Improving lung capacity with these breathing exercises
What's the story
Breathing exercises are a convenient and powerful tool for strengthening your lungs. This is particularly advantageous for athletes, singers, and people with respiratory illnesses. By incorporating these exercises into your daily routine, you can increase your oxygen intake, improve endurance, and support overall lung health without requiring any special equipment or expert supervision.
Deep breath
Deep breathing technique
Deep breathing is a fundamental exercise that utilizes the diaphragm to maximize lung expansion. Simply sit or stand in a relaxed position, inhale deeply through your nose for a count of four, hold your breath for a count of seven, and exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of eight. This technique not only enhances lung capacity but also serves as a powerful stress reliever.
Rib stretching
The rib stretch
The rib stretch is designed to increase the rib cage's flexibility and improve lung capacity. Stand tall, take a deep inhale until completely full, and hold for 20 seconds with hands on hips or raised overhead to further enhance the stretch. A slow exhale helps eliminate the carbon dioxide accumulated in the lungs.
Belly breathing
Belly breathing technique
Belly breathing helps strengthen the diaphragm, which is the most important muscle we use for breathing. Lie down or get comfortable sitting down. Put one hand on your belly and the other on your chest. Take a deep breath in through your nose. Make sure only your belly rises, not your chest. Breathe out through your mouth, like you're blowing out a candle.
Pursed lips
Pursed lips breathing
This technique keeps your airways open longer during exhalation, helping to improve the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. It's especially beneficial for individuals with COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). To do pursed lips breathing, inhale through your nose for two seconds then pucker your lips like you're going to whistle and exhale slowly through pursed lips for four seconds.
Interval exercise
Interval training
Adding interval training to your regular workout routine can greatly improve lung capacity over time. This means you alternate between short, high-intensity exercises that raise your heart rate quickly and periods of low-intensity recovery or rest. For instance, sprinting for 30 seconds then walking for one minute, and repeating this cycle multiple times, builds endurance and strengthens your respiratory muscles effectively.