Lesson 21 How to breathe for sport, physical activity, and relaxation

Today, in this lesson we are going to focus on the proper way to breathe. I know what you’re saying, Dwayne I know how to breathe, I have been breathing all my life. But what you probably are not aware of is the proper way to breath for sport, physical activity, and relaxation. The type of breathing we are highlighting is diaphragmatic breathing or belly breathing, filling up the lower abdomen first, then the lower chest, and lastly the upper chest. Of all the relaxation skills and techniques, diaphragmatic or belly breathing is the easiest to learn, provides almost immediate positive feedback, and when diaphragmatic breathing is used in conjunction with other relaxation techniques it has a tendency to enhance and boost the effectiveness of these other techniques.

Animals have a tendency to be belly breathers. If you have ever seen a dog or a cat pant you have seen this phenomenon on display. Most people in more primitive societies have a tendency to be diaphragmatic breathers due to action and emotions being more highly emphasized. Most people in more modern, industrial societies, however, have a tendency to be thoracic or chest breathers. This type of breathing is associated with left brain dominance which emphasizes logical and analytical thinking skills, rather than emotions and action related responses. Thoracic breathing has a tendency to deemphasize the action or doing part of our nature which is associated with right brain dominance.

As you perform diaphragmatic breathing you should also breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth. Learning to breathe in this manner is an integral aspect of mastering deep relaxation techniques. The best time to use diaphragmatic breathing during competition is during a time out, a break in the action, or before preforming a sports skill. On a personal note, I have found that if you want to change your focus, change your line of thinking, or combat negative thinking you can take 3-5 diaphragmatic breaths in succession. This has a tendency to center you and bring you back to what is important.

The best time to use diaphragmatic breathing during competition is during a time out, a break in the action, or before performing a sports skill. Focusing on your breathing also has a tendency to relax problematic muscle groups in your body that are prone to suffer from tension such as the shoulders and neck. On another personal note, when breathing for optimal sports performance while participating in your sport, I have found that breathing in through both the nose and mouth and forcefully exhaling the air through the mouth helps boost endurance by getting maximum oxygen into the lungs and then the blood stream.

REFERENCES

Garfield, C. & Bennett, H. (1984). Peak performance: Mental Training techniques of the world’s greatest athletes. New York, NY: Warner Books, INC.

Weinberg, R. and Gould, D. (2019). Foundations of sport and exercise psychology. 7TH ed. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.