Breathing exercises can help you get more energy and better focus before a workout. Try it!
Breathing sends signals to the body
Therefore, balancing our breathing becomes a kind of on-off signal for our nervous system. One of the times this can be particularly helpful is when we exercise.
Breathing exercises before your workout can help you prepare your body in the best way possible and optimize your workout results. For example, through proper breathing techniques, you can better oxygenate your body and train longer and harder before you get tired.
Here are three exercises that you can try in connection with your training!
1. Breathing exercise to replenish energy before the workout
First half of the breath, breathe in through your nose all the way down into your belly, letting your entire diaphragm expand. Continue the second half of the breath, through your nose, but now let your chest expand fully. Exhale through your mouth. Repeat as many times as you feel you need for one minute.
2. Breathing exercise to clear the mind and create focus before the workout
Close your eyes. Breathe in through your left nostril and out through your right nostril. On your next breath, do the opposite – so start by breathing in through your left and then out through your right. Continue until you feel focused, energized, and ready to open your eyes.
3. Breathing exercise to calm nerves before a race or competition
Breathe in through your nose for a count of four. Hold your breath for a count of four again. Breathe out through your nose for a count of four. Hold for a count of four. You can feel the effect after just one round, but feel free to keep repeating for four minutes.
Source: Stuart Sandeman / Feel Good
