Extra Life TriFit Breathing

I’ve included an entire module on breathing in this program because it’s that important. Plain and simple, we require oxygen to live. Without it, we die within minutes. If oxygen is that important, why is it that we never give breathing a second thought?

Well, the reason is that it’s become a habit. It’s a reflex. Oxygen is readily available, and we breathe in and out thousands of times a day with little effort at all. It’s no wonder we don’t think about it!

In reality however, we should think about it. If we are not getting the most out of our breathing, both in and out of exercise, we are not able to perform at our best, we experience anxiety, we become fatigued, and we don’t recover properly.

Alternatively, if you breathe deeply, deliberately into your belly, you maximize the oxygen content in your blood stream. This oxygen is delivered to the muscles so that they have the energy they need to perform at their best. Your brain gets the oxygen it needs so that you become more clear headed. Your immune system is able to operate at maximum capacity.

Imagine if instead of breathing shallow and getting 50% of the oxygen you are capable of taking in, you constantly breathed fully and deeply. How much better would you feel? How exponentially much greater would your performance be?

Think about how you’re breathing right now. Are you breathing shallow and fast, or deep and slowly? Do you find your belly expanding when you breathe, or just your upper chest? Now that you’re thinking about it, have you changed your pattern? My guess is that you have. That is what happens when you shift your focus to your breathing, and conscious breathing should be practiced at least a couple times a day. Additionally, breathing should be a primary focus during exercise.

The Importance of Breathing

Why is Breathing So Important?