, and faster moving, faster breathing.
When to breathe: During stretching or yoga we want to inhale and exhale slowly. When jogging we also want to be breathe smoothly inhaling and exhaling as much as possible or when needed depending on the exertion of the exercise.
When we squat, we want to exhale on the way up during exertion or when we stand. If we inhale on the way up, our body tightens and cannot move properly. When we perform a pushing movement or a chest press we need to exhale during the push and inhale when we lower.
Using the breath to exhale during exertion, we can perform more repetitions, save energy and utilize our oxygen stores. Breathing with the movement improves technique and stability of the exercise. Slower moving, slower breathing and faster breathing, faster moving.
People tend to think about their breathing the most when we are active. The body is always active. It requires oxygen as the top energy source over food or water.
Our posture is dependent upon our breathing and our breathing is directly related to our posture. If we can think about breathing at home, during the day and while we are sitting, we will be more aware of our posture. If our posture is off, it is most likely that we are shallow breathing. Shallow breathing can result in lack of oxygen to the vital organs and tissues in the body. This can slower metabolism, and decrease digestion/peristalsis.
So....Just Breathe!
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