We do strength training and tell you what standard training movements to perform, a sensible training plan, and we don't even get into how to take nutritional supplements. While all these all the details, all play a part, at the most basic level, what makes training healthier and more energetic is the connection with it through the breath.
Turning this secret into real power
Breathing gives movement strength and grace. If used correctly, it can help you break through stagnation and realise your inner and outer potential. Unfortunately, many people lose this vital connection through stress, anxiety, trauma, poor posture and lack of awareness.
In yoga practice, practitioners turn their attention to the breath and link it to movement. Yoga breathing techniques are known as 'pranayama', or 'control of the breath'.
But proper breathing techniques are not just for yoga trainers. In fact, a connection with the breath may be just what you need in the gym and in life.
In our opinion, the imbalance between holding the breath, inhaling and exhaling is one of the most common problems. You probably think too much about the people around you, or the equipment on the mat. We usually don't even notice these subtle interruptions in our breathing patterns and how they affect us. However, with practice, we can restore this connection to us and help find the best possible state.
Developing breath perception
Breathing is a function of the autonomic nervous system, which means it is unconscious, but that doesn't mean it can't be changed. Just because we breathe 12 to 20 times a minute and receive around 10,000 litres of oxygen a day does not mean that the breathing pattern is correct.
Many athletes are unable to breathe from the spine all the way down to the deepest part of the abdomen, or to exhale fully.
Full exhalation activates the diaphragm, a fornix-shaped muscle that separates the thorax from the abdomen. The diaphragm connects to the sternum and thoracic cavity like a parachute, all the way down to the front of the lumbar spine. This is an area where i see a lot of herniated discs and back pain. Imagine this: When you inhale, there is a balloon filling the entire pelvis and stretching in all directions. Hold your breath for a moment and as you exhale, all the muscles of the spine contract. Slowly hiss through your teeth, exhale for as long as possible and notice which muscles contract as you exhale.
Balancing mind and body
However, it's not just about strength and stability. Full breathing throughout the spine promotes balance of the breath and balance of the nervous system. The higher the breath enters the chest, the more 'active' the nervous system becomes, and the deeper the breath enters the abdomen, the more relaxed you can remain.
Diaphragmatic breathing releases pressure and creates space for sympathetic and other nerves. The sympathetic nerves activate the parasympathetic nervous system, causing a relaxation response and achieving balance. Exhalation helps pump nutrients into the muscles and massages the nerves.
Recovery time is necessary in training and in life. The best athletes know how to control their breathing and therefore their nervous system in order to achieve optimum performance on and off the field.
Establish a daily breathing practice
We recommend performing the following breathing exercises every day for 40 to 60 days to adjust the intensity of your breathing. You can start by doing these exercises in the morning on your way home, to work or to the gym.
1. Cannonball breathing with compression of the core
Sit up straight. Imagine a steel column sliding down your spine and lifting you up into the sky. Exhale as hard as you can, without shrugging your shoulders or arching your back. Hold it empty for a moment and let your muscles realise that this helps you to exhale. Then breathe in slowly through your nose. Notice if you inhale through your shoulder or neck muscles. Each time you exhale, focus on squeezing your abdominal muscles as if you were contracting towards your spine. Avoid pushing outwards and downwards.
2. Yoga band breathing
Sit up straight. Wrap the yoga strap around your body, crossing it at the widest point below your sternum. Inhale to expand the chest outwards and exhale fully. Keep your neck and shoulders relaxed.
3. Spinal rotation
Sit up straight, keeping the tension in your body while inhaling into your abdomen, keeping the length of your spine. Exhale and twist your body. You can hold the pose by placing your forearms on the outer side of the opposite thigh. Take five full breaths here before turning to the other side.
Breathing techniques during training
The aim of daily breathing exercises is to make efficient and effective breathing the norm during exercise. With daily practice you don't even need to think about how to breathe during exercise. You just do it spontaneously. That's the goal. For exercises like yoga poses or aerobics, yoga breathing is ideal. And for strength training the following breathing methods are to be used.
4. Throat breathing
With your mouth closed, breathe in slowly and evenly through your nose. Breathe in through your voice and out through the back of your throat. Pay attention to the balance of the sound, speed and length of your breath. This type of breathing also helps to maintain concentration and energy efficiency during sports such as surfing, hiking, trail running or cycling.
When performing muscular endurance lifts, such as bicep curls, the goal is a modified version of glottal breathing, where you exhale as you contract your muscles.
And for strength training with high weights, such as hard pulls and squats, we recommend using power breathing. This type of breathing will help to keep your deep core muscles active and create intra-abdominal pressure, acting like an internal air cushion to help protect your spine.
5. Power breathing
Contract the pelvic floor by squeezing the base of your spine before lifting weights. Exhale as you contract your core muscles, then do a half inhale while keeping your core muscles engaged and your abdomen under pressure. As you lift the weight, hiss and exhale slowly, as if releasing a pressure valve.
Recovery and relaxation
For many people, one of the hardest things to do in life is to give up. There is a fine line between holding on and letting go. If you don't let your breath go, fill deeply and empty your stomach and relax your core muscles, you will be left with exhaustion. Diaphragmatic breathing is your way of balancing your nervous system, your hormones and your life.
6. Diaphragmatic breathing
Lie prone with your arms crossed over your chest and your forehead resting on the back of your hands. Breathe into each part of the spine, starting with three to five breaths into the chest and upper thorax, the middle of the back and finally the lower back. With each inhalation, lift the torso up and fill it with air as if you were doing a hydraulic exercise. As you exhale, feel your abs pull up from the floor.
Although it may seem simple, conscious breathing is more of an art or skill. Each conscious breath strengthens the connection between mind and body. With practice, this connection can be greatly improved.
