No, I’m not about to turn into an angry military sergeant... this blog has nothing to do with the "don’t complain, just do it" cliche. We're about to discover the benefits of nose breathing.
Whether you exercise daily, often, or just once in a while, you are missing out on bonus health benefits every training session if you haven't developed your breathing. You might have first read about nasal breathing in the 2021 book Redefining Rage: Discover the Art of FIERCE Training, but this summer the buzz around better breathing is higher than ever. Elite athletes like Premier League footballer Erling Haaland and tennis champion Iga Swiatek recently spoke about how these breathing techniques help them stay at the top of their game. The great thing is, we can ALL do this and get the exact same benefits elite athletes get from nasal breathing. Let's take a look at how, starting with a simple question...
1 - Are You A Nose Breather or Mouth Breather?
Modern-day living destroys our posture. Sitting at our desks to work, sitting in our cars to get there, then sitting on the couch to relax after the day's done. All this sitting encourages slouching, and slouching leads to breathing from the chest, which leads to mouth breathing — but a good thing is that your training session is a great opportunity to work on good posture!
When I'm doing my jump rope training now, I've found that an upright posture and looking straight ahead massively improves my breathing (and as a result, my cardiovascular fitness). Keeping your head up leaves the breathing passage clearer and less obstructed, and it also encourages breathing deeply through the nose. Now we’ve fixed that, let’s look at how to breathe correctly using your awesome new posture.
2 - Breathe Deep into the Diaphragm
You might not realise it, but when we're excited, stressed, or scared, our breathing changes.
Our breathing becomes quicker, with shallow breaths into the chest. That's the body rushing to get oxygen in to the body in its panicked state.
Breathing deeply relaxes you. And when done correctly, your diaphragm should move up and down as you breathe (your stomach to expand as you inhale, and contract as you exhale).
A relaxed mind is better for performing complex techniques, and mental tension can also show up as physical tension in the body. Physical tension makes us more likely to pick up an injury!
3 - Cleaner Air Means More Energy
Those tiny little hairs in our nostrils
(I know, gross, I get it), help to clean the air as we breathe in. Cleaning the air as it enters the body causes better oxygen intake since our lungs don't have to do as much work to remove the junk that might be in the air we inhale.
More efficient oxygen intake means we can perform the same amount of work using less energy—meaning we get fitter, and can go harder for longer.
Conclusion - Just Shut Your Mouth! (Respectfully)
Think about it this way... The mouth was designed for eating and (eventually, as humans evolved to communicate better) speaking.
The nose was designed for breathing and smelling (which is just an aspect of breathing anyway) – so, with all due respect, just shut your mouth!
Unless you'd like to try or have tried nasal breathing yourself... in that case, don't hesitate to drop a comment below and share your thoughts.
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(References: Michael Flanell, RDH, MBA, “The Athlete’s Secret Ingredient: The Power of Nasal Breathing”, Dental Sleep Practice, https://dentalsleeppractice.com/medical-insights/the-athletes-secret- ingredient-the-power-of-nasal-breathing/)
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