The way we breathe can have a profound impact on both our workouts and our mental clarity. We often think that because breathing is automatic, it must be working well and we don't have to think about it.
Not always true...
Understanding Breath Work
To start, let’s define what breath work is. At its core, breath work is any technique that involves intentionally controlling your breath. It can range from simple deep breathing exercises to more structured practices, like pranayama in yoga or various forms of meditation.
Enhancing Your Workouts
Have you ever noticed how your breath changes during different types of exercise? When we push ourselves, it’s common to hold our breath or breathe irregularly. Often this accentuates breathing patterns which are actually strained in our everyday lives anyway, and exercise highlights them more. This can lead to feelings of fatigue or even dizziness.
Incorporating breath work into our workouts can help bring body awareness, help us lift with strength and stability and to upregulate and downregulate effectively (something many of us struggle with!)
Breath Work and Mental Clarity
In our fast-paced world, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and stressed. Right?! Practicing breath work can be a powerful antidote. When you consciously focus on your breath, it helps anchor your thoughts and brings you into the present moment. This can be especially useful during those moments when your mind races or when you’re feeling distracted.
Engaging in regular breath work, even just a few minutes a day, can reduce symptoms of anxiety and promote a greater sense of calm. One technique I suggest to start with is resonance breathing, which simply means equal inhales and exhales e.g inhale for four seconds, and exhale for four seconds. It’s a simple yet effective way to reset your mind and find a sense of clarity, making it easier to tackle the tasks ahead.
Finding Your Flow
Incorporating breath work into your life doesn’t have to be daunting.
Start small!
Dedicate just one breath a day to practice.
You might also consider enhancing your workouts (or anything else!) by incorporating breath-focused exercises. For example, we always begin our strength sessions with cat cow movements; this not only starts to mobilise the spine, but also provides a way to check in with our mind and body and start to attune to the rhythm of our breath. We also close every strength session with breath work to intentionally down regulate.
Because, whilst we might might time to intentionally do breath work, the truth is every breath matters. So why should it be separate from our commute, prepping dinner, our workouts or anything else?!
Embrace the practice of breath work, and you may just find it becomes a vital part of your routine—leading to a stronger body and a clearer mind.
Want to explore breath work more? We offer two ways to do it: with our dedicated introduction to breath work short course, and our monthly breath work shops. Check them out here.
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