Top 10 Ways to Improve Your Breathing
Breathing is important for everyone. The importance of breathing is heightened in cases of sportsmen who correlate proper lung control to success in sports. If you are in the world of sports, improved lung capacity is essential you should probably be looking for new ways to improve your breathing. People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) also need breathing techniques to ease up on the progressive nature of COPD. To improve your breathing techniques such as that which we are about to show you will improve the efficiency of your lungs in capturing oxygen.
10. Stop Smoking
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You need to quit this life endangering habit if you wish to excel in sports or improve your general health if you have bronchitis or emphysema. Smoking damages the lungs and is a primary cause of COPD. Sportsmen generally know that smoking causes reduced performance and quitting it is one of the ways to improve your breathing.
9. Inhale deeply
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To improve your breathing techniques like breathing deeply in the manner we are about to show you should increase the amount of air you are able to absorb in a short amount of time. Start by slowly exhaling completely. Ensure that there is no longer any air contained in your lungs. Keep your abdominal muscles relaxed allowing your diaphragm to descend expanding your abdomen and your lungs as a result.
8. Breathe to the rhythm of your footsteps
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This certainly deserves a place amongst the important improve your breathing techniques that should have you inhaling more air into your lungs in no time at all. First take a hike and control your breathing to match the tempo of your footsteps. Start with a 2-2 pattern breathing inwards for 2 steps and outwards for another 2 steps. You can then progress to 3-3, 4-4, and 5-5 patterns over time. Apart from being one of the ways to improve your breathing, research has shown that this exercise is anti-aging.
7. Watch your weight
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Weight has a direct correlation to how much oxygen you require. Hence, it is important that you watch your weight especially where you have a condition like COPD. It is understandable how this might be especially tough for persons with COPD who have to eat well to add a bit of weight but a balance must be achieved.
6. Inhale a deep breath
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To give your body enough room to relax it is best you fill it to between 80 and 85% of its capacity. However, be careful not to fill your lungs to such an extent that your muscles tighten up making you feel uncomfortable. That is why in practicing this improve your breathing technique it is advisable to have a friend with you to ensure that you do not pass out and if indeed you do, your friend can respond.
5. Accelerate bradycardia by splashing your face with water
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Research has shown that splashing water on your face whilst holding your breath is one of the ways to improve lung capacity. The explanation for this effect is actually a bit technical. Put in simple terms splashing water on your face slows down your heart rate.
4. Blow balloons
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Whilst there are simple, straightforward ways to improve your breathing techniques such as these may just seem weird. But they are devastatingly effective. Blowing balloons has been known to improve your lungs power. Simply blow a balloon, deflate it and blow it again. Repeat for as long as you can.
3. Breathe in more slowly
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Get yourself into the therapeutic zone. Do this by breathing less than 12 times in a minute. Should you be able to slow down your breath to 6-8 breaths per minute, you should be able to get yourself into the therapeutic zone. The effect: greater lung capacity, asthma and high blood pressure palliative.
2. Practice Tai chi
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Yoga, and Chi Kung should help build on your core strength with the added benefit of helping you improve your breathing drastically. To further improve your breathing techniques like Pilates should also be of help.
1. Practice hyperventilation
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Hyperventilation simply means rapid breathing in and out. Hyperventilate before holding your breath provides your lungs with an immediate improvement in breathing capacity. There is a warning. Hyperventilation is especially dangerous before diving because it can delay your urge to breathe in too the extent that you eventually pass out.
These are the ten ways to improve your breathing abilities. If you did like what you read, please endeavor to share. Have any extra great ideas you feel we should have included or facts we may have missed? Feel free to leave a comment.
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