BREATHE EASY: YOUR BREATHING AFFECTS YOUR WORKOUT

Breathing exercises can help with exercise and improve your level of physical fitness in a variety of ways. Specific, focused breathing exercises can increase your lung capacity, induce relaxation, decrease exercise-induced cramping by increasing the flow of oxygen and help you develop a sense of mindful awareness of your body when you exercise.

Proper breathing during exercises where you exert yourself - such as lifting, pushing, or pulling - is much easier to remember and control than the 3:2 ratio during running long distance. To put it simply: always exhale on exertion.

For example, when you are pushing a bench press off your chest, you exhale on the push and inhale as you bring it slowly to your chest. When you are doing a pullup, you exhale on the pulling up motion and inhale on the way down.

Breathing during exertion is important in preventing internal injury such as hernia, blood vessel strain, and high blood pressure.

Because weight lifting and PT can be potentially harmful when done incorrectly, it is advised to get clearance from a doctor before performing too much - too soon.

 To do for today: focus on breathing deep all the time - during workouts and in your daily activities.