"We never think about our breath until it is the only thing we think about".
Up until 2020 most people did not think about the way they breathe. We take it for granted until something happens to interrupt our rhythm: exercise, getting submerged in the ocean or respiratory conditions. Breathing impacts not only exercise performance ability, but also sleep, nervous system and focus. Many people find meditation difficult and breathwork to be a powerful alternative. Breathing is the connection between mind and body. It is a 2-way street. How you breathe will influence your cognition and mental state. Conversely your mental state will influence your breathing.
BREATHWORK COACHING
The average person breathes a staggering 12,000 to 20,000 breaths per day. Breathing rates and efficiency are influenced by many factors, including stress, exercise, heat, illness, hormones and psychological states.
Three aspects of respiration are breathing mechanics, biochemistry and psychologically. Mechanics refers to the way in which your bones and muscles move to make air flow in and out of your body. Biochemistry encompasses the balance of blood gasses of where oxygen and carbon dioxide levels are dominant players. The nervous system sends signals to direct our breathing AND receive signals from our breathing.
Better breathing can improve your daily life at home, at work and during exercise. Improving breath mechanics is one way to address dysfunction and improve performance. But it is more than mechanics, learning different functional breathing techniques to apply in appropriate settings can augment physical performance. Learning how to change your mental state using breathing techniques have flow on effects beyond exercise.
Benefits of breath training include:
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Improved mechanics and reduce dysfunctional breathing
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Improved oxygen delivery and uptake to tissues
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Reduced breathlessness
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Better exercise performance and recovery
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Reduced respiratory infections
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Improve sleep quality, reduce obstructive sleep apnea and snoring
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Improved focus and performance under pressure
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Increased stress tolerance & heart rate variability
Breathe better, perform better.