Breathe Well

It’s quiet here this afternoon. Some of us are gone out for the day, some are napping and some are silently socializing on the internet. My home is very still in this moment. Stillness is good. All of us need to learn to be still…and breathe. Some of us need to learn how to move and breathe, too. That’s usually a little bit trickier, which is why part of training and learning to move effectively includes training and learning to breathe properly. Let’s talk about breathing. In a nutshell: The diaphragm contracts and expands, causing the chest cavity to increase and decrease in size, which in turn allows for lung expansion and compression. There’s a few other muscles involved, but that’s the basics of breathing, right? Most of us generally take it for granted. (If you are chronically out of breath, and you haven’t already done so, see your doctor.) At the beginning of an exercise program, breathing is probably the most difficult thing to learn and to control. A little bit of exertion, we get winded and worried, then we slow down to maintain what we think is better control. Getting out of breath makes us nervous, but it doesn’t have to be that way. With a little practice, effective breathing can become an integrated part of your routine. Working muscles use oxygen for fuel, leaving behind more carbon dioxide (Co2) than is needed for maintaining a balanced system. When this happens during a workout, inexperienced exercisers often pant, but quick, shallow inward breaths don’t help. Exhaling is the ticket. We’ve heard the old expression: Just blow it off. That’s exactly what we need to do during an aerobic activity. The main stimulus to breathe is increased Co2 in the blood. Consciously blowing off the Co2 makes room for the oxygen. Pay attention to breathing, if it’s erratic or shallow, change it. Take control of your breathing. Find a pattern that works for you. When walking/running/whatever-ing, find a rhythm and breathe in for 3-4 steps, then out for 3-4 steps (depending on your pace). As your fitness level improves, managing your breathing pattern will become easier. In time, the breathing and movement will flow together with hardly an effort (the movement will, however, always take effort; some things don’t change). When you aren’t moving your body, and it’s quiet and still where you are, take a moment to focus on simply breathing; exhale completely, after filling your lungs to capacity (this will cause your belly to move, and should not cause your shoulders to rise). Practicing good breathing while you are quiet and still will bring you one step closer to being able to breathe correctly while you move.