Inhale . . . Exhale ~ Breathing and Exercise

Inhale and Exhale: When To Do Which During Exercise?

Breathing, we do it every day without being consciously aware of how we do it. Yet, the act of inhaling and exhaling during exercise takes on another dimension. Most experts agree that one should exhale upon exertion and inhale upon release. The reason for this is that there is less risk of injury internally.

Some women have a difficult time with this particular technique since the tendency to hold ones’ breath when exerting pressure is quite common. It is recommended that, for example, if you are lifting a heavy object to exhale as you begin the lift and then inhale when you slowly place the object down.

Another school of thought suggests that when conducting any form of exercise, there is a tendency to breathe through the mouth, which is why so many people new to exercising get out of breath. The proper way is to breathe through the nose. All experts do agree, however, that breathing during exercise routines should be normal and not forced.

Engaging in cardiovascular workouts or aerobic workouts is another example in which breathing should be natural. Moreover, it is advised to breathe in through the nose and breathe out through the mouth, which allows the heart rate to slow down as well as your breathing. Yet, professionals who teach Yoga instruct their students to breathe only through the mouth.

Sound confusing? Well, the best advice is when it doubt breathe normally. Eventually, the more practice you have under your belt the more you will be able to get the breathing part of exercising down to a science.

While much has been written about when to inhale and exhale during exercise routines, there is a right way of breathing. The problem is, depending on which professional you talk to, their way is the only way.